With a few quick strides, I pulled open the door to the walk-in fridge and stepped inside. In addition to grabbing the ingredients I needed, I hoped the cool air would calm my thoughts about Eliza and allow me to focus for the rest of the night.
I ran my hands over my face, holding back my groan as Eliza’s moans and how she said my name played on loop in my mind.Fuck.
“Oh!” an all too familiar voice exclaimed, bumping into my back and causing me to step forward. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were…standing right in front of the door.” Eliza let out a laugh, stepping inside and letting the fridge door close behind us.
I’d only made it a few steps into the fridge before my thoughts distracted me.
I turned around, facing her with what I hoped was a semblance of composure.
She looked up at me with her dark-brown eyes, her tongue darting out to wet her bottom lip. Suddenly, the large walk-in fridge seemed too small—and not cold enough.
I cleared my throat. “Right. Yeah, just forgot what I needed for a second.” I stepped farther into the fridge, and Eliza followed. I grabbed the limes and cilantro from the top shelf. “Did you need something?” I looked at Eliza over my shoulder, catching her eyes trailing down my body.
Okay, so maybe it wasn’t just me.
“Eliza?”
“Huh?” she asked, eyes wide as she looked up. Like she hadn’t wanted to get caught. “I needed…” She looked around the shelves, quickly grabbing a head of lettuce. “Lettuce!” she exclaimed. “I was going to make a salad before things got busy.”
“You came in here for…lettuce?” I narrowed my eyes at her, questioning whether or not that was what she really came in for. Maybe she needed a moment to cool off as much as I did. Secretly, I hoped that was the case.
“Uh-huh.” Eliza nodded, her eyes momentarily dipping down to my mouth.
“Right. Well, I’m making tacos, so if you’d prefer that over salad, they should be done in another minute or two.”
Her eyes widened, and as quickly as she’d grabbed the head of romaine, she put it back. “Oh, yeah, I’d prefer that. I’m starving.”
She led us out of the fridge and back into the kitchen.
“C’mon.” I nodded for her to follow once we were out.
“Hey, Ray,” Eliza greeted, leaning her hip against the counter.
“First in line for some food, huh?” he teased, and Eliza grinned as she replied, “Always.”
Ray helped make the pico de gallo while I sliced the steak and warmed up a stack of tortillas.
The two chatted about what they were up to this weekend, and Eliza asked Ray about his daughter, who’d just finished college and lived in Colorado.
“Do you think you’ll get to visit her soon? Or is your boss too much of a hard-ass?” Eliza asked, lips twitching as her eyes flicked to me.
“Are you talking about chef Leo or Wes?” Ray asked with a chuckle.
“I think the answer’s the same regardless,” she teased, and Ray’s shoulders shook with laughter.
“It really didn’t take me long to realize why Marnie calls you a firecracker,” Ray said.
Eliza shrugged innocently. “Someone’s gotta be.”
Ray then went back to Eliza’s original question. “I’d like tovisit her soon. I think with the two of us working in the kitchen, it would be more doable for me to take some time off after the summer once things slow down again, but I also want her to visit soon. Meet everyone in town. Try the food. She does a good job of visiting me and her mom when she has the time.”
I’d learned Ray had been married before, and his ex-wife lived in California. He hadn’t shared any more with me—not that I’d expected him to.
“Well,” I started, “whenever she does visit, just know she’ll have the best seat in the house to try out the full menu. And don’t worry about the time off. We’ll make it work.”
“Thanks, chef. And you, too. Don’t think you can’t take time off. I’ve seen too many talented chefs burn out in this industry during my time.”
I nodded in response to Ray, appreciating the reminder and his years of experience.
