“I’mnot going to apologize,” I told him preemptively. “I need my own kitchen,Wyatt. I feel stifled working for you and it’s not even you. What kind of chefwould I be if I didn’t want my own kitchen? Besides, I have a problem withauthority.” I tilted my head and smirked at him to lighten his cloudyexpression.
Hemade a sound in the back of his throat. “That’s an understatement.”
Ifrowned at his attitude. “I’m sorry if this changes things for you, but I—”
“Yeah,I have to find a new sous chef. I guess there’s Benny, but I don’t know if hewants that much responsibility. And he won’t be half as good as you. I can’thire fucking Charlie—”
“Dillon.”
Heturned to me, pausing mid-rant at my suggestion. “She’s not a permanentsolution.”
“Butshe’d be good enough for right now.”
Herubbed his knuckles over his scruff thoughtfully and I realized we’d gotten wayoff topic.
“Imeant, I’m sorry if this changes things between us. Between our relationship.”
Hisgaze was laser sharp and totally focused. “What do you mean?”
“BecauseI could possibly, hopefully, maybe be leaving Lilou for my own gig. I’m sayingif I leave, and you know, that changes things for you…”
“Whywould that change anything for me?”
“Imean with our relationship.”
“Iunderstand what you’re saying,” he quipped. “I just don’t understand why you’resaying it. Kaya, you could open a kitchen on the moon and I would still wantyou. Did you not hear when I said that I love you? That we’re a forever thingnow? This”—he wiggled a finger back and forth between us—“isn’t contingent onproximity. It’s based on how much I care for you and how important it is to meto spend my life with you. If you leave, and you probably will and should ifyou want the job, then we’ll make it work. If you don’t get Sarita and find ajob across the country. We’ll make that work too. Woman, I love you. And youlove me. That’s all that matters.”
Ibreathed in deeply and it felt like my first big breath of my whole adult life.Collapsing against him, he wrapped his arms around me and I inhaled him. Hisbody was so warm, and this feeling was so right.
“Ilove you,” I told him, even though he’d said it for me seconds ago.
Hisconfidence was amazing when you compared it to how insecure I could be. Maybewe were matched head to head in the kitchen, but he had me beat in therelationship department by miles. But that was okay. As long as he was strongenough to stick around, I could heal through this. I could get there. I couldfind my footing once again.
Iffor no other reason than to keep him from beating me forever. I mean, I lovedhim, but that didn’t mean our competition was over.
Hekissed the top of my head and said, “You’re going to have to up the sexualfavors though or the kitchen is going to hate you when you leave. I mean, fine,I can admit that you belong at Sarita and you’ll kick ass there and be anational success in no time. But my staff is going to murder you when they haveto deal with me after you’re gone.”
Ilaughed at his exaggeration. “I can handle the sexual favors part, but I’mworried about your fragile ego when Sarita starts outperforming Lilou.”
Hisbody stiffened, not liking that idea at all. “I’m not worried, Swift. Afterall, I just grabbed my first James Beard and I’m pretty sure you don’t evenhave the EC job yet.”
Ipinched his nipple and twisted. That was fair at this point, right?
“Youdidn’t tell me you got the James Beard!”
“RisingStar Chef of the Year.”
“Holyshit, Wyatt! Congratulations!”
“Uhmhmm. You see? You’ve got a way to go before you catch up.”
Ipulled back, so he could see me roll my eyes. “You’re making it hard to behappy for you.”
Hesmiled, and I melted into a pile of sticky, happy goo right there on the bed.
“Doyou want to go over your menu?” he asked. “When did you say you’reinterviewing?”
“Monday.”I thought about his offer. How cool would that be for Wyatt to go over my menuwith me? This was one of those reasons that we would make not just a goodcouple, but a great power couple. But, I couldn’t accept his help. This wassomething I needed to do totally on my own. I needed to set myself apart fromWyatt and Lilou and sous chef. I needed to show Ezra that I was innovative inmy own right and talented without holding the hand of a better chef. I neededto show him I had the guts and grit to take Sarita and turn her into her bestversion. “And I, uh, I think I got the menu on my own.”
