“No, he’s out and about, checking out properties.”
Henry raised his eyebrows. “So you’re serious about the second location?”
“Yes. We’re fully booked every evening until the end of the year, even during the day on weekends. We have reservations for March already,” Logan answered. “We’ve been looking for a suitable property for a while now, but the pickings are slim.”
“I can think of a rent-free location for your restaurant...” Henry said.
“Forget it.”
“Why not?”
Logan shook his head. “I don’t want to open a restaurant at The Darlington.”
Henry examined his brother thoughtfully as he drummed his fingers on the table. “What if we run it independently of the hotel? Separate accounting, you keep the name and have a separate entrance that doesn’t go through the hotel?”
“No,” Logan replied without a moment’s hesitation.
“Your food must be really good if you’re so booked out,” I said, trying to prevent the discussion from escalating.
It was fascinating—one brother loved The Darlington, and the other hated it. I wondered what had happened between Logan and his parents. Henry had told me that they had sent Logan to boardingschool in France. But was that reason enough for him to foster years of resentment and turn down the offer Henry had just made?
“Our food is fantastic,” Logan replied, shoulders squared. “We only serve simple dishes, but we use the best ingredients and prepare everything ourselves—it’s all fresh and homemade. We even bought greenhouses last year, so we could grow our own vegetables to guarantee the best quality.”
“And how long have you been doing this?”
Logan thought for a moment. “A few years. During school, I worked part-time in restaurants, and after that, I trained as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu. Then, when I came back to London, I worked at Sketch, the three-star restaurant on Conduit Street. I probably would have stayed there if Maxton hadn’t...”
I didn’t hear Logan’s next words, because out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a figure in the courtyard. My pulse skyrocketed instantly. Was that Randell? I twisted around to see if it was him, or if my mind was playing tricks on me. Scanning the courtyard uneasily, my gaze flitted from passerby to passerby, but I couldn’t see Randell. I had probably just imagined him. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t quite right. My skin tingled as if a thousand ants were crawling over me.
“Kate?”
Someone touched my hand. Startled, I flinched and looked up to see Henry’s concerned face.
He studied me, frowning. “Are you OK?”
I blinked, still dazed from the brief shock. I glanced outside again, but there was still no sign of Randell. Perhaps it had just been someone who looked like him.
“Yes,” I said, my voice shaking. “My blood sugar is probably just low. I haven’t eaten today.”
“That’s my cue.” Logan rose from his chair. I regretted not having heard the rest of his answer. “Do you have any allergies?”
“Peanuts,” Henry said. I was surprised that he had remembered.
Logan nodded. “I’ll get to work, then. I’ll have someone bring you an appetiser. Perhaps we can chat later. It was nice to meet you, Kate.”
“It was nice to meet you too,” I replied.
Logan headed back to the kitchen, leaving me alone with Henry, who was still scrutinising me with a combination of scepticism and concern. He reached out for my hand again, and this time, I didn’t pull away. My fingers felt like icicles against his warm skin.
“Are you sure everything is OK?”
“Yes, it’s just my blood pressure,” I lied. My forced smile felt shaky. Not because I was afraid of Randell, but because however desperately I wanted to leave that bastard and everything he represented behind, he was like a ghost from the past, constantly haunting me. No matter what I did or how hard I tried, I just couldn’t shake him. He was a dark shadow trailing me through my life, and today, he felt particularly oppressive. However safe and settled I felt at The Darlington and with Henry, I hadn’t forgotten what day tomorrow was...
42
Henry dating an employee doesn’t sit right with me, especially considering that his dad has assaulted several female staff members. Weird dynamic.
Online comment by Midnight Musee
