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Kitt wasn’t all that familiar with Ocala and had trouble finding Fruits of the Sea, but when she did, it looked just like the picture in the phone book. Looking at the car clock, she saw it was too late to stop but she rode through the parking lot.
“Look,” she said, pointing when she spotted Rob’s Vette behind the building. “He’s here.”
“Didn’t you expect him to be?” Sug demanded. “Did you think he lied?”
“Of course not,” Kidd said, frowning. Or did I think he might have?
Rob had fibbed to Kitt. Again. Why don’t I call it like it is? I lied. But he was going to put an end to his deceit.
It had been Suzette on the phone wanting him to go to the supermarket for her and do a few basic preparations for the meal she was going to prepare. Jason was coming for dinner and she planned to cook the poor man something special. His business partner who was very jealous shot him in the shoulder. Suzette usually had Rob fix special meals such as dinner parties, but she obviously wanted to impress this guy in a different way.
Terewski had a lot of nerve hooking up with yet another woman after what went down last night. He must really love the life those women could give him. With those two out of the way and in trouble, he’d grabbed onto the one he still had on hand—Suzette. It was hard to believe she was still interested in the guy, but who knew what story he’d told her? Rob hadn’t argued with Suzette. If she wanted to pursue a gigolo, gold digger, and multi-women pursuer, let her.
Besides, Kitt was sitting in the kitchen and could walk in and overhear their conversation any minute. He’d told her he’d come by for the list, later. First, he had an errand to do.
After he dropped off Kitt at her aunt’s, he headed to Ocala where he planned to ask for his job back.
“Rob Harrison.” His old boss smiled when he walked in Fruits of the Sea. “How are you doing, fella?” Hank was sitting in a booth with a ledger in front of him.
Rob sat down opposite him. “I’m thinking of changing jobs and wondered…”
“If I’d take you back?” He waggled his bushy black brows. “Suzette too hard to work for or did she find someone else to be my man?” Hank laughed heartily.
“She called me that to you?” Rob felt the vein in his temple begin to throb. His face heated up and he clenched his fists.
“The question is, has she said it in front of you? She still comes in here to eat occasionally and I thought to myself, Rob Harrison is not going to stand for that.”
“I’m not any longer. I’ve decided it’s not worth it.”
“I figured it might be like selling your soul to the devil, working for her. I was once roped in by her charms. We dated for about a month, but she thought I owned the place and when she found out I was just the manager, it was, ‘So long, Hank.’” He shrugged. “It wasn’t any skin off my nose. She got on my nerves.
“So you’re ready to don your chef’s hat once again?” He leant forward confidentially. “I’ve got someone right now but I could take you on part-time or… This is top secret, but I’ve been hired as Operations Manager of the restaurant in a new Radisson Hotel that’s opening next month in Orlando, and I’d rather have you for my sous chef than anyone I know.” “Wow, Hank. That would be a fucking dream come true.”
“I’m going to Orlando for a week’s training and I’ll let you know. You might have to go too, if not now, later.
“To be fair, this manager job will be open too, but you’re too good in the kitchen. I would hate to see you waste your talent.”
“I’d rather cook. Too many headaches come with managing.”
Rob left there feeling on top of the world. Now, all he had to do was break the news to Suzanne. First, however he’d pick up her shopping list and help her set up the trap for Jason, the rat. It would only be fair to give her notice.
Kitt had gone in with Sugar to see her doctor. She said her knees were weak and Kitt felt like hers might be knocking. When they left, Kitt was smiling and her aunt was huffing.
“Can you believe it? He thinks I’m depressed. What have I got to be down about? A sister who isn’t speaking to me. A favourite niece I had to trick into visiting. A nosy old biddy living next door. And lumps in both my breasts.
“Of course, I’m depressed. And on top of all that, my niece is rotting in a school library and has so little self confidence she’s going to marry some toad instead of the sex-ball that’s been in love with her since high school.”
Kitt held the front door to Sug’s house open for her. The same door that Rob Harrison fell through just days ago.
Kitt led the way to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and got out a bottle of wine. She took two stemmed glasses out of the cabinet, opened the merlot, and poured. Her aunt eyed her suspiciously. “You really think Rob’s in love with me?”
“What are you? Blind?”
“A toast to your good health.” Kitt raised her glass and Sug raised hers and they clicked them together.
“I guess having the blues is a far cry better than cancer,” she admitted sheepishly.
“And you’ll feel better once you start taking your serotonin uptake inhibitor.”
