Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 95256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
“I think she’s here already.”
“Is she?” He laughed. “Dammit. If you said you didn’t need her, I was gonna see if she’d come work for me. I just lost a station chef last week.”
“I might not need her. Depends on who’s able to get here today.”
“Okay, let me know. She might not want a full-time position anyway. We were talking last night, and she’s interested in starting a vegetarian catering company.”
I made a face. “I don’t understand people who don’t eat meat.”
He laughed. “Yeah. It’s a whole other way of life. But plant-based diets are getting more popular, so it’s a smart gamble. I bet she’ll do well.”
“Good for her.” It came out a little grumpier than I intended.
“You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah.” I closed my eyes for a second. “Listen, I gotta go. I’m going to talk to Felicity and see if she can cover while I run home and clean up.”
“Okay. Hey, Mom wants to talk. She was worried about you.”
I grimaced. I didn’t really have time for a worried mom thing right now, but I couldn’t say no. “Okay.”
“Gianni?” My mom’s voice was high-pitched with concern. “You’re back?”
“I’m back.”
“Thank God. I’m so glad you got off the road when you did.”
“Yeah.”
“So what was wrong with your car?”
“Uh, nothing. It started without any problem this morning.”
“Huh.” Silence. “That’s weird.”
It was probably my imagination—or maybe my guilty conscience—but I detected a note of suspicion. “Yes. But lucky. We made it back in time for work today.”
“How’s Ellie? She survive the trauma of being stuck in a motel with you for two days?”
“Barely.”
My mom laughed. “Well, I’m glad you two were together. It would have been terrible if she’d been alone. Tell her to get in touch with her mom, please. Mia is worried about her and says she hasn’t returned her calls.”
That was about the last thing I wanted to do, but I said okay. “I’ll tell her. How are you feeling?”
“Much better, now that you’re home safe. I know you’re all grown up, but I still worry about you.”
“I’m fine, Mom. But listen, I gotta go.”
“Okay, honey. Love you.”
“I love you too.”
In the kitchen, I found Felicity chopping celery and carrots. I forced a smile. “Hey, you. Stop being so good at this job. They’re going to fire me.”
She looked up and laughed. “Not a chance.” Setting down her knife, she wiped her hands and came toward me with one extended. “Hi. I’m Felicity MacAllister.”
I shook it. “Gianni Lupo. I can’t thank you enough for the help.”
“My pleasure.” She looked around. “You’ve got a beautiful kitchen here. And the whole trial by fire thing was probably good for me. Saved me from being nervous—I had no time.”
“From what I hear, your nerves are unnecessary. My dad is ready to make you a sous chef in his main restaurant—he wouldn’t even let me be a sous chef. I had to bus tables and make pizzas for three years. Then he let me move up to salads.”
Felicity laughed. She didn’t resemble her younger sister much—Winnie was blond and blue-eyed like a California girl, and Felicity had brown eyes and hair so dark it was nearly black. “He runs a tight ship, I can tell.”
“He yells a lot, you mean?”
She shrugged as she chuckled. “There may have been some yelling. But it was good—he was dealing with an unfamiliar team in an unfamiliar space, and I think we all needed someone to take charge.”
“Well, I really appreciate you being here.”
She gestured toward the vegetables she’d been chopping. “I know it’s not on your usual dinner menu, but I soaked some cannellini beans overnight for a smoky tomato and white bean soup just in case you needed something extra. I wasn’t sure what time you’d make it in.”
“It’s a good day for hot soup, and that sounds delicious. What’s the smoke from?”
“Harissa paste.”
I nodded. “Great. Please make it, and I’ll add it to the dinner menu tonight. If you’re okay here, I’ll just run home for a shower.”
“No problem. Is there any other prep work I can do for you?”
“Probably. Let me take a look at what I was planning for tonight’s menu and see what I’m dealing with. Was there a meat and fish delivery yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” I rubbed my eyes with a thumb and forefinger. “Fuck. I’m tired.”
“Why don’t you grab a nap while you’re home?” she suggested. “Honestly, if you just go over the menu and prep work with me before you leave, I’ll get it done.”
“That would be fucking amazing. I might need to crash for twenty minutes, if that’s okay. I didn’t sleep much last night.”
She smiled sympathetically. “I think you might need more than twenty minutes.”
Felicity was right—the minute I got to my apartment, I fell face first into my pillow and slept for two hours. I woke up in a panic and jumped into the shower, but I had to admit, I did feel a little better.