“What kind of personal business?”
“It’s personal, Miss Cartwright. If Hamish wants you to know, he’ll tell you. The man has had four weeks off in over seven years so I think it’s a reasonable request. I’ve told him it’s fine.”
I’m angry. How dare he make the decision to allow my Head Chef to have time off, especially now. “What right do you have to tell him he can have the time off? I have only just purchased the restaurant and I need all the staff on board so the clientele are able to see nothing will change. Tell him, I’m sorry, but I cannot allow it. Maybe later in the year. And, Mr. Fitzroy, don’t tell my staff they can have time off. That will be my decision, not yours.” I can hear the anger in my voice.
“Miss Cartwright, is that your final decision?” Leon’s voice is cool.
“Yes, it fuckin’ well is.”
“Then Miss Cartwright, I suggest you find yourself a new Head Chef because Hamish told me his time off is not negotiable. I told him he could have the two weeks off because he said if he couldn’t have it, he’d quit. I was trying to prevent you from losing him. So, Miss Cartwright, go fuck yourself.”
Leon hangs up and I cross the room to my bar where I pour myself a straight vodka. Fuck. Have I just lost Hamish? I slam the vodka down in one gulp and feel it burn a path to my stomach. Tears well in my eyes. It’s a fuckin’ disaster. I call Leon back.
“Mr. Fitzroy. I’m sorry. Of course Hamish can have the two weeks off. Please tell him, I will speak with him when he returns.”
“Very well. I’ll let him know.”
It’s all Leon says before he disconnects from me again. I grab the vodka bottle and flop back down on the couch. I pour myself another glass and it goes down as quick as the first. After my fourth glass, my head feels woozy. Booze and no food - not good. Do I care? Nope. Hopefully I have just avoided something which could have crushed me. I’d much rather do without him for two weeks than not have him at all.
***
I wake up sprawled on the couch. I’m still dressed and wearing my high heels. I spot the empty vodka bottle on the floor along with the broken glass. I must have passed out. I can’t believe I have drunk half a bottle of the clear stuff straight up. I rarely drink except for a wine with dinner. I feel revolting.
I kick my shoes off as I race for the bathroom. I am no sooner on my knees and bent over the toilet than the contents of my stomach burst forth. I heave for what feels like forever. When I think I’m done I collapse onto the floor. The cool of the tiles against my cheek is soothing. My head is pounding and I have no idea of the time. I don’t want to move. I close my eyes and let sleep overtake me.
When I come to on the bathroom floor, my head feels like someone is pounding me with a hammer. The pain is excruciating. Why do people do this to themselves on a regular basis? I roll onto my back and stretch out my aching legs. Every part of me hurts. Move, you have a meeting. Check the time. Groaning loudly, I roll onto my knees. Using the sink as leverage, I haul myself to my feet. The room spins and I feel my stomach turn over in protest. “Never again.” I make my way to the living room, gingerly. My phone tells me it’s 6.30am. I have a little time before I have to get ready but I know if I go and lie on the bed, I will miss the meeting. After grabbing some painkillers and downing them with a glass of water, I head for the bathroom.
The hot water pounds my body and it feels like thousands of hot needles on my sensitized skin. I wriggle against the discomfort until the spasms ease and it actually begins to relax me. As I soap myself up, I think back to the cause of my angst – Hamish. I wonder if Leon has spoken with him and told him he can have the two weeks off. I freeze. What if Leon spoke with him after our first conversation and said he couldn’t have it? What if he quit? Leon would have called me, I convince myself before I work myself into a state.
I dress in a gray dress and matching shoes before heading to the kitchen. I’m feeling passably better but an all over dull ache still remains. I flip on the kettle and once boiled, pour the water over a tea bag in my mug. I settle myself on a stool at the breakfast bar and enjoy the hot liquid lubricating my dry throat. I’ll be glad when this day is over and I can crawl into bed.
***
Leon opens the door to the restaurant and mumbles good morning. He has a scowl on his face so I assume he’s still not happy about the conversation we had last night. Silently I beg him not to make my headache worse than it already is. He leads me through to the staff room. Everyone is seated around the large table and they look at me expectantly. I’m led to a vacant chair at the head of the table but I prefer to stand. It gives me an air of authority.
“Okay, listen up.” Leon doesn’t waste any time with getting on with things. “This is Miss Blossom Cartwright and as of yesterday, she owns this restaurant. I’ll hand you over to her and she can explain what’s happening. ”
All eyes turn to me and I witness the anxiety on their faces. I need to set them at ease. “First of all, I want to assure you all of your jobs are safe. Part of the purchase agreement was that everyone would retain their positions for a minimum of five years from the date of purchase.” I hear breaths being let out and see the staff relax. “You have Leon to thank for the legalities of protecting your jobs although I have studied the books and performance records and I had no intention of replacing anyone. You have all been excellent employees and extremely loyal. I hope you will continue that way for me. In addition to retaining all of you, a five percent pay rise is effective immediately.” Staff members glanced at each other and smiled before turning to me and continuing to smile.
“So nothing will change, Miss Cartwright?” One of the waitresses asks.
“Nothing. I do have one issue which I will discuss with the chef’s but nothing that need concern anyone. I will rely on Samuel to advise me on the running of the restaurant and to voice any concerns he may have.” Samuel has been the manager here for almost nine years. “Are there any questions?”
The staff murmur no or shake their heads. They appear satisfied. “I’ll leave you to it then. If you have any concerns, please come and see me. Wade, Rudy, Andre; can I please have a word with you? Samuel, could you remain too please?”
The other staff members stand and leave the room. Leon goes with them. This is my show now. Once they have gone I take a seat to speak to my manager and the chefs. “Hamish is going to be off for the next two weeks which leaves the restaurant without a Head Chef. What I need to know is, can we manage for that time without him or do I need to bring someone in from the agency?”
“Wade, can you work out a roster to cover his shifts?” Samuel directs his question at the oldest of the chefs.
“Yes, I can. We have enough chefs to cover for two weeks so Hamish’s absence doesn’t cause any disruption but I must warn you, Miss Cartwright, no one is up to his standard.”
“That’s what I’m concerned about. His request for leave couldn’t have come at a worse time. The clientele not only have to cope with a new manager but a missing Head Chef.”
“It couldn’t be helped. He needs the time off to sort out a few personal issues.” I raise my eyebrows, Wade seems to know what is going on with the hunky chef. I wonder if it has anything to do with a girlfriend and feel a pang of jealousy.
“I suggest we post a notice at the front lectern to inform diners we have new ownership but management and all staff remain the same. I would also advise the Head Chef will be unavailable for two weeks for personal reasons. If we advise the diners and are honest up front, they’ll accept it. The other chefs, although not up to Hamish’s standard, are excellent cooks. I don’t think it’s an issue you need to worry about.”
I like Samuel’s suggestion. Honesty and information are always the best way to go. “I agree with you Samuel. Please organize for a notice to go up before lunch.”
“I will, Miss Cartwright.”
“Is there anything else you need from me?” They shake their heads no. “Okay. Thank you for your time. Wade, may I
speak with you please?”
Wade drops back into the chair he was about to vacate and we watch as the others leave the room before I question him. “Is there a problem with Hamish I can help with?”
Although I can see he’s a little taken aback by my question and his eyes narrow, Wade answers. “No, it’s nothing for you to concern yourself about and, although he almost quit when Leon told him you’d caused a fuss, I have convinced him to stay on.”
“Please tell him, I apologize for my knee jerk reaction. I wasn’t thinking clearly and was insensitive. Leon did tell me, Hamish has never asked for a leave of absence on such short notice. I was rude and inconsiderate. I was quite worried he would quit on me.”
“I can see that by the dark rings under your eyes and the smell of alcohol that is wafting from you. I’d say you went on a bender. Fortunately, I explained how bad the timing was for the new owner’s Head Chef to have time off and that you probably reacted without thinking. After insulting you with several expletives, which would result in some fascinating acrobatics, he agreed to forget about it and stay on.”
“Thank you, Wade. Sometimes I’m impulsive and I react without thinking things through. You’re good friends?”
“Very. He’s actually staying with me at the moment while he sorts things out. He’s a hothead, Miss Cartwright, I suggest you think very carefully before you speak when it involves him. He’s had an extremely difficult life and he won’t take crap from anyone.”
“I understand. Thank you.” I’m now even more curious than I was about Hamish. I’m impressed by the loyalty Wade shows his friend. I’m determined to find out more about this hunk who has my panties constantly wet.
Chapter Nine
HAMISH
I follow Wade down the driveway and into the garage. I switch off the motor and remove my helmet and gloves. Steve leaps from the car and runs to me as I climb from my bike. I sweep him up into my arms and follow Wade through the door that leads into the house. Steve wriggles to be put down and I set him on his feet. He turns in a circle, his eyes as large as plates. He marvels at the stunning views over the harbor.
“Wow, this is amazing.”
“Come and I’ll show you where you’ll sleep.” Wade takes his little hand but Steve doesn’t move.
“I’m coming too.” The kid is going to need a lot of reassurance that I’m not going to dump him and run. He smiles and lets Wade lead him down the hallway.
“In here is your room.” Wade throws a door open. There’s a huge double bed, chest of drawers and wardrobe. The large windows in here show a different view of the harbor. “You have your own bathroom.” He walks Steve to the door and opens it.
The bathroom is larger than my living room back at the apartment. Thinking about it, any room could be larger than that. All the bedrooms in Wade’s house have their own bathrooms. Steve wriggles his hand free and runs to me. His arms wrap around my legs. His body shakes as he sobs. I scoop him up and he buries his head into my shoulder. Wade gives me a confused look.
“What’s wrong, buddy?”
“It’s so big, Ham. I’ll be scared in here by myself. Will you stay with me?”
Tears are streaming down his little face. My heart aches for him. “Of course I’ll stay with you. I won’t let anything hurt you. I promise.” Wade nods his head indicating it’s okay for us both to use this room.
“Okay. Thanks.” He wriggles to be put down. “Can I see the pool, Wade?”
It’s fuckin’ amazing how fast this kid can go from being upset to happy. “Wade can show you the pool but then we need to go to the mall. We have to get you clothes, shoes, a haircut and some toys.”
“Okay, Pa.”
He grabs Wade’s hand and they leave the room. I go to get my bag so I can unpack. By the time I’ve put what little I have in the wardrobe and bathroom, Wade and the kid are back. Steve runs to me and I bend down so he can speak to me.
“Ham, um Pa, the pool is really big and Wade said it’s real deep. I’m not allowed to go in there without an adult. Wade said I need special shorts to wear so I can go in.”
“We can buy you some at the mall. Are you ready to go?”
“Yep. Are we going on your bike?”
Fuck, I keep forgetting about the bike. I’m gonna have to buy a car so I can take the kid out. I’m not having him on the bike while he’s so young. It’s too dangerous and I can’t risk him being injured. I look at Wade hoping he can see I’m pleading.
“Take my car.”
I wasn’t expecting that. I thought he would offer to drive us. The beamer is his baby. I’m truly flattered that he thinks enough of me to lend me his pride and joy. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He throws me the keys and I catch them before giving him a smile. “Thanks. We’ll be a couple of hours. Do you want me to pick up something for dinner?”
“No. I’ll throw some steaks on the barbeque and make us a salad.”
“Thanks. Come on champ.” Steve takes my hand and we head to the garage. I fasten him into the back seat then slide behind the wheel. It’s been years since I’ve driven a car. It all comes back to me and I have no trouble getting to the mall. I park the car, kill the motor and tell Steve to stay put. I don’t need him getting out of the car and stepping in front of another.
Fuck I’m becoming protective. I open the door, unfasten Steve’s seatbelt and help him from the car. I lock up and grip his hand as we head inside to the stores.
Steve’s brilliant blue eyes are wide as saucers as he takes in the myriad of stores, lights, people and other paraphernalia. “I’ve never been to a mall before. Can we go into all the shops?”
I laugh at his enthusiasm. “There’s dozens of them and I doubt we’ll have time for them all today. They aren’t going anywhere and we can come back.”
He tilts his face up to me. “You promise?”
“I promise, now let’s get you a haircut.”
I lead him to where I get my hair cut. The hairdresser greets me.
“Hi Hamish. What are you doing here? You’re not due for a haircut yet.” Marina only cut my hair a little over a week ago.
“I need my son’s hair cut today please.”
She stares down at Steve and back at me. “I didn’t know you had a little boy.”
“You do now. This is Steve.”
Steve offers his hand and Marina shakes it. “Hi Steve. I’m Marina. Come with me and we’ll get that hair out of your eyes.”
“Sounds good.” Steve lets go of my hand and goes with Marina. She lifts him up onto a board that they put across the chair for kids.
“How do you want it, Hamish?”
“Short but not shaved.”
“Got it.”
I take a seat nearby while she wraps his neck in a towel and drapes a cape around him. Steve watches in the mirror as she wields her scissors like the expert she is and his black curls fall to the floor. It takes no time at all. Marina lifts him down and he runs to me. He looks so damn cute. I really love this kid.
“Pa, how do I look?”
“Handsome and almost like you belong to someone.” His eyes cloud over and I worry he’s gonna cry so I pick him up. “As soon as we get some new clothes on you, I’ll have to beat the girls off with a stick. You’ll be the most handsome kid in the city.” He laughs. I love to hear him laugh.
“Pa, that’s silly. I’m too young for girls.”
“They don’t know that. You’ll look real grown up.” I hug him and put him down, pay Marina and, holding his hand we head for the clothes shop.
The shop has cool clothes for little kids and we have a great time selecting shirts, tees, long pants, jeans, short pants, pajamas, sweaters, a coat, underwear, socks and the promised swim shorts. When I’m satisfied I have plenty of everything, my kid won’t go without, I pay. Steve carries two bags while I carry the rest. Next is a shoe shop.
“We’ll pick out what you need and then you can sit on the bench and someone will measu
re your feet to make sure we get the right size.”
Steve checks out the shelves of shoes. There are so many, he is overwhelmed. “Pa, I don’t know which ones to pick. Can you help me?”
“Sure can.” I pick up a pair of black boots. They come in black or brown the tag says. They are soft leather and will be ideal in cool weather. I’ll get him a pair in each color. Next are two pairs of brand name joggers, flip flops and a pair of sandals. I show each pair to Steve as I select them and he smiles. “Sit over on the bench now so we can get the right size.”
Steve flops his ass onto a bench and a lady comes to serve us. I place the shoes we want to purchase on the floor where she can see them.
“What size is he?”
“I have no idea. I thought you could measure him.”
The lady smiles at me, lifts Steve’s foot and places it onto a metal size guide. “He’s size eleven. I’ll go and fetch the boxes with the right sizes and we can try them on him.”
“Thanks.” Steve looks up at me.
“That lady likes ya.”
“How the fuc., I mean how would you know that?”
“She was checking out your body and I saw her eyes go all sparkly.”
“You’re dreaming, kid.”
The lady returns and smiles at me. The kid is right. She’s got that fuck me eyes thing going on.
We get the shoes fitted, I pay for the purchases and we get the fuck out of there.
“See, Pa. I told ya she likes ya.”
“Yeah well, too bad. I’m not interested.”
“But, I was right.”
The kid is a determined little… . “Yeah, you were right.”
He gives me a smile that lights up his face.
I lead him to the toy shop. It’s a huge store with all manner of toys and games. I grab a basket and put our previous purchases in it.
“Wow, Pa. I never knew there were so many toys in the world.”
I laugh. His innocence is endearing. I lead him down each aisle. He places his bags in the trolley so he can have a closer look at the toys that catch his eye. I’m so proud of him when he stands in front of a toy and examines it closely, without touching. Some kids would have the fuckin’ things out of the box and destroyed. Not my kid. He doesn’t touch a thing. When we’ve been up and down every aisle, he stops and looks up at me.
Born To Sin (Born #1) Page 8