He ignored Aaron’s questioning look. “Something like that.”
He didn’t wish Olivia were unhappy, but did he hope she regretted not taking his number? Fuck yes. Because he sure as hell regretted not putting up more of a fight to get hers.
Connor looked up when Heather popped her head into the kitchen.
“That friend of yours, she’s just asked for the bill.”
“Thanks.” He checked round the kitchen, decided there was nothing that needed his immediate attention, and stepped out into the restaurant.
“How was the meal?” He addressed both Tom and Ashley. Tom looked harmless, in his opinion, but the moment Connor had received his limp handshake, he’d decided he definitely wasn’t right for her.
“Most enjoyable.” Tom nodded to him. “When Ashley suggested the venue, I didn’t realize she knew the chef.”
“One of them,” Connor replied. He looked over at Ashley and smiled. “But yes, I’ve had the honor of cooking for Ashley, drinking with her, and dancing with her. She’s a special woman.”
“Quite, quite.” Tom gave him a wary smile.
Connor shot Ashley a glance and saw she was trying not to laugh.
“I’ll make sure she gets back okay,” Connor added, then stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Oh, right, well.” Tom rose to his feet and gave Ashley an awkward kiss on the cheek across the table. “Thank you for the date. It was very agreeable. I’ll... um... be in touch.”
He shuffled out and Connor parked his backside in the vacated chair. “Please tell me you won’t be seeing him again. You can do way, way better than that.”
Ashley’s expression turned soft. “I’ve missed you, Connor.”
He laughed. “Come on, you know I’m right.”
“I know Tom wasagreeable,” she said, mimicking Tom. “And the past two hours were about the longest of my life. But I’ve rejected ‘married and looking for a bit on the side,’ a guy who owned his own business and thought that was reason enough for me to worship at his feet, and two men over seventy looking for a companion to nurse them through their last ten years. Maybe ‘nice but dull’ is the best a divorced forty-six-year-old can hope for.”
“Not when that forty-six-year-old is you.” He leaned back on the chair, a thought coming to him. “Are you in a rush to get home?”
She gave him a sad smile. “Now that Sophie’s gone and her brother is at university, it’s just Hank and me at home. And, to clarify, Hank is my very handsome tabby.”
“Then go and relax on one of our sofas. I’ll be back in a moment.” Connor waved over to Heather. “Can you get Ashley a glass of whatever she wants? On me.”
Satisfied Ashley was being taken care of, Connor walked through the restaurant to Aaron’s office and knocked on the open door.
“Come in.” Aaron looked up from his desk. “Everything okay?”
“All good,” Connor assured him. He closed the office door, then hesitated. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.
“Out with it.” Aaron sat back in his chair, hands behind his head. “You came to interview for a chef’s job with zero experience, then told me you could work only during school hours.” Aaron gave him a wry smile. “I think you can say whatever it is that’s on your mind.”
“There’s someone I want you to meet.”
“Oh, no, no, no.” Aaron sat bolt upright. “To be clear, if you’re trying to set me up, that means no fucking way. I’ve only just got out of the last relationship I was in. Not going there again. Ever.”
Aaron had recently been through a messy and painful divorce.Messybecause his ex-wife had demanded crazy sums of money.Painfulbecause she’d been the one who’d had an affair. “I’m not setting you up,” Connor said. “Ashley’s way out of your league. I just thought you might want to meet a woman who’s come through a shit time like you have but who’s not hiding in an office, wallowing in her own misery on a Friday night.”
Aaron hissed out a breath. “I can sack you, you know.”
Connor nodded. “I know. But you haven’t so far, so I figure I must be doing something right.”
With a deep sigh, Aaron stood up. “Fine.”
Connor winced. “Maybe lose the dad cardi? Cardigans are great but that’s not a good example of one.”
