But I could list the facts I knew about Jack Rhodes on both hands with a finger to spare.
“Do you need a lesson on how to answer your fucking phone?” I snapped as soon as he was in hearing distance.
Jack gave me his usual half-amused glance. Nothing I did or said ever pushed his buttons and I’d spent the last six months trying my best to do so.
“Sorry, Chef. I’ve been busy. I got your message though, so if you want me to take over I’m good to go.” He started to take off his jacket, exposing biceps that his t-shirt looked to be strangling. He was built, something Sophie had not failed to notice. Hell, neither had I and I’d been dead from the waist down for the last half-decade.
“If you can, it means I can get to Toad Hall to interview the chefs.” The Tipsy Toad was my latest project, a tapas bar aimed at mid to high range diners, looking for an intimate, less formal experience than a high-end restaurant. The Mount Street Social and my first restaurant, Blue, were doing phenomenally, except for the odd staffing issue. Toad Hall, as we’d nicknamed it, was my baby. In my head it was going to be the sort of place where I wanted to hang out and relax, enjoy good food and drinks in a subtle and atmospheric building. I’d taken breaks in Spain and Cuba and had checked out the eateries that were off the beaten track, finding inspiration easily.
Jack studied me, making me wish I could tell what he was thinking just for once, and then gave a subtle nod. “I got this. You sort yourself out. You might want to start with a shower.”
I moved my hand up to where he’d glanced. “I think it’s stock. Long story, but Ramirez is getting his pay docked.”
His grin froze me. For the most of it, I ignored that fact that Jack was one of the most attractive men currently in my life. This wasn’t because I had a no banging my employees policy – we worked in a kitchen; sex and food kind of hung together and at the end of many a busy shift there were shenanigans of the highest order that no one acknowledged because shit like that happened – but I didn’t need any complications. Given how little I knew about Jack, I was wary. Experience had taught me well.
“I take it he’s been rushing the cold store?”
“You knew?” I raised my brows so the fire leaving my nostrils didn’t singe them.
Jack shrugged then folded his arms, making his biceps bulge. I was pretty sure that Sophie was gawping at this point.
“I’ve spoken to him twice already. He’s careless and too concerned about banging his new girlfriend to do his job properly. Let me have another word.”
“Why? The last two words you had clearly weren’t very effective.” There had been a memo in management school about how to speak to your staff but I’d missed it, mainly because I hadn’t attended. No chef I’d ever worked under had taught me anything less than being blunt. There wasn’t time.
Jack didn’t flinch. “They were more effective than you’d think. Ramirez is good at a lot of stuff, just not organising at the end of the day. Trust me.”
My back stiffened. I despised being told to trust anyone, two marriages had seen to that, plus a father who, despite being an amazing chef and mentor, had seen me as only one thing.
“He cocks up again and he’s gone. The specials, the belly pork and David from the fish market will be later. Think about the salted cod.” I moved away from him, back towards Vanessa and Sophie and pulling off my apron that looked as if the contents of six pans had been thrown over it. Generally, I had more decorum with my chefs as we needed to work as a team, but Jack’s persistent ghosting was irritating more than it should.
“What time are you interviewing?” Sophie had just given her order to Rich.
“In about two hours. I need to look less cheffy and it might take that long.” I also smelled faintly of the fish we were serving today having already gutted and boned the salmon myself.
“Go grab a shower then have a cocktail with us. You might need something to temper you after that.” Vanessa gestured towards Jack, who was giving instructions to the other seven members of the kitchen team who were on duty. His manner was the opposite of mine: quieter, fewer words, but he commanded as much respect. I couldn’t dispute that.
“You realise you’re staring at your chef?”
I jumped as Sophie whisper in my ear, her hand clamping down on my arm.
“Jesus, you need a bell round your neck!”
“Only on a weekend. But seriously, you two have some serious sparks. I’m a tad jealous. Tapping that would be a pleasure and a half.” Sophie licked her lips, something that I found rather disturbing.
I looked at Vanessa and she shook her head. “I’m assuming she’s between fuck buddies again?” Sophie was notorious for casual relationships. She ended them easily, often leaving a pining man who would try his hardest to woo her back. It never worked. Sophie’s walls were built higher than mine.
“If you can call it between. I’m not sure what the correct phase is. But she’s right. You do have some chemistry. He looks at you like he wishes you were on the menu and I bet he has a very large appetite.”
I decided not to reply. I’d used up most of my daily words on the delivery man who was about to dump some of my produce on the doorstep at five this morning instead of waiting for me to unlock the door and yes, I had been here since that time.
* * *
The shower was blissful.Somehow I’d accumulated three days’ worth of food splatterings and grime on my chef whites and I definitely smelled like gone-off fish. It wasn’t until I got out of the kitchen and restaurant I realised what I’d subjected my friends to. Or Jack. Not that I was bothered about him – besides, he knew too well what it was like working in a kitchen.
I turned up the heat and doused my hands in a healthy dollop of Jo Malone body wash, one of my favourite indulgences. Just because I spent my days without make up and with my hair scraped back, didn’t mean that I didn’t like nice, girly things.
The Mount Street Social had an apartment above it that I usually rented out, generally to a member of staff that was in need of accommodation. At the moment it was free, my previous front of house manager having found a permanent place a few streets away that had a garden. So at the moment I could take advantage of a decent bathroom and big walk in shower rather than using the tiny staff bathroom stuffed in a cupboard. It was also handy if I was pulling a lot of consecutive hours, which in the early days I had been.
