She took in her atmosphere, allowing the vibes to sink in. The job said she would have to live here, and Ayla was big on energy. The house felt more like a fortress than a home. When she turned to the doorway, she was startled. Audiemar had disappeared, and in his place was a figure that took her breath away. Tongue tied, she wasn’t sure how to speak in that moment. Imagine a man being so fine you can’t even form a sentence. Studying her with sharp eyes, he strolled over to a chromeserving tray in his navy suit and white shirt. He was tall, at least 6’2”, with broad shoulders. His presence filled the room without effort.
“You’re young.” He spoke low, measured as he poured coffee from a silver pitcher into a mug arranged beside it.
“I am. I’ll be twenty-five in a couple of weeks.”
“I see you have experience. Taking culinary classes and working on your bachelor’s degree.”
“The classes are just to make it official. I’ve been cooking since I was like six or seven. My mama kept me in the kitchen. When she died, the responsibility of what to eat kind of fell on me,” Ayla explained, watching his head shift in her direction at the mention of her mother being dead.
“I’m Kong Blackmoor,” he introduced himself. “I moved back into this house with my father after my wife died. Me and my two children. I’m here to be fully transparent with you about the situation, Ms. Jacobs. I work often, and my children can be a handful. I’ve lost four nannies in six months. The last one also took on the cooking role. It didn’t end well.”
“Is this the part where I run for the hills?” Ayla snickered.
“The situation isn’t ideal, and it won’t be easy here. The bonus is an incentive. The pay is competitive, and you don’t have to worry about anything like bills since you’ll be living here. I’d like to run a trial period. I’m only asking you to be the chef. I’m already scoping new prospects for the nanny position.”
“That makes sense.”
“First, I have a test for you. What’s your favorite brunch meal?”
Ayla didn’t have to think about it.
“Um, chicken and cornbread pancakes with spicy syrup.”
“How the hell you come up with chicken and cornbread, lil mama?”
His tone had shifted, as had his expression. The way he placed that nickname on her so comfortably left her stomach fluttering, and she grinned shyly.
“Well, me and my sister went through some hard times.” She sniggered. “I’ve experimented with what I had to make it work for us. So, instead of chicken and waffles, it was cornbread pancakes. They’re actually really good. Don’t knock it until you try it. I also have a grab and go spinach and ham egg bake that will have you eating a whole pan of them.”
“Let’s see what you’re made of then.” Kong nodded over his shoulder. “The kitchen is through here.”
Ayla trailed him through the museum like halls and took in the art and different statues arranged on antique tables. She’d been at Vintage Vault enough to know the real from the fake, and these pieces were state of the art. The real deal as Inari would say.
“Is there a map to this place?” she teased, pausing when they finally reached the doorway to the kitchen.
“You get used to it after a while.”
It was like a chef’s dream, and she found herself brushing past Kong to examine it without his permission. The island counter stretched across the center of the room, one side large enough to seat at least four people. On the other side was a flat stovetop that also turned into a griddle. Behind it the microwave and double oven were built into the wall with a double-sided sink and other appliances neatly arranged beside it along the countertop. The fridge was massive, with glass doors that took up an entire wall. She gasped and dropped a hand against the counter to hold herself together. Everything was so organized. The way he described the chaos, she thought she’d find a mess.
“You think you can whip up enough for four? I’ll have the kids come down.”
“Absolutely.”
“Make yourself at home.” Kong sipped his coffee and backed away from the counter.
Him leaving her alone in this beautiful kitchen suddenly had her head spinning. She looked around until she came across an apron hanging on a hook nearby and picked it up. This wasn’t a test she was expecting, but she wasn’t about to shy away from the challenge. She went to wash her hands next, and then stepped over to the fridge to grab all the ingredients she would need to prepare the perfect brunch. It was so easy to fall into her zone when she had everything she needed at her fingertips.
Halfway through the prep, Kong returned, but he wasn’t alone. The most adorable boy and girl were with him, both wearing a scowl and turning their nose up at her presence.
“Kyro, Kara, this is Ayla. She’s going to make brunch for us today.”
“I want peanut butter and jelly!” Kara screamed, her eyes the only part Ayla could see over the counter.
The little furrowed brows and attitude in her voice were hilarious.
“That’s not what she’s making,” Kong voiced.
“Ain’t the point of a chef for her to make what we want?” Kyro questioned.
