by Emma Vikes
I felt like I was on top of an empire I’d built all by myself but for some reason, I didn’t feel as happy as I thought I would.
“Ansel,”
Joey’s voice came from behind me. I was still in my room although I was meant to move down to my office on the ground floor. I wanted to rest a little bit and enjoy the view of San Francisco in my room. “Yes?”
“Alice and Doug recruited more manpower for the kitchen already,” Joey informed me, “They’ve managed to hire a sous chef from the pool of applicants today.”
I turned around to face him then moved to my black leather sofa and sat down. I’d known Alice and Doug when I was still running the bed and breakfast. They had a famous diner back in the small town where I built the bed and breakfast. Most of my customers preferred to dine at theirs rather than eat at mine which sort of frustrated me.
When I tasted their food though, I understood. Both of them were seasoned chefs who had the educational attainment fit for both of them to run a Michelin-star restaurant. I became close friends with them and managed to convince them to run the restaurant in the hotel. I’d left most of the decision making on their part when it came to the restaurant.
The diner they used to run wasn’t anything fancy but I was honestly surprised when they revealed the restaurant to me. From the interior of the place down to the food, it felt like we were dining in a high-class restaurant in France. “The person they’ve hired must’ve impressed them. I thought they wouldn’t hire a sous chef easily.”
Joey nodded his head a little. “I thought the same thing too, since Alice was actually very picky when it came to hiring her staff but she seemed fond of the new chef. There must be something about her that piqued her interest.”
“Did they hire everyone who applied?”
“They hired a sous chef, two station chefs, and a kitchen porter,” Joey read the information from his tablet.
I nodded, resting my head on the back of the couch.
“They know what they’re doing and now the positions are filled.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle when Joey pointed out this fact. Alice, Doug, and I agreed that I’d leave most of the decisions regarding the restaurants to them. Although I did make it clear to them that I wanted a say when it came to staffing. I knew they would hire competent people but those people would still be working for me. I was meticulous in that regard.
“I think it’d be great if we’ll have the new kids make me dinner, don’t you think, Joe?”
Joey glanced at me briefly and chuckled, nodding his head and dialing on his phone quickly.
I was sure he called them to inform Alice and Doug to have the newbies make me dinner. I closed my eyes and rested for a little while. I’d always hoped to find one particular chef, but over the years I never found her again. I’d mostly given up on that idea though.
“Would you like to have your meal delivered here or at your office?” Joey asked
“Just have them bring it to my office. I’ll just change and head down right after,” I told Joey and then walked into my bedroom. I occupied the penthouse of the hotel so I had the entire floor to myself. The place was basically as big as a house and it pleased the kid in me because I was actually living in a hotel. It reminded me so much of how I used to envy the Sprouse twins in their series on Disney.
I changed out of my suit and into comfier, casual clothes. I never wanted to intimidate my employees and I always wanted to create a good relationship with them. Pops was the one who taught me that too. He’d always been kind to the small staff he had working under him at the shoe shop and always told me to be the same to people who worked for me.
I used the elevator to get me to the ground floor where my office was. I passed by the restaurant first and popped in to see Alice and Doug.
They seemed happy to see me.
“Oh, you’re gonna love this bunch, Ansel.” Alice wrapped her arms around me in a warm embrace.
My relationship with them always felt familial. “Is there anyone that stands out?”
Doug eyed me playfully. “I thought you strictly didn’t want to have that kind of relationship with your employees but you always seem to be interested in our hires.”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. I never told them about her. I was afraid they might think I was a lovesick fool who hadn’t moved on in the last eight years. “I just want to make sure that the people who work in this hotel are decent, Doug.”
“We would never hire anyone incompetent.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” I teased them as I moved to my office. Joey told me the food would be ready within five minutes and so I waited. Apart from the kitchen porter, there would be three chefs that would be cooking for me. I told Joey I wanted the sous chef to make me the main dish. I wanted to understand why Alice and Doug chose her for the position.
The appetizer came first and it didn’t stand out or anything but it seemed decent enough. I wasn’t a chef so I didn’t have the right to judge in any criteria other than how it tasted. When the main dish came, I was honestly surprised that it was stuffed chicken. It wasn’t as impressive as I imagined it would be, but something about its scent drew me in.
The scent tickled my memory as if I’d smelled it somewhere before. I quickly cut myself a piece and stuffed it in my mouth. My eyes fluttered closed and I let out a moan as the flavors exploded in my mouth. Leaning back on the chair, I gripped the fork in my right hand tightly as the taste opened a memory.
“I had a different idea of a date in my head,” I complained as I watched Maia move around the kitchen. She had insisted on cooking for me for our first date as an official couple. We’d been seeing each other for a while now but only recently made it official between us.
Maia wore a maroon apron and looked at me with a small pout. “I’ve always wanted to cook for my boyfriend as a date. If you’re too upset about it, I’ll stop.”
I felt bad for complaining. I knew she was putting in a lot of work for our dinner because she was cooking it for me. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I just wanted to take you somewhere fancy.”
Maia narrowed her eyes at me as I wrapped my arms around her waist. “The moment you taste my cooking, it’ll blow your mind.”
I’ve never actually tasted anything she had cooked. I knew she cooked because she was in the culinary department but I never knew how good she was at it. She was passionate, I’d listened to her endlessly talk to me about the culture of food and recipes. But I never had a chance to taste anything she cooked until now. “Okay, okay. You have to promise me that it’ll blow my mind or else you have to blow it in another way,” I wiggled my eyebrows at her suggestively.
She pushed me away, shaking her head at me. “Sometimes, I wonder if you only think with that head of yours,” she muttered under her breath.
I barked a laugh. Then I set the table for two without her asking and about fifteen minutes later, she told me to sit down. The scent of the food she made filled the whole apartment and the smell alone made my stomach rumble.
Maia smirked when she heard it. She was about to set the food on the table. “Sounds like you’re very excited.”
“Or just really hungry,” I teased her. “You know that someone hungry isn’t a good judge of food.”
She rolled her eyes and presented me with our dinner.
“This is just stuffed chicken,” I stated.
Maia didn’t seem fazed at my bored tone and nodded at me to take a bite.
I cut a portion of the chicken and placed it on my plate. I playfully smelled the food and judged its texture and appearance even though I had no idea what I was judging. To be honest, I just wanted to take a bite because the smell was beckoning me to do so.
The moment I took a bite, an explosion of flavors burst in my mouth and I couldn’t help but moan at the taste. But something about the food and how it was prepared warmed my soul. It tasted like home, like the food my grandmother used to make me when I was younger. It was comfort
ing, warm and unbelievably good.
“I told you it would blow your mind.”
The flavors wrapped inside the stuffed chicken was enough to make me want to eat more of it. I didn’t even realize I had finished it off until my fork made contact with nothing on my plate. Something about the meal made my heart beat erratically and the way it sent me the sense of warmth that no other meal could ever do. “Joey.” My voice was hoarse when I called my assistant’s name and I had to clear my throat to call his name again, louder this time, “Joey!”
Joey rushed into the room and stared at me in panic. “Is there something wrong? Was there anything you were allergic to in the food? Should I fire the one who made that dish?”
I quickly shook my head and someone else came in, carrying the dessert made by the last chef. I didn’t even have the appetite to eat the dessert but made a show of taking a bite. Swallowing quickly, I turned my attention to Joey again. “I need to meet the person who cooked the main dish. I need that person in my office as soon as possible, Joey.”
Joey’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Is there something wrong, Ansel?”
I shook my head as I grabbed a napkin to wipe my face. I felt like I was about to break out into a cold sweat as my rapid heartbeat became louder to me. Only one person in the world could possibly make me feel this way with their cooking. The same person I’d been searching for endlessly for the last eight years.
If she was in the same building as I was and if she was the one behind that main dish I’d just eaten, I’d finally found her again.
For eight years, I’d imagined how this day would play out. I’d recited everything I wanted to say to her. From an apology to an explanation to the blatantly telling her my desperate desire to win her back and have her in my life again.
When we broke up eight years ago, I thought I would be all right. I was a player before I became loyal to her. My loyalty to her and our commitment honestly scared me at that time. I never thought loving someone with the intensity that I loved her would scare me. But it did and when she confronted me about the kiss, I just went along with it.
I thought I could find someone else and be with more women after I broke up with them and it would be easy for me. After graduating though‒ I found myself comparing every woman I crossed paths with and dated‒. to her. No one ever came close to how she was and I’d never been in any relationship since ours.
I missed her so much. Looking for her all this time and I couldn’t believe I finally found her.
A sudden knock came on my door and I abruptly stood up. My heart was racing like crazy. If the person behind that meal wasn’t who I thought she was, I would probably get myself drunk tonight.
But when the door opened— my eyes met a familiar pair of dark brown doe eyes— that I’d been longing to see all this time.
Maia.
3
Maia
When they told me I got the job, I thought that after the tour of the kitchen, I’d get to tell Sage the good news right after. That wasn’t the case though because for some reason, the interview I had with the executive and head chef was only the first step. Right after the tour of the kitchen and the rest of the hotel, we were suddenly asked to cook for the CEO of the hotel.
So after the tour, I found myself in the kitchen, cooking a dish for a person I hadn’t even met yet. The other chefs seemed to have an idea of who the mysterious CEO was. As for me, I had absolutely no clue. I didn’t bother researching the owner of the hotel because I honestly didn’t think I’d meet him this soon.
As for my dish though, at least it was something I’d prepared for prior. I thought during the interview process, I would be asked to present a dish. That they would want to gauge my skill and knowledge of cooking but they didn’t. Because of that, I’d spent the last couple of days reinventing and elevating the dishes I’d already mastered.
I felt fairly confident with the dish I presented, so when the CEO’s assistant asked me to come to the office, I couldn’t help but fear the worst. I just got the job and since things hadn’t been going my way this year, I couldn’t help but think I’d lose the job the moment I got hired. Maybe the CEO didn’t like my dish, no matter how much I’d thought I’ve perfected it.
The assistant…Joe stepped ahead of me to knock on the door curtly before turning the knob and pushing it open.
I looked around the office and noted how it was a balance between modern and rustic. It smelled of musk and pinewood and the scent trickled at my memories. Despite how long it had been, I still remembered where that scent came from.
In the middle of the room stood a man in casual clothes. He didn’t seem like the CEO of a luxurious hotel. His blond hair looked thick and luscious, the kind any girl would want their hair to look like. His build seemed lean and lanky, he had muscles in all the right places and seemed strong despite the lanky appearance. As for his eyes…
I only knew one person in the world who had honey-colored eyes.
Ansel.
The memories rushed back in an instant and I could feel the weight of my anger towards him pressing against my chest. I remembered how cruelly he broke up with me and told me I was unnecessary baggage to him. The scar of his cheating suddenly throbbed and I clenched my fists, desperate to calm myself or else I might land myself in a puddle.
“So you’re the chef behind the dish that blew my mind,” he drawled, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
I wasn’t sure what game Ansel was playing at the moment but he acted like this was the first time we’d met.
“Ansel Moore, CEO of Onyx Shrine. It’s a pleasure to meet you…?” Yes, he was pretending like he didn’t know me.
“Maia Quincy.”
“Maia Quincy,” he repeated my name as if it was the first time it ever left his lips. “Joey, could you give us a moment alone, please? I’d like to learn more about Chef Maia.”
I wanted to beg Joey to stay but what right did I have to make such a request? He was Ansel’s assistant and he would probably do anything his boss asked him to.
Joey seemed hesitant as he glanced between the two of us. Then he nodded his head a little bit and he took a step back.
My heart sank when I heard the door’s subtle click.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Maia?” This time, his tone lacked the formality it had a moment ago as Ansel regarded me casually. “It’s nice to know that you’re thriving in your industry. Sous chef of a restaurant in a five-star luxurious hotel. Your resume must be pretty impeccable by now.”
“It’s been a long time, Ansel. I see that you’ve also managed to pull off your dreams. Pops must be proud of you.” The statement was genuine. Despite how the whole situation was slowly pissing me off, I still had to acknowledge the fact this was his and his grandfather’s dream.
Ansel looked down and nodded his head a little. “Too bad he isn’t here to run it with me.”
My heart sank at that and I felt bad for bringing him up. He must’ve been devastated when his grandfather died. Ansel was closer to him than he ever was with his own father. “I’m sorry.”
He cracked a small smile. “I think I would’ve handled it better if you were by my side.”
At this comment, I didn’t know how I was meant to respond. So far, the conversation I had with him had been easy. I didn’t want the anger I harbored towards him to slip through my words because he was still technically my boss. I didn’t want to be unprofessional. Bringing my emotions to the table to would deem me as one. “Why did you want to see me?” I asked, finally addressing it. “You must be upset that your chef hired your ex-girlfriend.”
Ansel shook his head and shrugged his shoulders lightly. “On the contrary, I’m thrilled that I’ve finally managed to find you. I’ve been looking for you all over, you see, in the last eight years. There were times when I thought I might never run into you ever again. The idea always bothered me and broke my heart.”
I blinked, stunned at the confession. I expected Ansel
to be cocky and flaunt his status in life at me. I didn’t expect him to nonchalantly tell me he had been searching for me. “Why did you want to see me, Ansel?”
But Ansel didn’t seem like he wanted to answer my question. He took a step towards me, his honey gaze fixated on my face. “How have you been, Maia?”
I took a deep inhale and tried to calm myself. I didn’t know what Ansel was doing but I knew being in the same room as him wasn’t a good idea. I might lose the semblance of self-control I had right now and say the wrong things to my boss. For the third time, I repeated my question. “Why did you want to see me, Ansel?”
Ansel sighed as if he knew he couldn’t get around this question until he finally answered it, “I want you back.”
I want you back.
He said it so simply, as if the four words could easily be thrown out there, given our history and how it ended between us. “What did you just say?”
Ansel shrugged his shoulders casually as if he didn’t just drop a bomb at me when this was the first time we’d seen each other after eight long years. “It’s been years, Maia and for some reason, I still want you. Now that I’ve found you, why don’t we just pick up where we left things off? You’re not exactly on the losing end here if you agree. I do own a hotel now.”
My hand itched to slap some sense into him but I still held on to every bit of self-restraint I had left as my anger bubbled inside of me. How dare he say something like that so casually! It was infuriating how he didn’t seem to be the slightest bit regretful about what he did to me. “You’re kidding right?” I couldn’t help myself. The words were out of my mouth before I knew it.
Ansel cocked his head to the side. “I’m actually serious, Maia. I want you back. Everything’s peachy with life right now and I think it’s not a bad idea.”