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“You can cook?” Jake arched a brow. A lot of people claimed they could cook, only to be lousy at it.
“I grew up in the kitchen,” Sanjay boasted. “I just prefer to bake, but I can definitely cook. My nana had me at her side almost all the time when she was in the kitchen.”
Jake looked around. Now that Kendrick was back where he belonged, his servers would stop looking so frantic. “You have many layers to you.”
Sanjay waved away his compliment. “I’m not that complex.”
Jake couldn’t resist a quick kiss, though he wished they were still in bed. “Go help him catch up on orders.”
Sanjay gave him a mock salute. “Aye-aye, captain.”
“Smartass.” Jake chuckled as Sanjay blew him a kiss before heading off to the kitchen. Not even a chisel could pry the smile from Jake’s face. He could definitely see himself falling for his little gazelle.
Chapter Eight
“I’m all yours,” Sanjay said after he walked into the kitchen. He was taken aback by its modern design. For a bar, it seemed unusually well-equipped with an industrial fridge and a top-of-the-line stove that any chef would envy. The room was filled with shiny chrome accents, giving off a sleek vibe. “My name is Sanjay, and you can put me to work.”
Kendrick looked over at him. “I know who you are. You can bake your ass off, but can you cook?”
“Put me to work and find out.”
“That doesn’t exactly answer my question.” With a practiced hand, Kendrick carefully lowered the basket of raw chicken into the bubbling oil. The hot liquid hissed and sizzled around the meat as it cooked, filling the kitchen with a mouth-watering aroma.
“I can fry, cook, chop, bake, wash dishes, though I prefer not to wash dishes,” Sanjay finished as he put on the apron Kendrick handed him. “Baking is my specialty, though. I love the way it smells when something’s in the oven and the feeling of accomplishment when I pull a perfect creation out of it.”
Kendrick nodded, handing him a knife. When they were close enough, Sanjay smelled lion on the guy. He was a shifter.
“Then I suggest you help me with these vegetables. Chop them into bite-sized pieces, and try to keep them uniform so they cook evenly.”
“What are you making?”
“I’m slow cooking a pot roast for tomorrow’s menu.”
Sanjay wrinkled his nose. “Isn’t it too hot for a pot roast?”
Kendrick chuckled. “Tell that to the customers who order it like crazy. We got some people who come just for the roast.”
Sanjay would never understand humans. He got to work, slicing through the potatoes, onions, and carrots with ease. The rhythmic chopping helped him relax, and he found himself enjoying the simple task. It reminded him of being at his nana’s side in her kitchen, learning the basics of cooking from her.
Kendrick moved around the kitchen with practiced efficiency, pulling ingredients from the fridge and stove with ease. He seemed to be able to multitask without missing a beat, something that Sanjay had always admired in good chefs.
After a while, Kendrick turned to Sanjay. “How’s it going over there?”
Sanjay looked up from his chopping. The pile of vegetables was growing, and he was getting into a groove. “Good. I’m almost done.”
“Great. Once you’re finished, can you start on the mushrooms? They need to be sliced thinly.”
Sanjay nodded, adding the mushrooms to his list. He continued working, lost in thought. He was glad he’d opened up to Jake. In fact, Sanjay felt kind of free now that his mate knew about his past and why he was apprehensive about wolves.
Kendrick walked over and inspected Sanjay’s work. “You’re doing great, Sanjay. You have a natural talent for this.”
Sanjay blushed at the compliment. “Thank you, Kendrick.”
“Keep it up, and maybe we can talk about a permanent position.”
That made Sanjay chuckle. “I own Sweet Spot. I don’t think I’ll be giving up my bakery any time soon. Though it’s nice to have a change of pace.”
Kendrick grinned. “Well, it’s always good to have a backup plan. Besides, you never know when you might want to expand your menu.”
