In the Eye of the Storm / Catering to the CEO

by Samantha Chase

  Of course he did, she begrudgingly thought to herself.

  “I want to hire a server. This is all too much for one person. I think you are competent to handle the prep work and presentation, but for the larger meals, I’d like you to have help.” He paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. “Besides, you will be acting as hostess for the weekend, so…”

  “Hostess?”

  He nodded. “For something like what you’re describing, I think it’s only fitting that you act as our hostess. I’m sure you’ll make everyone feel more comfortable if you interact with them and not serve them.”

  Cassie considered what he was saying, though she was conflicted. She knew how to be the caterer, the server, the event planner. She was used to dealing with gatherings of any size but going unseen. What Adam was suggesting would put her smack-dab in the middle of the action in a more personal role, and Cassie wasn’t sure if she could do that comfortably.

  “Do you have a problem with that?” Adam finally asked after watching the play of emotions on Cassie’s face.

  “I’m not used to being seen at events,” she said slowly. “I mean, I’m used to having staff that interacts with the guests while I supervise… I’d feel a little self-conscious sitting down to dinner with your clients—”

  “You’ll be fine. You’ll have a server to help you.”

  “I guess I can bring one of my girls—”

  “No. We’ll hire someone from here since it will only be for two meals, tops. There’s no need to pay one of your staff for a full weekend when the server will only be needed for a few hours.”

  While she agreed, Cassie was not comfortable working with someone she’d never met before. As if reading her mind, Adam said, “Tomorrow we’ll contact a local agency, and maybe we can interview someone before we leave.”

  He hadn’t said the words that she was hired, and considering their history, she needed to hear him say that. “So you are agreeing with my plan and therefore hiring me to cater this event. Do I have that right?” Her grin was cocky, and while he wanted to be annoyed with…well, he wasn’t sure what; he just knew that he should be annoyed.

  “Yes, Cassandra. I approve of your plans, and I wouldn’t dare imagine someone else carrying them out. You are hired.”

  She did a little happy dance in place and was tempted to hug Adam and thank him, but she refrained. This was business, and even though they had kissed and clearly there was an attraction between them, she had to remain professional when dealing with the business end of their relationship.

  “You won’t be sorry, Adam.”

  “I never thought I would be.”

  But actually, Adam had a feeling that he was going to end up being sorry for pursuing this relationship. While he was okay with having a brief affair and moving on, it was going to be awkward for that to happen with their combined families. He’d never had to be involved in any capacity with former lovers once the relationship ended, and this was going to be new territory.

  And he was sure that there were going to be a lot of people with a lot to say when things ended.

  Watching Cassie explore the house further, Adam was pretty sure that he didn’t give a damn what anyone had to say. He had to have her, and he wouldn’t be satisfied until he did.

  Chapter 8

  Saturday morning’s sunrise was spectacular, as Adam had assured her it would be. Cassie thought she’d sleep in, but the wide windows in her room and the thought of seeing the sunrise had her up with it.

  The previous night had been so pleasant and relaxing that Cassie felt as if she’d stepped into another dimension. Not wanting her to exert herself, Adam had herded Cassie to the car, and they’d driven into town for a scrumptious seafood dinner right on the water. The restaurant was nothing spectacular to look at, but the food had been amazing.

  They’d spoken with their waitress and the owner of the restaurant about the best places to get fresh food and rent party supplies. When the manager had left, their waitress, Debbie, had slipped them her information and told them that she was always looking for extra work and would love to help them out if they needed a server. Considering that she’d taken excellent care of them throughout their meal, they agreed to call her.

  After dinner, Adam drove them through town, pointing out spots of interest, and then they went back to the house where he led Cassie to the sand to walk in the moonlight along the beach. It was hard to believe that they’d known each other for more than two years yet they knew so little about one another.

  By the time they’d gotten home, Cassie was exhausted. She knew she’d overdone it with all the walking, and her body was protesting a little bit. Wishing Adam a good night and thanking him for dinner, she went up the stairs to her luxurious bedroom and indulged in a little bathroom spa time to relax her sore and tired body.

  Adam had sat out on the deck listening to the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore for a long time while he drank a snifter of brandy. The night had been most pleasant, and no one was more surprised than him.

  Their conversations ran from light and carefree to debates on current events. She made him laugh, she made him think, and she made him hard. He took a drink and looked at the windows of her room. If he were less of a gentleman, he’d be up there right now and to hell with recoveries and consequences. He didn’t want to be alone; he wanted to be with her.

  Staring intently, Adam saw her shadow go from the bathroom to the bedroom, and he held his breath for a moment until the lights went out. She would be stretching out across the king-size bed. Alone. He wanted to be with her. He wanted to see if she needed anything.

  Mainly, him.

  Adam continued to stare until his eyes hurt, and then he returned his attention to the shore. He couldn’t will her to come back out, and he shouldn’t want her to. He’d promised her a weekend away to recuperate, and she’d done everything but relax since they’d arrived. Tomorrow he’d make sure that she didn’t tax herself as much. They’d explore around town some more and shop for a dinner to make at home so Cassie could familiarize herself with the kitchen space.

  Finishing his brandy, Adam rose, stretched, and headed inside. Closing the door firmly behind him, he headed up to his own room and, not for the first time in several weeks, found that being alone wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

  They met in the kitchen at eight; it wasn’t a planned thing, but it worked out that way. Cassie rummaged through the pantry, found the makings for pancakes, and went to work without being asked. Within thirty minutes, they were seated at the breakfast bar, sipping coffee and enjoying pancakes with warm maple syrup. Cassie looked longingly outside and would have preferred to eat out on the deck, but it was a little too chilly for her taste. She had scoped out the formal dining room, which seated ten, and while she knew they’d get great use out of it during Adam’s retreat weekend, it was ridiculously big for the two of them. Cassie figured they could easily do breakfast and lunch here at the breakfast bar and then have dinner, weather permitting, on the deck.

  Once breakfast was finished, Adam helped Cassie with the cleanup, and they agreed to leave the house at ten to go on their exploration of the town in search of all they would need for their upcoming event.

  Cassie felt deliciously relaxed as they drove, enjoying the scenery and the pleasure of not having to keep the conversation going. They were both content to drive and simply enjoy the view. Going on what the restaurant owner had told them the night before, Adam found the party-supply store and escorted Cassie inside. He merely stood back and observed because this was Cassie’s terrain.

  Within minutes, she had a staff of employees setting up displays and running around to get what she inquired about. He saw tables being set, linens being chosen, and an assortment of chairs to choose from. Cassie walked around and inspected it all, and when she finally had the arrangement exactly as she wanted, she asked for Ada
m’s opinion.

  Going with classic elegance, the white on white was tasteful. Picturing it set up on the deck with the proper lighting and centerpieces, he knew that she’d made the right choice. With a simple nod of his head, he gave Cassie approval and she told the manager to write up the order.

  Once the rentals were taken care of, they drove on to the local farmers’ market and began talking to vendors about what was in season and asking for recommendations. Cassie had a way about her that Adam admired. She was at ease talking to everyone, and in turn, they were at ease with her. She had a rather crotchety produce vendor eating out of the palm of her hand within minutes when he had merely welcomed them with a scowl earlier.

  They sampled fruits and vegetables, and when Cassie was satisfied with what she’d seen and tasted, she walked the entire market again in search of ingredients for their meal that evening. It felt odd, but Adam realized he was completely content to follow her around and simply pay for whatever she wanted. Cassie had argued that point at first, but after he made it abundantly clear that he was not going to be swayed, she agreed to let him cover the cost of their purchases.

  When she’d exhausted the farmers’ market, they drove to the local butcher for steaks. Adam knew good food when he tasted it but had no idea how to go about choosing things on his own. For this he was thankful that Cassie was with him. In minutes, she had two truly fabulous-looking porterhouse steaks in her hand and was talking to the butcher about their order for the retreat.

  And in a move Adam never saw coming, the butcher walked around the counter, shook both his and Cassie’s hands, and gave them the steaks on the house to “sample” before placing their extensive order with him. Adam was dumbfounded for a moment. How had she done it? He looked over at Cassie, and she was smiling and being herself, but Adam realized that she, in being herself, was dazzling.

  They thanked the butcher and waved on their way out. “Does that sort of thing happen often?”

  “What? The complimentary steaks?” Adam nodded. “Not really. I have a couple of vendors who have given me a couple of freebies in hopes of enticing me to buy more, and honestly, it doesn’t sway me one way or the other. I don’t stock much inventory because I like to buy everything fresh. So while I appreciate the occasional ‘complimentary’ item, it doesn’t always pan out for the supplier.”

  They were standing out on the sidewalk, and Cassie was looking around as if trying to find something. Her brow furrowed, she turned to Adam. “Do you think we could run this stuff back to the house and then grab some lunch?”

  “Why don’t we grab something now?”

  “I want to keep the food refrigerated, and even though it is far from hot, I don’t want to take any chances with these steaks.”

  Agreeing, they took the twenty-minute drive to the house and unloaded the groceries quickly. Then Cassie went to her bedroom to freshen up and rejoined Adam in the kitchen.

  “I wish it was warmer,” she began. “It would have been great to pack a picnic basket with sandwiches and salads and eat on the beach.”

  “We still could…”

  She smiled and shook her head. “Too cold for me. You have those great heat lamps out on the deck, so dinner there is great, but I prefer to be a little bit warmer if I’m going to suffer through the sand while I eat.”

  “Suffer through the sand?” he asked, chuckling.

  “I’m not a huge fan of the beach because I hate having sand all over me. It’s pretty to look at, not so much fun to get rid of.”

  “Ah.” He nodded with understanding and had to admit he wasn’t a fan of sand either. “Okay, so if it’s not a picnic on the beach, where to?”

  Cassie stopped and considered the possibilities, and then looked at Adam with an impish grin. “Let’s get in the car and drive, and we’ll know when we get there!” She turned, walked toward the front door, and opened it. With a glance over her shoulder, she asked, “Are you coming?”

  Adam watched her walk out the door, clearly excited by all the possibilities. He wasn’t so sure. He liked to have a plan, to know what was going on and all the possible variables. Adam didn’t cruise around searching for something to do. He was a man with a plan at all times.

  The sound of the car horn blasting brought him out of his reverie, and with a slight growl of frustration, he headed out to join Cassie. With resignation, he climbed in and drove toward town. His first inclination was to ask exactly what she wanted to eat so he could find a place that fit the bill immediately and be done with the aimless driving. However, turning and looking at Cassie, he saw that she looked relaxed and happy and he figured she hadn’t been wrong in any of the other things she’d asked to do. How bad could this be?

  Thirty minutes later, Cassie pointed to what could only be described as a shack on the beach side of the road. The sign out front boasted lobster clubs, and Adam cringed at the thought of getting out of his car and eating there.

  “Here!” she cried. “Let’s check this place out!”

  Glaring, he replied, “Here? Really? I mean, we could go Dumpster diving and get the same kind of atmosphere.”

  “Oh, look who suddenly let his sense of humor come out and play!” She grinned as Adam pulled the car into one of the three parking spots in front of the shack. Cassie was climbing out of the car before he had it turned off. She walked around to his side of the car and practically pulled him out of his seat.

  “Don’t be such a snob, Adam. Some of the best places to eat are holes in the wall.” She had his large hand in hers and pulled him toward the counter where they could place their orders.

  “I thought you said you didn’t want to do a picnic in the sand?” he asked, stalling in hopes that she would change her mind and they’d go someplace civilized to eat.

  “We have tables around back, buddy,” a large man with multiple neck tattoos said. Adam held in the cringe that wanted to wrack his body. “Thanks,” he mumbled.

  Cassie scanned the menu and ordered. She did not ask for Adam’s input; she was willing to deal with the hissy fit he was sure to have if she let him have a good look at what was behind the counter. The Board of Health rating stated an “A,” but Cassie had her own doubts about that. “Go grab us a table,” she told Adam and shooed him away while she paid and waited for the food.

  “Why? I don’t see a big crowd here.”

  Rolling her eyes, Cassie gave him a soft shove and sent him in the direction of the beach. “Nothing too sandy!” she called out playfully as he stomped away. He was quite cute when he was pouting, she thought with a smile.

  Within minutes, she had a tray filled with two lobster club sandwiches, French fries, coleslaw, and sweet tea. Walking around to the rear of the building, she found Adam facing the ocean and talking on his cell phone. She let him finish his call while she set the table and seated herself.

  Nervous anticipation filled her as Adam finished his call, went to pick up his sandwich, and looked up at her. “What?”

  “No, nothing, I was waiting for you to finish your call before starting,” she rambled. “Everything all right?” She motioned toward the phone.

  “Checking messages.” Adam picked up the sandwich, hesitantly took a bite, and let out an unmanly groan of delight. Cassie caught the expression on his face and hid a smile behind her own sandwich as she took a bite. The sweetness of the lobster combined with the perfect amount of spices and mayo made for a wonderful sandwich. The bread was freshly baked sourdough with a crispness that added the right amount of texture to the mix.

  They ate in silence for several minutes, with Adam finishing his sandwich first before touching the fries and slaw. Cassie was halfway through her own sandwich and put it down and took a sip of her tea before putting all her attention on Adam.

  “What now?” he snapped.

  Cassie merely picked up her sandwich and smiled. “Told you so.”

 
They finished their lunches, and Adam cleared the table. It made Cassie smile to see that he genuinely didn’t mind helping out with menial tasks. He could have been a total snob and treated her like hired help, but he didn’t, and she greatly appreciated that.

  Once in the car, Adam suggested they scope out the local shopping and spas so they could prepare a package to offer the spouses. Cassie readily agreed, and she relaxed in her seat, happy to let Adam be in control.

  By the time they arrived at Adam’s palatial estate, it was after six and Cassie was beat. They had not only found great places to shop and some wonderful salons, they had spoken to what felt like a hundred people as they arranged packages at many of the local businesses. Adam saw her lean against the wall of the elevator on their way up to the main floor and felt concern.

  “We could order in tonight if you’d rather not cook,” he suggested.

  “No, really, I’m fine. I want to kick off my shoes and maybe change into some sweats or something before I get started.” Adam got off the elevator on the main level while Cassie indulged and took it up to the next floor.

  Once inside her bedroom, she stripped out of the capris, sandals, and sweater, and pulled out a pair of silky pajama pants. She would have preferred the sweats, but she had forgotten to pack them. Walking into the bathroom in nothing but black lacy underwear, she freshened up after splashing some cold water on her face. A quick glance in the mirror showed her hair to be a wild mass of waves and curls that looked completely out of control.

  Frowning, she searched through her toiletries and found a clip that she used to put her hair up. A quick change to the silky pants and a cami and an application of lip gloss, and she felt ready to tackle dinner.

  Her bare feet felt wonderful after having shoes on all day, and the plush carpet in her bedroom, the hallway, and the stairs felt decadent. The coolness of the ceramic tile in the kitchen gave her a bit of a jolt, but she quickly adjusted. With a look around, Cassie found herself to be alone, and she wondered for a moment where Adam was but took advantage of the uninterrupted time to prep their dinner.