Now Jason stared at his feet. Hannah glanced from one to the other. Oh dear lord, this could take forever and she was stuck right in the middle.
‘Why are you here, Jason?’ Hannah asked, trying a different tack.
He walked over to one of the sinks and picked up one of the pretty bars of soap from the basket, tossing it up and down for a moment before he looked at it consideringly and stuffed it into his pocket, a slightly defiant expression on his face.
‘Last-chance saloon. If I cock this up, I’m done for.’ He sniffed hard and rubbed at his nose. ‘The boss sent me here. Caught me tea leafing. It was this or he’d hand me over to the coppers. That would have done it. Already on probation, they’d have chucked me in the slammer.’
Hannah nodded. She’d met quite a few Jasons over the years.
‘That was good of him.’
‘Yeah, if I’d wanted to learn all this noncy stuff. He was just showing who was boss and that he could do what he wants with me.’
‘But you’re so good,’ blurted out Fliss.
Jason shoved his hands in his pockets.
‘You are,’ she insisted. ‘A natural. Look at Hannah, she really wants to do it and can’t.’
‘Thanks,’ said Hannah, her dry words receiving a quick apologetic glance from Fliss. ‘I was thinking more along the lines that your boss could have found a far cheaper way of doing things. Have you any idea how much the course costs?’
‘No.’
Hannah named the price, gratified to see Jason’s mouth drop open. ‘You’re shitting me. No!’
‘Yes. And there’s a waiting list.’
‘Fuck me!’ He frowned. ‘What the ’ell is he playing at then?’
Hannah wanted to bash his head against the sink. ‘Perhaps he’s trying to steer you onto a better path. He’s seen something in you and is giving you an incredible opportunity.’
Jason repeated the sum she’d mentioned before and then turned to Fliss. ‘Is that how much you paid?’
Fliss nodded.
He slid down the wall and clasped his knees, his eyebrows working overtime as if they were having their own conversation.
‘That’s insane. Me. Gawd, I’ve been breaking and entering since I were knee-high. I were always the small kid they could post through a window to open all the doors. Went to juvie a couple of times. That’s where I learned to pick a lock.’
Fliss looked doubtfully at him. ‘What about the people you stole from?’
‘Didn’t really think about ’em too much. We mainly did offices, factories, not houses. Didn’t think the chap at the restaurant paid that much attention. He were asking for trouble with a cellar full of wine and what-nots.’ He winced. ‘I took a couple of cases, sold ‘em down the pub.. He weren’t cross though, just did that disappointed look, like my old mum did whenever I came home with a bad report.’
‘You were lucky he didn’t involve the police,’ said Hannah.
‘Yeah, I was. I’d be inside now.’ He looked up at them both and rubbed a hand over his mouth. ‘I’m a twat, aren’t I?’
‘Yes,’ said Fliss straight away. ‘This course is amazing and you are so bloody lucky to be here. I could… could slap you. Your boss sounds like a really decent bloke and you’re pissing about. You know some of the people Adrienne has trained run some of the best restaurants in the world. Look at Conor – you know he’s loaded from being a TV chef. His sister in the US is worth a fortune.’ Her lip curled. ‘You have to work for it, though. It doesn’t just fall into your lap. I’m bloody glad I didn’t know this course was being subbed by your boss or I’d have been even crosser.’
‘What do you have to be so cross about? Silver spoon in your mouth. Daddy paid for you.’
‘Yes, he did, but I had to plead with him. I want to be the best. Prove to him and my brothers that I’m good at something. That’s why I’m here and it makes me so mad to see you waste the opportunity, because you are good. Really good. And it bloody annoys me.’
‘Good job Adrienne’s not around. I think you might have just filled up her swear jar,’ observed Hannah.
‘Her and her frigging swear jar. No idea what that’s all about.’
‘It’s part of her overall philosophy that you shouldn’t need to swear in the kitchen. She’s trying to take the pressure out of cooking. It’s about the quality of the food, not being a showoff,’ explained Fliss.
