by L. A. Fiore
Kyle appeared in the middle of shift, carrying a tray with four glasses of champagne. After handing one to each of us, he lifted his. “To your first day.”
Tina giggled and it didn’t take a genius to know that Kyle was the reason for it. Lee drank the champagne in one long swallow, before getting back to work.
“Thanks, Kyle.” Taking a sip, I nearly moaned in pleasure. “The good stuff.”
“Cristal.”
I almost dropped the glass. “Cristal? Would it be unseemly for me to lick the glass?”
“There’s more out front. I’ll bring it back.”
“Are you going to get in trouble? That’s an expensive bottle.”
“Trace was the one who suggested I bring you some libation and in what form.”
Happiness settled over me with that insight. “I really like Trace.”
Kyle laughed and turned to leave. “I’ll bring the bottle back.”
“And I’ll be sure to drink it.”
“Good girl.” He stopped at the door. “Seriously, from what I’ve been hearing, you killed it tonight. Congrats.”
Trying to adequately express what Kyle’s words meant to me just wasn’t happening and so instead I settled for a heartfelt, “Thank you.”
The night was settling down, Tina and Lee looked like I felt, exhausted but proud of the work we’d done. “How are you both feeling?”
“Happily tired.” That came from Tina.
“Hungry,” Lee responded.
“In a few weeks, we’ll start staff meetings. Ideas are encouraged though I will be testing all suggestions, tweaking etc. Great job tonight. I think considering it’s the first time we’ve worked together, we did an outstanding job.”
“Agreed. If there are leftovers, I want to try that cheesecake.” Lee really wasn’t kidding about being hungry.
“You’ll get some, I worked in a ten percent surplus when I planned out the quantities for the raw ingredients.”
“Sweet.”
Toward the end of the evening, Trace appeared. I knew he was in the dining area, thanks to his generous gift, but I didn’t know if he was dining or mingling with the guests. Even dressed in an elegant suit, there was no denying the hard edge of the man.
“How was your first day?”
“I’m going to need better shoes, but it was...I really don’t have words. And thank you.” I gestured to the bottle of Cristal that I kicked. “That was delicious.”
“You earned it. I had the cherry torte. Ember had the vanilla cake. Now they were delicious.”
He was here to eat; he didn’t seem the type to mingle with guests.
Gesturing across the counter I said, “I couldn’t have done it without Tina and Lee.”
“Nice work.” Trace said to my interns; Tina thanked Trace profusely while Lee nodded his head and replied with a quiet thank you.
And then Trace’s attention was back on me. “There’s a staff meeting on Friday at ten am.”
“I’ll be there.”
“How are you getting home?”
“My car is out back.”
“Good. See you tomorrow.”
Trace stopped to say a few words to Chef before disappearing through the swing door. Chef turned, his eyes found mine. “Nice work tonight.”
Chef Moree just complimented my work, incredible. “Thank you.”
After shift, I stepped out back and took a moment to enjoy the cool night air on my overheated skin, so I didn’t immediately see Rafe. And when he did come into focus, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He was dressed in a beautiful black suit, the pale green shirt opened at the collar, his hair back in a ponytail. He was exquisite and he was leaning against my dirty car.
“You’re going to get dirty.”
In reply, his brow arched.
And then my brain caught up and my heart squeezed because Rafe had dined at Clover for my first night.
“The cheesecake was incredible.”
“You came for my first night?”
His smile was his only answer and in that moment he claimed a little piece of my heart.
“So tell me all about your first day?” Mom asked as I lay in bed the following morning. It had been a fabulous first day, made even more so seeing Rafe waiting for me. He had never mentioned that he was coming which made the gesture so much sweeter. Especially since no one in my family could make it, I hadn’t anyone to share the momentous occasion with until I stepped out that door and saw Rafe. Sure I’d been engaging in harmless lusting after my landlord, but after last night I could admit my feelings went a bit deeper. I wanted to share Rafe’s gesture with Mom, but her good-natured meddling would start and I wasn’t prepared to deal with that just yet.
“It was incredible. I have a team dedicated to me; they’re quick studies. It didn’t take long at all before we found a rhythm. The oven, you walk into it. Oh, and Trace and Francois both loved the desserts.”
“A success, I’m not surprised.”
“I’ve already met Chef Moree’s sous chef, Terry, and we discussed the upcoming week’s menu in detail so I can prepare desserts that will complement Chef’s offerings. Each night I supply the list to the runners who are responsible for supplying the raw ingredients. I think I’ll join them occasionally because I really want to check out the markets, but it’s getting up at four to get there by five so we can get to the market when it opens at 5:30am that will keep my visits to just occasional.”
“That is early, but I imagine it’s wonderful. All the scents and sights.”
“So where are you now, Virginia Beach?”
“Just left, we’re on our way to the Outer Banks.”
“What’s it like just the two of you in that large tin can?”
“You know I wasn’t really thrilled with the idea of the RV, but I have got to tell you Avery, I adore being cooped up with Harold. It’s a testament to our relationship that we don’t grate on the other’s nerves. I really did score the second time around.”
“You sure did. Speaking of second time around, I saw Dolly in town last week.”
“Trollop.”
“Mom!”
“She is and you know she is. She cut your father’s hair for Christ’s sake and now he’s married to her, living above his means and talking about starting another—”
“Another what? He wants kids with the wicked stepmom?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that.”
I couldn’t lie, that news hurt. “How do you know?”
“Your father called me. I talk more to the man now that I’m no longer married to him. He wanted to know what I thought. Can you believe it? He’s asking me advice on family planning. Honestly, I don’t see Dolly lasting. She’ll grow tired of your father and move on to a younger, richer man. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that though. I did mention that he should discuss it with you and Nat. That suggestion completely took him by surprise.”
“Of course it did. I think he forgets he has kids.”
“He loves you both, he’s just very self-absorbed, which is not a good trait for a parent. Did you speak with Dolly?”
The idea that my dad was looking to have another kid when he sucked the first time around had hurt morphing into bitterness. As if he’d be a better father now. Moving on from that subject, since I could definitely wallow, I said, “It was a typical Dolly conversation, twenty questions and disbelief in the answers.”
“I don’t understand why she acts so high and mighty when she knows we know where she comes from.”
“Social climbers forget their roots, or so I’ve been told.”
“Are you okay about your father’s family planning?”
“It’s a shock and not a good one, but Dolly’s young so the idea that she might want a family has occurred to me. Hearing he’s actually thinking about it though, that hurts.”
“I’m so sorry, Avery.”
“Does Nat know?”
“Yeah, but unlike you, she gave up
on your dad a long time ago.”
“I’m beginning to understand her attitude. He makes it very hard.”
“I’m here if you want to vent. Now changing the subject to a more interesting one, the pictures of the carriage house are unbelievable, but I have to say Avery, that Rafe is sexy.”
“Mom!”
“I might be sixty, but I’m still a hot-blooded American woman and I can appreciate beauty just the same as you and Nat. What’s he like? Nice? Arrogant?”
As much as I wanted to gossip with my mom about Rafe, I had to get to work. “He’s very nice, but I can’t get into that now. I’ve got to get ready for work. I’ll call you later in the week.”
“Knock them dead. We’ll send you some snapshots of the Outer Banks.”
“I’d like that. Tell Harold I said hi.”
“Will do.”
After showering and dressing, I headed to my car eager to get to Clover so I could start prepping for the night’s offerings. Rafe appeared, walking the distance to me.
“Hey, Avery.”
“Morning.”
“You off to work?”
“I am.”
“I’m glad I caught you. I’ve changed the alarm codes for the front gates and the main house. I wanted to make sure you had them. Do you want me to write them down?”
“No, you can just tell me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, Working with measurements, I’ve become quite good at remembering numbers.”
He gave me the codes. “I should be home, so call me if you forget.”
“Will do.” I wanted to know why he was changing the codes, but he didn’t seem inclined to tell me. Asking seemed rude. “I’ll see you later.” I started away from him but I didn’t get far before I stopped and looked back at him. He still stood there, hands in his pockets, watching me. “Thanks for coming last night. It meant so much more than you can know.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it.” But it was the tender look in his eyes that had my heart beating faster. He started for his workshop but called from over his shoulder. “If there are leftovers, bring some home.”
Home. I liked hearing him say that, liked it far more than I should.
My muscles ached; the heat from the shower helped to ease some of the pain. We had a few glitches tonight. The one mixer burned out; Tina had slightly over-cooked the caramel sauce. Most people wouldn’t have noticed, but when the meal was upward of several hundred dollars, you didn’t serve slightly scorched caramel sauce with your dark chocolate molten cake. All in all though, it had been another successful and satisfying day. But my back was killing me. On my next day off, I needed to buy more comfortable shoes.
I had just lathered my hair with shampoo when the water temperature went ice-cold. I screamed, the action instinctual because it felt like a thousand little needles stabbing me under the skin. I hadn’t realized how loudly I had screamed until I heard the pounding on my front door, followed quickly with Rafe’s worried voice. Jess’s suggestion came flooding back to me on how I could ensnare my landlord by claiming the water had stopped working while I was in the middle of a shower. And it was because my thoughts had taken a radical detour that I didn’t react fast enough to grab for the towel before Rafe came slamming into the bathroom. Thank God, the shower stall had frosted glass, so I wasn’t completely on show for him.
“Avery,” he said in a strangled whisper as understanding slowly dawned.
“The water went ice-cold.”
“You’re not hurt?”
Embarrassment aside, it was nice having him rush to my aid because he thought I’d been hurt. I’d never had that before, a man looking out for me. “Not hurt, just freezing.”
He moved, reaching for my towel before opening the door enough to hand it to me. “Do you have a robe?”
“In the bedroom closet.”
He disappeared only to return a few minutes later. “You can finish your shower in my bathroom while I check on the hot water heater.”
I wrapped the towel around my head so the shampoo didn’t drip into my eyes and pulled on the robe. Stepping from the stall, Rafe made no move to leave. His focus moved down my body, his lips turning up on the one side. “That’s a good look on you.”
“Right.” I thought he was being sarcastic, but when those green eyes found mine, I discovered I was wrong on that account. And that knowledge had my body growing warm to a nearly combustible level.
“Go, shower. I’ll see what I can do about the heater. If I need to order a new one, you can shower at my place until the unit is replaced.”
It was me who made no move to leave because now I was imagining showering in Rafe’s bathroom, preferably while he was showering too.
He made a sound in the back of his throat, a hungry sound that incited a hunger in me; a craving for something I suspected just sampling would be my downfall. And since the man was involved with someone, even a sample was out of the question. I nearly tripped over my own feet in my haste to leave.
“Thanks for letting me use your shower.”
I didn’t wait around for his reply. And as I fled to safety, I noted the weakness in my knees and the pounding of my heart and knew I was sliding down a slope I had no business being on. And even knowing it was wrong there was a part of me that wanted to slide the rest of the way.
Almost a full week had passed since the shower incident. I hadn’t been able to get that moment out of my head, not that I put a great deal of effort in trying to get it out of my head. In fact, I went out of my way to ponder it in detail, the dawning reality that the attraction wasn’t one-sided. Just thinking about him caused chills to shoot down my arms even as a heat scorched my blood that damn near liquefied my insides. Of course, he was involved with someone and that put a damper on my very pleasant daydreams. Though I wasn’t entirely sure he was still with her since she hadn’t been around since that night at Allegro. Either way, he was my landlord and getting involved seemed like a bad idea. Trouble was, I was beginning to really like that particular bad idea.
I was running errands on my day off because I was in desperate need of groceries. I had worked six full days—long, exhausting, tough on the back, exhilarating, thrilling and fantastic days. My team was great, hardworking and eager, but more they weren’t waiting for me to mess up so they could takeover. Chef Moree stayed back and let me lead and his show of confidence added to mine. All in all, my first week of work had rocked.
Returning to the house, I was surprised to see someone standing at the gates. The man turned and there was no denying he was related to Rafe. With the exception of his hair being buzzed, he could be Rafe’s older twin. His father. I waited for the nerves to kick in knowing that he was an ex-con, but seeing so much of Rafe in him, I instinctively took a liking to him. I pulled up to the gates, threw my car in park and rolled down the window: an activity that took about twenty-five minutes since my car was thirty-two years old. The man grinned, the same grin I had seen on Rafe’s face.
“You’re Rafe’s dad.”
“Guilty. Liam McKenzie.” He even sounded like him.
“Is he expecting you?”
“No. Are you his girlfriend?”
I wish. “No, tenant. I’m renting the carriage house. Would you like to come inside and wait? I imagine he’ll be back soon, he’s probably making a delivery.”
He hesitated, looking a bit conflicted, before he said, “Maybe I should come back.”
“Why?”
He rubbed a hand over his shaved head as he regarded me from the corner of his eye. “Did Rafe mention anything about me?”
“Yeah.”
“That I was in prison?”
“Yep.”
“And you’re still inviting me in?”
“I’m guessing that’s not the reaction you’re used to.”
“No.”
“I don’t know you, but I know Rafe. This is his home and he has made it clear you’re welcome here. I have the day off and a fresh
ly baked apple pie sitting on my counter. If you want to help me eat that pie while you wait, it would be doing me a solid since otherwise I’m likely to eat it all myself.”
“Are you sure?”
And even trying to stay upbeat, I was pissed. Sure I didn’t know this man, but what the hell kind of reception had he been getting that he was so hesitant now? “Yes, very sure.”
He flashed me a smile before coming around to the passenger’s side and folded his large, and immensely muscular, frame into my car. His gaze sliced to me. “1984?”
“Yeah, how’d you know?”
“I used to work on cars back in the day.”
Pulling up to the garage, we parked and Liam looked how I probably had the first time I’d seen the place—awestruck. “Hard to believe we’re in the Bronx.”
“My exact words. I’m just going to run to the house to get Loki.”
“Loki?”
“Rafe’s dog.”
Loki was eager to see me, even jumped a bit in greeting. “We have a guest.” I led him across the yard to where Liam waited. “This is Loki.”
Loki eyed the newcomer, taking his measure, and then he did something I had never seen him do, an action that required energy—something he staunchly conserved—he jumped up, put his paws on Liam’s chest and started licking him.
“He likes you.” Having shared as many walks as I had with Loki, witnessing his reaction to people, I believed him to be an excellent judge of character.
“The feeling is mutual.”
I wanted to give Liam the tour, but it wasn’t my place so instead I invited him inside and started the coffee. After I put the pie in the oven to warm, I headed to the freezer since I liked a little vanilla ice cream with my warm apple pie. “I have vanilla ice cream too. It’s homemade, so it’s a bit different than what you’re used to. Would you like some?”