by Janice Sims
“I used to think that, too, but now I’m not sure. I feel like such a failure...”
“Stop it right now,” she warned, speaking in a stern voice. “Or I’ll drive over to your fancy estate and slap some sense into you.”
Sariah laughed long and hard, and Elise did, too. All was right in the world again.
“You’re ridiculous, you know that?” Sariah said.
“That’s why you love me. I’m the gin in your juice!” Elise giggled. “Let’s get together one day next week.”
“For sure! We can meet at the Palm to celebrate your fantastic new job over cocktails.”
“I love your optimism, and working at the polo club would be a dream come true, but—”
“But nothing,” Sariah said firmly. “That position is perfect for you.”
“I agree, and hopefully the hiring committee does, too, because I have great ideas.”
“We’ll meet up next Friday, and you can tell me all about it.”
“It’s a date. Love you, girl. Talk to you soon.”
Ending the call, Elise exited her car and wrapped herself up in her cashmere shawl to brace herself against the bitter wind whipping her hair across her face. Worried she’d miss the start of the movie, Elise rushed into the theater, relieved to escape the cold. The air smelled of buttered popcorn and cinnamon pretzels. Her mouth watered at the tantalizing aroma tickling her nose.
Elise joined the slow-moving line. The theater was small, with comfortable seats and friendly staff. It showed both independent films and Hollywood blockbusters. An elderly black couple wearing identical Black Panther sweaters passed the box office, and Elise stared at them for a long moment.
Thoughts of her parents, Rhett and Coralee Jennings, filled her mind and sadness flowed through her body. It was her second year without them, but Elise still couldn’t think about her mom and dad without tearing up. It had taken everything in her not to cry during her audition when Rosario had spoken about her favorite family traditions. Since she’d been a little girl, Elise and her parents had attended the Holiday Cocktail Party in Charlotte and she’d never forget all the laughs they’d shared at the event.
Her relatives wanted her to come home for Christmas, but Elise was scared history would repeat itself and she’d ruin the holidays for them again. Last year, she’d been a mess. Everything had made her cry. Hearing her mother’s favorite Christmas song on the radio, seeing the framed photographs of her parents in the living room, watching old family videos and reminiscing with her relatives about her mom and dad.
“There’s the culinary genius with the stunning smile,” a male voice said.
Surfacing from her thoughts, Elise blinked and glanced over her shoulder. Her heart stopped. Jonas Crawford was standing directly behind her, wearing a toothy grin, and he wasn’t alone. Giovanni Castillo was leaning against the wall, staring down at his cell phone.
Elise couldn’t believe her luck. In all the years she’d lived in the Hamptons, she’d never seen Giovanni around town, but here he was at her favorite movie theater, looking devilishly handsome in his Argyle sweater, faded blue jeans and leather boots.
Heat flooded her cheeks. Drawn to him, Elise was suddenly hyperaware of everything about Giovanni—his rich, masculine cologne, his intense gaze, his mysterious aura. Elise struggled to keep her eyes on his face and off of his lean, chiseled physique. She’d always had a weakness for men with long hair, and she yearned to touch his thick, dark locks. Burying her hands in the back pockets of her denim jeggings, she smiled and nodded in greeting. “Hi, guys! What’s up?”
“Nothing much.” Unzipping his hoodie, Jonas pointed to the digital screen with a flick of his chin. “What movie are you here to see?”
“In the Dark 3! I loved the first two movies, and I heard this one is even better.”
Jonas glanced around the concession area. His gray sweat suit and stark-white sneakers made him look fit and his Yankees baseball cap complemented his sporty outfit. “You’re not here alone, are you?” he asked her.
“There’s nothing wrong with going to the movies alone. I do it all the time—”
Jonas raised an eyebrow and Elise felt the need to defend herself.
“I enjoy my company immensely. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m fabulous, and I bring the fun wherever I go!”
Jonas laughed, but Giovanni did not. Lines creased his forehead and a scowl pinched his lips.
What a sourpuss! Elise wondered what his problem was and wished he’d get off his stupid cell phone and talk to her. Who was he texting? Did he have a girlfriend? Several? And, most important, had he ever dated outside of his race?
Elise cleared her mind, dismissing every question that filled her thoughts. It didn’t matter what Giovanni did in his personal life. She didn’t know him and she planned to keep her distance. Though she was dying to know if the hiring committee had made a decision about the executive chef position. Maybe, when the movie ended, she’d pull him aside and inquire about the job.
“Next, please!” the male cashier hollered. “What movie?”
“Don’t worry. I got this. You’ll sit with us.”
Before Elise could protest, Jonas slid in front of her, selected the movie and time on the mini-screen, and tapped his bank card on the debit machine. “Let’s go to the concession stand. It’s on me. Get whatever you want.”
Elise didn’t move. She’d met Jonas a few months earlier, when he’d had dinner with his brothers at By the Bay, and had sized him up in ten seconds flat. He was a player with a reputation that rivaled James Bond. Elise suspected every scandalous, salacious story circulating around the Hamptons about his sexual exploits was true. Add to that, she wanted nothing to do with the opposite sex. In the summer, a drunk had forced himself on her at a Fourth of July party, and even though she’d successfully fought him off, the ordeal had frightened her. So much so, Elise hadn’t been on a date since.
“Your girlfriends won’t mind you hanging out with another woman?” Elise asked. “The Hamptons is small, and I don’t want people to talk.”
“What girlfriends? We’re single, and that’s the way we like it, right, Gio?”
Giovanni didn’t answer, just continued typing on his iPhone. Elise studied the polo player for several seconds. On the surface, he was every woman’s dream man, but there was something profoundly sad about him, and Elise wondered why he rarely smiled. And when he did, it looked forced, as if it required every ounce of strength he had.
Her gaze strayed from his eyes to his mouth and her stomach muscles clenched. She wondered what his lips tasted like. Soft and moist, no doubt. Desire rippled across her skin and X-rated images bombarded her mind.
Elise thought hard, but she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been intimate with someone. Sex without love was meaningless, something Elise had promised herself she’d never do, so why was she fantasizing about hooking up with Giovanni Castillo, a man she barely knew? He was the strong, silent type, and his quiet confidence appealed to her, but she would never act on her desires. If she was hired as the executive chef at the Hamptons Polo Club, Giovanni would be her boss, and Elise didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize her dream job.
“Come on, crew, let’s go see In the Dark 3!” Jonas said, tugging at his baseball cap.
Elise hesitated, considering returning to the box office to buy a single seat at the back of the theater, but when Giovanni joined them at the concession stand, she changed her mind. His cologne washed over her, and Elise was struck by a shocking realization.
Giovanni might dislike her, but there was nowhere else she’d rather be than by his side.
Chapter 4
The theater was packed, filled with moviegoers of all ages, but it sounded as if a million teenage girls were in the auditorium, screaming at the top of their lungs. The noise was deafening and every shriek pierced Elise’s
eardrums, making her head throb in pain.
Taking a deep breath, Elise glanced around the darkened theater. Jonas was sitting beside her with his eyes closed, and Giovanni was eating barbecue potato chips. He looked relaxed, at ease, and Elise wondered if he liked the movie. She didn’t. The plot was slow, the characters were bland, and even though Jonas had paid for her movie ticket, Elise wanted a full refund.
Swallowing hard, she picked up her water bottle and finished it. Elise knew if she didn’t leave the theater, her headache would get worse, and she didn’t want Jonas and Giovanni to know she wasn’t feeling well. On the pretense of needing some air, she stood and exited the auditorium, desperate to escape the noise.
Elise used the ladies’ room, washed her hands in the sink and then reapplied her lipstick. Not that she cared what Giovanni thought of her appearance, because she didn’t. He didn’t even know she was alive. He hadn’t said a word to her all afternoon, and it was annoying. Yesterday, she’d noticed his tender interactions with his sister throughout the interview, but today he seemed sour. Elise wondered if he was upset because Jonas had invited her to join them.
While they’d waited for the movie to start, Jonas had shared some interesting facts with her about the star polo player. Giovanni was divorced. He loved fine cuisine and European sports cars. He had vacation homes in Maui, Ocho Rios and Santorini. And his greatest achievement was being named Athlete of the Decade by Sports Illustrated. Committing each anecdote to memory, she’d googled the magazine cover and openly gawked when the image of Giovanni astride a stallion had popped up on her cell phone. Hot and bothered in her cushy theater seat, she’d fanned her face. Elise didn’t want to be attracted to him, was mad at herself for desiring a man who disliked her, and had wiped the image of the sexy cover from her thoughts.
Right! bellowed her inner voice. Then why do you keep thinking about it, and all the wicked things you’d like to do to Giovanni in the darkened movie theater!
Leaving the washroom, Elise dug her iPhone out of her purse and read her newest text messages from Paige. Giggling at her friend’s jokes, she shook her head in amusement. Paige Ward was an adorable brunette with big hair, pale skin and an exotic dancer’s body. She was the head stylist at one of the most popular salons in the Hamptons, and the last time Elise was at Beauty by Karma, they’d talked and laughed for hours.
“Are you okay? I saw you leave the auditorium and wanted to make sure you weren’t upset.”
Elise glanced up from her iPhone, searching for the owner of the deep, husky voice. Her gaze landed on Giovanni and her mouth dried up. He was leaning against the vending machine, a concerned expression on his face and his hands in his pockets.
“Why would I be upset?” she asked, puzzled over his words. “It’s just a movie.”
“I know, but it’s a gruesome, violent film.”
Elise inclined her head to the right, regarding him with interest. “Are you upset?”
“No, I’m starving!” Giovanni rubbed his stomach. “Those chips did nothing to satiate my hunger, and all I can think about is a juicy steak with yam fries and a Heineken.”
“I’m not surprised. You’re a growing boy with a healthy appetite, right?”
The sound of his loud, hearty chuckle made Elise feel proud, as if she’d finally done something right where he was concerned. I made him laugh! Yahoo! Maybe he doesn’t hate me, after all! Wanting to know for sure, Elise decided to ask him about her interview. Why not? She’d never been one to beat around the bush, and she wanted him to give her a straight answer.
Second thoughts filled her mind. Would he think she was desperate? I am, she thought, deciding to take her chances with the gruff polo player and businessman. I’ll do anything to be the executive chef at the Hamptons Polo Club, and I’m not afraid to admit it! Elise had nothing to lose. If having a frank conversation with Giovanni improved her chances of landing the executive chef position at his family’s polo club, then being vulnerable was worth it.
“Why don’t you like me?” she asked, approaching him.
Giovanni wore a blank expression on his face. “What makes you think I don’t like you?”
“It was obvious. You scowled during my entire interview and glared at me when I suggested hosting more Christmas events at the club.” On a roll, Elise spoke freely, without censoring her thoughts, even though his eyebrows were jammed together and his gaze was darker than night. “As I said yesterday at the interview, I would be honored to work at the Hamptons Polo Club and I’d give a hundred and ten percent to my coworkers, the managerial staff and the esteemed diners who frequent Vencedores.”
“I appreciate your honesty, and I hope you don’t mind me sharing my thoughts, as well.”
“No, not at all. Please do. I’d love to hear what you thought of the meal and our discussion.”
“You’re a talented chef with a dynamic personality, but I was put off by your arrogance, your unreasonable demands and your know-it-all attitude...”
Elise heard someone gasp, realized the sound had shot out of her mouth and clamped her lips together. She felt weak, out of sorts, as she listened to Giovanni critique her interview, and couldn’t think of anything to say in response.
“My sister likes you, but I don’t think you’re the right person for the position,” he explained, an air of superiority in his tone. “And there is nothing you can say or do to change my mind. My instincts are rarely wrong, and I don’t want to bring someone on board who’s going to create conflict or drama in the restaurant kitchen.”
“Excuse me?” Anger shot through her veins and her toes curled inside her suede booties. Who did Giovanni think he was? The Second Coming of Christ? He had no right to judge her. He didn’t even know her! “You’re way out of line.”
“Am I? I don’t think so, and since I’m the CEO of the polo club it’s my job to do what’s best for the restaurant, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
“I worked at By the Bay as a sous chef for five years and never once had a complaint brought against me. Not one,” she pointed out, raising an index finger in the air. “I was a team player who got along well with my coworkers and managers—”
“Then why were you fired for poor performance and insubordination?”
Her stomach flipped. What? she shouted in her mind, blown away by his outrageous accusation. Is that the lie my ex-boss told Giovanni? What else had Mr. Verbeck said?
A million questions raced through her mind and, with each passing second, her dread grew. Elise wanted to know about Giovanni’s conversation with her former boss, even though he wasn’t one of the references listed in her CV, but the doors of the auditorium opened and she lost her opportunity. Elise was desperate to set him straight, but the crowded theater lobby wasn’t the right place for their discussion.
Moviegoers flooded the corridor, chatting excitedly about the horror flick. “That movie was dope,” Jonas said, walking up to them with a broad grin. “Best movie I’ve seen all year.”
“Said the guy who dozed off during the previews and didn’t wake up until the lights came on.” Giovanni snickered. “Dude, you snored so loud you drowned out the sound system!”
“Bro, don’t hate. You’re just mad because Elise likes me more than you.”
The smile faded from Giovanni’s mouth and Jonas puffed out his chest, stood taller.
“Why do you look so surprised?” he jeered, clapping his friend on the shoulder. “I’m the total package, and I always get the girl.”
Elise waited for the awkward moment to pass. She couldn’t tell if Jonas was being serious or not, and hoped he wasn’t romantically interested in her. Watching a Saturday matinee with him was fun, but Elise didn’t want to date him, and she hoped he didn’t do anything crazy like ask her out in front of Giovanni.
“Thanks for the movie and snacks, Jonas. Have a good night.”
Waving
with one hand, Elise reached into her purse with the other and pulled out her car keys. She moved through the lobby, hoping she could disappear in the crowd, but Jonas and Giovanni followed behind her, cracking jokes and sharing laughs.
“We’re going to grab a bite to eat. Come with us.” Jonas opened the door and stepped aside for Elise to exit the theater first. “I heard your stomach growling during the movie, so I know you’re hungry. Girl, it was so loud, I couldn’t hear myself think.”
Elise stuck out her tongue, then swatted Jonas’s shoulder. “Liar!”
“What are you in the mood for? Italian? French?” Jonas continued, glancing up and down the street at the various restaurants in the vicinity. “Elise, you’re the expert. What do you recommend? Where do you want to go?”
“Home,” she quipped, putting on her sunglasses. For some strange reason, the thought of breaking bread with Giovanni excited her, but she tempered her feelings. Remembered they weren’t friends, just acquaintances. He’d insulted her and she was still smarting from his accusations. “It’s been fun, fellas, but I have to run.”
“But Giovanni’s paying. We can eat and drink at the best restaurant in town for the rest of the night!”
Jonas chuckled and Elise realized she’d made a mistake. Why not go out for dinner with Jonas and Giovanni? Might as well. She was hungry, she had no other plans that evening and, most important, she wanted to talk to Giovanni. He’d pegged her all wrong, and she wanted him to know she worked well with others and respected authority. Contrary to what he’d heard from her former boss, she’d never been an insubordinate employee or created conflict at work.
“Giovanni’s paying? Then count me in!” Elise beckoned to them with her hands. “Guys, follow me. I know just the place.”
Chapter 5
By the Bay, the five-star seaside restaurant in the Hamptons, was known for its sophisticated decor, outstanding wine list and spectacular views of the sunset. When Elise entered the establishment, she felt an overwhelming rush of emotion. The day she’d quit, she’d vowed never to step foot in the restaurant again, but there she was, in the place that used to be her second home, fighting back tears. It was arguably the best seafood spot in the city, and Elise had been proud to be the sous chef at a restaurant that A-list celebrities, socialites and international businessmen flocked to on a nightly basis.