Theo waited to make sure the man left the deli before he returned to his seat and met the innocent gaze of Ms. James. Well, she wanted it to be innocent. He had his doubts.
“You were about to tell me why you really want to hire me. I think I just figured it out and, lady, I’m not interested. But thanks for the lunch.” He prepared to stand, but her small hand covered his on the table.
“Please don’t let my imbecile of an ex-husband chase you away. I really do need you. I wasn’t lying. From your references I’ve no doubt you could cook rings around Jason.”
“You really expect me to believe it’s my cooking skills you’re interested in? After that little show? I may not be the brightest bulb in the room, but I’m not that stupid.”
Theo had taken about all of this he could. He’d let the man insult him and hadn’t thrown a single punch. Now she expected him to sit here and believe her lies? No. He was outta here. Again, he placed his hands on the table and started to push to a stand.
“What other skills would I possibly be interested in? We already decided gigolo was off the table.”
Her gaze was confused yet light. Obviously, the woman was made of stronger stuff than he thought. He watched her for a moment then folded his hands on top of the table. Could she seriously have no idea what he was talking about?
“Earlier, at the gym, you mentioned my skills. The way you said it, and the fact you were in a place obviously out of your comfort zone, I thought you were referring to why I was in prison. After meeting your ex-husband I thought …” he let the sentence trail off on purpose to see if she understood.
Her eyes narrowed a little as though she was thinking something through, then they widened.
“What? You think I wanted you to…No, I can assure you nothing like that ever crossed my mind.”
“Really? After the scene I walked in on at the restaurant and then the little performance by your ex here, I wouldn’t be surprised.”
She looked like she was ready to choke and then shook her head. “I get it. You’re teasing me because I lied to Kevin about you being my head chef when you haven’t accepted the position yet. I am sorry about that, but it would have taken forever to get rid of him otherwise. But seriously, people don’t think that way, do they?”
Theo stared so hard his eyes hurt. Even his wife hadn’t been this naïve. “No, I wasn’t teasing, and yes, people do really think that way.”
Her head tilted to the side and that damned soft smile he’d noticed too many times appeared on her face.
“Well, I apologize for the ridiculous situations you’ve had to deal with, but I do not think that way. My best defense against people like Kevin and Jason is to succeed. It’s not even revenge I’m after. I don’t need to one-up him or anyone else. I just need to keep my grandparents’ dream going. That will be success enough for me.”
Again, Theo considered her in silence. Deciding he couldn’t make himself any clearer, he would have to accept she meant what she said. Or at least pretend to for the moment. Then he remembered something the other man said.
“What did he,” Theo asked nodding toward the exit, “mean when he said you know how you get?”
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to keel over on you or anything,” she said with a short laugh.
Her comment, though he imagined was meant to put him at ease had the opposite affect. His entire body tensed. The last thing he needed was to be around someone who might die at the drop of a hat. He’d already lost the only two people he’d ever cared about. He didn’t want to watch anyone else die. Pushing down the immediate need to protect her from whatever might be wrong, he concentrated on what she was saying.
“It isn’t anything,” she said, looking intently at him. He realized his odd sense of concern must show. “I just tend to act impulsively when I get angry. Most of the time it works out okay, but once in a while I regret my actions.”
The relief that flooded his system almost burst from him in a sigh, but he squelched it.
“Impulsively, as in hiring an ex-con for a head chef?”
“No,” she said, so emphatically, Theo almost believed her. “No, more along the lines of doing something totally unnecessary and sometimes stupid. You know, blowing a weeks salary on an afternoon at a spa when the rent is due. Or stomping around my apartment screaming at the top of my lungs like a maniac and spewing all the meanest things I can think of about whoever I think did me wrong, then feeling so drained I want to sleep for a week. That kind of thing.”
Resting his forearms on the table, Theo leaned forward a little and watched her do the same. “I find it hard to believe that a man would say something like that if there weren’t something more serious going on.”
“That’s because you don’t know Kevin,” she whispered as if they were conspiring about something. “He loves the dramatic. He also doesn’t like it when I get angry because it’s usually related to him or something he did.”
Her light-hearted manner made him lean toward believing her. Besides, he had seen her facing down a jerk trying to attack her. If she were going to have a heart attack or seizure it would have happened under the stress of that, right? Okay, he would let that concern go. Hell, there wasn’t a good reason to turn down her offer. Even if it turned out she was lying, he would get some time in a real commercial kitchen for a while and a paycheck.
“So, you need a cook?” he asked, though he believed he was jumping from the sizzling frying pan into the fire.
The smile that broke across her face filled him with hope for the first time in a very long time. Stupid, but he couldn’t help it.
“No, Mr. DeLeon, I need a head chef. I know you haven’t given me a resume,” she said. Theo started to interrupt her, but she held up her hand. “Our mutual acquaintance gave me some of your background. I made some calls this morning before finding you at the gym.”
“How did you find me?” He realized that was a question he should have asked earlier.
He watched her spear another piece of fruit and pop it in her mouth before she answered. The fork dangled between her fingers as she spoke. “Marcy, she’s one of the nurses at the prison you were in,” she said. “She told me you had mentioned coming to Britenville when you got out and your penchant for beating up on defenseless hanging bags.”
The errant thought that her smile could be considered contagious wove through Theo’s mind. Fighting the urge to shake his head and knock the stupid thought away he simply waited for her to continue. It took a moment before she realized he wasn’t going to laugh at her intended pun. No one had ever accused him of having a sense of humor.
“Anyway, I thought about it and remembered the gym near this deli. I took a chance.”
“Let me get this straight. You had no idea who I was, took a shot in the dark where to look, and the first place you tried you found me?” She grinned and he groaned inwardly. This was going to be bad.
“Okay, I said a prayer, too. It never hurts right? I guess God decided it was my turn.”
Prayers had never done much for him, but she believed in silver linings, too. Who was he to burst her little bubble? He dropped that line of questioning and moved on to the references she’d mentioned calling. Theo wasn’t fooled. He knew two of his previous employers wouldn’t have given glowing recommendations. His brother-in-law would gladly ruin any job prospects, though his reasons had nothing to do with Theo’s capability in the kitchen. Theo held no ill will toward him, he was still grieving over his sister, probably always would. Then there was the executive chef at his last restaurant. He and Theo hadn’t seen things eye to eye very often. When Theo was arrested the guy had been relieved to be rid of him. No, he didn’t believe she was hiring him from his references.
“I happen to know all the references you may have called and at least two of them would not be favorable.”
“Yes, well, I’m sure there are a few people who wouldn’t give me glowing recommendations either, but that’s life. You can’t make everyone happy. The majority of your references made a point of saying they were sorry when you left. That says more to me than those who were less complimentary.”
Theo popped the last bit of his sandwich in his mouth while he considered Ms. James. He still had doubts, especially since that guy had stopped by.
“What about Kevin?” he asked, waving his thumb toward the door.
“What about him? He has nothing to do with our discussion. The Silver Lining is my restaurant. I say who works there. Unless, that is, you would rather work at his. He runs the Raging Inferno that I mentioned earlier. He hired Jason away.”
Theo shook his head. “I meant, you two have a relationship. I don’t want to be dragged into some romantic--”
“Hold it right there. Romance has nothing to do with this. I was married to Kevin, but he decided he wanted someone else. Water over the bridge or under it, I always get that saying messed up. Anyway, I’m not interested in having him back, or replacing him.”
He believed her. Having watched Kevin during their conversation earlier, he knew the man didn’t agree.
“He wants you back.” Theo knew it was true. The only thing that surprised Theo about any of it was that the jerk had cheated on someone like Gabrielle James. Her burst of laughter caught him off guard. It took her a moment to answer because she seemed to find his comment so amusing.
“You couldn’t be more wrong. Kevin has everything he wants. A restaurant, a wife who gave him a baby right away, and freedom to live the high life he thinks he deserves. I’m not on his list of wants.”
“You’re blind if you think that’s true. Is that why you want to hire me? To make your ex jealous?”
Oh, he’d made her mad with that one. He almost grinned at the sudden flame lighting her eyes. Good, that meant she wouldn’t think about what she said, so it would probably be the truth. Then the flame banked as quickly as it had flared to life. Calm seemed to settle over her. She leaned forward resting her chin on her palm and shrugged.
“You got me. I want to use a giant, handsome, man like you to make that slimey-snake-in-the-grass jealous so I can have him back.” She cocked her head to the side. “In what universe would that make sense? Don’t even give me the ex-con line again. You have more morals and respect for people than Kevin ever had for anyone besides himself. Plus, I told you already, I’m not interested in revenge or romance. I don’t have time to devote to a relationship right now. My business is my focus that’s it. Although, I suppose I should be totally honest with you if I want you to work for me.”
Finally, Theo thought, still a bit confused with her compliments or was it sarcasm? He wasn’t quite sure how to take her explanation.
“Kevin, as I said, hired Jason to work at his restaurant and then had him leave early to purposely put me in a bind. He wants my restaurant. If he can create some catastrophe that will keep me closed until I’m broke, he will. What I’m saying is, you could be getting yourself in the middle of a takeover war.”
“You think he’s trying to run you out of business?”
“It’s nothing I can prove. He’s much too slick for that, but yes.”
Theo chewed on his lip while he thought about that. Helping someone keep their business? That was a fight he could handle. “I still think you’re taking too much risk hiring me. When my past gets out, and I’ve no doubt it will, it could ruin your reputation.”
“It will take Kevin more than an afternoon to get any information on you if he even makes the effort. Believe me, he isn’t really good at follow through. That means, by the time he does you will hopefully prove your worth in the kitchen to my staff and customers. I think my reputation can live with that.”
Reservations clanging loudly in his head, Theo held his hand across the table. “I’ll take the job.”
Gabrielle almost sagged with relief. Instead, she grasped his hand firmly and shook it.
“Welcome aboard. I can tell you still have reservations. I don’t blame you, I would probably think twice. If you like, we can set up a temporary arrangement. I’ll work up a three month contract. That will give both of us time to see if we can work well together and time to find someone or something else, while still covering our respective responsibilities if we don’t.”
She watched Theo nod his agreement. Although he had accepted the job, his reluctance was still clear in the hard set of his expression. Gabrielle had a suspicion his reluctance had more to do with her than anything else. Why though?
Ask him.
Barely stopping herself from rolling her eyes at her subconscious nudge, she did as suggested.
“What is it you don’t like about me?” His eyes widened and he swallowed the drink he’d taken with difficulty.
“Excuse me?”
“You ignored me at the gym, tried to shoo me away, and tried very hard to be so rude I would run away with my tail between my legs. My guess is you only agreed to the meeting to get me out of the gym and maybe a free meal. So, I ask again, what is it you don’t like about me?”
He chewed on the inside corner of his mouth again. She’d noticed him do it earlier while he was thinking. Damn it, she needed him to agree.
“Look, nothing says you have to like me to get the job. Heck, I don’t even spend much time in the kitchen, so you won’t have to deal with me a lot. If that’s what is holding you back from saying yes, don’t let it. My ego can take it if I’m not your favorite person. I just need someone to run my kitchen.”
He shrugged and leaned forward again. “That’s fair enough, but it’s not you in particular. I don’t really like anyone. It isn’t usually a problem in kitchens because how I treat my co-workers depends on how well they work. If people do their jobs, I don’t have any issues with them. Otherwise, I keep to myself.”
Gabrielle relaxed a bit with the explanation though she had no doubt there was more to it. “From what little I know of your life the past few years, that’s understandable. Plus, as I said before, I’m not looking for someone to replace Kevin, and I don’t need a friend. I need a good head chef. Do we have a deal?”
He nodded.
Gabrielle realized she was getting all the benefits and hadn’t really offered him anything. “I suppose I should have told you the salary you can expect before I pushed you to accept.”
“I’m sure it will be fair. Anything is better than the zero I’m making right now.”
She relaxed. If he could joke about it, she could let it go. “Great, I promise, it will be fair. I don’t take my responsibilities to staff lightly. So, I guess since we’ve finished lunch we should get back to the restaurant so I can show you where you’ll be working. Suzette, who Kevin and Marie mentioned, is my sous chef. She should be there already, and will be able to show you around.”
After waving goodbye to a busy Marie, Gabrielle led her new chef out of the deli. She felt like she was walking on air. Not only did she have a new chef so service wouldn’t be interrupted; but energy zinged through her at beating Kevin for a change. Things were definitely looking up.
She managed to harness her nervous energy for an entire two store fronts. She couldn’t take the silence that Theo seemed comfortable with any longer than that. She figured the restaurant’s history was a good topic since he would be working there. Besides, she loved to tell the story, even an abbreviated version.
“As I mentioned earlier, the restaurant belonged to my grandparents. They opened it back in the late 1950s. It was about half the size back then. They didn’t rush into expansion either. The small size fit them for a long time. In the 80s the store beside them closed and went up for sale. They bought it, broke through the wall and doubled both the dining area and the kitchen. The place has survived even during tough financial times. They never closed their doors.”
“That’s quite a feat for a restaurant now days.”
Gabrielle smiled. From someone who knew the business that was high praise.
As they reached the door she stopped and turned to him. “Let me be the first to officially welcome you to the Silver Lining.”
He nodded and she thought she saw a hint of a smile, but couldn’t be sure. The man definitely played his cards close to the vest. Turning she unlocked the door. He pulled it open before she could grasp the handle. “Thank you.”
After they both entered, Gabrielle twisted the deadbolt since they wouldn’t open for several more hours. When she turned, Theo still stood just inside the entry. She almost bumped into him having expected him to look around.
“You’ve seen the entry, and my office is down that hallway as are the customer’s restrooms. We have a small bar here in the front. It’s used mostly for folks waiting for their tables, but now and then we have a few people just come in for cocktails. Through here is the dining room.”
Theo had glanced inside earlier. Now, his more thorough inspection didn’t disappoint. The bar was beautiful made from brass and polished wood. A true piece of art, and old. People didn’t make things like that anymore. It was small, but serviceable for a small number. He turned and followed Ms. James into the dining area. The floors were dark wood, polished to a high gloss. The dining area was two tiered, separated by a gorgeous, hand-carved if he didn’t miss his guess, railing that remained open at either end to make movement easier on servers. The tables were all covered in gray table clothes overlaid with a white cloth. Each had a centerpiece created by a glass chimney stuffed with a white pillow substance and silver taper. She definitely had the cloud and lining theme down pat. He followed her past the wait station, which he noticed was well stocked and neat.
Then she pushed through the kitchen doors.
For a moment, Theo remained on the other side, almost afraid it was too good to be true. Could he really have a job in a restaurant kitchen again?
Gabrielle’s strawberry blonde head popped back out. “Are you coming?”
Theo flexed his fingers a few times and nodded. He stepped forward, “Yes.”
As he entered the kitchen he took a deep breath and held it. Heaven couldn’t smell this good. Onions, basil, and cheese. He could smell several different varieties of cheese nearby. Forcing his attention from the delicious aromas, he looked at the kitchen. The basic layout was good. He would have to check out the menu before deciding how the stations needed to be repositioned. He had no doubt they would though; the people working in there now were already bumping into each other and they were just doing prep work.
His perusal of the kitchen took everything in. He had worked in a few phenomenal kitchens in New York. This didn’t run in the same league as those, but it was good for a mid-size white-tablecloth restaurant in a small city. There was a lot of work to do to bring it up to where it really should be. The appliances and tools were all quality, but nothing appeared to be kept the way it should be. Gabrielle James should count her blessings she lost her previous head chef. He obviously didn’t care about his kitchen. Gabrielle’s voice pulled him back from his mental critique.
“Theo DeLeon, this is your sous chef, Suzette Martin.”
“What happened to Jason? I thought he still had a week before he left,” Suzette asked, while wiping her hand on her apron and extending it toward Theo.
Waiting for Gabrielle to answer the question, Theo concentrated on Suzette. Her handshake was firm and sure. The woman was self-confident, so why hadn’t she been asked to take over as head chef? It couldn’t be education, he didn’t have any. All his skill came from experience.
“Jason decided to cut his notice short,” Gabrielle said. Theo didn’t miss the quick glance his way. Hey, if the lady wanted to play it down that was her business. “Luckily, I’d already found his replacement and he is willing to start today. Can you show him around, Suzette?”
“Sure. We’re still waiting on some of the produce to arrive so we can finish prep.”
“I’ll talk to you again in a little while after you’ve had a chance to acquaint yourself with the kitchen and staff,” Gabrielle told him before walking back through the kitchen doors.
Theo turned back to face Suzette. “You still don’t have your produce for tonight? That should have been here hours ago.”
“I agree,” she said, her tone easy, not tight as if she were offended. “Unfortunately, Jason took care of all of that and wouldn’t allow anyone else to even have an opinion. The businesses he used seem to think a restaurant doesn’t need to do any prep work before they open. Although today is later than usual, they never got here more than a couple of hours or so before we open.”
“Can you show me where the paperwork is?” Theo followed her toward the back door, which swung open as he was looking over the clipboard full of orders.
Theo turned a curious eye toward the man standing in the opening. The box he held looked beaten up. “Can I help you?”
“I’ve got the produce order.”
“Set it here.” Theo pointed toward a stainless steel table and followed the man to check the delivery. “You’ve got to be kidding. You expect me to approve this shipment? Half of this produce is rotten.”
“I’ve got four more boxes.”
“Not for here you don’t. Take this and the rest back where you found it. We’re not excepting the order, and we’re not paying for it,” Theo said.
“You have to. Jason said--”
“Jason doesn’t work here anymore. I’m in charge and I’m telling you we don’t want this trash.”
The man grabbed the box and stalked to the door. “Good luck finding anyone else to supply you at this late hour.”
Theo turned back to a room full of wide-eyed workers.
“Tell me that isn’t the quality of produce you’ve been using here.”
Suzette shrugged and Theo wanted to groan out loud.
“Jason didn’t take well to being questioned or criticized. If you didn’t like what he did, he offered to show you the door. We all needed our jobs. Be that as it may, what are we supposed to do for tonight’s supplies? We’ve got three hours before the doors open, no produce, and if my guess is right, the meats are in low supply as well.”
Theo plowed his fingers through his hair, closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. When he opened his eyes again, the entire staff looked like they wanted to run. Did he look that angry? He was, but not at them. They were doing what they were told. He blew out a breath and clapped his hands together.
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. You two,” he said pointing at the two staff members who hadn’t said a word yet, “have you done inventory before?”
One nodded.
“Okay, you two do a quick basic inventory of dry goods and regular stock. You’ve got twelve minutes, go.”
“Yes, chef,” the two chorused and took off. The one who had done inventory, before grabbed a clipboard and told the other one what to do. Satisfied they could do what he’d asked, Theo turned to Suzette.
“Suzette, you and I will do produce and meats. Then we’ll go over the menu and see what we can manage. After that we’ll split up the chores. I’ll have you shop; you do have signature privileges for purchases?” She nodded. “Okay, good. I hope you have a better eye for produce than your previous chef did.” He caught a slight grin
“I figured as much when Marie Salvio sang your praises earlier. While you shop the rest of us will get this kitchen in order. When you get back we’ll have to work fast, but I’m counting on you all to step up and make Ms. James proud.”
“Yes, chef,” Suzette said.
Twenty minutes later Theo, along with his staff, had a plan for the evening’s meals. He’d had Suzette, who told him the other suppliers hadn’t been any more reputable, call and cancel the shipments that were late anyway. He then called the Salvios and got some contacts from them who could give them what they needed for tonight. Then, he sent Suzette off to get the produce and other supplies they would need to round out the inventory. After that, he looked through a rack of chef coats, found one that fit well enough, and got busy with preparations. The kitchen was in worse shape than he’d first thought. He started to wonder if Gabrielle James had a clue about running a restaurant. Or maybe she’d put too much trust in her head chef.
By the time Suzette returned and the other suppliers had delivered some meat and poultry, Theo and the rest of the crew had the counters scrubbed and a few stations rearranged for better flow. It wasn’t everything he wanted to change, but it would get them through their first night. If they could pull it off with all the difficulties they’d already had, he’d be thrilled.
Around four Theo left the kitchen to check in with Ms. James one more time before they opened. The minute he stepped into the dining area he heard raised voices. One he recognized as Gabrielle’s, the other also sounded familiar, but he couldn’t place it. He knew they didn’t open for half an hour, so it wasn’t a customer. At least he hoped she didn’t talk to customers that way. Then he remembered walking in on the previous chef’s attempt to hit her. His pace increased. As he got closer to the front, the identity of the other person became clear. Gabrielle’s ex.
“The keys, Kevin.” Gabrielle stood with one hand held out and one hand on her hip.
If Theo didn’t miss his guess, she was mad as a hornet. The air around her seemed to shimmer with the angry heat rolling off of her. Having met her ex earlier, Theo fully understood.
“Calm down, Gabrielle. You know it isn’t good for you to get so upset. Think of your health.”
Theo froze at the mention of her health. He’d watched both his mother and wife die before his eyes. He wasn’t sure he could handle watching the life of another woman fade from her eyes.
“Oh puleeze. The only thing wrong with me is the frustration you’re causing. Give me the keys, Kevin, or I’m calling the police and having you arrested for trespassing.”
Kevin’s complexion went from what Theo considered his normal pastey-white to flaming-red furious in the space of a few seconds. He leaned a little closer. Obviously, he was trying to scare her with a hard stare. Theo had a feeling Gabrielle James was tougher than that. She lifted her outstretched palm a little higher. Theo grinned.
His grin vanished when Kevin slapped the keys into Gabrielle’s hand. Theo clenched his hands into fists with the force of that slap. He wasn’t sure how he kept himself from rushing across the floor and giving the man a lesson in how to treat women. Something in Gabrielle’s stance told him interfering wouldn’t be appreciated.
“Fine, kill yourself. See if I care,” he said before turning and storming out the front door.
Theo started to walk closer, but Gabrielle still stood with her hand stretched out, staring at the man’s retreating figure, as if determined not to let him know she was relieved. When he couldn’t see Kevin any longer, he saw all the starch leave Gabrielle’s body. She leaned back against the bar and threw her head back as if looking at the sky. Though worried something might really be wrong, there was also the possibility she just needed a minute to calm her nerves. He watched for interminable seconds, ready to rush forward if she collapsed. A moment later she released a loud sigh and pushed away from the bar.
“Everything okay?” Theo asked, walking fully into the bar area. She whirled around glaring at him.
“Spying on me?”
“No, ma’am,” Theo said, holding up his hands and stopping several feet from her. “I know you can handle yourself. You just appeared a little, uh, irritated?”
Her humorless laugh told him he’d played his cards correctly.
“Irritated? I think you need to fine tune your emotion radar. Furious would be a better adjective. I swear that man can push my buttons faster than my father, and that’s saying something. It’s also sad,” she said, turning away and walking to the door. She turned the lock.
“Sad?” Theo asked, while berating himself for doing so.
Gabrielle turned back to face him and offered a small smile. “Yes. It’s sad that I let people who don’t matter get under my skin so easily. I don’t mean my father, of course. But that man, aughhh, he’s so not important.”
Theo knew he needed to tread carefully, but he really needed to know if she was being honest. If she still loved this guy, then he would have to think long and hard about staying. The last thing he needed was to be in the middle of a lover’s quarrel. The last time he’d stuck his nose in one, he’d ended up in prison for three years.
“Why was he here?” Theo decided that was as innocuous a question as he could start with.
“To drive me insane and hope I will hand over the restaurant?” she asked, then waved a hand in the air. “Never mind, my foul mood is not your fault or your problem. To give you a real answer to your question, I don’t know why he was here, but while he was here I made sure he gave me back his keys to the restaurant. I can’t believe he actually thought it was alright for him to come in when we are closed. Worse than that, I can’t believe I forgot to get it back before now; like when I threw him out.”
Theo didn’t want to touch that subject, so he didn’t say anything.
Gabrielle shook her head. “I guess I didn’t think about it, because it was never an issue. He hasn’t come around until now.”
“Maybe because he had your chef in his pocket and believed your restaurant would fail. Now that you’ve hired someone else, he’s not sure where the restaurant stands. He could have been trying to figure out if you’re doing well or if he needs to try something else.”
“Like what?”
Theo shrugged. “I don’t know the man. You tell me.”
She shook her head again. “My guess is he just wanted to push my buttons again. I thought about what you said earlier when he interrupted our lunch. I suppose it is possible he wants me, but not because of some undying love. It’s more like he just doesn’t like to lose. I think he got the message now.”
“Yeah, he looked like he was ready to explode. Would he have made another set of keys? Or does Jason have any?”
“No, I made sure to get Jason’s back. I doubt Kevin would think ahead enough to make an extra set, but I can’t be sure. I probably should have had all the locks changed before now, but with the divorce, and then my dad, I was barely able to keep my brain working on the basic restaurant stuff. Unusual things like the need to change locks didn’t even register. But, my brain is fine now, and ready to take on anything or anyone. ”
“That sounds like you have a plan, I’ll leave you to it,” he said, and turned to leave.
“So what did you want?”
Theo turned back to her. “Excuse me?”
“Why did you really come out here? Is there a problem in the kitchen?” she asked glancing at her watch. “We won’t be able to open tonight after all.”
“What? No, we’re fine.”
Her gaze became more intense. “Then I ask again, what did you want?”
“I really was coming out to see if there was anything else I needed to know before we open. Then I’ll admit I heard the raised voices and hung back.”
“To protect the helpless woman?”
Theo shook his head. “No, I told you, why I was in prison remember. I didn’t want to get in the middle of a lover’s quarrel.” He held his hand up when she opened her mouth to interrupt. “I’m sure you can understand that’s how it looked from my point of view. But, I accept now that I was wrong. I know you can handle yourself, as I already said. So, is there anything else I need to know before we open?”
At four-thirty the first order for the night was placed and at eleven the last order went out.
Theo’s back ached and his feet hurt. He hadn’t taken time to go back to his room to get his kitchen shoes. There really hadn’t been time since they had to procure supplies. He was exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. And he was damned proud of the crew.
“Well, I’d say that’s a wrap,” he told them. “Other than cleaning up your stations, the only order I have left for you is to go grab a cold one from the bar and put it on my tab. Great job everyone.”
They all stood there and stared at him. Suzette was the first to shake it off.
“You heard the man, great job. Now, one of you get the brews and bring them back here so we can enjoy them while we finish up.”
Since they seemed to respond to her suggestions, Theo didn’t question them about their reaction. He’d wait until everyone but Suzette was gone and ask her. Or, maybe by the way she was grinning and shaking her head as she walked toward him, he wouldn’t have to.
“Chef, I think you’ve just earned the undying devotion of every crew member here,” she said quietly. “That’s the first time most of them have heard praise in this kitchen. Thank you.”
Theo stared down at her. “I can’t believe Ms. James would let such bad practices go on in her restaurant.”
“Gabrielle didn’t know most of it. She’s had a lot on her plate lately and I didn’t want to add to it. Her dad just had an accident a few weeks ago to top it all off. Then there was Jason’s defection. Not that I was sorry to hear about it, but a kitchen needs a head chef.”
Deciding he really shouldn’t judge without knowing everything, he let it go. “Well, everyone did a great job tonight. They deserve the praise and the beer. Now let’s get this kitchen cleaned up so everyone can go get some much deserved rest.”
Gabrielle finally had a free moment to go back to the kitchen after locking the front door. As she pushed through the swinging door, she saw Theo closing the back one.
“Everyone’s gone?”
He turned and she thought he looked tired but much more relaxed than she’d expected.
“Yes, Suzette was the last to go. You’ve got a great sous chef there. The woman is plenty skilled to have this position. Why didn’t you offer it to her?”
“I did, but she didn’t want it. She has a family and said, though the money would be good, the sous chef was more than enough responsibility for her right now. I’m glad you like her. I’ve always found her to be a hard worker and willing to do anything that’s needed.”
Theo nodded and smiled. Wow, did the guy have a killer smile.
“They all stepped up to the plate tonight. As far as I can see the only person who didn’t work in this kitchen was the head chef. We need to have a serious discussion about suppliers. That can wait for tomorrow though. I’m beat. Do you need me to go with you to the bank before I head out?”
“That would be great, thanks. I’ll grab the deposit bag and meet you back here. I’m parked out back.”
As she walked back through the quiet restaurant it hit her. She’d gotten so caught up in paperwork and phone calls she hadn’t even talked to Theo again. The man had gone to work immediately without so much as signing a W4. Lord, he must think I’m such a ditz, she thought shaking her head. Well, at least she could give him a lift home, wherever that might be.
When she walked back into the kitchen, he was leaning against one of the counters rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt. “It’s getting cool outside. You might want to leave those down,” she said. She’d grabbed a sweater herself.
He shook his head. “I can’t stand them down around my wrists. Besides, it will feel good to cool off. Kitchens are pretty hot places to work on slow days, and we were quite busy.”
“It is Friday,” Gabrielle said smiling as he held the door for her. She turned and locked it after he exited. “I have to admit, we haven’t been quite this busy in a while. It felt good, but I didn’t mean to abandon you like that. I kept getting interrupted and the next thing I knew we were open and the people just kept coming. Thank you for rescuing my restaurant.”
“It’s been a long time since I enjoyed myself that much. Thank you.”
Gabrielle was glad to hear sincerity in his voice. Maybe the temporary part of their agreement would become permanent. He did seem to like the kitchen staff. That was already more than Jason ever did. Shaking off the negative thought, she backed out of her parking space.
“The bank is just down the road a couple of blocks. I usually go alone, but I think I should at least give you a lift home. You’ve more than earned that.”
“You really shouldn’t be taking the deposit by yourself at night. I’m not saying you have to take a man with you, but you should have someone with you.”
Gabrielle laughed at the clarification. She had no doubt he meant it should be a man with her, but he was trying to be diplomatic about it. She gave him an A for effort.
“I know, and sometimes I do, but I don’t always take a deposit at night. Quite often I just lock it in the safe in my office and do it the next morning. Since we aren’t open for lunch that’s a good option for me, and it means no one can really know when I am taking a deposit because it’s always a different time.”
She appreciated his nod. Why his approval mattered didn’t make sense, but for some reason it did. She pulled up to the night deposit slot, put the car in park and got out. When Theo opened his door and climbed out as well, she was surprised. Most people just sat in the car scanning messages on their phone or impatiently waiting for her to finish. She had to admit, having him standing by the car watching the area while she unlocked the slot and put the money bag in did make her feel better.
When they climbed back in she turned to him. “Okay, where to?”
“The gym,” he said.
“You’re actually going to work-out after the day you just put in?”
He shook his head and her earlier image of a lion popped in her mind. His hair, which he’d tamed by tying a bandana around his head in the kitchen, now sprang to life with his movement.
“No, I’ve put in enough time today. As I told you earlier, it’s where I live. I haven’t found an apartment yet and the owner of the gym is renting me a room by the week. To be honest, I’d circled the ad for an apartment at your restaurant’s address. It must have been a misprint.”
Gabrielle couldn’t believe her luck. A chef and tenant in one shot? It was too much to hope for, but she did anyway.
“Nope, it wasn’t a misprint. There are two apartments above the restaurant. I’ve been looking for a new tenant for one of them for a month now. I thought with the college starting back up, I might get some bites, but it’s too far from the college for most of the kids, I guess. If you’re interested I’d be glad to show you around tomorrow.”
“Okay,” he said as she pulled up in front of the gym she’d found him in earlier in the day. “I wanted to come over early to discuss some of your food suppliers.”
Turning in her seat to face him more fully, she frowned. “Yes, Suzette mentioned you refused several shipments today. How did you manage to get the supplies you needed to produce the delicious smelling food that was served tonight?”
Theo grinned. “Mrs. Salvio. I knew she would be able to help me with some suggestions. They have a good reputation and the food I noticed in their kitchen the day I helped out was high quality.”
“I should have known. Marie has always been there when I needed help with something,” she said, then frowned. “I’m embarrassed that you found the kitchen in such a mess. There’s no excuse for my lack of attention to it. I should have kept a better eye on things. I guess I expected the chef to make sure it was taken care of, when obviously it’s my job.”
“No, it’s his. Yes, you should probably check up on the chef a bit more, but a good head chef should want his kitchen running like a well-oiled machine. He or she should also want the best ingredients the restaurant can afford. There’s no excuse for what your last chef was accepting.”
“Except maybe my ex-husband set him up to it, but,” she said, holding up her hand to stop both her whining and the comment on the tip of Theo’s tongue. “That’s all in the past. I need to let it go and move on. So, tomorrow whenever you want to come over, I’ll show you the apartment. Then I’ll have a contract ready for you to review for the position and maybe a lease as well. After that we can discuss suppliers, menus, and anything else we need to do to get the restaurant up to par again. Oh, and come to the back. There’s a buzzer that rings in both the kitchen and my office.”
Theo nodded and climbed out without a word. Gabrielle thought he was going to close the door and walk away when he leaned down and looked back inside the car.
“Thanks for giving me a chance,” he said, then closed the door before she could comment.
Gabrielle had to admit she was a bit surprised by the comment. He’d been so difficult to convince this morning she never expected a thank you. She chuckled as she pulled away. Her mind went back to what he thought she wanted from him other than his cooking skills. As she drove into the parking area behind the restaurant it hit her. He really thought she wanted him to kill someone. What was the world coming to?