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She wasn’t sure how many hours she’d been in the kitchen when Ted appeared. All Mandy knew was that she’d cut herself once and burned herself twice, and she was loving every minute of the experience.
“What the hell are you doing in here?” He looked frustrated, and angry.
“Helping you out.” Mandy didn’t back away, nor did she show the excitement she felt at seeing him. Instead she continued to slice the fruit Kirby had handed her.
“Who asked you to?”
Mandy carefully put down the knife so she didn’t throw it at him like she had the paintbrush.
“Lenny. He rang around looking for help as you were short staffed, and as you have helped me on several occasions, I thought I’d reciprocate.”
“My staff can cope. Go home now.”
“Your staff are not coping. So stop being rude and get out of the kitchens so we can do what needs to be done.”
Her heart was thudding as she withstood his scowl. Then he turned around and stalked out without saying another word. Mandy picked up her knife and continued chopping, even though her fingers shook.
“Holy cow, girl.” Kirby appeared beside her.
“Pardon?” Mandy looked at her.
“You. No one speaks to the boss man like you just did. Nice work.”
“Is he often like that?”
“No. Just when he’s really pissed off about something. He’s a good boss, fair,” she added. “But sometimes he can be a bear. He’s really trying hard lately though.”
“In what way?”
“He’s organizing staff social functions and interacting better with us. Everyone’s far happier.”
“That’s good. But he’s not my boss, so I don’t have to put up with his moods,” Mandy said, smiling.
Kirby nodded. “I like this new you, Mandy.”
“Me too.”
Chapter 24
Ted walked out of the lodge kitchens and down the hallway. Reaching the front entrance, he then nodded to the staff on the desk and headed out into the warm air.
Moving until he was out of sight, he then bent at the waist and braced his hands on his thighs.
Mandy was in his kitchens.
If someone had punched him hard in the gut, the reaction he’d just felt would be no different. Eight days since he’d touched her lovely body. Eight days of remembering every moment, and he wanted it to stop. Seeing her again had not helped.
Ted wasn’t an avoidance kind of guy. He tackled everything head-on, that had always been his motto. But Mandy….
“Aw hell.” He straightened. Why her? Why couldn’t he move on? He needed to sleep but every time he did, she was there, inside his head.
He’d been an asshole for not making contact with her. A coward, because he should have checked on her. He’d taken her innocence and then avoided her. He was a louse but didn’t know how to deal with this… whatever the hell this was.
“You all good there, bud?”
“Would you be offended if I just told you to fuck off, Fin?”
The ranger smiled.
