Atleast until I ran my very own.
Wyatt’sperformance reflected on me. And on the giant off chance that I didn’t getSarita, I might want to apply for a job elsewhere. I would need a good trackrecord to get me into a kitchen as good as Lilou.
Besides,this might also come in handy for leverage. I had already decided to get onWyatt’s good side, to do whatever it took to get his recommendation. This was afirst step toward that goal.
Butagain, my mouth detached from my brain and I blurted, “Why aren’t yousleeping?”
Herubbed his eyes with balled fists as if the very mention of sleep made him feeltired. “I don’t know. I’ve never been awesome at it. But it’s been worse lately.”
Iwanted to ask if it was because of his executive chef promotion, but I managedto hold my tongue. Sighing deeply, I said, “You can count on me tonight. I’llbe the first to tell you when you’ve screwed up.” I smiled, hoping it addedlevity to the truth in my words.
Hismouth moved, forming a small smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I knew Icould count on you to nag me.”
Mysmile turned fake as his words rubbed at the bad blood between us. “Remember thatyou asked for it this time.”
Heleaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk and craning his neck toward me.“Don’t let me fire you tonight.”
Iset my hands on his desk and mimicked his position. “I’d like to see you try.”
Thistime his smile was real. It appeared at the exact moment his gaze dropped to myboobs that were pushed up accidentally for his viewing pleasure. Shit.
Hiseyes returned to mine a second later and I wondered if he had even meant tolook. Maybe it was a guy reflex. Maybe I shouldn’t be throwing my boobs in hisface to begin with.
Eitherway, I couldn’t help but enjoy the pink tinge to his cheeks and the stalwartway he refocused on my face. “Don’t tempt me,” he muttered. I had to press mylips together to hide my smile when his eyes widened at his own words.
Istood up, taking the temptation away from him. And then the devil entered mybody. My eyelids drooped, and I took a slow, flirty step backwards. “Nopromises.”
Withoutanother glance back, I fled from the office and found sanctuary in the kitchen.My cheeks blazed with embarrassment and incredulity at my behavior. Who was I?And why was I flirting with Wyatt of all people?
Verawas obviously some kind of witch.
Ormaybe that’s exactly how desperate for human interaction I was.
Myfingers itched to text Nolan. But that wasn’t human interaction either. Thatwas a bad habit I had already kicked. There was no sense in reopening thatgaping wound.
“Hey,what did Wyatt want?” Dillon asked as I buttoned up my chef’s jacket next toher prep work.
“Workstuff,” I mumbled absently. “Hey, can you set me up?”
Sheput her knife down and turned slowly to face me. “What?”
Heropen assessment of my out of the blue question made my cheeks burn a brighterred. I immediately reached for my apron in my purse and busied myself withtying it around my waist. “I think it would be fun. Do you feel weird about it?Is it weird that I asked? Just ignore me. It’s fine. I’ll join Tinder orsomething.”
“Ohmy God,” she laughed. “Don’t join Tinder! At least not yet.” Her eyes sparkledas she rubbed her hands together. “This is going to be so much fun!”
Oh,no. What had I done. I pointed my finger at her. “No weirdos.”
Shewaggled her eyebrows. “Obviously.”
“Andnobody in the food industry.” I glanced around the kitchen and noticed everyonepretending not to listen to us. Gossips. All of them. Plus, I’d already dippedmy toes in these waters and no thank you. After Nolan, I’d made several badmistakes around this kitchen. It wasn’t an experience I wanted to repeat. “Idon’t want to date another chef.”
Rollingher eyes, she went back to chopping. “I’m not a total idiot. Nobody wants todate a chef. We’re all egomaniacs that work the absolute worst hours. You haveto date from the outside because they don’t know any better. You have to trickthem.”
Iblinked at my friend. “Are you serious?”
Shelifted her head and seemed to realize she’d said something she hadn’t meant to.“I mean, not like really trick them. But you should probably leave all thedetails about your career and ambition out of the conversation for a while. Inmy experience, when they find out how much you work and then you tell themyou’re hoping for a promotion, so you can work more, they tend to run away likefrightened kittens.”
Ifelt a pang of sympathy for my friend. She was a catch, damn it. Super smart,super talented and super hot, she was like the holy Trinity of dream girls. Sheshouldn’t have to hide who she was or what she wanted out of life just to get asecond date.
