He asks what I'm in the mood to eat, and I ask for the specials. I settle on a braised leg of lamb and he insists on a glass of Cabernet.
My phone rings then and I glance down at the unfamiliar number. It's a 212 area code which means it's New York based. I swipe my finger over the screen, bring it to my ear and answer.
***
"It's like that in this city." Maribel laughs, but the sound isn't joyous. It's strained, or forced. "When you first graduate culinary school the offers fly at you. You have to pick the right one, or you'll end up stuck for the rest of your career."
I know she's not talking about my decision to turn down the job offer I received this afternoon when I was having lunch. She's speaking more from personal experience. Her passion is food, but her future isn't limitless anymore. She's told me that herself. She's going to work at Nova, in the junior chef position she has now, until she retires.
"I think Nova is the best choice for me." I look into the crowded restaurant through the glass windows. I do think it's the best choice for me. The offer I received earlier today is for a well-known restaurant that is a staple at one of the city's premier hotels. They have a sudden opening and as they ran through the resumes they have on file, mine jumped out at them. I politely turned their offer down on the spot. "At least it is for right now."
"Because of you and Chef?"
"What?" My gaze drifts back to her face. She's finished her cigarette now but she's still leaning against the window, taking her time before she steps back into the buzz of the kitchen.
"You're sleeping with the boss," she mutters. "Your friend told me."
"Sophia?" I ask even though there's no reason to. It's not as though Tyler and I are a secret. Everyone knows. Drea even made fun of it during the meeting the other day with her threesome remark.
She touches the top of my hand, softly. "He brought a woman with him when the restaurant opened. She's a brilliant chef. They were very close."
My gaze falls back through the window to a couple enjoying a glass of wine and the salmon dish that Maribel created. "I was involved with someone in the industry too before I worked here."
"It happens," she says quietly. "It's inevitable. The long hours are a big part of it. The shared dreams bind people together."
"My ex and I shared some of the same dreams." I look back at her face. "He was a nightmare though."
She laughs, her hand darting to her chin. "Tyler's ex, Neela, was a dream. She's a sweet girl. She took her career back to Boston right along with his heart."
I pause, wondering if that's something he confided in her or if it's her observation as an outsider looking in on a boss whose heart truly belongs to his restaurant.
"I need to get back in. Thanks for stopping by to congratulate me, Cadence."
"You did a fantastic job on the show, Maribel. Everyone at Nova is proud of you."
"Tyler told me the same thing earlier. I may be too old to own my own restaurant but I'm feeling more and more like this is my home."
CHAPTER 20
"You were right." I lick my fingers. "I didn't season it well enough. It tastes so much better like this."
"Right?" Tyler grabs my hand and pulls my fingers between his lips. "You had the foundation. You just needed to add to it."
I look down at the remnants of the halibut dish we worked on together in my kitchen. Initially we thought we'd prepare it at work but the cleaning crew had booked an early arrival. They showed up moments after Nova closed for the night so Tyler had loaded all the ingredients into a cooler to bring them to my place.
"I'm tempted to put this on the menu as a lunch special." He traces my eyebrow with the pad of his thumb. "Would you be up for that?"
It's an honor that touches me deeply. Maybe more so than the kiss he pulled me into when we first got to my place. I know he wants to make love. I want that too. I don't want to rush what's happening between us though. It needs to be organic, the pace determined by the two of us together.
"What do you think?" I joke as I run my hands over his back, under the black polo he's wearing. "What day will you do that?"
"Saturday is our busiest lunch day." He cups my chin in his hand. "Let's do it on Saturday."
I lean in to kiss his mouth. "You're not doing this because of Maribel, are you?"
He moves his lips across my cheek until he traces the shell of my earlobe with the tip of his tongue. "I'm doing this because this dish is now perfect and you earned it."
I pull back to look into his eyes. I haven't mentioned what Maribel said to me yesterday. If the woman she talked about is important to Tyler, he'll tell me when he's ready.
I have a past with Brendon. It's not unthinkable that Tyler would have a past with someone who worked closely with him. She's not at Nova anymore. I am. That's what I want to focus on.
"When is your roommate coming home?"
"Not before you fuck me," I say shamelessly.