“When Marg opens this place back up, can we not go back to being normal?”
“What do you mean, Russ?” Alex gently asked.
His eyes darted to her. “What I mean is…I don’t want this to be swept under the rug. I don’t want us to be sad for a day and then move on.” He yanked off his hat, twisting it in his hands. “I don’t want us to forget about Chef Kolby, is all.”
“We’re not going to forget,” I declared.
Russ nodded, a line of sweat on his forehead. “Good. Okay, good.”
Alex moved, coming around to his station. “I think you need to sit down. You look pale, man.”
He let out a harsh, breathless laugh. “Yeah, well, death freaks me the fuck out.”
Understandable.
“I’d feel a lot better if you did as Alex suggested,” I added.
His eyes snapped over to me. “And what’s going to happen to you?”
I stiffened, and out of the corner of my eye, Scott pulled out his ear bud and turned around. “What’s going on?” he asked.
No one answered him, because now, all eyes were on me. My throat felt dry, my hands suddenly clammy. “What do you mean?” I cleared my throat, hating the way my voice sounded.
Russ waved at me. “Hello? Chef told us that he was leaving and that you would be taking his place.”
My knees nearly gave out. “What?” I breathed. “He did what?”
“You didn’t know?” Monty gasped, a hand over his mouth.
“No, I knew he wanted me to take his place, but he told me he wasn’t going to tell anyone—”
“Well, he did. He told us all when you were on bed rest after your accident. He said he blamed himself for it,” Alex jumped in.
Russ nodded. “Yeah, he fucking went off on us so bad that dinner shift when you were home.”
“Oh, yeah,” Monty drawled, snapping his fingers. “We heard that.”
Alex paled. “Y-you heard that?”
“Bitch, the entire dining room heard it,” he scoffed. “These walls are decades old. I don’t know why half of you think they are soundproof.” He pointed to himself. “I know things you guys would fucking faint over.”
A sharp knock had us all twisting our necks. My lips parted at the sight of Ash, his huge body filling the doorway. He was still in his suit, but his tie was missing. Those dark, hypnotizing eyes landed on me, taking in my apron and lingering on my nonslip shoes.
“Sir, we’re not open,” Monty tentatively pushed out. Now he looked like he was seconds away from fainting.
Ash didn’t take his eyes off me as he said, “I’m here for Angel.”
All heads swiveled in my direction.
“Angel?” Alex parroted.
“What are you doing here?” I asked Ash, ignoring everyone else.
“You said you needed a moment of peace before tonight.”
God, this man.
“Oh. Yes.” My hands found the knot at my back, and I started pulling it loose. “Let me get my sweater.”
