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He listened intently to my instructions, washing his hands all the way up to his elbows. I ran through tonight’s menu, trying to think of a job he could safely do.
“Do you want to whip butter?” I asked him.
He nodded eagerly. “Sure.”
We served baskets of fluffy, fresh-baked rolls at dinner with a dish of whipped cinnamon butter. I showed Spencer how to add the ingredients to the bowls of several stand mixers and turn them on.
“It’s three thirty, Chef,” Priscilla called from the island.
That meant it was time to kick things into gear for dinner. I had everyone’s assigned jobs written on the job board, but I also usually did a quick predinner meeting.
The servers filtered into the kitchen, and soon, the full kitchen and serving staff were waiting for me to brief them on dinner.
“Okay, everyone,” I said. “Specials tonight are steak au poivre with red wine pan sauce, roasted fingerling potatoes and creamed spinach or roasted half chicken with mushroom risotto and roasted asparagus. The dessert special is peach tart with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.” I looked down at my clipboard. “We’re out of carrots, so no glazed carrots.” I looked back up, scanning the faces around me. “Remember to speak up if you’re falling behind at your station. Go to Nina first and if you can’t go to her, find me. We go from plate to table in less than a minute. Any questions?”
“Does that tart have nuts?” a server named Jack asked.
“Our only nut-free desserts are vanilla ice cream with berries and apple dumplings. Everything else is prepared in a space where there are nuts. All allergens for the specials are listed on your cards.”
“Thank you, Chef,” Jack said.
Caden walked through the double doors to the kitchen, his brow furrowed. “Has anyone seen a little boy? Nine years old, wearing glasses and a white T-shirt?”
Every head in the kitchen turned to Spencer. My eyes widened.
“Thank God,” Caden said, opening one of the double doors and calling out. “He’s in here!”
“Get to work!” I told everyone as Holt ran through the doors into the kitchen.
I didn’t want everyone witnessing my second humiliation in as many days.
“Dammit, Spence!” Holt hugged his son tightly and then bent down to his level. “I was so worried. You can’t just leave like that.”
“Sorry, Dad. I thought you’d say no.”
I approached Holt with a look of apology. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed he told you where he was. That’s on me.”
Holt shook his head adamantly. “No, it’s on him.” He gave his son a stern look. “I told you to let me know where you are at all times, and I told you not to come in here and bother Shea while she’s working.”
“It wasn’t a bother at all,” I said. “He asked, and he’s been very polite and helpful.”
Nina tugged on my elbow and when I looked at her, she shook her head almost imperceptibly.
I immediately understood my friend’s unspoken message: stop undermining Holt while he’s trying to tell his son something important.
Damn. If I wasn’t dumping food all over him, I was putting my foot in my mouth. I zipped my lips as Spencer looked up at me, his eyes filled with tears.
“Sorry, Miss...Shea,” he said.
“Miss Grady,” Holt corrected him.
“Miss Grady.”
I wanted to talk to Holt about this in private, but the activity in the kitchen was ramping up, and it wasn’t the time or place.
“It’s okay, Spencer,” I said gently. “I enjoyed having you and I appreciate your help.”
He looked away, and I was pretty sure he was embarrassed to be seen crying. My heart broke for him. He was a sweet, earnest boy.
