Maybe.If the position at Sarita opened to the public.
Onthe other hand, did I have a chance in frozen hell that he would admit what agreat chef I was? Especially to Ezra?
Hiseyes darkened as we stood there silently, staring at each other. His jawticked, and I realized how foolish this dream was. He was already pissed offand I hadn’t even said anything yet.
Icleared my throat and took a step back. We weren’t standing particularly close,but suddenly there wasn’t enough room in this whole damn kitchen to put betweenus. “Did you get any sleep last night?” The question came out differently thanI meant it to. It sounded like a criticism when I’d meant it as concern. Hiseyes narrowed, and I knew he felt the accidental judgment.
Herubbed a hand over his face and turned away from me. “Not much.” With short,precise movements, he took a seat behind his desk and leaned back in his swivelchair. “That’s actually why I brought you in here.”
“Iget it, Wyatt. You don’t have to berate me. I won’t cover for Dillon again. Irealize now that it screws everything else up.”
Herapped his knuckles on the desk and continued to look at anything but me. “Iappreciate that, but that’s not why I wanted to talk to you.”
Myshoulders drooped in response to my disappointment. I had been expecting afight. At the very least, a riled-up argument. But the tired tone of his voicemade it clear he wasn’t up for sparring. And considering Sarita, I shouldn’thave been either.
Iwasn’t going to sleep with him. Obviously, that was crazy talk. But I could geton his good side. I could get him to warm up to me. I could maybe even convincehim that I wasn’t always the villain.
It wouldn’tbe easy. And not because of his feelings for me. I would have to be nice, kind…thoughtful. Blech. They were all qualities I wasn’t even sure I possessed.
Runninga hand through my short hair and pushing it out of my eyes, I decided to make avision board when I got home. Not that I was confident the universe wouldsimply drop Sarita in my lap if I taped a picture of her to a poster board. Theuniverse didn’t work like that. But maybe a physical reminder of my goals wouldincentivize me to change… work on who I was.
That’swhen the universe moved. Not when I wished for something, but when I worked ashard as humanly possible to change, to go after the things I wanted, when Ididn’t give up or quit trying.
Isuppressed a grimace. This better be worth it.
“Whatdo you need me for?” I asked in a tone I hoped came off as sweet.
Hiseyes lifted from the desk and he hit me with that darkened gaze all over again.His jaw ticked once. Twice. My hands balled into nervous fists from somesubconscious reaction to him. This wasn’t irritation. Wyatt was a completemystery in every way, but intuition whispered there was something else going onin his complicated mind—some emotion that made a tingle skitter down my spineand my breathing hitch.
Wyattcleared his throat and subtly shook his head. “Uh, like you said, I’m tiredtoday. And I, uh… this isn’t easy for me to ask. And I wouldn’t under normalcircumstances, but there’s a critic from the Daily Durham coming in tonight. Iknow it’s a small paper, but it’s my first real write up, so I’d like foreverything to operate as perfect as possible.”
Hepaused to take a breath and I decided to put the poor guy out of his misery.“Got it. I’ll be on my game tonight. Don’t worry about a thing.” I took a stepback toward the door, ready to escape the awkward tension between us. It wasthick and tangling and I wanted to pick a fight with him if only to put us backin neutral territory. But that would be antithetical to my goal. Instead, Ireached for the door handle.
“That’sgreat, but not what I meant exactly.” His gaze darted to his computer and thenhis hands, then to the ceiling, and finally back to me. “This isn’t easy forme…”
“Youalready said that,” I reminded him in a deceptively gentle voice. Sharp, bitingnerves gnawed through me and my guts started churning with the burn of anger.Was he going to fire me? Was this the end of my career altogether? I mean, wefought and bickered, and sometimes I made jokes at his expense, but he couldn’tfire me over all that nonsense… could he? I was a good chef, damn it. The bestin his kitchen. If he even tried to—
Herubbed a hand over his face again and mumbled, “Right,” into his palm. All atonce, as if he’d made some kind of internal decision, he dropped his hand andsat up straighter. “I need you to babysit me tonight. Okay?”
Theanger dissipated just like that and startled confusion stepped in. “Babysityou?”
“I’mnot sleeping well, okay? If I get to bed at a decent time I can manage a fewhours off and on which has been enough so far. But I was here so late lastnight that by the time I got home I couldn’t even manage that. I’m worried whatthat will mean for my performance tonight, and with the review, I’m worriedthat…” His eyes turned pleading and hopeful. “Can you make sure I don’t sendanything stupid out? I need you to keep me focused.”
“Whyme?” The question came out as a whisper.
“Becauseyou’ll tell me the truth. You won’t bullshit me because you’re afraid of me.”
“Iam afraid of you.” Another sentence I hadn’t meant to say out loud.
“Yeah,but not in the ways that matter.” A ghost of a smile lifted one side of hismouth. “Keep me on my game tonight, Kaya. Don’t let me fuck up.”
Iwas flabbergasted. And that wasn’t a word I used often. Or ever. However, thismoment called for it. Flabbergasted. Completely. Totally. Wholeheartedly.
Hewanted me to keep an eye on him? He wanted me to micromanage him?
Myfirst thought, and I wasn’t proud of this, was why should I? What had he everdone for me that warranted this kindness? But I quickly stomped it down andbanished it completely.
Iwasn’t a horrible person. Sure, maybe I had a “save yourself” mentality most ofthe time, but it wasn’t something I advertised or wanted to be known for. Ofcourse, I would help Wyatt and do whatever it took to keep this kitchen the highestrated in the city.
