Aaron swore. “Remind me why I employed you again?”
“I’ve no fucking idea.” He took a deep breath and went for broke. “WhatdidFelix say?”
Aaron shrugged off the awful baggy cardigan he seemed so fond of and settled it on the back of his chair. “He said there were so many rumors swirling about you liaising with a guest, he considered putting you on warning.” The bottom fell out of Connor’s stomach but as he started to panic, Aaron smiled. “But he decided to ignore them because he couldn’t risk having to fire the best chef he had in the kitchen. A chef he trusted so much, he went on to use some of his menu ideas.”
Relief,pride... they swelled inside, tightening his chest, stinging the backs of his eyes so badly he had to shut them to keep from embarrassing himself.
When he opened them again, Aaron was watching him closely. “And for reference, I employed you because I thought a man who had the guts, charm, and determination to talk his way into an interview like you did would be an asset to my business. I wasn’t wrong.”
Christ. “Thanks.” Emotion barreled through him, and as he opened the office door for Aaron, he was aware his hands were shaking. He’d spent most of his life being told of his failings, so hearing that both Aaron and Felix approved of him was a lot to take in.
“So Olivia was the guest you shouldn’t have been seeing,” Aaron murmured as he walked past him. “The one you risked your job over.”
“Yes.”
Aaron nodded, a small smile playing around his mouth. “Well, I guess I should go see if her sister is just as special.”
Five minutes after he’d made the introductions, Connor left a smiling Ashley and a clearly interested Aaron talking and went to clean up the kitchen.
When he finished, he stood in the doorway and watched as Aaron and Ashley, their heads dipped toward each other, shared a joke.
Pain tugged in his chest. He was happy for them, but fuck, he was jealous too.
Pat stepped up beside him and slipped a cake box into his hands.
He glanced down, saw the wordsEllie’s cakewritten on it. Wordlessly, he kissed the top of Pat’s head.
She smiled, then nodded toward the sofa. “Are you responsible for that?”
“Thought they’d hit it off.”
She squeezed his arm. “Well done, you.”
He was loath to interrupt the pair, but his parents were waiting for him, so Connor reluctantly walked toward Aaron and Ashley, now smiling shyly at each other like a couple of teenagers. “Just came to say I’m off.”
They snapped their heads around, both looking flustered. Aaron immediately stood up. “I... well, I guess I should finish up in the office.”
Connor smirked. “Guess you should. That is why you’re working on a Friday night, after all.”
“Indeed, yes.” He paused and glanced at Ashley. “I hope we’ll see you here again.”
Jesus, now Ashley was blushing. “Oh, you can count on it.”
“Good.” Aaron cleared his throat. “If you tell this man”—he indicated Connor—“when you’re planning on paying us another visit, I’ll make sure I’m here. And not doing paperwork.”
Now Ashley was... yep, he was going to call that agiggle. “Will do,” she said. “Thank you.”
Aaron took her hand and kissed the palm. “No—thank you. It was a pleasure talking to you.”
As Connor watched Ashley watch Aaron’s retreating figure, he allowed himself a smug smile. “Are you convinced that there are better men than Tom out there now?”
Ashley pressed a hand to her chest. “Did that really just happen? Did he really like me?”
“Jesus, Ash.” He waved a hand around the restaurant. “This is his place. Look at it. Sophisticated but full of character. Of course he liked you. The man has taste.”
She swallowed, blinking. “You’ve got to stop bigging me up like this. I’ll be insufferable if I start believing it.”
He smiled. “You deserve to be happy. And so does he. I hope it works out for you both.”
