Charlielaughed harder.
“Hedidn’t have to say my name.” I tried to sound at least mildly humble. Even ifmy insides were boiling. “He could have credited all of us. He could have saidwe didn’t flinch with the regime change. We gave him the respect he was dueright out of the gate. He could have mentioned us—a general, they’re allamazing.”
Charliesobered some, his smile turning confused. “Would you?”
Irolled my eyes. That was a stupid question. “Of course, I would! If I ran akitchen like this, I wouldn’t need to claim all the glory for myself. The foodspeaks for itself.”
Heshrugged. “That’s the difference between men and women.”
Itwas my turn to be confused. “What does that mean?”
“Mendon’t like to share. Women lack the bloodthirsty gene.”
“Nottrue,” I disagreed immediately. “I’m plenty bloodthirsty.” My fists clenchedthinking about Sarita. I was really fucking bloodthirsty. “But I also know howto appreciate the people that have helped get me to where I’m at.”
“Soyou would thank me in an interview?”
I shookmy head. “Not you. You haven’t helped me get anywhere. But I would creditDillon. And… other people.” I meant Vera, but I couldn’t exactly admit that toCharlie.
“Arethe other people women?”
Ididn’t like his point, but I nodded.
“Okay,so fine, maybe it’s a different kind of bloodthirsty,” Charlie decided.
Istared at him. “Are you calling me sexist?”
“Yousaid the word.”
Isnorted. I couldn’t tell if he was serious. “Hey, at least I wouldn’t credit myinstincts.”
“That’snot sexist,” Charlie pointed out. “That’s selfishness. They’re not the samething.”
“Okay,fine. You have a point.” Although it killed me to admit it. “With this onething. But the kitchen is one of the most sexist industries in the country. Youhave to admit that.”
Heshrugged. “Maybe. But also, maybe we’re all more like Wyatt than like you.Maybe we’re not being sexist. Maybe we’re only looking out for ourselves.”
“Andthe catcalls from the line? The crude comments whenever I take off my coat?”
Hisembarrassed smile added points to my side of the argument. “Again, you’repainting those things in a bad light. We’re appreciating the opposite sex. Wecan’t help it if you’re nice to look at.”
Irolled my eyes and turned back to my station. There it was. Point proven.
Butmaybe he also had a point. I had assumed that the men in this kitchen and inall kitchens didn’t take me seriously because I was a woman. But maybe it wasless about me. Maybe it wasn’t about me at all.
Itwasn’t that they didn’t take me seriously, it was that they were morecompetitive. In like a savage way. It wasn’t only me they wanted to discount,but every single potential threat, men and women alike.
Andmaybe that was still what Wyatt was doing. Even though he’d made it. He was thealpha. The top dog. He still couldn’t let go of his instincts to fight, to keephis job.
Maybe.
Althoughthat was a very generous point of view and I still wanted to punch him.
Wewere definitely talking later. I had so much to say.
Andhe had no clue what was coming.
Chapter Nine
