Chef

by Throsby, Lynda

  Caspian

  I HEADED INTO the restaurant early. I had a pile of paperwork to do, and I wanted to see Francoise before everyone else got in. I wanted to know what he thought of Macen — strictly on a business level of course. He’d phoned to let me know she enjoyed her first day and was definitely coming back. I hope he didn’t hear the relief in my voice and the sigh I let out. To say I wasn’t bothered about seeing Macen again would be an outright lie. She is all I have thought about since last week. It’s killing me. I don’t even want to sink into anyone else, and I can’t fathom out why in the world she’s having this effect on me. She’s not my type.

  There’s no one around when I get there, so I head straight to my office to sort through the paperwork piled on my desk. I get stuck in, and it feels like no time at all when I hear the back door go and Francoise comes strolling in.

  “Hey, Casp, how’s it going?” I look at my watch. I’ve been here for nearly two hours!

  “Hey, Francoise, good, thanks. Sorted out all the stuff in LA, so hopefully, that's all back on track. Shall we have a coffee? I'm parched. Been here two hours sorting through all this stuff. I didn't realize it was that long till just now.”

  “Yeah, let me get the coffee. You finish off, and then I can give you the rundown on everything.” He heads out to get us coffees. I pick up Macen’s paperwork and read it yet again until Francoise comes back in and sits down. The rest of the team will be arriving in the next half hour, so we need to get on with this. He looks at what I have in my hand.

  “Great call with Macen. She's damn good at what she does, Casp. She's a natural, honest as well. I've had her tasting the dishes on the menu and writing a review on each one. Here, look.” He passes me a notebook, which I take and flick open. On each page is the name of the dish, the date and time she tried it, then underneath is her opinion on that dish and what she thinks of the way it's cooked — if it needed something adding or taking away from it. Fucking hell, this girl is like me in so many ways. This is exactly what I did when I got my first job in a restaurant, and I do this with all my employee's when they start, but she’s the first one to do this methodically and give her opinion on the actual ingredients. She’s going to be an excellent chef, and I have no doubts that one day she will own a successful restaurant like me. I want her so badly the more I find out about her, but I know I can't go there. I'm royally screwed. Actually, I need to go out and get royally screwed to get her out of my head.

  I finish with Francoise as the team starts arriving, he's told me all about Macen and how she has taken to the job quickly. Shadowing Louis is not a problem, but she seems to know as much as him anyway. She is due in any minute, and I need to avoid her for a bit, but I know I have to get her in here to welcome her and ask her how she's finding the job. Shit, I hope the feeling isn't mutual on her side. I don't know if I can resist her if she feels the same way. If it is, I’ll have to put her off, and that means being an ass to her. After all, I am her boss.

  I put on my chef whites and head into the kitchens to see what's going on and to make sure everything is up to scratch. That way, I get the respect of the team as chef and not just Casp. As I walk around, tasting each item, I acknowledge every one of my team by name. It's one thing I have always insisted on, getting to know who works for me and make them part of the team, which is why I need to speak to Macen. I finish my rounds, except the one station, which I have left until the end for a reason.

  Macen.

  It’s almost opening time. I can't drag her away because the lunch rush will start very soon, and they’re still prepping, so I head to her station

  “Louis, Macen, everything good here?” I say looking from Louis to Macen. Fuck, why did I do that? She’s stunning in her chef's whites and hat. I don't know why but her hair in a net and her hat is a real turn on for me. She looks at me shyly or is that my imagination and wishful thinking?

  “Yes, Chef,” they both say in unison. I nod at them. I then taste the sauces they have been preparing. The first one I taste is perfect. It's a lemon cream sauce that goes with the sautéed sole, and it is the best I've tasted.

  “This sauce is perfect, well done, Louis. I have never tasted it this good before.”

  “Not me, Chef, that’s all Macen’s doing. She made it all herself from scratch.” I turn and look at Macen, who is not looking at me but is chopping up some herbs for the next sauce.

  “Macen?” She looks at me — her face is red.

  “Yes, Chef?”

  “Well done. This is the best lemon cream sauce I have tasted. Did you follow my recipe?”

  “Yes, Chef. I just made sure the cream was thick to make it rich and creamy, then slowly added the crushed garlic and lemon to the cream.”

  “Well, it tastes as good as my sauce, Macen.”

  “Thank you, Chef.” She carries on with her chopping.

  “Macen, when it gets quiet after the lunch rush, can you come to my office, please?”

  She looks at me wide-eyed and flushes. “Er, Yes, Chef.”

  I leave the kitchen and head back to my office to take my whites off, and then I head to front of house to see the waiting staff and my maître d', Tobias. I need a coffee — a strong black one. Being in the same space as Macen kills me. I can feel my cock starting to stir, and that's the last thing I need in front of my staff. I speak to Tobias for a little bit while I drink my coffee. He tells me Macen is the only chef that has asked for the reservations list to be given to her at the start of each shift so she can see and plan the day. That doesn’t really surprise me. That’s what I do all the time.

  The restaurant is all set up, and there is a line outside waiting for lunch. Tobias goes to open the doors, and I stay and greet the first clients. I like to show my face in front of house. It makes the clients feel special when I greet them.

  I’m back in my office, going through more paperwork and answering an e-mail from my Canadian realtor when there is a knock on the door.

  “Come in,” I say but don't look up.

  “Mr. Kade, you wanted to see me?” Fuck. That voice. I look up at her

  “Yes, Macen, please come in and sit.” I motion for her to take the seat in front of my desk.

  “I wanted to welcome you to the team at Casper’s officially. I’m sorry I wasn’t here for your first day to welcome you?”

  “It’s okay, Mr. Kade. Thank you.”

  “Casp or Caspian is fine when we are in here, but it’s chef in the kitchen.”

  “Sorry, Caspian. Francoise was great, thank you. He showed me everything, and Louis has been wonderful with me. I'm really settling in now, and everyone is very friendly.”

  “From what I have been told you really know your stuff, Macen. Francoise is very pleased with you and your honesty when trying the dishes. You know you’re the first one to actually take that bit seriously and give honest answers with suggestions. That tells me a lot.”

  “Just doing what I was asked, Caspian.” Fuck I love her saying my name in full and not shortening it. No one ever calls me Caspian — it's always been Casp or Chef. My cock is hard just from that. Fuck, how am I going to work with her?

  “Well, carry on with the good work. I have no doubt you will be running this place before fulfilling your dream of owning your own restaurant.”

  “Thank you. I will. I promise. This is my dream, Caspian. I have waited a long time for the opportunity.” She flushes again and then looks at her hands, which are in her lap, playing with a button on her chef whites.

  “So, how are you finding working in the kitchen? I know you said everyone is friendly but are you enjoying it so far?” She's now looking at me, just staring. She doesn’t look like she’s heard what I just asked her, and the way she's looking at me right now, I could just kiss her, and I would have no problem bending her over my desk. I smile at her. I find it amusing that she's gone into her own little world. I put my elbows on my desk and lean on my hands with my fingers on my mouth, waiting for her to answer me. This
goes on for a good minute, so I repeat my question to her.

  “I am, yes, thank you,” she replies.

  “Good. You best head back and get your own lunch before the next rush.” She gets up and heads out of the door without looking back. As she closes the door behind her, I breathe out a sigh of relief. Fuck, what am I going to do?

  Macen

  I SEE CASPIAN walk into the kitchen. He doesn't look this way as he goes around each station, but I keep my eye on where he is. My heart is beating fast, nearly coming out of my chest, and I have butterflies in my tummy. Why is he having this effect on me? I have never had these feelings for anyone.

  I catch Reid looking at me when I glance to see where Caspian is. What is it with him? He gives me the creeps. Everyone else is really nice but not him. I'm definitely steering clear of him. He watched me get in a cab on Monday night, then he kept watching me yesterday, and it’s making me paranoid. Is it in my mind or is he just minding his own business and I’m making something out of it?

  Oh, god, Caspian's coming over here. Oh no, I can feel my cheeks getting hot, and I feel a bit nauseous. I don't look, I just concentrate on the chopping, but I can feel him near. The hairs on my neck stand up, and I have funny tingles down my spine. I can feel him look at me.

  “Louis, Macen, everything good here?” Oh, God, he's speaking to me.

  “Yes, Chef,” I say at the same time as Louis. He tastes the sauce and speaks to Louis, but I don't listen until he speaks to me directly, and I have to answer him. I turn and look at him, feeling my face burn because I don’t know what he said.

  “Yes, Chef?” He congratulates me on my sauce and then asks me to go and see him after the lunch rush has finished. Oh no. I don't think I can be in the same room as him. I can't seem to control all these strange feelings. I have to keep it strictly businesslike. This is my dream job, and the chance I needed to get where I want to be. There is no way I'm blowing this.

  I head to Caspian’s office after the lunchtime rush, but the conversation is all a bit of a blur. I am mesmerized by his bright eyes, his smooth voice, and his messy black hair. I wish I could run my fingers through it. Holy shit, where did that come from? He smiles at me at one point, and the dimples in his cheeks just floor me. He’s taken off his chef’s whites and has on a white shirt, which is rolled up to above the elbow. I can see both arms covered in tattoo’s, his shirt is tight on his biceps, and I can make out the muscle definition when he brings his elbows onto the desk and clasps his big hands together, pointing his two index fingers and resting them on his lips.

  He says my name, he must have asked me a question, but I have no idea what it was. Thankfully, he repeats the question so I can answer him, which I do.

  The entire time, I’m clenching my legs together, trying to get rid of the feelings I’m having down below. I’m sure I’m bright red the whole time I’m in his office, and my butterflies are fluttering away. I’m struggling, and I honestly don’t know how I’m going to continue to work for him.

  I grab my lunch in the employee room, and I’m eating my wrap when the door opens. I know without looking that Reid has walked in. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, with fear and I have tingles running down my spine, but not in a good way like I did in Caspian's office, these are chilling, scared tingles. It feels like a warning for me to be careful.

  I’m on my own in the room, and I don’t look up at him straight away. I don’t want to acknowledge him, but then I don’t want to be ignorant either. He goes to the left side of the room and opens the fridge. I glance at him and find his attention is on me, not what is in the fridge.

  I smile a small smile, not too friendly, and say, “Hi,” but he doesn't respond. Shit, what is his problem? I need to get out of here and quickly. I put the rest of the wrap in its bag, and close the magazine I'm reading, then get up and start for the door, but before I know what’s happening, Reid’s blocking my way to the door. I jolt to a halt. He’s so close to me — invading my space.

  “Excuse me, please,” I say to him, trying to be friendly, but he doesn't move. He just looks at me, tilting his head to the side. Shit, he looks like he hates me. He's scowling, causing all the lines on his forehead and round his eyes to wrinkle, but it's the look in his eyes that unsettles me most, so dark and sinister. There is a look of hate on his face, and something else… resentment. For what, I don't know. I don't know him, and he looks a lot older than me, and he's really not attractive. His eyes have wrinkles around them, and his hair is a funny color, not brown and not black it's somewhere in between, but it doesn't look natural, it looks like he’s used a bad hair coloring. His eyes are so dark and evil, why would he just stand blocking my way out? What did he want?

  “Excuse me, please, may I get past you?”

  “Do you recognize me?”

  I look at him quizzically because I don’t.

  “Sorry, no, I don’t. Have we met before?” I say this with a shake to my voice. I hate how pathetic I sound, but he’s scaring me. I just want to run and get out of here.

  “You have no idea who I am?”

  I shake my head, no. I’m getting worried and pray someone will come into the room.

  “N-no sorry, should I? Have we met before?” I ask again.

  Just then the door opens behind him and nudges him in the back, which makes him move right into my space. He reaches out to stop himself from falling and puts his hands on my shoulders. I try to step back out of his reach, and I manage to shrug him off and step back, away from his hold on me. It’s Caspian entering the room, and the look on his face is one of confusion, morphing into something unreadable.

  “Excuse me,” I say moving around Reid and past Caspian and rushing out of the door, not looking at either of them.

  I hurry into the ladies bathroom to try and calm down. My heart is beating out of my chest. I'm scared. Could things get any worse? I have Reid who is scaring the shit out of me, then Caspian making me nervous as hell.

  I take a couple of minutes to calm myself before facing any of them out there. I don’t want Louis to pick up on how I’m feeling. I wash up, then head back to my station. As I enter the kitchen, I see Caspian talking to Louis. They both look up as I approach and stop talking. Caspian gives Louis a grave look, then he stares at me for a beat.

  “Macen, I think you should get back to prepping your sauces for the afternoon, don’t you? The employee room is not to be used for anything other than to have a drink, rest, or eat. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes, Chef.”

  “Work.” With that, he storms off in the direction of the front of house. I’m confused about his attitude. I was only on my break.

  “Don’t know what you did, Mace, but you sure rattled his cage. Never seen him like that before. I could see the veins in his neck popping when he was asking me about you?”

  “Sorry, Louis, I didn’t do anything wrong. What was he asking?”

  “If you and Reid are a relationship. I told him I had no idea. I haven’t even seen you look at Reid, let alone speak to him. I didn’t know you knew him, and I told Casp that.”

  I drop my head and sigh, unsure whether to tell Louis how Reid is intimidating me.

  “I don't know him,” I say quietly.

  When Louis goes for his lunch, I see Reid at his station, and he's staring at me again. I have only been here for three days, and now I'm uncomfortable at work. If this carries on, I will have to tell Francoise or Caspian that I have a problem.

  The dinner rush is immense, and I’m glad when my shift is over. I’m worn out and stressed about the Reid situation. All afternoon and evening he was watching me. Louis even commented on it, saying that he thinks Reid must have a thing for me if we’re not an item because he kept watching me. Chef even shouted at Reid at one point for messing up the dish he had just put out.

  I head for the employee room to get my things. I'll get a cab again. I'm too exhausted to walk home or fight on the subway even though it's only three stops. I get
in a cab on 5th and have the same feeling of being watched again. Sure enough, I glance over the road, and there he is, in the same spot, leaning against the wall, watching me. I'm worried. I have the job I dreamed of, but I have this guy who has taken a dislike to me, making it difficult for me to enjoy my work. I don't know what to do. Maybe I should speak to Francoise or Caspian and ask if our shifts could be changed because he always seems to be on the same shift as Louis and me. I feel sick just thinking about it. I can't wait to get home. Dixon will be in bed, so I will talk this through with Grandma and see what she suggests I do.

  Caspian

  FUCK, WHAT HAVE I just walked in on? Is she in a relationship with this dipshit? I would never have pegged the two of them to be together. However, the way she jumped back out of his arms, and he dropped his hands from her, I would say that's a sure sign something's going on with them. Fuck, why am I seething about it? Admittedly, it's for the best — I certainly can't pursue her. But why him? He's the biggest ass I employ. He's had several warnings in the time he's been with me. I need to fire his ass. Maybe this gives me the reason to do just that. I stand, glaring at them both, waiting for one of them to say something, but neither of them does. She storms past us both, not even looking my way. Well, fuck her, and him. “Reid, my office, twenty minutes,” I rage at him. The dipshit doesn't say a thing, just smirks at me and nods his head. I turn and leave the room angrily. I'm fucking livid, and I know I shouldn't be. I can pretend it's about the no fraternizing rule in their contracts that’s made me like this, but it's not, it's her, this is all about her. I feel… fuck, dare I say it, jealous! She's really rattled my fucking cage.

  I need to find out if there is anything in this, so I storm into the kitchen to ask Louis, but he tells me that he doesn’t even think Macen knows Reid. That strikes me as a bit odd. Macen works closely with Louis, and if anyone knows I thought he would. “I find that hard to believe,” I snarl at him, “I just caught them in a compromising position in the employee room, and I'm not fucking happy about it.” Just then, I notice her heading this way. Both Louis and I look at her, she looks down, but continues toward us, “I'll speak to you later,” I say to Louis as she approaches. I storm off to front of house after snapping at her to work. I need a large brandy to calm me down.