Page 7 of Summer Savory

Chapter Five

Nora

Ididn’t know what the hell I’d gotten myself into. Despite wanting to spend as much time as I could with him, I couldn’t believe I’d agree to a date with Reese Marlowe. It was against everything I knew to be right. But, I didn’t care. I wanted him. I wanted to get to know him and finally enjoy myself for once in my life. I wanted to be selfish and put my happiness above work, which was something I’d never allowed myself to do before.

Well, I’d set myself up to be selfish and enjoy his company. Professionalism be damned. I’d tried to avoid Dawn for as long as I could, but I knew she’d eventually catch up with me. I only hoped to plan what I would say to her when the ragging began, and begin. It would. It didn’t take long for my prediction to come true.

Suddenly, she appeared. Dawn grabbed my hand and said, “I know you’re the boss, but I’m calling it. You’re done for the night. Come with me.”

“Where are we going?” I asked, wriggling myself free from her grasp, amazed at the strength possessed by a person so small.

Despite my best efforts, she dragged me out the door and across the way. As we crossed the path separating the dining area and the employee lodging, she explained. “We’re going to your cabin to find something decent for you to wear. You can’t go anywhere looking like that… and smelling like a kitchen.”

“What’s wrong with smelling like a kitchen? That’s what I smell like, and he’ll just have to get used to it if he wants to be with me.”

“It’s one thing to smell like vanilla or something sweet like that, but it’s quite another to smell like a deep fryer, Nora. What time is your date again? Oh yeah, 10:00. What are you wearing? You’re not planning to wear your chef’s coat, are you?”

“I’m not planning to wear anything special. No, not my chef’s coat, but I certainly don’t mean to get all dressed up. We’re just going to have a late supper.”

She sighed, disapproval apparent in her tone. “It doesn’t matter where you’re going or what you’re doing. Put in some kind of effort, Nora. You two have been pining over each other since you met.”

“We have not!” I said, indignant.

“Yes, we have. Or, at least I’ve been pining over you. I don’t know exactly what you’ve thought of me, but I’ve wanted to be with you from the minute I saw you. I hope you feel the same.” The young lady who was with her when I walked into the room vanished.

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