by Janice Sims
Rosario stabbed him in the arm with a long, manicured fingernail, and Giovanni winced. Staring down at her, he saw the pained expression on her face and wished he hadn’t interrupted her. The conversation they’d had last night during dinner came to mind, and shame burned his cheeks. He’d undermined Rosario in front of the staff again, and it was wrong. He had no right to tell Rosario—who had an Executive MBA from Columbia University—how to run the club, or who to hire. He had no desire to manage the club, or any of the other family businesses, and hoped when his father was ready to retire he named Rosario as his successor. Giovanni was the only son, but his sister was the best person for the job, and she deserved to oversee the Castillo empire, even though Argentinian culture dictated otherwise.
Standing, Rosario raised her head high and pinned her shoulders back. “Is there anything else you’d care to discuss?”
“When will you make a final decision about the position?” Elise asked.
“As soon as we find a suitable candidate,” Giovanni said, unable to bite his tongue.
“Look no further, Mr. Castillo. I’m right here!”
Rosario laughed loudly, as if it was the funniest thing she’d ever heard.
Giovanni groaned inwardly. Here we go again, he thought, noting his sister’s giddy demeanor. Rosario was Miss Personality, a social butterfly who had more friends than a Kardashian-Jenner, and it was obvious she liked Elise Jennings immensely.
So do you! shouted his inner voice. So much so, you can’t take your eyes off of her!
“It was wonderful meeting you all,” Elise said with a wide smile. “Cooking has been in my family’s DNA for decades, and it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do, so I hope to hear from you soon about the executive chef position.”
The group nodded, and Giovanni had to admit Elise was charming. Speaking Spanish, she bid them farewell, then shook hands with everyone at the table. She smelled sweet, of tropical fruits, and her light, airy fragrance tickled his nose.
The moment Elise touched him, a thousand bolts of electricity shot through Giovanni’s body. Stunned by their immediate and undeniable connection, seconds passed before his thoughts cleared and his mouth worked. “Get home safe.”
Giovanni winced. Get home safe? What am I, a grandfather? What a bone-headed thing to say! He’d never lost his cool before, but Elise was a knockout with a blinding smile and drool-worthy curves. Being in her presence made his senses short-circuit.
Relief and disappointment flooded his body. He’d never been so happy to see someone leave while part of him wanted her to stay. Elise was lively and entertaining, full of ideas and good humor, and even though Giovanni hated the suggestions she’d made for the club, he’d enjoyed listening to her talk about her travels and how they had influenced her culinary skills. Watching her on the sly, he marveled at how she moved through the dining area with poise and grace.
Giovanni swallowed hard. His mouth was wet and his heart was beating double-time, pounding violently in his ears. He tugged at the knot in his striped silk tie. In his peripheral vision, he saw Antoine mop his forehead with a napkin and Knox pluck at his shirt, and realized he wasn’t the only one who was hot under the collar.
Everyone sat back down, but no one spoke. Elise Jennings was a whirlwind who’d taken them all for an exhilarating ride and it was obvious everyone needed a moment to catch their breath.
Giovanni wanted to try one of the chocolate desserts on the silver tray, but he remembered he was on a strict diet and reached for his glass of water instead.
Another text message popped up on his cell phone. Seeing the picture of his three other sisters posing with goofy expressions on their faces and chocolate ice-cream cones in their hands made him smile. He was traveling to Argentina next month to participate in a charity polo match for SOS Children’s Villages, and he was looking forward to seeing the Troublesome Trio, as he affectionately called them. They all lived in Buenos Aires, and even though they called and texted each other regularly, Giovanni still missed them dearly. Beatriz was studying communications at the University of Buenos Aires, Josefa was a newlywed who had babies on the brain and Soledad was a set designer at an Art Deco theater in the heart of the city.
“I don’t know what to say,” Antoine said with a sheepish smile. “I’m speechless.”
Knox nodded. “Me, too. Elise Jennings is a force who wowed me.”
“That was the best audition we’ve had all day...” Rosario added.
No it wasn’t, Giovanni thought, inwardly disagreeing with his sister.
“Elise isn’t afraid to speak her mind, and she’s an outstanding chef with a very unique approach to cooking.” Rosario’s voice was filled with awe. “I love her.”
Giovani shook his head. “Well, I don’t, so let’s keep looking.”
“Why not? Her presentation was brilliant, she’s got a great head on her shoulders and she has a fearless personality. Those are all positives in my book, and if Elise’s references check out, I’m going to hire her.”
“No way,” he argued, determined to change her mind. “She’s arrogant, and she won’t fit in well with the restaurant staff. Don’t hire her. If you do, you’ll be sorry.”
“You’re just salty because she disagreed with you.”
“My gut feeling is that Elise Jennings is a diva, and I don’t want her at the club.”
Rosario’s eyes widened. “Wow, she certainly rubbed you the wrong way.”
“I don’t like outsiders telling me what to do.”
“Correction, you don’t like anyone telling you what to do, including your friends, your family and even your doctors. Just admit it, Gio. You’re stubborn and hardheaded, and you’re not happy unless you’re calling the shots.”
“This isn’t about me. It’s about doing what’s best for the restaurant,” he countered, ignoring the dig. Rosario was two years younger than him, but she acted like his mother, and once he’d started working at the club, things had gotten worse.
Since they were kids growing up in their native Argentina, they’d always been exceptionally close. She’d been there for him through every failure, every disappointment, every setback, but he resented Rosario pointing out his shortcomings in front of their staff. Determined to stay the course, he buried his feelings and spoke in a calm voice. “Elise Jennings doesn’t belong here. She’s not the right fit for the restaurant—”
“Are you kidding me? Elise will be great for this place. She’s charming, ridiculously talented and, best of all, drop-dead gorgeous. Hiring her is a no-brainer. We can’t go wrong.”
Giovanni frowned. “So you’re hiring her because she’s hot?”
“Damn right I am!” A smirk curled her lips. “Men are going to go crazy for her, especially the celebrities who frequent the club during the Christmas holidays. And once they taste Elise’s exceptional cooking and spend a few minutes in her dazzling presence, I’ll have them right where I want them.”
Giovanni gulped down some water. For some strange reason, he didn’t like the idea of Elise socializing with the club’s wealthiest and most influential patrons.
That’s because you want her all to yourself! argued his inner voice.
Giovanni dismissed the thought. If Rosario hired Elise, he’d have to change his daily routine, the schedule he’d had for months, and that bothered him. Every morning, he had breakfast at the club, but now that Chef Cruz was gone, he’d have no one to talk to. And he’d have to avoid the restaurant. He didn’t recall seeing a wedding ring on Elise’s left hand, but he hadn’t looked. For all he knew, Elise was happily married with kids, but even if she wasn’t, she was still off-limits. Mixing business with pleasure was a recipe for disaster. If he’d learned anything in the last five years, it was to keep female employees at arm’s length, especially the ones he was insanely attracted to.
“You can’t hire her,” he repeated, unwil
ling to concede defeat. “We have interviews scheduled for Monday. Who’s to say you won’t find someone better?”
“I agree with Giovanni...” the restaurant manager interjected.
Thank you! Finally! Someone on my side! Giovanni thought, sighing in relief.
“Elise is a talented cook with an impressive résumé, but I was put off by her unreasonable demands,” Antoine continued, nibbling on a bite-size brownie.
“I think she’s terrific,” Knox countered. “Elise has a strong sense of self and great ideas that are worth exploring. She’s young, vibrant and creative, and I’m confident she’ll hit it off with the rest of the staff.”
Giovanni stood. “I have to go. I need to be in my office by ten o’clock—”
“Hot date?” Rosario teased, her grin tinged with mischief.
“No. I have a conference call with the president of the International Polo Federation about hosting a celebrity polo match at the club in March, so let’s table this discussion until Monday, after the remaining interviews. That’s only fair.”
“I disagree. I think we need to hire Elise before we lose her to another restaurant.”
I hope we do! Giovanni kissed Rosario on the top of her head. “Sis, we’ll talk later.”
“No,” she corrected, folding her arms across her chest. “I’ll talk, and you’ll listen.”
Ignoring the quip, he addressed Antoine and Knox, who were scarfing down the rest of the desserts. “Thanks for sitting in on the auditions this morning,” he said, clapping each man on the back. “I know it makes your day longer, but Rosario and I appreciate you going the extra mile for the club. We wouldn’t have survived Chef Cruz’s sudden departure without you picking up the slack, day in and day out. You’ve gone above and beyond the job, and we’re deeply grateful for you both.”
“Finally! Something we agree on!” Rosario cheered.
Everyone laughed and the tension in the room receded, floating away like the snow flurries swirling in front of the windows.
Exiting the dining room, Giovanni responded to his dad’s text message and checked his work email. The club was quiet except for the distant sound of a vacuum, and Giovanni knew the cleaning crew was hard at work. Set on four hundred acres, the club had five full-size polo fields, a state-of-the-art fitness center, an indoor arena and school, and heated barns that housed thoroughbred horses.
Marching through the lobby, nodding at employees and guests in greeting, Giovanni spotted Elise outside the front entrance with Jonas.
Stopping abruptly, his gaze zeroed in on them. They were standing close, her shoulder to his best friend’s chest, and he was holding her hand. They were acting familiar with each other, friendly and flirtatious, and Giovanni wondered if they were lovers. It wouldn’t surprise him. Jonas knew everyone in the Hamptons and actively pursued young, successful women, but he didn’t recall his best friend ever mentioning Elise Jennings. Not that it mattered. He wasn’t interested in her, or anyone else, for that matter.
Forcing his legs to move, Giovanni tore his gaze away from the friendly couple and continued through the corridor. He’d touch base with Jonas later, after his conference call ended. Or tomorrow, when they met up at their favorite barbershop. Every morning, without fail, Jonas worked out in the fitness center. When Giovanni wasn’t busy, he joined him. But not today. His schedule was jam-packed; he didn’t have a second to spare.
His eyes found Elise again and his pace slowed. Clad in oversize sunglasses and a beige cashmere shawl, she looked stylish and sophisticated. As Giovanni admired her appearance, desire consumed him.
Entering his spacious corner office, he put Elise and his attraction to her out of his mind. He had bigger issues to deal with—like convincing his medical team that he was healthy enough to resume his polo career, and proving to Vincente that Rosario should be his successor, without losing his father’s love and respect.
Chapter 3
“How did your interview go yesterday?” Sariah Tiwari-Dhar asked, her breathy voice filling the phone line. “Did you wow them with your undeniable talent, charm and charisma?”
“You know it!” Elise shrieked, vigorously nodding though her best friend couldn’t see her through her iPhone. “I had them eating out of the palm of my hand, literally! I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but toot, toot, toot!”
The women laughed and Elise realized how much she missed joking around with her friend. She was a twenty-nine-year-old woman, but whenever she talked to Sariah, she giggled like a tween girl. They hadn’t spoken in days. Even though Elise was busy looking for a parking space in front of the East Hampton cinema, she wanted to speak to her bestie for a few minutes.
Sariah, who worked full-time at her father’s dental clinic and taught Zumba classes at an upscale fitness studio on the weekends, was one of the first people Elise had met when she’d relocated to the Hamptons.
“Tell me everything,” Sariah persisted, her excitement evident in her tone. “I want details.”
Finding an empty space across the street from the theater, Elise parked her Honda Civic then realized she had twenty minutes to kill before the movie started.
Settling back comfortably in her seat, Elise relived her audition in her mind’s eye—and the exact moment her gaze had landed on Giovanni Castillo.
At the thought of him, her pulse raced. Giovanni was the sexiest man Elise had ever seen, and it had taken everything in her not to drool all over her chef’s uniform. His skin was smooth, his goatee neatly trimmed, and his navy blue suit had complemented his chiseled physique. Every time their eyes had met, she’d lost her bearings. Elise had never had such an intense attraction to anyone, and hoped her feelings for him hadn’t been evident to everyone in the dining room.
“Quit stalling. I want to know everything, so start talking, Madame Executive Chef.”
Shaking her head to clear her mind, Elise told Sariah about the Hamptons Polo Club, the positive response to the food she’d made and the Castillo siblings. “Rosario’s great, and we instantly hit it off, but Giovanni hates me.”
“Wow, that’s a strong statement. What makes you think that?”
“Because every time I spoke, he grimaced, as if he had a bad case of indigestion. When I asked about the salary and compensation package, he growled at me.”
“Growled?” Sariah repeated. “Elise, he’s a star polo player, not a pit bull.”
“He’s a polo player? Really? Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. He’s won every award there is, and he’s a legend in his native Argentina,” she explained. “From what I’ve read, Giovanni is the Tiger Woods of polo, and fans of the sport consider him one of the greatest players of all time.”
“Wow, that’s impressive. How do you know so much about him?”
“Duh. Google. You should try it sometime.”
“Unlike you, I don’t feel the need to google everyone I meet. Besides, I have cooking classes to teach at the nursing home, and I’m searching for a full-time job, as well. No time for surfing the internet.”
“You should make time. Giovanni’s going to be your future boss. You need to do your homework.”
“I prepared extensively for my audition, but I had no clue Giovanni was the acting CEO of the polo club. Furthermore, I don’t have the job yet, so you can’t give me grief for not knowing who Giovanni is.”
“He’ll hire you. You’re a phenomenal chef who’s passionate about her craft, and soon everyone in the culinary world will know your name.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” she said, touched by her bestie’s words. Sariah and their mutual friend Paige Ward were the sisters Elise didn’t have, and she couldn’t imagine her life without them. Busy with their careers and families, the women didn’t see each other as often as Elise would have liked, but she knew if she ever needed them, they’d be there for her in a heartbeat.
“What’s new and exciting with you? Did you and hubby have fun at the Apollo last night?”
“It was amazing! I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard or danced so much.”
Hearing a noise, Elise glanced out the windshield. Families strolled by wearing stylish winter jackets and boots. The wind whacked tree branches and snow flurries swirled in the air. Her car wasn’t the ideal location to have a heart-to-heart conversation with her best friend, but she wanted to know how Sariah was doing. She was an overachiever who’d never failed at anything—except getting pregnant—and she was struggling to cope with her infertility problems. “How did your doctor’s appointment go this morning? Did you and Aamir decide to give IVF another try, or are you going to take a break for a while?”
Silence infected the line. It lasted so long, Elise thought Sariah had hung up.
“Honestly, I’m ready to quit, but Aamir is adamant we see it through...”
Listening intently, Elise searched her heart for the right words to say. She could hear the strain in Sariah’s voice, the frustration as she spoke about the side effects of the medication and the toll it was taking on her body and her nine-year marriage.
“Sometimes I think I can’t get pregnant because God’s punishing me for the horrible things I said and did to Ravi when we were younger.”
Elise puzzled over her friend’s words. Sariah’s younger brother, Ravi, had an intellectual disability and still lived at home with their parents. Unable to speak, he spent much of his day watching cartoons, but once a week Elise went to the Tiwari residence to cook with Ravi, and it was obvious he loved being in the kitchen. In all the years Elise had known Sariah, she’d never seen her angry with Ravi, and wondered why she was beating herself up.
“Or maybe I’m just not meant to be a mom. Maybe I don’t have what it takes...”
“Oh, sweetie, don’t say things like that. It’s not true. You’d be an incredible mother.”