I rolled my eyes at him playfully. We both knew he wouldn't do that, but he appreciated good art when he saw it. This was definitely it.
"How are you going for staff?" he asked carefully.
"I decided to keep most of them," I said. "Cass ran a thorough check on all of them, and they came up clean. And I know you followed most of them." I arched an eyebrow at him.
He responded with an innocent look, as if beer wouldn't evaporate in his mouth.
"Are you accusing me of stalking?" he asked, pretending to be affronted.
"If he looks like a stalker and acts like a stalker, then he's probably a stalker?” I suggested.
He placed a hand over his heart, leaning back as though I stabbed him there.
"I'm hurt," he said, trying to hold back a smile but failing. "It's not stalking. It's… being careful. Making sure the people you're working with aren't going to betray you."
He didn't add 'again.' We both remembered what Gina did, working with Solomon Danforth against us. Murdering Erin, who was doing nothing more than trying to live her best life and make something of herself. If Gina wasn't dead, she'd be in my torture box, waiting to die slowly. Could I have kept her alive for six months? I might have tried. For what she did, there was no forgiveness. No redemption.
I sure as hell didn't name the restaurant after her. No, I named it after myself. I wanted redemption for not seeing what Gina was doing. If I'd known, I might have been able to stop her from killing Erin.
Besides, Angel's Rest and Angel's Redemption worked as brand names. Ironic, because I was no angel. Not really. I did the best I could for other people, but I'd done some nightmarish things as well.
Like putting human flesh in my meatballs. Only the bad guys that deserved it. Call me judge, jury, executioner and disposer of assholes.
"I appreciate you," I told him.
I made my way through the eating area, toward the kitchen. It hadn't needed a makeover, just a refresh, a bit of paint here, new utensils, a few new pots. Nothing major. Just enough to make the kitchen the way I wanted it.
"Where the magic happens," Boner said, leaning against the doorframe.
"Good morning, Chef." A couple of my new staff were already at work preparing for lunch.
"Kayla, Dave." I gave them both a nod. Kayla was going to be head chef here, and Dave, her sous chef. I'd still be workingat Angel's Rest, but checking in here every day to make sure everything was running smoothly.
I thought about giving myself the job of head chef here, but I was comfortable at my other restaurant. That place was home. This? This was an asset.
Besides, Cass was working for me now over at Angel's Rest, washing dishes and learning how to cook, while also handling a lot of my admin. When it came to computers, he was better at all of that than I was. Which wasn't saying much, to be honest. Technology and I had a pretty good relationship, but I preferred to be in the kitchen, preparing meals and coming up with new recipes. I wanted to be Chef Stabby, not Chef Tech. I'd leave that to him.
"I've…" Jules Titmus stopped in the doorway. "There you are. I just came to say I gave the electrical box an overhaul. The wiring in this place was a fucking nightmare."
He glared at me like I was responsible for putting the wires there in the first place. Of course he did. Jules and I had a tense relationship at best. Cass' brother was the epitome of grumpy. Fortunately, Boner's sunshine and Cass' golden retriever personality balanced it out.
"Thank you," I told him sincerely. "I appreciate you taking a look."
"Lucky I did or this place would have burnt down." His gaze slid to Boner.
If I didn't know better, I think he was accusing the Englishman of something. Maybe the intention of lighting a match in here.
If you hadn't realized by now, Jules had a chip on his shoulder the size of Manhattan.
"You're a regular lifesaver," Boner said with a hint of sarcasm. "Now I know what to get you for Christmas: a cape."
Jules flipped him off, while Boner grinned.
"You're coming back for dinner, aren't you?" I asked, posing the question to Jules. "I had a table set aside for you, Cass, Boner, and Archer."
Archer Hardwick was the fourth of the guys in my crew. A playwright who was obsessed with the internet and all manner of information found on there. Useful or otherwise. He was always ready with interesting facts or bizarre observations, always delivered with a straight face.
"I'll be here," Jules said, with a hint of reluctance. "Cassius insisted." Of course Cass had. When he was determined, he knew how to get his way. It was one of the things I liked the best about him. One of many, if I'm honest.
