“That changes things for me, also,” Nikolai nodded. “I would accept that guarantee.”
I let a smile touch my lips briefly. After everything, my team still believed in me. That meant more than I could say.
“There’s one last clause to the contract, by the way,” I said, nodding at Grey.
He looked sheepish. “Right. The final stipulation. Even after my two years of not being able to have sex in Crowhill Cove are up,I will never be allowed to have sex with an employee. It’s strictly forbidden. Just once, and the place, apparently, will be Rafael’s.”
“Are you sure about this?” I asked him again. We’d been over it so many times, but I wanted to make sure he knew what he was doing. Grey was only five or six years older than me; two years from now, he’d be thirty-five. He was, essentially, holding himself to not getting into a relationship until then, since someone who spent every single day at their business wasn’t going to get many chances to travel and meet someone outside of the town limits. He was guaranteeing himself that he would be alone until then.
It wasn’t like he needed to go and find someone to marry before he was too old to have kids, but still. It was a lot to commit to. Even I, someone who committed so much to his work that he hadn’t had a boyfriend in years, thought it was a promise that would be hard to keep.
And if he couldn’t keep it…
He would be giving up his livelihood.
“This business is what’s important to me,” Grey said. He swallowed before going on. “This team is important to me. I’m sorry that I’ve disrupted and disrespected that, now and in the past. But I’m making a commitment now. I’m choosing the business over sex. I mean it.”
There was silence around the table for a long moment.
“For what it’s worth,” Luca spoke up nervously. “I believe you.”
“Thank you, Luca,” Grey nodded. “That’s worth a lot.”
“You’re sure Beau is okay with this?” Ainslie asked, looking at me.
I nodded. “The way he said it, he was walking out no matter what because he couldn’t work with his ex. He said the rest is up to our decision.”
Ainslie sighed.
“For what it’s worth, I’m coming back,” I said. “I signed the contract, and I intend to hold Grey to it. I’ll be here, no matter what happens next.”
Nikolai nodded. “Good,” he said and slapped the table in front of him. “I’m coming back.”
“I’ll come back, too,” Kit said hurriedly, following Nik’s lead as ever.
Luca nodded. “I didn’t yet find another job, so…” he said. A faint smile crossed his face. “Again.”
Grey rubbed a hand over his face. “Don’t remind me,” he said. “I’ve messed up a lot. I know.”
Ainslie sighed for a second time. “Fine,” he said.
“Fine, yes?” Grey clarified.
“Yes, I’ll come back.”
“Alright.” Grey smiled for the first time since the meeting had begun. “That’s everyone. Thank you all.”
“No, it’s not,” I said. I gestured to the empty chair, the one that Drake would have sat in if he had been here. “There’s still one person to hear from.”
Grey looked at me. “But you’re the Head Chef now. I mean that. I’m not going back on it. It should have been you, all along.”
I swelled with pride a little at finally getting that recognition, but I pushed it aside for now. “I know. But we have to give him the chance to decide whether he wants to work under me or not.”
Under me– the phrase had a delicious second meaning that I didn’t want to bring up. But it was there. And I had to know.
Whether he wanted me or not. Whether he wanted the job or not. He could have one and not the other if he wanted, even though it would be painful.
But he had the right to decide. Not showing up didn’t mean I had the right to decide for him.
