I sighed. "He hasn't yet."
"Well, I think you'd be adorable together, so keep trying."
I blushed. "I'm trying to get him to hire me, not... anything else."
"Ah." She leaned back in her chair. "And he's said no, has he?"
"Many times."
"But you're still there."
She sounded proud of me, which made me smile despite everything. "I really want to work for him."
"If there's one thing I know, he'll like your persistence."
I rolled my eyes. "He doesn't seem to so far."
She patted my hand. "Don't give up, honey. We'll change his mind."
I blinked. "We?"
"Two heads are better than one, you know." She grinned at me. "What's your name?"
I couldn't imagine how she'd help me convince Kegan, but I'd take any help I could get at this point. I gave her my name, and she gave me another chocolate croissant and patted me on the head as I slipped back into my wet jacket. "Go get him, Mary."
With the rain still cascading down, I was afraid to wreck my cookbooks, but I could keep a notebook dry by hunching over it, so I did. I wanted to make notes and plans. I was tired of doing nothing.
I'd filled three pages when the weather took a turn for the worse, with a bitter wind whipping the raindrops at me. I put the notebook away before it blew away then clutched myself tightly in a desperate search for warmth while letting my mind wander to a happier place.
Kegan has opened Magma, and I'm the chef. Steel is in perfect shape, and we've created two amazing places together, and I'm blissfully happy and fulfilled, and I never ever even consider stepping outside when it rains.
As if my thoughts had called him up, Kegan left Steel and walked down the sidewalk. He didn't pause, or even slow, as he passed, and I didn't bother trying to speak to him. What else could I say?
After a few minutes, he returned and squatted before me, holding out a cardboard tray with two paper cups on it. "Mildred says you've been buying tea. Thought you might like one."
My eyes filled with tears but I forced them back. The warmth of the cup sinking into my flesh helped calm me. "Thank you."
He leaned a little closer and I caught a hint of deep sexy cologne. "This must be so terrible for you. Really, go home."
I shook my head. "I want to be here when you change your mind."
He leaned away again. "Why would you want to work for a coward?"
I swallowed, again wishing I hadn't said that. Then the perfect response hit me. "I don't want to work for a coward. And I won't be."
Our eyes met, and I saw him recognize what I meant. A faint smile touched his face, then he pushed to his feet. "Enjoy your tea."
*****
I needed all my willpower to get out of bed on Friday. My fourth day camped outside the impregnable fortress trying to convince the unmovable Kegan to change his mind. Might as well have tried to teach Saffron to bark.
Once I'd managed to get myself out from under the covers, I couldn't do anything else. I sat on the edge of the bed, trying to ignore my poor leg which still hurt after the days spent cramped up on the flower box, and struggled to gather the energy to return to Steel.
Had Kegan's gift of tea been a sign? Or was it like how people flip a quarter to a beggar? Either way, I had to go back. If I gave up now, he'd certainly never hire me.
I finally hauled myself to Steel and took up my all-too-familiar spot. I should have been there earlier to make sure I beat Kegan but I'd been lucky to get there at all. Fortunately, he showed up an hour after I did. He walked by, carrying a paper cup from the café, without a word or a glance. If Mildred planned to do anything to help me, she clearly hadn't started yet.
When the construction crew arrived, Jimmy hunkered down in front of me. "What are you doing here? Seriously. Four days? What's the point?"
I'd promised Kegan I wouldn't talk to Jimmy so I didn't speak. Not that I wanted to.
"I want to know." His whiny-kid impression was spot on.
My phone began singing about dead witches. Ordinarily this would have been a perfect way to get out of talking to Jimmy, but getting myself into talking to my mother about my absence from Charles' party the night before wasn't much better. I silenced the phone and stared down at my cookbook.
"You either want to work for him or you want to bone him." Jimmy snickered. "Or both."
Anger flared through me but I kept my head down and my mouth shut.
"Probably better to bone him," he went on as if I'd replied. "He might not be as picky in bed as he is as a boss."
"Or I might be worse."
We both jumped, and Kegan said, "Jimmy, get the hell inside and leave her alone."
Jimmy sputtered for a moment then stomped into Steel.
"I didn't talk to him," I said. "I keep my promises." Spotting a potential chance to help myself, I added, "Like I will when you hire me."
"I'm sure you do." Kegan looked down at me, his eyes narrowed and his face expressionless, then went back inside.
His blank look confused and worried me, and I couldn't focus on my work for the next hour or so. I'd just managed to get myself into a recipe when a piercing call of "Yoo hoo!" made me look up to see Mildred, wearing a puffy red coat over her apron, trotting up the path.
I stood up as she neared me, and she said, "Listen, honey. This is nuts." She pointed toward Steel, shaking her head. "He's not going to hire you."
I stared at her in surprise. She'd seemed so certain yesterday that he would.
She shook her head again, then her hands swung, both of them, to point toward her café. "Come work for me instead. I need another good cashier, and it's pretty obvious you're reliable." She pointed at me, then herself. "You, come work for me."
What was with the hand gestures? "Mildred, I appreciate it, really. But I know I'm meant to work here and I can't give up on that. The only job I want is with Kegan."
"You've got it."
Shock sending tingly heat through me, I spun around to see him behind me. Did the guy walk on air? "I didn't know you were—"
"Mildred, get your interfering butt back over there." He pointed toward the café. "And leave her—" Both hands pointed at me. "Alone."
She grinned. "Whatever you say, honey. Bye, Mary." She walked away, danced really, leaving Kegan and me by ourselves.
I had no idea what to say. Had I heard him right? Had he offered me the job?
He shook his head. "That woman is a meddler. And you, you're incredible. If I wanted a statue outside Steel, I'd buy one. I assumed after yesterday you wouldn't be back but now I know you're never going to give up. And I do admire that. So I give in, Mary."
Unbelievably, I felt guilt instead of delight. "I didn't mean to pressure you."
He laughed. "The hell you didn't. Were you sitting on that wet concrete for fun? Of course you meant to pressure me."
I winced, but before I could find anything to say he added, "And you were right, I was being a coward. But you have to understand that I love Steel. Love it like I assume parents love their kids. The mess it's in right now, it's killing me."
"I understand."
"I know you do. You were nearly crying looking at the kitchen on Monday, right?"
I nodded, surprised I wasn't embarrassed that he'd noticed, and he said, "I have to fix it. I'm taking you up on your offer to handle Magma while I focus on Steel. Don't assume my giving in here means I'm a pushover, though. Jimmy's right, jerk that he is. I am not an easy boss. And I won't be changing for you."
"I don't want you to. That's a huge part of why I want to work for you."
He smiled. "Then let's get started. You'll set up Magma's kitchen how you want to, and supervise the renovations to the restaurant itself. I make the decisions there, of course."
"Of course," I echoed.
"But you'll be there to make sure it all happens properly. Once it opens, I'll take over the day-to-day stuff so you can focus on the food."
"Sounds like a pl
an." It was starting to sink in. I'd won. I had my dream job. Excitement began pulsing through me and I longed to laugh and cry and jump up and down all at once.
"Yup." He smiled at me. "We will make this work."
I smiled back. "Absolutely."
He sobered. "I wanted to open Magma, you know, the whole time. I just couldn't let myself risk Steel."
The emotion in his voice made my throat tighten but I got out, "I know."
He looked into my eyes. "Thank you for making it possible."
To my embarrassment I dissolved into tears. "I'm sorry," I managed to gasp out. "I'm just so happy. I've wanted this forever. And I need it. A lot."
He put his hand on my shoulder. "Trust me, I understand proving yourself to family. Now, I have an awkward question so quit crying so I can ask it."
I had to laugh. "That's not much of an incentive."
"True, but it worked." He smiled, and gave my shoulder a squeeze then released it. "Am I right that you could use an advance on your salary?"
I blushed. I could use it desperately, but felt awkward admitting it. "You don't have to do that."
"Listen, Mary, I hate all that crap. If I offer something, it's because I'm willing to do it. You don't have to dance around, just say yes or no."
I looked him in the eye, though I was trembling. "I have forty dollars to my name. So yes, it would help. Thank you."
He smiled. "Good job. Now, let me buy you another tea, and then we can get inside and I'll put you to work."
I smiled back. "Sounds good."
Chapter Four
Sitting across from Kegan in his hardwood-and-glass office, I struggled with renewed doubts and fears. Everything about him and his business screamed class and quality. No, actually, it didn't scream; it spoke in a cool, refined, and elegant tone, clearly aware it didn't need to shout to get attention. Could I really elevate myself and my cooking to such a level? Charles hadn't thought I could and neither had my mother. If the people who knew me better than anyone didn't believe in me...
"You do know what she was doing, right?"
I blinked, forcing away my awful thoughts. "Who?"
He swung both arms to point in the general direction of Mildred's café. "She knows me pretty well. Offering to hire you right off my curb? I saw her and got mad, so I knew I did want you." He shook his head. "She planned the whole thing."
I thought about denying it in case he didn't approve, but I didn't want to start our business relationship on a lie so I nodded. "She asked why I was camped out then said she'd try to help. She's sweet."
"She's insane. But yes, also sweet."
I grinned. "True to both."
"Well, you're mine, not hers. So what did you come up out there?"
I fumbled for my notebook, and he said, "Talk at me while I do this," and pulled a check book and calculator from his desk drawer.
Trying to sound calm and professional instead of like a terrified child, I explained my favorite idea, that we divide the menu by spice so people could find appetizers and entrées and desserts and even drinks all flavored with the same spice, then gave him some suggestions for seasoning combinations.
He nodded and made the occasional comment while also writing a check and pay stub. "I like it," he said when I'd finished.
Relief turned my fingertips tingly and my shoulders released tension I hadn't realized they were holding. He'd hired me under duress and I desperately wanted to make him glad he had. "Thanks."
He passed me the check and the stub.
I skimmed both then took another look. "Thirty-six hundred? This isn't right."
"Too low?"
"You know it's not." I pointed at the stub. "You paid me for four full days this week. Plus two weeks ahead."
"That's what an advance means. Paying ahead."
I shook my head. "You know what I mean. Why on earth did you pay me for this week?"
"You were working."
"I was sitting on your flower box."
"If I'm too stupid to let you work inside, that's my problem, not yours."
I tried to protest again but I couldn't find the words, and then I remembered what he'd said about not liking that sort of thing. I did need the money, and I had in fact worked hard, except when the rain became unbearable. I looked up at him. "I buy coffee next time. Once I've deposited this, I mean."
He smiled. "I accept your condition. Oh, and here." He rifled through a desk drawer and gave me several official-looking forms. "Can you fill all this out for tomorrow? My accountant will want to get you in the system right away." He gave me another smile. "If you're sure you want to work for me, that is."
I smiled back, feeling my shoulders relax even more. In the system. Employed. Here. "Oh, I'm pretty sure."
"Good. Me too. For the record, Mildred didn't change a thing. I was finishing up a conversation with the contractor and then I was going to come out and offer you the job. She just made it even more clear I did want to."
Really? "But you looked mad after Jimmy talked to me."
"That was about him, not you. That guy makes me nuts." He smiled. "I can be a beast sometimes. I hope you know what you're getting into."
I gave him a mock frown, then smiled back, so glad I hadn't got my job purely on Mildred's interference. "I'll take my chances."
"Good stuff. So, I still want to open Magma on Valentine's Day."
"Today's November sixth, so..."
He went to his wall calendar and flipped its pages. "We have about fifteen weeks. But Christmas and New Year's are in there so let's say thirteen."
"Lucky thirteen."
He returned to his desk and nodded. "Our big tasks are getting the place set up, and letting people know it exists."
If I'd been in any more over my head, I'd have needed a snorkel. I knew how to cook. That was it. But I had agreed to help with everything and I'd do my best. "Do they just need to know the restaurant's opening, or should they get to try out the kinds of food we'll serve?"
Kegan raised his eyebrows. "Nice. I thought of that too, and was planning to make one of Magma's dishes be a weekly special at Steel until Magma opened." He grimaced.
"Any word on when Steel will reopen?"
"December fifteenth. It'll be tight but Danny the contractor assures me it's doable."
"So five weeks. A little more."
He nodded.
"It's too bad we have to wait that long to show off the Magma dishes. There's no way of partially opening Steel or something, is there?"
He shook his head. "The only option would be to cook elsewhere and then bring the food here, and that's tough logistically."
For sure. Keeping such large quantities of food at the right temperature in transit would be incredibly difficult. I drummed my fingers on the table. "So we need a way to let people try Magma's food but we can't do it here or at Magma." I realized I hadn't confirmed this. "You haven't picked the location for Magma, right?"
"Not yet, but I've got it down to two places, so let's go check them out today."
I nodded, and he picked up his cell phone and arranged with the realtor for us to see both sites at four o'clock.
While he talked, I thought. When he put down the phone, I said, "Is there anywhere else we could do a taste testing for Magma?"
He frowned. "Like where, your kitchen?"
"Only if you don't want more than two people at a time. My place is tiny. I just thought maybe we could use another location."
He leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling. "The other restaurant owners around here are hugely sympathetic over the fire, but I doubt that'd extend to letting me use their facilities to push my own food."
"No, probably not."
We sat in silence then both said "Banquet hall" at once.
We chuckled, and he said, "That could work. Rent a facility with a kitchen, then have people come for dinner."
"Who would come?"
"All our friends and relatives."
"If you count m
y cat, I can bring two. If I count."
"No friends?"
Brian? Would I want to bring him and let him say who knows what to Kegan's guests? "Nope." I added, "Not here, anyhow," so he wouldn't think I was pathetic.
"Well, I've got some contacts and I know a few people. We could get a little crowd together, I'm sure."
"So when do you want to do it?"
He started to answer then narrowed his eyes. "How long would it take you to be ready?"
I thought frantically. "If all the ingredients are reasonably available..." I bit my lip.
"A week? Two? One hour?"
"I could have it planned in an hour, but I couldn't possibly have food ready. If the menu wasn't too complicated, I..." I swallowed, knowing whatever I said would be taken as a commitment. "I could be ready in two days. If I had staff to help."
"You do. We should go meet them." His eyes had gone far-away. "Two days. Sounds good."
"So, when?"
He stared at me, but I could tell he wasn't seeing me. "Do you have plans any weekend between now and December fifteenth?"
Did hanging out with Saffron count? "None. I'm available whenever you need me."
His eyes focused. "Good stuff. Okay. Let's meet the staff, and then you can go have lunch, and could you bring me back a sandwich and coffee? Mildred knows what I like."
He pulled some money from his wallet and offered it to me.
I took it, since I could barely buy lunch for myself with my own money never mind for him. "You're going to stay here?"
He nodded. "I have some phone calls to make."
*****
I didn't exactly have a relaxing lunch. Mildred was so proud of herself for convincing Kegan to hire me that she wouldn't stop discussing it. She'd have been devastated to learn she'd had nothing to do with it, so I let her enjoy her moment. I did wish she'd kept it to one moment, though, instead of coming over whenever she had a second between customers to crow yet again about his expression when he'd come out and how she'd known she'd make him change his mind.
In between her braggings, I ate a delicious sandwich, worked on a possible menu for the Magma tasting, and tried not to worry about Kegan's staff. They were, to be sure, a mixed bag.
Toronto Collection Volume 1 (Toronto Series #1-5) Page 78