1 JOSIE
Chefsdon’tgethiredin the dining room.
Josie Agosti pushed the words from her bestie out of her mind, even if she knew deep in her bones her friend was right.
She shifted in the scooped modern chair, needing to move to relieve the tension in her body after staying up late packing orders for her catering customers.
Her body was protesting the repetitive movement and too much time standing she’d done last night, but her customers relied on her to come through and she wasn’t going to let them down.
She stopped herself from moving the fork next to the knife.It was off by an inch and looked obscenely out of place in the famed seafood fine dining restaurant.
The crystal lights glowed from above, casting a soft spotlight on the polished wooden tables.The little vase of fresh flowers on each table had a star ornament perfect for the season without being overdone.
The wooden beams above created an openness for all this elegance to fit into giving it strong West Coast vibes and, even though she told herself it doesn’t matter, she’d really like to work here.
This restaurant was the kind of place a reservation needed to be made six months in advance, the kind of place celebrities frequented.The butterflies inside her belly were fluttering with nowhere to go.She couldn’t wait to meet with Executive Chef Gregory McNab and accept the job offer.
That’s what’s going to happen, she told herself, as if thinking it could will it into a reality.
***
When Chef McNabb called her out of the blue for an interview, she couldn’t believe her luck and jumped at the chance.
“But how did he get your number?”Josie asked to her friends.
“Does it matter?”Cecilia asked.“Chef McNabb’s restaurant is super intense, Josie.Do you really want that?”
“You know I do.”Josie brushed off the skeptical looks on her friends faces, they knew that working in this kind of restaurant was her dream.
***
She moved the small vase, taking deep breaths to quell her nerves.Josie took the top of the box off the shortbread cookies she’d brought as she saw the Chef’s balding head emerge from the back of the house.
“Ms.Agosti.”Chef McNabb held out his hand.He glanced at her from head to toe, the scrutiny making her sweat.But she shook his hand and tried to smile.
“Your resume is impressive!Graduate of Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver!Staging in Prince Edward Island.”Chef McNabb reached out and took a shortbread cookie from the box.
“Yes, Chef,” Josie said.“I love working with fresh ingredients and seafood.Both those experiences taught me a lot about using the bounty of the waters and making great plates of food.”
“I see.But not a lot of work experience in the kitchen aside from school?”
“I have a small catering business.I’ve cooked for several local celebrities.”She blushed, thinking of Ares Montague’s light green eyes, his striking angular face, and his curly blond hair.
Her tummy flipped flopped, thinking of the last time she saw Ares and turned down his invitation to dinner.
Again.
“You should be proud of your accomplishments, Ms.Agosti.I saw you perform in my kitchen during your bench test, and I loved how calm you were under pressure.”
Even though Chef McNabb had to leave that night, leaving his head chef in charge, Josie got along with the woman, and she knew she’d impressed Chef Paulson.Chef Paulson had been the first female head chef at the famed restaurant, and Josie looked up to her.To cook under her was a dream come true.
Josie smiled at his praise and hope bubbled up inside her.This was it.
Everything she dreamed about was going to happen.
“Thank-you Chef,” Josie said, smiling so wide her lips hurt.She couldn’t wait for him to make her an offer.
Chef McNabb leaned forward and took another shortbread cookie.“But I can’t offer you a job in my kitchen.”
