Page 78 of The Chef's Kiss
That made her turn, one eyebrow raised. “I’m usually the loud scene-maker.”
“I know. You’re rubbing off on me.” I stepped toward her, ignoring the stares. “I won’t be fine if I leave. You say you don’t care, but I do. I care so much that I can’t believe I even considered the offer, that I didn’t see it before.”
“See what?” She went impossibly still.
“That every morning when I wake up, I count the minutes until I can go to work. I thought it was because the bistro is the first restaurant that has felt like mine, but it’s just a building, just food.”
“Nothing is just food to you.”
“You’re wrong. Maybe my work used to mean everything, but it has never made me smile, made me laugh so hard I could forget the world. Food doesn’t criticize me or order me around to the point I want to shake it.”
“Can we stop talking about food like it’s a living thing? It’s creepy.”
I laughed low in my chest. “You are the most infuriating person I’ve ever met.”
“Uh, thanks.”
“Please stop talking for just a minute. If that’s possible for you.”
She sent me a playful scowl and mimed zipping her lips.
“I turned down the offer.” She opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off. “I know. It’s a big opportunity, but opportunities come and go. Women like you don’t.”
Tears gathered in her eyes, and she wiped them away. “Please don’t. Don’t make this harder on either of us.” Her hand rested on her stomach, and I knew what she was thinking. How could I want her when she was having someone else’s baby?
“You okay, Jorgie?” Conrad’s arm slid around her as the rest of the Ashford family joined us. Great, just what I needed. An audience.
“Fine.” She sniffled. Her brothers didn’t look like they believed her, their glares turning on me.
“What did you do?” Conner asked.
I threw my hands up in defeat. “I came here to tell her I’m in love with her.”
No one spoke at first, and then it was all at once.
“Is this guy for real?” Carter asked.
“Let’s get you home.” Conrad tried to lead her away, but she was rooted to the spot.
Conner stared at me. “Why is she crying?”
“Jorgina,” her dad started, “this man is your boss. That’s unacceptable.”
When her grandfather held up a hand, they all quieted. “I think we should let the man speak.”
I gave him a grateful nod, but my stomach twisted. I guessed I was doing this in front of the entire Ashford family.
Cara slid her hand into Jorgina’s. She was the only person smiling.
“You’re stubborn,” I said.
One of her brothers snorted, and another laughed. The third mumbled, “Old news.”
“And you have too many brothers.” I ignored them and went on. “I hired you to run my restaurant, but you act like you run me.”
“My restaurant,” Conner coughed out. He wasn’t wrong, but I was the chef. All chefs felt some level of ownership.
“You’re smart. Much smarter than anyone gives you credit for. When you kissed me that first time, I was surprised. I didn’t know how to react, what to say. I played by the rules, and those rules said I wasn’t allowed to fall for you. But you knew. Long before I did, you knew some things are worth breaking the rules for.”
