Chapter 37
JESS
August
‘Well, my wonderful, clever sister!’ Robyn engulfed me in the biggest hug imaginable. ‘You’ve done it. You pulled it off!’
‘Full.’ I managed to get out from the depths of Robyn’s arms. ‘The restaurant’s been full again. Full, Robyn!’ I reached for my bottle of water, a constant necessity when working in a hot kitchen.
‘Tell me about it!’ Robyn’s face was a picture.
‘Fabian’s just had me up there, waiting on.
’ She pulled an arm across her forehead.
‘I only called in to see how it was going and the next minute he’s handing me pudding plates and shouting “Hands” at me and “Table four” and it all sort of came back.
You know, being a waitress again? Like I’d never been away from Graphite in Mayfair. ’
‘Bet you never thought you’d end up as a waitress again. Mind you, you are on holiday from school. Teachers, huhhh!! What a life!’ I laughed at Robyn’s face.
‘There’s always planning to be done,’ Robyn said primly before squeezing my arm in excitement. ‘I bet you never thought you’d be in The Good Food Guide so quickly.’
‘Well, only an article about current new restaurants.’ I tried to play down the fabulous article that had appeared within a week of the restaurant’s opening. ‘And, of course, the very famous Fabian Mansfield Carrington is always newsworthy.’
‘You don’t think it’s going to bring more trolls to the door?’ Robyn asked, anxious now. ‘Fabian does have a tendency to downplay what’s gone on up here.’
‘Who knows? We’re still not sure if it was trolls or Darren Singleton’s heavies who tried to frighten Fabian away. More than likely the latter, I’d have thought. Although, of course, it could be locals not wanting Kamran to develop more of the village.’
We were both quiet for a few seconds, mulling this over. Then Robyn lowered her voice, nodding towards the kitchen area where Fabian and Sandro, with two apprentice chefs, were finishing off and clearing up. ‘I really like Sandro. He’s great, isn’t he?’
‘He is. He’s a fabulous chef. No side to him. Bloody hard worker and a total perfectionist. Told Fabian off earlier about his presentation.’
‘He didn’t! That’ll upset him. He’ll be practising when he gets home, making sure he gets it right next time.’
‘He’s good fun though, is Sandy. Kamran had to pay over the odds to get him here, but his clients have followed him over from Harrogate. Anyway, early days, but he seems to have settled – actually really likes Beddingfield, he says. Looking for somewhere to rent in the village.’
‘So, your place then?’ Robyn gave me a sly dig in the ribs.
‘I’m not having another lodger. I’m more than happy to have Joel with me…’
‘You know I don’t mean that!’
‘I know exactly what you mean.’ I elbowed Robyn back.
‘George took Fabian and me to show how he’s getting on with his farmhouse,’ Robyn enthused. ‘Wow! What a position. What a place. Fabian is so envious!’
‘Arthur loves it too.’ I grinned. ‘I can’t get him home when he’s out there helping George.’
‘And Lola?’
‘What about Lola?’
‘She OK with you and George?’
I nodded. ‘She and Arthur are with Dean today. Looking forward to starting at Beddingfield High in a couple of weeks and thoroughly over the top that Mum and Kamran are flying her out to Paris in Kamran’s plane in the morning.’
‘Lucky girl! She’s not heard from Ruby?’
‘No, not a word. Poor Ruby. As far as George knows, she’s under the guardianship of her maternal grandparents and will be shipped off to boarding school in September. Where she’ll probably cause havoc. I’m so glad she won’t be starting high school here with Lola.’
‘I’ll bet.’ Robyn folded her arms. ‘So, George…? Come on, tell all. I mean, you two can’t keep your hands off each other…’ She broke off as the man in question came through the front door of the restaurant, holding it open as the last of the diners finally left.
‘Come on, Jess, you’ve been here long enough,’ George ordered. ‘You’ve been here since this morning.’ He reached down to plant a warm kiss on my cheek.
‘I smell of garlic and oil,’ I protested.
‘You smell heavenly.’ He laughed. ‘I could eat you all up.’
‘Oh, for God’s sake, put her on the menu and have done with it.’ Robyn was laughing now, breaking off as Sorrel appeared from the upstairs restaurant.
‘You OK?’ I asked my little sister. ‘Been a long, hard shift.’
‘Blimey, never thought waitressing would be such physical hard work,’ Sorrel breathed, reaching for her own water before offering it to Joel, who’d appeared from the kitchens where he was employed as kitchen assistant and general dogsbody.
‘Done more steps today than what they put us through at school. Good tips though.’ She grinned.
‘Pay for some new tap shoes – mine are wearing out.’ She reached over to give Joel a kiss.
‘OK,’ Robyn said, ‘lift back to Mum’s, Sorrel? And Joel? Back to Jess’s?’
‘He’s coming with me,’ I said, frowning.
‘I think George has other plans for you, Jess.’ Robyn nudged my arm.
‘Absolutely, Jess.’ George was at my side. ‘You’ve worked ten days in a row without a break. It’s Sunday tomorrow and you’re having the day off.’
‘Can’t have the day off when it’s all so new,’ I protested.
‘Oh, yes, you can, Jess-i-ca!’ Fabian and Sandro sang in unison as they joined us, removing hats and sitting with a bottled lager each. ‘Do as you’re told, and whatever George has in mind for you.’
I turned, looking directly into the eyes of the obnoxious one. No longer objectionable, but desirable, pleasant and more than agreeable. I had a whole raft of words to describe George Sattar who, unbelievably, appeared to feel the same way about me as I did him.
‘You’ve moved on up, Jess,’ Robyn whispered into my hair before heading off to sit with Fabian and the others. ‘You’re just where you want to be. Just where you deserve to be.’
And I was. I don’t think I’d ever known such happiness, such contentment. I gazed round at my family, my restaurant and my man.
‘Home, George,’ I said, taking his hand. ‘And don’t spare the horses…’