“He all but did.What are you doing tonight?”
“I got to get back to the kitchen.I have food to cook.”She was fortunate she had work, and she needed to keep her customers happy.
“I don’t know how you let it roll off your back.”
“I don’t.It hurts, but I can’t do anything about it.”
“You don’t need him or anyone else, Josie.You have a business.”
“I know.”
It was the same thing her mother said about every interview Josie took.Her mom didn’t understand why she wouldn’t stop trying to get a job in a restaurant when her catering business outgrew her mother’s kitchen and she’d become busy enough to hire an assistant.But she couldn’t help but hold the dream she had of working in a fine dining restaurant.
Her ex-boyfriend, Ethan, told her she couldn’t do it and maybe that’s why she kept taking interviews, she needed to prove him wrong.
She thumped her steering wheel with her palm, a wave of anger crashing through her as Chef McNabb’s words registered deeper into her brain.She didn’t need favours.
“I have time to swing by before my shift.”
“Thanks, but I’m okay.”She needed to be alone, to work to drown out her anger.
The fact that Ares did her a favour she didn’t ask for made her blood heat with a simmering rage.
“See you tomorrow night for cat sitting?”
“I’ll be there,” Josie said.As soon as she hung up, her phone buzzed with a text.
[Harper]
Hi Josie!I know it’s short notice, but can you bring something by for lunch, for 3pm?
She wanted to deny the request, but Harper was a good friend and the Montagues helped her business grow over the years.
It’s not like she had any good reason to deny it.A lot of her customers asked for on-the-spot lunches and she always had something ready to go.
No problem!
If Ares thought that she needed help, she was going to show him that she didn’t, thank you very much.
Before pulling out of the parking lot to make her way back to the restaurant she rented space in, she called her assistant.
“Hey, Josie.How did Chef Alphahole go?”
Josie grinned.“He’s not…okay, he kind of is.He doesn’t want me.”
“You don’t need him,” Avery said.
“So everyone keeps telling me.I’m on my way back, but I got a last-minute lunch request for Axis Management.Can you put together three lunch bowls?The salmon bowl was a hit last time, so let’s send those.”
“Not a problem.”
“Good.See you in thirty.”
Josie sighed, reached over, and brought up her playlist.With Avery taking care of the delivery, at least she didn’t have to see Ares Montague and could put him out of her mind.
2 ARES
“Idon’twantayacht.”
