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“Everything’s great. I need to call a meeting. Everyone who’s here should meet me in the kitchen in five, okay?”
She nodded. “I’ll get front of house there.”
I pushed my way through the swinging door and into the kitchen where I found Jeremiah working on a sauce at the stove and calling out orders. The way the staff responded with a resounding “Yes, Chef” after each instruction made my chest swell with pride. I’d built this. I wasn’t abandoning it, I was just bringing it to another group of customers. Besides, I’d definitely be back often.
I placed a hand on Jeremiah’s shoulder and he looked at me, confused. “Chef, I didn’t know you’d be in tonight.”
I shook my head. “I’m not. Just calling a quick meeting. Can I talk to your kitchen staff?”
He nodded and kept stirring his sauce so it didn’t burn. “They’re all yours, Chef.”
The staff crammed into the kitchen in minutes and soon their eyes were all on me. I clapped my hands together. “Okay. Thanks everyone. This will only take a minute.” Nerves fluttered through me. It wasn’t all that different from the night I’d opened this place. “I have some news. I’m sure you’ve noticed I’ve been gone a lot lately, and Jeremiah has been doing an awesome job at running the show. That said, I’m leaving Vegas for a few weeks.”
There were murmurs and a few gasps and I waited for everyone to settle back down before continuing.
“I’m not leaving forever, so don’t worry too much. As you might know, I’ve been talking about opening a new location for a while, so I’m headed to the East Coast to scout some locations and see what I can find out there. Jeremiah and Cara are here for you while I’m gone. Any issues, you turn to these two. Any questions?”
A round of “no, Chef” rose up and I dismissed the team back to their stations. “Cara, Jer, can I speak to you two?”
Jeremiah pointed at one of his line staff. “Stir this for me. Don’t let it burn.”
We stepped aside and I looked at them both carefully, trying to read their faces. Neither seemed concerned at all, which was a relief. They both looked at me expectantly while I gathered my thoughts.
“I won’t take much of your time. I just wanted to thank you both for everything you’ve done—and everything you continue to do—to keep Hidden Cove running smoothly. I’ve been pretty absent this past week or so, but you two have kept things going. I wanted to let you know I’ll be increasing your compensation, especially considering the changes we have in motion. I also want you to each hire someone to help with your own roles. This way, you’re not shorthanded while I’m gone and you can each focus on some of the administration I’m leaving behind.” I stopped talking and waited for them to respond.
Jeremiah nodded and exhaled slowly. “Gotta say, Chef, it’s a relief to know I’m going to be able to hire some help here. We’ve been slammed in the kitchen without you. Losing a set of hands has been tough.”
“Well, I’m glad it’ll help. Remember, you set the standards here. Don’t hire anyone who won’t—”
“I’ve got it covered, Chef.”
I grinned at him. “Then I guess you’d better get back to your kitchen.”
He put his hand on my shoulder. “Thanks, Chef. Good luck location hunting.” Jeremiah turned and hurried back to his sauce, shooing away the person who’d been stirring it.
I looked at Cara. “Any questions or anything?”
She hesitated for a second. “Is it the guy who kept calling and asking for your personal number?”
With a laugh, I nodded. “It is.”
“Good. You deserve to be happy again, Chef.”
I resisted the urge to hug her right there in the kitchen where everyone could see. “Thanks, Cara.” I glanced at the clock, which hung on the wall near the door. “I’ve gotta run now. Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything at all. You two are in charge, but I’m not abandoning you. Hear me?”
“Heard, Chef.”
My chest was light and warm as I walked out of the restaurant. It felt final somehow, even though I knew I’d be back in a week or two at most. I got in the car, more sure of myself than I’d been in years, and headed toward the hotel where I knew I’d find my husband waiting for me. I wasn’t going to tell him my plans just yet. I needed to wait to hear if the changes were approved and then I was going to try to surprise him on the flight back to Virginia—if there was still a seat on the flight, that was. I didn’t want to get his hopes up if it didn’t all work out, so for the time being, I had to keep my lips sealed.
Chapter Sixteen
Cam
Insteadofgoingoutto dinner with my friends on our last night in Vegas, I ordered room service and watched a movie while I waited for Oliver to arrive. I was excited to see him again, but there was also a sense of dread forming in the pit of my stomach, while my shoulders and chest grew tight with tension and sadness. I didn’t know if I was ready to say goodbye yet. He hadn’t mentioned staying married and he’d called this our last night together. I wasn’t ready for the fairy tale to end, but I knew I didn’t have much of a choice.
A gentle knock on my door, followed by his quiet voice calling my name, alerted me to his presence and I got up and let him in. He stood in the doorway, his dark hair tousled, holding an overnight bag and looking uncertain, with his brow furrowed and a frown on his lips.
“Hey,” he murmured.
