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ChapterOne
Liz
No one expectstheir dream career to be pulled out from under them at the age of thirty-five. I pull my coat tighter around my shoulders and will myself not to break into tears as I head up the steps of the Rose Mountain Inn. For the last ten years, I gave every inch of myself to my restaurant, Le Brasserie. Then a global pandemic made it nearly impossible to recover finances during the time we were shut down. We reopened, but it was never the same…which is why I’m here.
I open the front door and am flooded with gratitude that the heat works so well in the front lobby. My leopard clogs clunk against the hardwood as I make my way up to the front desk. Before I have a chance to open my mouth, Brigid looks up from her computer. Her lips spread into a welcoming smile.
“Liz!” She rushes from behind the desk and wraps me in a big hug. A well of emotions rise up in my throat. I promised myself I would not cry today. “I’m so happy to see you.”
I pull back and squeeze my friend’s arms. “I’m so happy to have a job right now. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Stop it.” She waves her hand through the air. “I’m not about to let your amazing culinary skills go to waste.” She laces her arm in mine and leads me toward the Inn’s restaurant, Belle Rose. “I just wish I could promise that Cameron could bring you on full-time.”
“You’ve done enough, Bridge.” It’s the truth. The minute she heard about my restaurant having to close, she called me and told me about the big New Year’s Eve celebration the Inn had planned and insisted that I be sous chef for the event. With my savings dwindling and my ego in tattered scraps, how could I refuse?
We round the corner. Sounds from the kitchen echo through the empty hallway. It’s a symphony for me, as the kitchen has always felt like home. My heart jolts into my throat. While I’ve heard a lot about the infamous Chef Cameron Benkirk, I’ve never met him. I did see his photo in the paper once, and if he’s even close to as handsome in real life, I’m in for a real treat.
I follow Brigid into the kitchen and nearly stop dead in my tracks. The man with his gigantic back turned toward us must be Cameron. The paper didn’t come close to showing off the man’s size. He’s like a giant lumberjack in a chef’s jacket. Hell, I didn’t even know they made them that big.
“Sorry to interrupt, Cameron,” Brigid says, and the man reaches up, turning down the radio. “But this is my friend Liz Howard, the one I was telling you about.”
As if in slow motion, the hulking pile of muscles turns to face me and I nearly fall over when I meet his striking gray eyes. His dark hair is pulled away from his face, making his razor-sharp cheekbones stand out like a runway model’s. With his full lips and perfectly groomed beard, he’s like a mail-order-catalog version of my type.
“Hey, nice to meet you.” I extend my hand. His own palm engulfs mine. He keeps cool, steady eye contact, but does not smile.
“Cameron Benkirk.” He growls, slightly raising one brow. “You’ll be assisting with the event.” It’s not a question, but I answer by nodding. “You can start by washing up and dicing those scallions for the Onion Galette.”
“Oh.” I don’t know what I expected, but it was a warmer welcome than this. People in Rose River Point are generally pretty friendly. I’m picking up some seriously spiky vibes from ol’ Chef Cam. Either that or I’m just used to being my own boss and have grown out of the habit of taking instructions from others.
Cameron turns back around to his paperwork, and Brigid squeezes my shoulder before leaning in close. “I’ll be upfront if you need me. Maybe we can do coffee for lunch?” I nod. I’d like that. I can already tell that a day with a man like this could make me desperate for easy conversation.
As soon as she’s gone, I pull out my apron and wrap it around my waist, head over to the cooler. Inside, there are tons of fresh ingredients, which instantly makes me feel better. I know what I’m doing. I’ve been working in kitchens my entire life, practically. I find the box of scallions and pull out a bundle before taking them to the sink for a good rinse-off.
Cameron hasn’t lifted his eyes since Brigid left. I wonder if I’ve done something to offend him. In this world, there are two kinds of people. The first type can handle awkward silences and remain unfazed by the general discomfort. The second type, like myself, needs to talk their way through it.
“So, you came from the city, right?” I dry my hands on a nearby towel and move to the station nearest Cameron. He side-eyes me, and my blood turns to ice. “Did you study there too?”
Cameron lets out a long sigh, then turns to face me. “Look, Liz. I mean no offense by this, but I don’t need your help.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m used to running my kitchen all on my own.”
“I’m not here to—“
“This was Brigid’s idea.” His giant hand taps his chest. “I didn’t even agree to this.” My heart sinks. “But here you are, so I guess we just need to set some ground rules.”
A fire in my belly ignites. “What kind of ground rules?”
“You’re here temporarily, and what I say goes.”
“I already know both of these things.” I snap. “I’m not here to cramp your style. I’m working under you and am well aware of that.”
“Good.” His gray eyes sparkle under the kitchen’s fluorescent lighting. “As long as that’s clear, we’ll be able to get through this week just fine.”
I open my mouth to retort, but he’s already reaching for the radio. The volume rises, drowning out my retort. I turn back toward my station and grab the knife, trying to keep my promise to myself that I wouldn’t cry today.
ChapterTwo
