Killian’seyebrows rose slowly, and I knew I’d said too much.
“Much,”I added quickly.
Hecracked a small smile. “He’s good for Lilou. He’s good for you.”
Theback of my neck prickled, and I took a sip of coffee to hide my urge to rub it.“I don’t know about that. Maybe he’s good for the restaurant, but we butt headsin the worst way.”
Killian’ssmile stretched. “He doesn’t like that you’re as good as he is.”
Thecompliment spiraled through me, warming me from head to toe, slightly thawingsome permanently frozen place inside my chest. “I don’t think either of us likeit,” I admitted, suppressing the ego swell.
Hissmile disappeared, and he straightened. It was like he put on a differentpersona. Gone was the man in love and in his place appeared a wise fatherfigure that was about to offer sage advice. I shifted again. I had never beengreat with authority. “He needs you, Kaya. He was the best for the job, yeah? Ididn’t give it to him to spite you. I gave it to him because he deserved it.But that doesn’t mean you aren’t important. He’s kept you as sous, right?”
Ishrugged. “Yeah, but he also threatens to take it away from me every singlenight.”
“Hewon’t.” Killian’s affirmation was confident. “He can’t. There’s no one else inthat kitchen that’s ready.”
“Hey!”Dillon cried out in protest. Killian gave her a look and she wilted, foldingher arms over her chest and sticking out her bottom lip. “Fine, Kaya’s amazing,blah, blah, blah.”
Killian’sgaze moved back to mine. “Support him, Kaya. Support his role completely beforeyou move on.”
Myeyes narrowed. The boost to my ego from his compliment a few seconds ago wasreplaced with the sharp, raw feeling of vulnerability. I hated that he saw meso clearly. I hated that he’d managed to motivate me to stay with Wyatt whilemaking me feel valuable as a chef all at once. I didn’t want people to see thismuch of me. I wanted to remain hidden, mysterious. Yeah, fine, I wanted mytalent to be known, but I didn’t want that to give anyone insight to myinsides.
“Whydo you think I’ll leave Lilou?” I asked him, needing to know how obvious I was.
Heshrugged and looked around the kitchen. “Because you’re never going to besatisfied with being number two. You don’t have it in you to support someoneelse forever.”
“Ican’t tell if that’s an insult or a compliment.”
Hesmiled again, but this time it was at his future wife. “It’s admirable.” Heturned back to me. “But EC is hard as shit. A lot of chefs want to get to thetop, but few have it in them.”
Ilaughed to make light of his warning, knowing he was right. “I’m okay with hard.”
“That’swhat she said!” Dillon giggled from across the kitchen, her arms raised overher head in victory like she’d won something for being the first person to eversay it.
Weall groaned at her terrible joke, but inwardly I was grateful we could movepast the life lessons portion of the morning.
“Thisis why you’re still single,” Killian teased her in that older brother way.
Shestuck her tongue out at him. “Speaking of being single…” She pauseddramatically and we all waited to find out where she was headed with this.“What’s happening with Sarita? Ezra was on the phone all last night and I fellasleep before he decided anything.”
Killianrolled his eyes. “If he was smart, he’d sell the damn thing. He should pieceoff all of the harem except for Lilou. They’re more trouble than they’re worth.”
Theharem was how we lovingly referred to Ezra’s group of restaurants, all namedafter ex-girlfriends.
“Hewon’t do it,” Dillon stated simply, but with all the confidence we knew she hadthe right to have. “He loves them too much.”
Killianleaned back against the sink. “Which is ironic considering how much he didn’tlove the actual women they’re named after.”
Verasnorted a laugh. “If he names a restaurant after Molly, I’m going to punch himin the throat.”
Dillonand Killian quickly promised Vera that would never happen. I wasn’t totallyconvinced, but then again, I didn’t know Ezra. I knew about him. And I workedwith him enough that I knew what to expect from him in a professional setting.But I didn’t know anything about his personal life. Except that he dated highmaintenance women with exotic names.
Buteven that was learned secondhand.
“Whatwill happen toSarita?” I asked, refocusing theconversation.
“We’regoing to run it while Ezra is on vacation,” Vera answered. “Because we hateourselves.”
