Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jase
“The blackened green beans are running low on the banquet table, Chef,” Dani said, poking her head into the hotel kitchen off the event space where the first night of the symposium was currently underway.
She’d taken to calling me Chef tonight, I’m sure to maintain professionalism in front of her bosses and event donors, and it went straight to my dick every time. I wanted to hear her say it in that breathy cry she gave right before she came on my cock.
“Already?” I asked, soaking her in with my gaze. She was glowing, a blush to her cheeks, eyes radiant against the deep green of her sleek jumpsuit. I’d watched her all night as she coordinated every last detail of the cocktail hour, reaping the payoff of all the hard work she’d put in these last months, making it look as easy as pouring a bowl of cereal.
“They can’t get enough,” she said with a gleam in her eye, her smile just for me. It took all my self-control not to pull her into the kitchen, press her against the door, and kiss the hell out of her.
It had been like that for weeks, ever since the baby shower, my need for her a constant, tangible force trying to burst through my skin.
I’d been prepared for the opposite. For the shower to be the crack that grew into a wedge between us. But then I’d gotten home to her cooking for me, and…it still overwhelmed me to think about.
No one had ever cooked like that for me before. Sure, Aubrey and the line cooks prepared staff meals that I ate, and my mom had cooked dinners for our family growing up. But no one had ever cooked something just for me . As something nice to do, as a way to take care of me. And especially after the mess of the shower, to feel seen like that? It was more than I knew how to say.
So I’d shown her instead. I hoped I had, at least. Hoped I’d said it with every kiss and every embrace, every morsel I fed her since. And I’d continue to try, starting with doing everything in my power to make sure this symposium went off without a hitch.
“I’ll start sending out smaller batches so we don’t run out as fast,” I told her.
“Thank you.”
“Whatever you need.”
Her lips inched higher as she turned away, allowing me the briefest glimpse of her ass before the door swung closed.
“Half tray?” Aubrey asked from down the line, already pulling out more green beans.
“Yes, Chef.”
“Heard.”
A server came in with an empty tray for me to refill, and we fell back into it. Zach and Luis kept up with food prep while I worked on plating, and our well-oiled kitchen machine operated as smoothly as ever.
By ten o’clock, all the food had been sent out, including the desserts, and I was pleased with how little had gone uneaten. For one, it told me people liked it, but it also meant minimal waste of both food and money, which was how I aimed to run things.
“I liked this,” Aubrey said as we cleaned up. She stacked the empty sheet trays we’d brought from Ardena to take back with us.
This was the first weekend since we’d opened that Ardena was closed for dinner service, but I didn’t fixate on that. Jillian was right about this event being a growth opportunity for the restaurant. I chose to focus on that instead.
“What, catering?” I asked, wiping down the counters.
She lifted a shoulder. “Yeah. It still has a flow to it like at the restaurant, but I could sink into this more. Maybe because we knew what we’d be putting out instead of waiting for individual orders.”
“Probably.” Personally, I preferred the individual orders. A spike of anticipation went through me each time the ticket machine started printing, that second before the first dish came into view, when I wondered what it would be. Some nights, we sold an even spread of menu items. Others, it seemed like I cooked the same two dishes all night. Never knowing what any particular service would bring was part of the fun.
When the kitchen was in good shape, I made my way out to the event room to see how things were winding down. Dani planned to spend the night at her place since tomorrow would be an early morning and it would be easier for her to get ready there. I wanted to make sure I saw her before I left.
A couple of the high-tops scattered throughout the room still had people conversing around them, empty drink glasses in hand, but the waitstaff had cleared the rest, including the banquet tables lining the far wall. Dani slid up beside where I stood and joined me in my perusal. I crossed my arms to keep from reaching out to touch her. She clasped her notebook with both hands.
“A success?” I asked.
“Without a doubt. The food was a huge hit. Maybe you should be a chef or something.”
I stole a glance at her, catching the smirk on her lips, unable to resist staring at her for several breaths before tearing my eyes away. “You look beautiful, by the way.” I hadn’t had the chance to tell her yet tonight.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
My eyes strained to look at her again, see if a blush tinted her cheeks, but I’d have to touch her if I did that. Not want to but have to, and she was still working.
“I kind of wish you could get dressed up too,” she admitted quietly.
I quirked a brow. “Yeah?”
“I’d drag you onto the dance floor for a proper dance.”
I grinned. “You like dancing with me or something?”
She paused long enough that I finally gave in and glanced her way, expecting to find a teasing glint in her eyes. Instead, they shone with the same sincerity in their depths that filled her next words.
“Yeah. I do.”
My breath left me as the simple statement almost knocked me over, those three words electricity in my veins.
Moments like this, I wondered how much a relationship with my parents was worth.
My mom had been calling me almost daily since the shower. Alec had tried a few times as well, but I’d ignored them both, not ready to hash it out. I knew whenever we finally did, I’d walk away feeling like shit.
Dani made me feel the opposite. Like the man I wanted to become, the man I’d tried my whole adult life to be. A man I felt good about being— liked being. A man who might actually deserve someone like her.
It was sad how difficult that was for me to accept. I wasn’t all the way there yet, but I wanted to be. And it gave me an idea.
After saying good night to Dani, I headed back into the kitchen, where Aubrey was putting away the mop.
“Hey,” I said. “New plan for tomorrow.”