Page 30 of The Chef

Sandy raises her eyebrows. “Promise me, Cliff. She’s a good girl, she doesn’t deserve your dick behavior.”

I sigh again. “Sure,” I reply.

“I’ll be watching.”

“Okay.”

She really knows how to attack me, doesn’t she?

Sandy smiles and nods. “Good, then.”

“Alright.”

She continues watching me.

“Good.”

“Okay, so can I get to my car now, or do I have to get on my knees and beg for that too?”

Sandy exhales a deep breath. “I know what’s wrong,” she says slowly.

I don’t like the way she looks at me now.

“What? What do you mean you know what’s wrong?”

“You’re still hurting.”

I laugh at her comment. “Hurting?”

Ridiculous.

“Yeah. I know it’s all to do with Cleo. You’re still hurting from what she did to you. I get it. You can talk to me about it if you’d like.”

I roll my eyes. “Get lost,” I reply.

“Fine, deny it. I know when someone’s heartbroken, though. I’ve been through it myself.”

“Shut up,” I reply, taking out my car keys and unlocking my car. “I don’t have time for this pseudo-therapy, I’m going home, and you better get some sleep before school in the morning.”

Sandy raises her hands in the air in mock surrender. “I’m just saying,” she says. “I know what’s wrong. There’s nothing bad for you to admit that your heart is broken.”

“See you around, cousin.”

I jump into my Lamborghini, shutting the door so that I don’t have to deal with Sandy anymore. I peek at her through my rearview mirror. She’s still leaning on her car, staring at me.

What is it with the women in my life today? First Dominika and now Sandy? Let alone that Bay Dover.

But maybe Sandy is right. I shouldn’t fire the new girl, that’ll be a real asshole move to do. I may be shallow, but I’m not that bad.

I’ll give her a few days' trial. See how she does. I can always fire her pretty face later.

Sandy thinks I’m heartbroken over Cleo.

I scoff in my car and ignite the engine.

Heartbroken. As if.

But, deep down, I know it to be true.