by Layla Hagen
Ellie
Spending the weekend with my brother was just what the doctor ordered. We walked aimlessly around the city, mostly in Columbus Circle and along the Hudson. I could tell he was trying very hard not to give me any big brother talk, and I appreciated it.
“Listen, we need to talk about Ian,” he said on Sunday evening.
“Damn, and I was proud of you for not saying anything.” We’d just entered Grand Central Station. I’d never been here before, but I made a mental note to come early in the morning one day. It was full of travelers right now, and I wanted to soak in the beauty of this place when it wasn’t overrun with commuters, preferably with a cup of steaming coffee.
“Listen, he’s my best friend, and I believe people can change. Not all of them, but most. Ian doesn’t lie, so if he says he’s changed, I believe him.”
“I sense a but coming.”
“You’re going to New Orleans and then San Francisco. You’ve wanted to do this program for a while.”
“I know, Henry.”
“So where does this leave you two? Doing long-distance?”
“We haven’t talked about it. I don’t know.” I looked down at my hands, sighing. “Every time I want to talk about it, I just get this pit in my stomach.”
“Ellie, I don’t want to stress you out. Both of you are grown-ups. I just want you to be happy.”
“Thanks, Henry.”
I walked him to the platform and gave him a huge hug before he boarded the train to DC. His words did stick in my mind, though. I knew he was right. Ian and I should talk about what we’d do after my placement at some point. The last time I tried, he didn’t seem keen on discussing it, and I got it. I was still swooning from his love declaration and didn’t want to spoil our happiness by bringing up the unknown future.
My boss didn't mention our get-together until a week later when she asked me to come a little earlier before my shift started. I was restless. I had a bad feeling in my stomach. But I’d received a good performance review, so I hoped it wasn’t going to be bad. Except for that one day when I went to the hospital after my silly fall, I had been a hard worker taking on all the workload requested of me. She was waiting for me at one of the tables right next to the window when I sat down and joined her.
"Hey, I brought you a coffee too," Nancy said. Oh, no. My bad feeling was getting even worse.
I tried to tell myself to enjoy the view and the conversation and see where things were going instead of getting lost in my head.
"Ellie, I wanted to thank you for jumping in when our pastry chef left.”
“My pleasure. I love doing desserts.”
“You’re very good at it. I received great reviews about your work all-around, at the pastry and the salad stations. There have been no complaints about the salads, and you will not believe how often people complain about the salads. You even take care of the special orders perfectly."
"Thank you," I said, relaxing a bit. Perhaps this wasn't going to go where I thought it might.
"Listen, I know you have three months left here and then the rotation will take you to New Orleans, but I just want to put a permanent job offer on the table."
My jaw dropped.
"Wow. Are you serious?"
"Yes, why do you look so surprised?"
I decided to be honest. "Well, let’s just say I’ve met with previous bosses like this before, and it never went well.”
She frowned. "I'm sorry. That can happen. I let go of some people this way as well by asking them to lunch. It's a way to soften the blow. I just thought it was smarter to meet before the shift starts. After a long day, we're both so spent it’s hard to even think."
"That's true."
She smiled so genuinely and said, "We need someone like you in our pastry station. As time passes, maybe you will rotate to other positions in the kitchen too. It depends on your interest and also how the personnel shifts. I know that Creole cuisine is a big draw for every aspiring chef. I've been to New Orleans too. So if you do prefer to move on with the rotation, there are no hard feelings. Okay? Just keep in mind that at the end of the program, you're not guaranteed a permanent position, and I cannot promise that I'll have anything free by the time you're finished."
"Thank you, and no worries—I know nothing's guaranteed." I couldn’t wrap my mind around this. This was very good news, and I couldn’t wait to tell Ian.
"Your salary will, of course, be much larger than it is now. I can talk to HR to make you an offer. So that you have everything in black and white."
"Yes. That would be good," I said. "I need to weigh all the pros and cons.”
"Smart. I'd do the same. Just know that we don't offer this to many people. I don't want to oversell us, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, or at least once in a very long time opportunity. It took me quite a few years to nab a workplace in New York."
"Oh, I know," I said. “I've been applying for a rotation that includes New York forever and always got a no. I also applied for individual jobs, so I know they don't come easy."
"It's a competitive market." She sipped her coffee, checking her clock. "Okay. I have to head back to my station. You are welcome to stay here and finish your coffee. I'll talk to HR. I think they will have your offer maybe in a week or so."
"And then how much time do I have to think about it?" I asked.
“HR is getting us a temp for the pastry station, so that is going to be covered for a couple of weeks. But do tell me as soon as possible.”
I nodded, a bit lost in thought.
“Do you have any concerns? You can talk that out with me later if something comes up.”
I straightened in the seat, tapping my fingers on the table. “My dream is to open a restaurant one day. So the plan was to do several rotational programs, to learn as much as possible.”
“That’s certainly one way to do it. If you work with several chefs, you learn their techniques but don’t copy their style.”
“Exactly.”
“You can also learn in one kitchen, but it’s up to you. And it’s a different experience. But it doesn’t mean you can’t open your own restaurant later down the road. Let me know what you decide.”
“I will, thanks.”
I couldn't believe it. I'd been offered a job in New York. This was honestly more than I'd ever dreamed of. I wasn't sure how much I would be missing out, though, if I didn't go to New Orleans. That would look cool on my resume. Still, at the end of my rotation, I could be back at square one looking for a job.
My plan to open my own restaurant was only going to happen, at the earliest, ten years down the road or so. For the next few years, I wanted to learn as much as possible. If I stayed at the pastry station, my learning would be limited, but she did hint that I could change positions in the kitchen and learn the other stations. From experience, though, I knew the chances for that were low. Personnel rotation was uncommon in Michelin-starred restaurants.
Still, she’d opened a world of possibilities with the job offer. It was all I could think about for the rest of the day. I couldn’t wait to tell Ian.
I texted him in the evening right after my shift ended. I wanted to text him earlier, but I only had a short bathroom break the whole day.
Ellie: I have news. Can I come by your office after my shift?
Ian: I’m at the gym. It’s called Genesis.
Ellie: Bad day?
Ian: No. Just intense. I’m gonna be ready in forty minutes. Want to come here?
Ellie: I just googled the address. I’m on my way.
If Google was correct, I would arrive there at about the same time he finished his workout. I walked with pep in my step, trying to imagine his reaction. On the way, I passed a popcorn cart. They had some with salted caramel, and I immediately bought some for Ian. He loved this stuff.
I wondered if something happened or if he was just tired. He always pampered me, but he rarely let me do the same for him. Well, tonight, he was going to get spoiled
whether he wanted to or not.
I waited by the entrance, and he spotted me immediately. My God, this man was gorgeous. He was wearing jeans and a black Henley shirt that showed off his abs. He had a thick jacket over his shoulder.
“What’s that?” he asked, pointing to the cone of popcorn.
“A treat for you.”
Stepping closer, he looked intently at my mouth. “For me, huh? So why do you have sugar on your lips?”
Grinning, I cleared my throat. “I was doing a quality test. Can’t let you have bad popcorn, can I? Would ruin my plan to pamper you.”
He stopped in the act of reaching for the popcorn. “Your plan to what?”
“You seemed on edge in your text. I thought I’d do something about it. Want to talk about it?”
“Nah. Just usual stuff at the office. Some days are better than others.”
“Let’s see if I can turn the day around, then.”
I nudged him playfully with my shoulder. Instead of reaching for popcorn again, he pulled me in a half hug. I buried my nose in his neck. He smelled divine, like shower gel and deodorant. His skin was still a bit damp. He’d probably showered after his workout. We walked to the park behind the gym. It was lovely, on the edge of the Hudson River. We sat on a bench overlooking the water. The air felt salty, and the crying seagulls instantly made me think I was on vacation.
I soaked in the moment, loving that I was here with this sexy man. I leaned into him, sheltering from the strong breeze.
“What’s your news?” he asked.
“I almost forgot! Remember that my boss wanted to talk to me?”
“Yes.”
“She offered me a job! A permanent one.”
“That’s amazing!” He turned abruptly, looking straight at me with a twinkle in his eyes. “How come?”
“She says I’m doing a great job as a pastry chef.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That I’ll think about it. She made it clear that she’ll understand if I move on as originally planned and continue with the rotation.”
“What do you want to do?” His smile dimmed a bit.
“I’ll make a pro and con list. But honestly, I want to stay. I love the city. And I love you. I’ve never wanted to put down roots, but now it’s different.”
He cupped my face, tracing my lower lip with his thumb. “Baby, this is amazing news. But I just want to make one thing clear. Do what is best for you, okay? If you stay, I want you to be happy and sure that it’s what you want. Not just because of me.”
“Well, it would be because of you too.”
He touched my lower lip again, sending heat spiraling through me. No, no, no. I wanted to have my mind clear.
“I’m an important decision factor.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “But ten years down the road, when you open your restaurant, I don’t want you to look back on this and think I should have finished the rotation.”
“Okay.” This was sound advice, but I had to admit, I was hoping he’d go balls to the wall in celebratory mood, throw me over his shoulder, and say I’m staying because I’m his. He kissed me hard and deep and so dirty that I was certain I was going to combust. He kissed me like he never wanted to let me go. My body was on fire. I couldn’t even breathe or think. All I had in mind was him. The way he kissed and touched me was all-consuming.
“Mr. Gallagher, what’s with this kiss?” I whispered when we paused to breathe. I traced his clavicle over the Henley shirt. His chest was rising and falling rapidly. His gaze was so intense that I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to.
“I’m just so fucking happy.”
“Oh, good. So I did turn the day around.”
“Definitely.”
“Great. And I’m not nearly done pampering you yet.”
“You’re not?”
“No. I have lots and lots of ideas. And I’ll test them all out tonight.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Ian
The next day, I went out to lunch with Dylan at Dumont’s. We were meeting Ryker and Hunter there. My mind was on Ellie ever since we talked about her job offer. I needed to distract myself. Working hadn’t achieved that. Sleeping hadn’t either. Lunch with the guys was exactly what I needed.
I meant what I said to Ellie. I wanted her to make the best decision. But I was feeling restless.
Dumont’s was packed with the lunch crowd, but we found a table for four. We were going to wait for the other two guys to arrive before ordering.
"I want to talk to you about something," I told Dylan. This was a good time to talk about the coding platform I had in mind. At any rate, it might keep my mind off other things... like Ellie.
"Okay, shoot."
"I've been thinking about this for a while. I liked teaching when I was in college. You know I was the substitute for the SQL teacher for a while."
"Yeah, I remember. It was the butt of all jokes that a party guy was a teaching assistant, then everyone shut up once they heard about how good you were."
I nodded. "Anyway, I was thinking about making a platform where kids can learn how to code."
"You mean online lessons?" Dylan asked.
"Yes. They'd be prerecorded, and maybe I'll also have live Q&As. I've put some ideas together. But it would be a huge undertaking, so I'd wait until after the rollout phase of Project Z is over before starting it."
"I think it's going to be a big endeavor."
"Okay, it will. But this in no way means I will step down from my duties at Gallagher Solutions. I'm proud of the business we built. I might just have to split my focus for a while."
“Ian, we're in a position where we can decide what we want to do with our lives. It would be a pity not to do something you really want to do."
"I know many people warned you off about going into business with me."
"I never gave a fuck. You're my brother. I trust you more than any of those morons. Do your thing and tell me if you need anything."
"Thanks, man," I said. The wheels were already spinning in my mind. I already had the structure and bare bones of the platform.
Just then, Ryker and Hunter arrived. Hunter was Josie's husband, and we'd always been on good terms. I couldn't wait to run my idea by these guys because they were smart, and I’d like to listen to their input. Hunter owned a big real estate company, and Ryker was a Wall Street guru.
"What's everyone ordering?" Ryker asked.
"I'll just go with the daily special. I always get that for lunch." I never had the brainpower to focus on mundane things like what to order for lunch. We all ended up ordering the daily special—some kind of rice and stir fry dish. While we ate, I told them all about my ideas for the platform. As expected, Ryker pitched in with ballpark numbers about the rate of customer acquisition and the lifetime value of a customer. Hunter was talking about cost structures. It was way too early to discuss details like this, but I committed all of it to memory anyway. I was going to circle back later once I put my mind to this more seriously.
I couldn't wait to tell Ellie about all of this. I knew she was going to be proud of me. And just like that, she was front and center in my mind again. I lost track of the lunch conversation for a while.
"What's wrong with you, man?" Ryker asked. I looked up from my plate to find all of them looking at me.
"What?" I asked.
"You're talking like 50 percent less than usual," Hunter said.
"Right, I was just thinking about Ellie. She got a job offer here in New York."
"That's good, right?" Ryker asked.
"Josie said that she was on a rotational program," Hunter added.
"Yeah, but she's doing a great job here, so they offered her a job," I explained.
Ryker cocked a brow. “Is that good or bad news?”
“Good.”
"Then why do you look like someone pissed in your lunch?"
"Because I don't know if she wants to stay. She has this dream to open a restaurant and plans to work wit
h as many chefs as possible in the meantime. She says it's the best way to learn. If she goes on with the rotation, she’d move to New Orleans in a couple of months."
"So you think she might still want to go to?" Ryker asked.
"It's possible." I swallowed hard.
“What do you mean, possible? What did you tell her when you discussed this?" Hunter asked, gulping down water.
"I told her that I want her to make the best decision for herself."
Dylan grimaced. Hunter shook his head.
Ryker just narrowed his eyes, pointing his finger at me. "I don't think that was a very good response, but I cannot explain why. It's just a gut feeling."
"Yeah, I agree," Dylan said. "Maybe Isabelle can put it in words that make sense."
"I haven't talked to Isabelle yet. Why would this be a bad way to react?" I looked at all three of them, trying to make sense of this.
"As I said," Ryker admitted, "gut feeling."
"I want her to stay here," I said. "Before she got the job offer, I even thought about talking to Rob and, I don't know, figure a way that Ellie could stay in New York and work at one of his restaurants or something."
Hunter clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Buddy, I'm sure this is a vital piece of information, and it will come in handy at some point. Make sure you work that in a conversation with her. I’d do it ASAP."
"You guys are insane," I said.
"No, we just have more experience with women," Dylan said.
I cocked a brow. "I seriously doubt that."
Hunter shook his head. "Experience that matters."
I was tired of the guys giving me shit. "You have so much experience that you cannot even put into words why anything is a good or bad idea? Yeah, that's very helpful."
"Hey, we're just giving you our opinions," Dylan said.
“Okay, I’m not too proud to admit that I’m no good at this. I think we just confused him,” Ryker said.
“Right now, you’re annoying me,” I informed them.
“Should we call the girls? Josie could have some insights,” Hunter said.
“Or we could have an actual family council and call everyone.” Ryker spoke seriously, as if he thought that was an option. I looked around the table incredulously. The last thing I wanted was everyone pitching in with opinions.