Page 36 of The Chef's Kiss
“I just came here at Conrad’s behest. I suggest you call him.” He turned toward the door and stopped. “It’s good to see you back in town, Jorgina. I won’t tell anyone.”
Once he was gone, I leaned against the side of my bed. “I am such a jerk.”
It took all my effort to push to my feet, and the ground swayed beneath me, my vision going hazy. I collapsed back onto the bed and had the brief thought that I should let Hudson know I couldn’t start today before falling asleep again.
* * *
A weight dipped the bed, and I groaned. “Go away.”
Someone’s breath rustled the hair by my ear. “No.”
I lifted a hand to push Colin’s face away, thinking it was a dream. “Sleep time.”
“It’s past one in the afternoon.”
It took a moment for his words to register, and I shot straight up in bed, my head aching at the movement. “Crap on a crapstick. I’m late.” Alarm bells went off inside me. “Colin!”
“That’s my name.”
“What are you doing here? How did you get in? If my dad sees you …”
“Relax, Jorgie. He’s not home, and your maid left for a late lunch break. I parked behind the barn so no one would see my car.” He pulled something off the end of the bed. “I come bearing chocolate.”
My stomach gave a sudden and startling growl. “I’m starving.” And I was eating chocolate for two.
He pulled out something wrapped in foil. “I also brought you a burrito.”
“Will you marry me?”
“Only if you move to Hidden Cove.”
I grimaced. “I think I’ll take my chances on perpetual singlehood.” At least I wouldn’t be alone. My hand rose to my belly, and Colin followed the movement but didn’t say anything about it.
“I need to go.” Hudson was going to straight-up murder me. It was my first day, and already I’d dug my own grave. Great.
My stomach was still queasy but less than before I got some food into it.
Colin reached out to steady me. “You sure you can go anywhere? I figured we could Netflix it.”
“I have to.” Back in the day, we were the masters of binge-watching TV shows. “Adulting and all that.”
“Adulting is overrated.”
I took another bite of the burrito and tugged on his hand. “Go bring your car around. You’re driving me. I just need to change.” There was no time to shower or make myself look any less like death, but it wasn’t like there’d be customers there today.
By the time I’d slipped into a pair of my favorite stretchy black pants that were formal yet felt like yoga pants, I was an hour and a half late. I quickly changed my shirt and yanked a brush through my tangled hair. Giving up, I tied it back into a bun before scrubbing my teeth and gurgling way more mouthwash than my mouth could handle.
Colin sat nervously behind the wheel in our circular drive, but I knew our staff wouldn’t mention this to my dad. They were scared of him.
I jumped into the fancy sports car—wasn’t really sure what kind. “Please drive fast.”
We sped away from the estate. Orchard Hill wasn’t far since they’d built it on land once owned by my mother. I directed Colin past the baby orchard that hadn’t yet produced apples, through a maze of maple trees.
When we finally pulled to a stop outside what would become the restaurant, I didn’t have a moment to think because Hudson walked outside talking to Lena. They both turned to stare at us.
“I’m in trouble.”
Colin glanced sideways at me. “You look awful. Just tell them you’re sick.”
