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“We’ll have to try something different next time.”
“I’d like that.” Emile said, stretching. As he moved, his T-shirt lifted, revealing a sliver of his toned stomach. Kate whipped her gaze away before she started drooling.
Stop being a pervert.
“I’m going to go to bed. Early shift in the morning. Boss is a real tyrant.” Emile stood up from the sofa. He always looked tall to her, but when she was still sitting, he seemed even larger. How had this man landed in her life and upended everything?
“She sounds like a bitch,” Kate joked back weakly.
“Nah, she’s okay. She’s cute when she’s asleep,” he said, bending down and giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Good night, Kate.”
With that, he disappeared into his bedroom, leaving her sitting alone in the darkened room, a little stunned.
CHAPTER12
EMILE
As usual, the cafe was buzzing with the lunchtime crowd. Emile was surprised to find that the rush energized him now, rather than terrified him. He’d done this enough times that he knew he could handle pretty much anything that got thrown at him. Which, in the case of Sophie Garcia’s toddler, Noah, was a literal threat. The boy did not like carrots, and Emile could relate. He’d learned to duck, though, so he didn’t end up with mashed-up carrots in his hair.
He caught Kate’s eye as he picked up two plates from the counter, piled high with pancakes, and the two shared a smile. Emile felt a warm sensation in his chest; they were really becoming a good team and he was pleased that he could help alleviate some of her stress. Kate was still a little bit withdrawn after her meeting at the bank, but she’d not mentioned it again, so Emile hadn’t brought it up.
“I believe these are for you lovely ladies.” Emile walked the pancakes over to the table where Donna and Betty were sitting. The two older women had taken to coming into the cafe every day, and Kate had teased him that it was his presence rather than her cooking that had them coming back. Either way, they tipped well so he wasn’t complaining.
“Oh, Emile,” Donna sighed. “We asked for waffles, not pancakes.”
“Are you sure? I could have sworn…” Emile searched for his notepad, but he couldn’t even read his own handwriting. This was also a regular occurrence; he’d not quite mastered the menu yet and it was easy to mess things up when there was so much going on.
Luckily, most of the regulars weren’t too bothered about it and even Kate had taken to affectionately rolling her eyes when she had to go back and cook something else. It was very strange being in Miller Springs, where people seemed to accept your fuck-ups as part of life rather than evidence of some deep moral failing. He guessed the stakes were lower here; Donna and Betty were retired, so they didn’t exactly mind waiting an extra few minutes for their order.
“I’m sorry, I’ll get that sorted for you straight away.” He scooped the plates of pancakes back up. He hoped Kate was feeling hungry; there was no point letting them go to waste.
“Sweetie, you’ll get it right one of these days.” Betty placed her hand on Emile’s arm and squeezed; it was disguised as reassurance but Emile was pretty sure she was using it as an excuse to subtly feel him up.
“Maybe it’s just so I have an excuse to come back over here again.” He winked at them and they both giggled. He’d realized that being a waiter wasn’t much different than being a working royal when it came to charming people and getting them on side. The same tactics worked with the customers here as they did back in Charcieux when on official meet and greets.
“I hope you’re hungry,” he said, ducking back behind the counter laden with the pancake plates. “They wanted waffles…”
“Oh, Emile. Again?” Kate sighed, but there was no sting of disappointment in it.
“On the plus side, I get to try your delicious pancakes. I think this chocolate and banana one will be for me.”
“Nuh-uh. If you’re forcing me to recook, I want the chocolate and banana. You’re getting strawberry.” Kate grabbed the plate with chocolate and banana on, and Emile pretended to pout. How could he be anything other than elated to sit in the back of the cafe with Kate, forking mouthfuls of fluffy pancake into his mouth, the sweetness of the strawberry and the whipped cream making him feel almost giddy. He’d not felt nearly as bad-tempered since he got here, he realized, as he pinched a bite from Kate’s plate and earned himself a playful swat.
When the waffles were ready, he grabbed them and ferried them back out to a very effusive Donna and Betty. He was grateful to spot Mrs. Lucas at her usual table, so he could escape the attention of his fan club under the auspices of needing to take her order.
“Oh, sorry, Mrs. Lucas. We were just taking a little break out back.”
“Were you now?” Mrs. Lucas leveled him with one of her knowing looks, which he chose to ignore. “And I thought I told you to call me Nora.”
“Not gonna happen, Mrs. Lucas.” He gave her his most winning smile. “What can I get for you?”
“I’ll just get a cappuccino, please. I’ve not got time to stop long. I’m just so busy.”
“Coming right up.”
Emile signaled to Kate over the counter for Mrs. Lucas’s cappuccino and then got to work clearing up the mess left by Noah. He may not have managed to wallop Emile with the carrots today, but he had still made his feelings known.
“Here you go, Nora.” Kate came out with the cappuccino, and placed it down in front of Mrs. Lucas.
