Page 90 of The Village Inn of Secret Dream

‘And he makes the best roast I’ve ever had,’ said Del.

‘Not fancy enough for your place though,’ muttered Brad.

‘Well, let’s just say that I was the one that was totally wrong,’ Pete found himself saying. ‘I want to offer you your job back.’

Brad crossed his arms and shook his head. ‘I’m not working for that idiot again,’ he said, making a face.

‘You won’t need to,’ said Pete. ‘I gave Andre the sack. I want you to be head chef at the inn.’

Belle looked across at Pete with wide eyes. Pete nodded at her and her face lit up.

They both looked back at Brad.

‘So what do you say?’ Pete asked him.

There was a long silence when Pete wondered whether he had managed to lose the single best chef in the area.

Finally, Brad spoke. ‘I want to cook decent proper food,’ he said. ‘None of that fancy stuff.’

‘I agree,’ Pete told him.

‘I’ll need to hire a commis chef and I have first choice,’ said Brad. ‘Aaron is good enough.’

‘Agreed.’

‘I get to decide on the menus,’ said Brad, who appeared to be growing in confidence by the minute.

‘With my agreement,’ added Pete.

There was another long pause before Brad finally said, ‘I won’t let you down.’

‘Of course you won’t,’ Pete told him. ‘I trust you.’

Brad appeared to grow a foot in height at this before nodding.

‘This is great news!’ said Del, beaming from ear to ear as he clamped an arm around Brad’s shoulders. ‘We must ring your mum.’

‘I’ll see you in the morning,’ said Pete. ‘We’ve got lots to do.’

Brad nodded. ‘I’ll be there,’ he replied.

Pete led Belle away towards a nearby bench which had just become empty and sat down to finish their burgers.

‘Are you sure?’ she asked.

He nodded. ‘I am,’ he said. ‘What about you?’

Suddenly he was concerned that his own ego had taken over once more.

To his relief, she smiled. ‘I think it’s a brilliant idea. Proper inn grub.’

‘I should have listened to you in the first place,’ he told her.

‘Well, that’s all in the past,’ she said. ‘And if there’s any way you can save the inn, please please please do it. For the village.’

Pete shook his head as he looked at her. ‘If I do it for anyone, I’ll do it for you,’ he murmured.

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him in wonder.