Seth couldn’t contain his grin. The space was huge for what had once been a private home. Long countertops, an enormous island, and a table that would sit a dozen.
Unable to stop himself, he moved to the six-burner stove and ran his fingers lightly over the surface. The beauty was state-of-the-art and begging to be used. “Damn, Claus, you know how to shop.”
Gray laughed behind him. “Thought you’d like that. If you hadn’t shown up, I was prepared to send you pics of it to get your ass moving up here.”
That would have cemented his decision.
Amber’s voice was smiling when it reached him. “We were renovating anyway, so we decided to go top of the line with equipment.”
He knew what the stove would have set them back and nodded in appreciation. “She won’t go to waste.”
When Seth finally yanked his attention from the stove, he found they had a restaurant-sized refrigerator and a freezer twice the size of most fridges. He whistled. “You'd better get lots of guests booked in to pay off some of this equipment.”
At the far end of the island, Mara stroked a huge mixer. Restaurant-sized and new. The look of awe on her face probably echoed his own. There was also a stand-up baker’s oven she looked at with lust.
It took longer than it should have for him to tune back into what Gray was saying. “Two industrial dishwashers and a double sink, plus the prep sink. We’ve got a grill on the back deck with a rotisserie arm. And a smoker.”
Seth laughed. “I’m drooling here, Claus. This is every chef’s fantasy kitchen.”
And if that fantasy included a naked Mara moaning his name as he drove into her while she was spread on the island, it couldn’t be helped. The woman was gorgeous. And the way she hummed as she brushed her fingers over surfaces had his body reacting.
At least that part of him wasn’t broken. Chaos Machine wasn’t the one for him, but it was good to know all his parts were in working order.
He yanked his body under control and turned to survey the room—the room he’d be sharing with Mara.
The woman smiled at Amber. “I was thinking of getting a fryer for donuts. Apple donuts with honey drizzle and apple fritters might be popular.”
Damn, that sounded good.
Amber agreed. “I love that. Do you have one in mind? I didn’t even think about fritters, but now I’m not going to think of much else.”
While the women used their phones to search for an appropriate fryer, he turned his attention to the cupboards and drawers. A glance told him that Gray knew precisely what he was doing in a kitchen. “Planned for two people to be using this space, didn’t you?”
Gray leaned against the counter. “Sure did. You’ll each have your own space. Lots of utensil and pot drawers.”
Which were better than regular cupboards. “Why aren’t you taking on the chef duties yourself?”
Gray laughed. “I’ve got enough going on with the gardens and helping Amber with the inn, but you can bet your ass I’ll be playing in here some days, too.”
“It’s perfect.” Again, his eyes and mind wandered to Chaos Machine.
The laugh in Gray’s voice told him he’d noticed. “Sure is. I’m assuming you brought some of your own equipment, but let’s go through and make a list of what you’ll need in addition to what I’ve stocked.”
For the first time in a very long time, Seth was anticipating the future. This would be a good place. With only eight guest rooms, his shifts wouldn’t be too long. For now, they only wanted to provide a dinner service and a small breakfast service of Mara’s baking.
Amber and Gray didn’t want him working two shifts, but he didn’t sleep well, anyway. He could get up and make breakfast or lunch options while doing his dinner prep. That would give him time to rest his leg between shifts.
A future finally felt possible. He was alive, walking, and had a new kitchen to play in.
And a sexy coworker he’d need to ignore.
No problem.
Chapter 5
You've Got A Friend In Me
Following their tour of the dream kitchen, Mara was giddy. She was getting a fryer for her donuts and fritters, and she couldn’t wait to experiment with flavors and recipes.
