Page 31 of Risking it All

“Good evening, Miss Iris. I’m Chef Antonio. I will be your chef and server for the evening.”

“Nice to meet you.” I greeted him once my mouth was clear of food.

“You must be a special lady with the way this one over here has carried on about this dinner.”

“Oh, wow. We doing it like that?” Sawyer asked, shaking his head.

“He’s been impossible the entire time after he came to me and begged me to do this.”

“I didn’t beg. I asked for a favor.”

“He begged.” Antonio rebutted.

“I didn’t beg. I negotiated.”

“He begged, but I see why. You’re a doll.” Chef Antonio winked.

Their exchange made me giggle. It felt good to giggle. “Thank you.”

“And I wasn’t impossible,” Sawyer added.

“He rejected four menus. I’m a celebrity chef. I worked with the best of the best. I shouldn’t have to haggle about my dinner choices.”

“I told you that I wanted it to be perfect,” Sawyer mentioned.

“See, he likes you, doll face.” Antonio smirked, picking up our salad plates before turning and disappearing into the growing darkness.

“He gon’ get his self fucked up with all that flirting.”

“I thought you said it was nothing,” I teased.

“It was little to nothing.” Sawyer shrugged, drinking from his water glass. “I told you this is our first date.”

“So, this is really a date?”

“At least I was hoping it was,” he said, lifting his eyes to meet mine.

That made me smile. How was he big but so adorable? “Me too.”

Sawyer removed the cover from my plate and put it aside before doing the same for his own. Once again, I wasted no time digging in. No matter how down and depressed I got, my appetite was never affected. If anything, I ate more than ever.

The way the tender filet mignon melted in my mouth almost made me moan. Buttery poached lobster, steamed asparagus, and garlic whipped potatoes were a perfect combination.

“This is amazing, Sawyer,” I said, finally looking up from my meal. “I see why you begged Chef Antonio to cook for us tonight.”

“I didn’t beg, woman.” He grinned.

“Either way, thank you. Tell him that he did a great job.”

“I’m not telling him anything. He already has a big enough head. You wouldn’t imagine how many times I’ve had to hear him name drop about who he used to cook for before we hired him.”

“He has the right to brag.”

“I agree, but I’m not telling him that.”

I laughed. “So how long have you been in this business?”

“The casino? It’s been open about six or seven years now,” he stated between bites.