Page 64 of The Chef's Kiss
“Thanks. I appreciate you working with Hudson.”
“Well, he’s not so bad once he stops trying to be a control freak.”
“Thanks for giving him a chance. You’re coming to the opening tomorrow, right?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
22
HUDSON
I ran to the walk-in cooler to grab another pair of lamb shanks. They were flying out the door as fast as I could get them on plates.
“We’re out of the special, guys,” I called to my sous chefs. “Let the servers know we can only fill the orders we have. Get them to push the apple braised pork chops instead.” I dropped the shanks on the butcher’s block and went to work prepping them for the skillet. They were already cooked, but they needed a few last finishing touches while they seared in a pan of their own juices.
“Amazing opening night, huh?” Kevin said, breezing past me with a fresh pan of herb-roasted purple potatoes piping hot from the oven.
“Insane.” I grinned, tossing some butter, rosemary, and roasted brussel sprouts into my skillet. I took a breath, wiping my forehead against my shoulder. Some soft opening this was. I needed to have a talk with Jorgina about what a soft opening should be because this wasn’t it. Not that I was complaining.
I was exhausted and flying high from how smoothly things were going. At least in the back of the house, which was where I shined the most. I hadn’t even had to yell at anyone. Hardly, anyway.
The front of the house seemed to be going just as well, but I hadn’t seen much of Jorgina tonight. She was busy keeping the servers from freaking out. We had way more people show up than anyone expected, and I was certain I had Jorgina to thank for that. The people of this town loved her, and if she said, come check out this new restaurant, they showed up in spades. Even if she should have only invited close friends and family to a night like this.
“We’re out of the goat cheese blend for the crostini appetizers,” Pamela called from her zone at the cold prep station. She was doing a fabulous job plating salads and appetizers. Considering she came to us from some place called the Waffle House, I couldn’t believe how well she was doing after just a handful of days’ training, but I was thrilled to have her as part of my team. If she liked it here, I could see a bright future for her.
“Use the garlic and feta cheese blend I made for backup,” I called over my shoulder. “And the herb-roasted tomatoes.”
“Got it.” She went to work filling her orders, and I went back to worrying about what was in front of me. I loved nights like this when we were so busy no one could stop for even a second or all the balls we were juggling to perfection would come tumbling down around us. Nights when we ran out of nearly everything and had to pull out the backups and keep moving.
“Servers!” Jorgina shouted to get their attention. “We’re out of Jake’s apple crumble cheesecake, which I’m really cranky about because I had my eye on it. We’ve got plenty of the double chocolate mousse cake, so save a piece for me please! Oh, and the apple cinnamon crème brûlée is an excellent substitution for the cheesecake lovers. I had one for lunch, and it was divine.” She darted through the kitchen toward the cooler, and I gestured to Kevin to take over for me.
“Whoa, Jorgie.” I grabbed her around the waist as she slipped on the floor slick with water and a million other things we hadn’t cleaned up yet. We almost went down, but I managed to keep my footing. “Careful.” I set her back on her feet, waiting for her to catch her balance again.
“Thanks.” She grinned and clutched my shoulders for several seconds longer than necessary. “This is all kind of amazing, isn’t it?” she said, breathless. “It’s really happening, Hudson.”
“Thanks to you, we have a full house out there eating all my food.” Her excitement was infectious.
“And they’re loving it.” She moved past me, pulling me behind her into the walk-in cooler.
“Whew.” She leaned against a shelf filled with produce. “It’s hot out there.” She waved a hand against her face.
“You okay?” I leaned next to her, hoping she wasn’t about to faint on me again.
“Yep, I just needed a minute to cool off and catch my breath. And you looked like you could use the same.” She shrugged. “Gotta take a break when you can sneak one.”
I took a deep breath and sat down on a giant crate of whole chickens marinating for tomorrow’s special. “Sit.” I tugged her down beside me. “At some point tonight, you and I are going to have a celebratory drink. Mine will contain several shots of our best whiskey, and I think I’ll make you some kind of dark chocolate, caramel, non-alcoholic drink.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.” She pulled a dinner roll out of her pocket and stuffed a chunk of it into her mouth. “And dinner. I’m going to need whatever is leftover in this kitchen. I’m starving. No one ever tells you how unfair it is to be on the working end of so many people eating yummy food.”
“Don’t worry. I already made us dinner. I figured we’d need it by the time this night was over. All we have to do is pop it in the oven once everyone leaves.”
“You’re the best.” She closed her eyes, munching on her sad little dinner roll.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she swallowed. We hadn’t talked about the kiss, but I took my cues from her, and she seemed like she wanted to ignore any bit of tension between us. “Well, you are eating for two, and that snack just isn’t going to cut it.” I reached behind her and pulled down a small bin of cold bacon-wrapped figs I hadn’t decided what to do with yet. “Munch on a few of those before you go back out.” I popped one into my mouth, preparing to enter the fray again.
“Yum.” She took a handful and stood, chewing her meager snack. “I’m supposed to be looking for butter to refill the servers’ prep station.”
“Right there.” I pointed behind her, my lips twitching into a smile as she looked anywhere but at me.
