“Beautiful.” I nodded. “I remember when I saw her at the ICC, I thought she had that spark. Can’t put a name to it, but it’s there.”
Tracy nodded. “It’s like how I knew Jahn was the man for me. It only took one time, but I couldn’t get him out of my mind.”
“Mmm.” I had nothing to contribute to that conversation.
“Oh, you.” She pushed my foot with hers and shook her head with a frustrated sigh. “One day you’re going to get knocked off your feet. Just you wait.”
“I don’t wait for anything. If I want it, I go out and get it.”
Liar. You want Torre, but you’re not going after him. Scared?
That damn devil on my shoulder needed to shut the hell up.
“I see Edward has you banished to the outer boroughs.” Jahn snickered. “How’s that working out for you?”
Jahn was one of the few restaurant owners who knew I was a critic. We’d run into each other a year or so after I’d reviewed his restaurant, and the person I was with, someone fromUltimate, revealed who I was. My cover blown, I still kept Oceans on my best restaurants of New York City list even though my personal integrity wouldn’t allow me to review it. I no longer spoke to that person who gave my identity away, and took only Presley with me or ate alone.
Bristling at his superior tone, I examined my nails. “Pretty well, surprisingly. Edward might be on to something. Sometimes it’s good to get out of the gilded cage to see what’s beyond the end of your nose.”
“Oh, come on, I know you’re kidding. Sure there are some outliers, but we know them.”
“Actually I’m not. Kidding, that is. I’ve had some pretty spectacular meals, including a branzino a few weeks ago that I still dream about.” My fingers curled into my palms to keep my hands from shaking.
Along with the sexy waiter with a talented mouth you dream about too.
I needed to smack that damn devil down.
Jahn’s dark brows knitted together. “Seriously? Which place is that? Maybe I need to go.”
“It’s called Mangia, in Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn. All the vegetables are homegrown, and if that’s not possible, he uses local Brooklyn grown when available. Makes his own mozzarella and ricotta cheese. Plus he’s a wizard with herbs and spices.”
“This place sounds like a hidden gem.”
“I think there are probably many like this, and I’ve been assigned to ferret them out.”
“That could be either wonderful or awful.”
Oh, you don’t know the half of it.
“It’s been…interesting. Now let me go to the kitchen and see Veronica.”
The three of us traveled single file around the numerous tables covered with pale-pink tablecloths, glittering glasses, and gold-rimmed dishes. The open kitchen against the far wall revealed several sous chefs firing up the grill and feeding wood into the oven I knew Jahn used for the homemade pizza crusts and specialty breads.
“How many students are you sponsoring right now? I know I’ve told you already, but it’s such a wonderful program. Curtis, the young man we had before Veronica, is now working at the Red Rooster.”
“Yeah, he told me. I’m thrilled for him. It’s the perfect fit.” I pushed open the door and was hit immediately with the frenetic energy of a kitchen in prep mode, plus the spices and aromas of food cooking. I stood for a minute, savoring it all. I missed being in the kitchen, and wondered whether I’d made the right choice in giving up my dream of owning a restaurant to critique food instead. “I’ve got seven in restaurants now and three coming up who should be ready when they graduate this summer.”
“I know you don’t like to take credit and prefer to stay in the background, but you have to know how you’ve changed these people’s lives.”
Watching Veronica wield her knives with authority and a smile break over her face when she saw me, I knew if I couldn’t accomplish my dream, the next best thing I could do was help others achieve theirs. She waved at me but with the professionalism she’d so rapidly acquired, didn’t break her stride and kept working.
“It’s helped me as well. Sometimes this job can make me unaware of reality. These students bring me down to earth. So it’s a win-win for all of us.”
Again, Tracy put a hand on my arm. “You like to pretend you’re detached, but I think you’re fooling not only us, but yourself. You are affected by what’s around you. There’s nothing wrong with letting someone close to you. It doesn’t make you weak.”
The beginning of a headache thumped behind my eyes. “I don’t think it makes a person weak. I let a lot of people close to me.” I smirked. “My most fun times are when I’m close to someone else. Now I have to go.”
Eager to leave, I said my good byes and strode out of the restaurant. I held out my hand, and a cab pulled up to the curb.
