Veraraised her eyebrows behind a sip of her coffee. “Why? Looking for a jobperchance?”
It wasmy turn to blush. It was a generous offer from her. And unsubstantiated. “I,uh, I-I like Lilou.”
“That’sa lie.” Dillon snorted, sharing a friendly look with Vera. “She hates Lilou.”
“Ido not!” I defended quickly “I love the restaurant.”
“Fine.”Dillon sighed. “She hates Wyatt.”
Veralaughed again, but it sounded surprised this time. “What? Why?”
Dillonsnorted again, hopping backwards to sit on a steel counter. I inwardly cringedat her irreverence but held my tongue. Dillon didn’t have the same kind ofworshipfulness I had with kitchens. Or with anything really. She was prettymuch aloof when it came to social cues and expected behavior. Which were myfavorite things about her. Most of the time.
“He’san asshole,” I blurted, feeling safer with Vera than I probably should have.They were friends. This would have been a good time to hold my tongue.
Veralaughed again, more subdued this time though. “Every good chef is. It’s theonly way they can protect their fragile egos.”
Dilloncanted her head at Vera. “You’re not an asshole.”
Killian’svoice boomed from a doorway that led to a hallway at the back of the kitchen.“You’ve never cooked with her.”
Vera’seyes narrowed at her fiancé. “Poor, abused baby.”
Hegrinned at her and I had a sympathetic pang for Vera. How could she stand himlooking at her like that all the time? Killian had to be one of the mostbeautiful humans on the planet to begin with, but then add in that adoring lookin his eyes and the way his whole body seemed to warm and lean toward her? Howdid she survive it?
Iwould have died by now. Or gone into permanent shock.
Shewas for sure a lucky woman. But she also had to be one of the strongest outthere. Not because of how beautiful Killian was, but because of how difficulthe could be too.
“Iam abused,” Killian agreed, closing the distance between his bride to be andthe doorway in long, stretched strides. “Thank you for noticing.”
Sherolled her eyes and looked at me as he put his arms around her middle. “Seewhat I mean?”
“Yeah,well, Wyatt is an asshole in a totally different way than”—I waved my hand atthem—“whatever you two have going on.”
Dillonmade a sound in the back of her throat and gave them a disapproving look. “It’slike this all the time, Ky. You should be around when my brother and Molly arehere too. The four of them in the same room is downright disgusting.”
“Whatdo you mean disgusting?” Killian demanded.
Iturned my back on all three of them and went hunting for coffee. I found aFrench press near one of the stovetops with a saucer of creamer next to it.Yes. Please.
WhileI poured, Dillon exclaimed, “Are you kidding me? Y’all are like a HallmarkChristmas movie, but all the time. I didn’t even know it was possible to getsick of love. But I am chronically grossed out these days.”
Veraand Killian laughed, too far gone to be bothered by Dillon’s comments. “Yourbrother is way worse than I am,” Killian argued. “He’s like a smitten puppy.”
Iturned around just in time to watch Dillon give a pointed look at Killian’sarms still firmly encircling Vera. “And you’re not?”
Killianonly grinned at her. “Obviously I am. I’m just way cooler about it than he is.”He turned back to me. “Let’s get back to the topic. Why is Wyatt an asshole?”
Thiswasn’t something I wanted to talk about with my former boss. And my currentboss’s friend and mentor. Time to deflect. “You’ve met him. It’sself-explanatory.”
Killian’ssmile died. “Regardless of what Vera has led you to believe, we’re not allawful. And I don’t think Wyatt is at all. He’s hard maybe, precise. He knowswhat he wants and isn’t afraid to go after it. But I don’t think that makes himan asshole.”
“Maybe,”I said noncommittally.
Killianwasn’t fooled by my halfhearted answer. “It’s probably hard for you since youused to work with him and now have to work for him. It’s not that he’s anasshole, it’s just a difficult adjustment.”
“It’snot that at all,” I admitted when I knew I should keep my mouth shut. “I don’tmind perfection. I worked for you and didn’t complain.”
