Foxbrooke Extras

Chapter 1

1

‘T hank god you’re here.’

Leia’s mother, Jan, the cook at Foxbrooke Manor, held her tightly in a fierce hug.

Leia smelled garlic, tomato, basil and the slight hint of desperation on her mother’s apron. She disengaged before emotion got the better of her.

‘Well, it’s not like I’ve got anything else in the calendar today,’ she replied, pasting on a smile.

Jan’s face fell. ‘I’m so sorry, love.’

The two women stared at each other as invisible words, thoughts and feelings ricocheted between them.

Leia shrugged.

‘Love—’

‘Words won’t change anything, Mum,’ she interrupted, unbuttoning her coat. ‘Let’s focus on the task in hand. How bad is it?’

Jan blew out her cheeks and glanced up at the grand facade of the manor. ‘Pardon my French, but it’s a shitshow.’

‘Isn’t that what passes as a normal day around here?’

Her mother rolled her eyes as she pushed the door open.

Leia followed her down the corridor towards the manor’s kitchens, the slap of their footsteps on the stone floor accompanying her mother’s rapid-fire speech.

‘It’s always a bit crazy working here, but this bloody bug that’s going around has screwed everything up.’ Her mother shook her head. ‘Most of the staff here are off sick, all the temp staff from the agency I had lined up are down with it and Luke and your dad can’t help as they’re just as short-staffed at the factory.’ She shot Leia a look, her brow furrowed. ‘We’ve got a dinner of a hundred to cater and half the ingredients are missing because the bloody delivery company doesn't have enough drivers.’

Leia swallowed. The Duke of Somerset was a true foodie. This wasn’t good.

‘It’s okay, Mum. We can improvise.’

Her mother nodded, her breath almost matching the speed of her pace. Leia couldn’t remember ever seeing her this stressed before.

‘So,’ Leia continued, ‘it’s just the two of us then?’

‘Us two and Kenobi,’ Jan replied, huffing out a laugh. ‘He really is our only hope.’

Leia’s heart stopped abruptly, along with her feet.

‘What?’

Her mum turned. ‘Ben’s back. Didn’t Luke tell you?’

Leia shook her head. Her twin hadn’t said a word.

‘He flew in from Oz last week.’

‘But—’

‘His parents and Hazel are staying out there, but Ben says he’s back for good.’

Every synapse in Leia’s brain was in meltdown. This couldn’t be true. It had to be a joke.

‘He’s really looking forward to seeing you again. Did you know it’s been nearly ten years since they left?’

Leia gritted her teeth. She was well aware. A decade was not enough time to forgive Ben Walker. Her heart fluttered. And seemingly also not enough time to forget him.

She shook herself. ‘Mum, even if Be— he is back, what’s he doing here? Is he a waiter? Pot washer? Court jester?’

Her mother laughed. ‘No, he’s a chef.’

‘A what ?’

‘Like us.’ Her mother turned and continued down the corridor.

Leia jogged to catch up.

‘You know,’ her mother continued, ‘he said me and your dad inspired him.’

‘But he can’t cook!’ Leia spluttered.

‘Course he can. It’s what he’s been doing for the last few years, just like you. I trust him.’

I don’t.

‘And besides, it’s not like we have much choice right now.’

Leia looked from side to side, hoping to find a mirror hanging on one of the walls. She’d fantasised about meeting Ben Walker again. But in her dreams, she was poised and beautiful, the world at her feet, not make-up free and stressed out, her dreams crumbling around her.

‘Mum, wait!’ she hissed. The kitchen door was right ahead.

Her mother stopped. ‘What, love?’

Leia ran a hand over her hair, checking the bun was still secure. ‘I— I can’t.’

‘Can’t what?’

She shook her head. Ben Walker was a bale full of last straws waiting to break her back.

‘I know he and Luke used to tease you a bit—’

‘A bit ?’

‘—but he’s all grown up now. He’s not a boy anymore, Leia, he’s a ma—’

‘Massive dickhead?’

‘Leia!’

‘Mum, he was bad enough back then. He’ll be insufferable now. I can’t work with him. I can’t.’

Every muscle of her face tightened to hold back the tears. Of all days, this was the one she wanted to get through without crying. Ben would push every button, including those she’d buried ten years ago.

Her mother’s eyes creased with concern. ‘But love…’

Leia dug her nails into her palms.

‘I’m sorry, Mum,’ she whispered, her voice wobbling. ‘It’s him or—’

‘Princess!’

Her gaze snapped to the flagstones beneath her feet.

‘Kenobi!’ her mother said, with the joy of someone beholding their saviour. ‘Look who it is! Our beautiful Leia.’

‘She is that,’ a deep voice replied.

A shiver ran across her skin like wildfire, sucking out her breath. He sounded so… different . His voice was velvet, rich and dark, with a faint Aussie twang.

‘Well, er,’ her mother said. ‘I’ll leave you both to it. I’m just dashing to Castlemead Poultry and Tesco in Paulton to pick up a few more things. Text me if you think of anything else.’

In Leia's peripheral vision her mother untied her pinny.

‘I’ll take that, Mrs P.’ Ben stepped forward.

Leia stared down at a pair of nonslip black chef’s shoes and a pair of white trousers.

‘Thanks, love. I’ll be back as soon as I can.’ She paused. ‘Leia?’

She kept her eyes on the floor like a petulant teenager. ‘Hmm?’

‘Keno— Ben knows the new plan. He’ll fill you in.’

She nodded in reply.

‘Okay! See you both in a bit.’

The sound of her mother’s footsteps echoed away.

Leia’s roaring heartbeat filled the silence.

Ben cleared his throat and she tensed, trying to keep her balance as the floor seemed to tilt. His presence was overwhelming. It was like trying to stay upright in the face of a crashing wave.

‘Princess?’

Then she was drenched with the realisation that nothing had changed. After ten long years he still used that stupid nickname.

‘Don’t,’ she spat through gritted teeth. ‘Don’t call me that.’

He sighed. ‘Leia Skye Perry. It’s been a while.’

She grunted in response. Her neck was beginning to ache from eyeballing the floor for so long.

Another sigh. ‘Are you going to look at me? I won’t turn you to stone.’

Wanna bet? Your voice just turned my insides to lava …

‘Please?’

As her head raised, so did her pulse. Her gaze travelled up his legs, his chef’s trousers indecently tight around his solid thighs. His white jacket was short sleeved, his arms tanned and corded with muscle. Her journey stopped when she reached the indent at the base of his throat. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry.

Then, before she could stop it, her gaze pushed on through her fear and stubbornness to reach the top of Mount Walker.

Ohmygod .

Ben had been breathtakingly gorgeous at eighteen, with his messy dark hair, soulful brown eyes, soft long lashes and sinfully smart mouth. But he’d now grown into his looks. He was at least two inches taller, with broad shoulders that filled his chef’s whites. His skin was tanned, with a faint regrowth of stubble. Ben Walker was no longer a teenage boy. He was all man, and so hot he was making her sweat.

His gaze caressed her face as if checking everything was where he’d remembered it was. Flames licked at the inside of her skin. He looked happy, but uncertain. His lips parted, the tip of his tongue darting out to wet them.

She squeezed her thighs together and suppressed a moan.

‘Hey,’ he breathed.

She opened her mouth but at the top of Mount Walker the air was too thin to breathe properly. All she managed was a gasp.

He smiled. The brightness of it was blinding.

She blinked.

‘I’ve got a good feeling about this,’ he said, his grin cheekier than a boxful of fresh peaches.

Leia crashed back to sea level.

‘No. You are not going there,’ she replied, pushing him out of the way. Oh god, he’s so… firm…

She stomped into the large kitchen.

He followed. ‘I find your lack of faith disturbing.’

‘Seriously?’ She took off her coat, wishing she was wearing anything other than her chef’s whites underneath it.

‘Uh-huh. People are counting on us. The gal—’

‘No, Ben, the galaxy is most definitely not counting on us.’ She faced him, keeping the large prep table in the centre of the room between them. ‘The Foxbrookes are counting on us. And Mum.’

His smile was infectious. She took a step back before she caught it.

‘We’ll figure it out. We’ll use the Force.’

She looked at the ceiling and let out a growl. ‘That’s not how the—’ She broke off and levelled her gaze at him. ‘I’m not going to finish that sentence.’

He laughed, setting off butterflies in her stomach.

‘Come on, Leia, you can do it. Repeat with me.’ He lifted his hands as if about to conduct a choir. ‘That’s not how the Force works.’

She folded her arms across her chest to hold everything in. The laughter that fizzed inside her and was desperate to bubble out, the raw emotion at seeing him again, and the hot and heavy desire that ached between her legs.

‘Do not draw me into your nonsense,’ she said as primly as she could. ‘We’ve got a job to do, and apparently you’re a chef.’

He gave her a short bow. ‘I’m not just a chef. I’m an amazing chef.’

She rolled her eyes. Despite the supermodel looks and body, he was exactly the same arrogant joker who loved playing pranks on her and pulling her pigtails.

Her hand unconsciously went to the nape of her neck. She still braided her long black hair, but now secured the plait in a tight bun. Ben Walker wouldn’t be pulling anything again in a hurry.

‘So, tell me where you’ve worked. What’s your experience?’

He placed his hand on his chest. ‘You don’t trust me?’

‘I don’t know you.’

‘Princess!’

‘Don’t.’ She jabbed the air. ‘Come on, out with it. I need to know what you can handle.’

He raised an eyebrow and her underwear ignited.

‘I’ll have you know…’ He lowered his voice. ‘I’ve served hundreds of diners a night, heading up the kitchens for a multinational corporation. And I’ve been awarded “employee of the year” for the last five years running.’

Holy shit . Maybe he could cook after all.

She cleared her throat. ‘And would I have heard of this company?’

He shrugged. ‘They’re Scottish in origin.’

Hilton? Hyatt? Radisson? No, they didn’t sound Scottish.

She didn’t have time for this. ‘What’s their name?’

‘McDonald’s,’ he replied.

‘Aargh!’ she yelled. ‘I hate you!’

He cracked up. ‘I know.’

She growled at him through gritted teeth. ‘And I can’t believe you just got me to say a line from Star Wars . I take it back. I don’t hate you.’

He pouted. ‘Don’t say that, I wanted to tell you to let go of your hate.’

She gave up and hung her head. ‘We’re doomed.’

‘Doomed?’ came a voice.

She whipped around to face the second door into the kitchen as Leo Foxbrooke entered.

‘It can’t be that bad, surely?’ he asked.

Leo was the third son of the Duke of Somerset. Blond, blue-eyed, handsome, and a year and a half younger than Leia.

She crossed the room and gave him a hug. ‘Happy birthday, Leo. I promise tonight will go okay.’

He disengaged with a smile and shrugged. ‘It’s only a meal. It’s Dad who’s got his knickers in a twist about it.’ He looked over her shoulder at Ben and frowned. ‘Where’s Perr— your mum?’

‘She’s just dashed out to get more supplies. Her order didn’t turn up.’ Leia gestured towards Ben. ‘This is, er—’

Ben strode forward, his arm extended. ‘Ben Walker. You probably don’t remember me; I was a couple of years ahead of you at school. Best mates with Luke.’

Leo’s eyebrows raised in recognition. ‘Yes! I remember. You had the whole Star Wars thing going on. You were Han Solo and Luke was… Well—’

‘Jar Jar Binks,’ said Ben, nodding. ‘He was blessed with the looks and the voice.’

Leo snorted with laughter. ‘Do you still have the costumes?’

‘Yep, and I’ve got a stormtrooper outfit now as well.’

‘No way! How much did that set you back?’

‘Six grand.’

Leo whistled.

‘Australian dollars. It’s about three and a half sterling.’

‘Is that where you’ve been living? I can hear a slight accent.’

He nodded. ‘For the last ten years.’

‘And you’re a chef?’

‘Yeah, I did a three-year apprenticeship at a restaurant in Sydney and gained my level three qualification in commercial cooking and patisserie. I’ve been head chef at Monimo for the past three years and we won the Chef Hat award for the past two.’

‘Well played, man, congratulations. Are you back on holiday?’

Ben hesitated before replying. ‘No, I’m back for good.’

Leo pulled a face. ‘You chose Foxbrooke over Bondi Beach? Are you mental?’

Ben’s eyes flicked to Leia’s, then away. He shrugged and smiled at Leo. ‘My heart’s here.’

Leia’s was currently hammering so fast she was sure it was audible in another galaxy.

‘Perryyyyy,’ whined a voice from outside. ‘I’m hungreee.’

The door banged open and the youngest Foxbrooke sibling entered. Summer was blonde-haired and blue-eyed like her older brother, stunningly beautiful, and well aware of the effect she had on people. The baby of the family, she usually got whatever she wanted.

‘Oh.’ She stopped dead, surveying the room. Her eyes came to rest on Ben and didn’t move.

She batted her eyelashes. ‘I’m hungry,’ she repeated, this time sultry, not whiny.

Jealousy roared in the pit of Leia’s stomach. No way, Summer. Not him . She stepped forward as Ben took a step back.

‘Mum’s just popped out but I can rustle you up something quickly,’ she said. ‘How about an omelette?’

Summer frowned. ‘Why are you here? Isn’t today the opening of y—’

‘Summer, right?’ Ben interrupted, inserting himself between them.

Leia bit the inside of her cheek as she stared at the expanse of his back. She wanted to rest her head against it and weep.

‘Things are going to get a bit busy in here,’ he continued. ‘Can I get you a plate of cold cuts and pastries for you to take elsewhere?’

‘Summer, you can get food from the other kitchen,’ Leo huffed. ‘Let’s get out of their hair.’

‘What are you doing here then?’ Summer replied, the whine back in her voice.

‘One, to tell them twenty-three people just cancelled because they’re sick,’ her brother replied. ‘And two, to see if they could use a hand.’

His exasperated tone gave Leia strength and she stepped out from behind Ben.

‘Leo, it’s your birthday. We’ve got this. You go and have fun.’

He frowned. ‘You sure?’

‘Yes. Positive.’

He smiled. ‘Thanks, I appreciate it.’

‘Me too,’ Summer added, looking at Ben.

Ben’s eyes stayed on Leo.

‘And Estelle’s riding over from the livery stables in a bit to set the dining room up,’ Leo said. ‘So that’s one less job to do.’

‘Thanks, Leo.’

He stepped forward and gave her another hug. ‘Thank you ,’ he said before whispering in her ear. ‘I’m sorry about everything.’

She nodded and squeezed him back.

‘So…’ Summer began.

Leo pulled back from Leia and rolled his eyes. He turned and grabbed his sister’s hand.

‘Oi! I haven’t got my pastries,’ she grumbled.

‘Come on, squirt,’ Leo replied, dragging her towards the door. ‘It’s my birthday, so you have to do what I say.’

The door closed behind them, leaving a weighty silence. Why had Ben really come home? What had made him drop the life he’d built in Australia?

She looked at his profile as he gazed at the kitchen door. What was he thinking? She stared at his lips, remembering the feel of them against her own. The memories scorched across her skin. That moment, in the sweet summer darkness of the garden, had been the highest point of her life. Right up until it imploded to create a crater in her heart that she didn’t think would ever be filled.

She swallowed. ‘Ben?’

A muscle twitched in his jaw. He took a breath and turned to her, his face a mask.

‘Okay, we’re down by twenty-three covers which buys us a bit of breathing room,’ he said amiably. ‘Let me run through your mum’s plan and we can get started.’