‘So can we forget it and move on?’
Lou tried not to let her relief show. She didn’t want to make this too easy for him. ‘I don’t know how much I want to work for you, but I do need that job,’ she said grudgingly. ‘So yes, I do want it back.’
‘Good. Unless… there was actually something else I wanted to talk to you about.’
‘Okay. Sit down. Do you want a cup of tea? I was just about to make one.’
‘Please.’ He sat, folding his arms on the table.
When Lou had made the tea, she carried the mugs to the table and sat opposite him.
‘So, tell me about these conditions then, and I can give you back your poisoned chalice fish and send you on your way.’
Aidan laughed. ‘I hope it’s not anything too awful. I just want to be here when you cook it.’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘You’re inviting yourself to dinner?’
‘Yeah, I am. That’s a lot of fish for one pint-sized woman and a small boy.’
‘True.’ She took a sip of tea to hide her smile. She was relieved she wouldn’t have to give the fish back. ‘Is this some kind of test?’
He shrugged. ‘Maybe. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I know you did a year in culinary school but you dropped out.’
‘Yeah.’ She cupped her hands around her mug. ‘When I had Jack, I needed to start earning.’
‘And other than that you’re self-taught?’
‘Basically, yes. I mean, I’ve worked in a lot of kitchens and I watched and picked up as much as I could. And when I could afford to, I ate in good restaurants and tried to replicate the dishes at home.’
‘And you really made that dish after tasting it just one time?’ He shook his head. ‘It tasted exactly as if I’d made it myself.’
‘Well, itisyour recipe,’ she said, feeling she could be generous now that he was acknowledging he’d been in the wrong. ‘It just wasn’t written down. Which I still think is daft, by the way. Just saying. Not that you find my opinions fascinating or anything.’
Aidan’s lips twitched.
‘I mean, Shane and Mark are good chefs. Why don’t you write the recipe down so someone else can make it if you’re not there? Surely that’d make life easier.’
‘You’d think. I did try that – it’s not just that I’m a control freak. But it doesn’t work because it’s all about getting thebalance of flavours right. You can write down a teaspoon of this or a pinch of that, but you can’t be exact about measurements like that because some days the oranges are sweeter or the chillis are hotter and you have to adjust things accordingly. It’s all down to taste.’
‘And no one else managed to get the flavour just right?’
He shook his head. ‘Until you. Not even Shane.’
Lou smiled, feeling smug.
‘So I’m instigating a new rule. If I’m not there, you’re allowed to make that dish.’
‘But what if it’s busy? I can’t wait tables at the same time. I was only able to do it today because service was winding down and it was pretty quiet when Senan Walsh came in.’
‘We can get another waiter,’ he said dismissively. ‘You’re obviously wasted out there. You should be cooking.’
‘Really?’ She beamed.
‘Yeah. You’re a natural. Mark is leaving in a couple of weeks, and I was wondering if you’d like the job?’
‘I’d love that!’ Lou couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her face even if she wanted to.
‘Unless you have your heart set on waiting tables, of course,’ he said teasingly.
