Chapter 74 #2
Alex blinked rapidly. “I guess you could say I’d like to try something different, though everything I put my mind to turns to gold, so to speak.”
Wow. Okay, that was different. “Sounds like you have a firm grasp on your skills. Why don’t you tell me about some of the jobs you’ve had in the past and ways you could have improved yourself… maybe a challenge you faced that pushed you outside your comfort zone?”
Alex scoffed. “Honestly, nothing has been a challenge for me up to this point. I slay any situation that’s thrown at me. That’s why I get bored easily. At least this position, working at the alpha’s estate, would be interesting.”
“I see.” I pretended to make a note in my notepad while I gathered my thoughts.
Alex’s résumé had been promising, but his know-it-all attitude clashed with my laid-back approach.
We wouldn’t be able to work cohesively, and that’s what I needed.
I was already fairly certain I would not be hiring him.
As I posed a few more questions, it became abundantly clear that our personalities would collide instead of harmonizing. I quickly brought the interview to an end.
“Thanks for coming in, Mr. Strand. Best of luck in your future endeavors.” I stood and gestured toward the door. He didn’t move, just sat there with an unnerving smile spread across his face.
“One of the staff will escort you to the front door,” I said firmly, trying not to let my unease show.
Still, Alex remained seated.
“Here’s the thing, Liza,” he began, leaning back in his chair, resting his hands behind his head, and crossing his leg.
“I’m not here for a job. Sorry. Well, not sorry.
I couldn’t give a fuck about being an assistant chef.
I faked my résumé, used my friends as references, and landed this interview.
Pretty genius, huh? I live locally and heard through the shifters that you were the mystical omega.
I’m only here because I wanted to see if you’re as magical as everyone seems to think. ”
“Excuse me?” I exclaimed. What on earth would possess someone to go to all of that trouble? “I think you’ve seen everything you’re going to, Alex.” My voice was like ice. “I think you need to leave. Now.”
“Wait,” he protested, standing up abruptly, and I jerked back. “I want to witness a miracle. That’s all. Just one little miracle.” His eyes became dazed, and a sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.
There was a security guard right outside door, but it did nothing to quell the fear that threatened to overwhelm me. This situation was spiraling out of control, fast.
I opened my mouth to call for a guard, but Alex reached for a box cutter that had been left on my desk when my extra office supplies had been unpacked.
“No!” I screamed in horror as Alex grabbed the box cutter. His hand moved quickly to his wrist. Oh my fuck, he was going to cut himself.
My cry alerted the guard outside, who burst into the room just in time. He disarmed Alex, the box cutter clattering on the floor, and pinned Alex there with it.
“Are you okay, ma’am?” the guard asked, panting slightly.
“Y-yeah, I’m fine. Thank you,” I stammered, my body shaking. Sitting back down, I tried to regain some semblance of composure.
“Is everything all right in here? I heard Liza scream. What the fuck happened?” Ty suddenly appeared in the doorway. No doubt he’d heard the commotion from upstairs in his office.
“Sir, this man tried to harm himself with a box cutter, but I managed to stop him.” The guard continued to restrain Alex, who still seemed dazed.
He had to be on something. I wanted him out of my fucking house.
I took a shaky breath and held up Alex’s résumé.
“He faked all of this just to get into a room with me. He said he’d heard from some local shifters that I’m the mystical omega and wanted to witness me performing a miracle.
” I put a hand over my eyes. “I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if security hadn’t intervened. ”
Ty knelt next to me, worry blazing from his blue eyes. “I don’t think you should hold any more interviews with non-pack members, Liza. At least our people can be trusted. Give me your list, and I’ll cancel the rest of your interviews today.”
“Maybe you’re right,” I said, still processing everything that had just occurred. But before we could discuss it further, a timid voice interrupted from the doorway.
“Excuse me? Is this a bad time?” A young redhead stood there, clearly out of place amidst the chaos. “I’m here to interview for the assistant chef position.”
My instinct was to send the girl away, but I hated not giving her a chance after she’d gone through the whole process, including the screening at the front gate. Not that it had stopped the illustrious Mr. Strand.
“Come on in.” I refused to let Alex’s actions ruin the rest of my day. “Have a seat.” I pointed to the chair across from me as security escorted Alex from the room.
“I’ll be right outside if you need anything.” Ty kissed me on the forehead, and I turned my attention to the redhead.
I flipped through my notes, suddenly flustered. “I’m sorry, can you remind me of your name?”
The girl smiled. “I’m Rosalie.”
Right. The twenty-one-year-old cook. I remembered being impressed with her résumé, but now I couldn’t help wondering if she’d also doctored her work history.
“Nice to meet you, Rosalie. Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?”
Rosalie grinned and giggled before clapping her hand over her mouth.
I was immediately drawn to her bubbly personality.
“I live here in Presley Acres and, honestly, I’ve been a big fan of yours ever since you catered an event at my aunt’s house a few years ago.
Your chicken pancetta is to die for.” She waved her hand in the air.
“Sorry, I’m already way off track. Uhm… I’ve been working as a cook at the Italian place on the edge of town.
Maybe you’ve heard of it? Bella Cucina?”
“Yes, I’ve eaten there a few times. The pasta is handmade, right?”
Rosalie nodded. “Yeah. It’s a tedious process, but you can’t beat the flavor.”
We talked for half an hour, and Rosalie impressed me with every passing minute. She was certainly a breath of fresh air after the ordeal with Alex.
“All right, Rosalie. Let’s put your skills to the test.” A challenge would determine if she was as talented as she claimed to be.
“You want me to cook for you? Right now?” Rosalie shifted in her seat, her cheeks flaming.
“If that’s okay with you.”
“Of course. I’d be happy to.” Rosalie stood and pointed toward the door. “Would you mind if I grab my cooking tools, Mrs. Keller? They’re in the car.”
A girl that traveled with her supplies? Be still my beating heart. “Absolutely. I’ll let the staff know that I’ve asked you to meet me in the kitchen. They’ll take you through. Oh, and Rosalie? Please call me Liza.”
It was just as well that I’d let Ty cancel the rest of my interviews.
Over the next hour and a half, I watched in awe and approval as Rosalie moved seamlessly from one station in the kitchen to the next.
To my delight, she whipped up a delicious dish that showcased her culinary prowess.
In fact, it was so good that I decided to offer her the job on the spot.
Ty wanted me to hire a pack member, but I had a good feeling about Rosalie.
“Rosalie, once we clear your background check, I want you to be my assistant chef,” I announced, grinning at the shock on her face. “I’ll send over a contract for you to look over, but I think you’re perfect for this position.”
“Thank you so much, Mrs.—uh, Liza. Wow, I can’t believe this is happening.
” She giggled and went in to hug me but thought better of it and extended her hand instead.
“I promise I’ll be the best assistant chef ever.
” Gratitude shone in her eyes. Something settled inside me, telling me I’d definitely made the right choice in hiring her.
A few minutes after Rosalie left, Ty found me in the kitchen. “Hey, babe. How are you holding up after everything?”
“Honestly, I’m still a bit shaken up over the fact that people are that fanatic over seeing an omega.” I held up a finger. “No, not just seeing me. They want to witness my magical abilities. Or, as that ass put it, a miracle. The lengths he’d gone to just see me… It’s fucking terrifying.”
Ty leaned against the kitchen counter. “I agree. How did the interview go with the redhead?”
I grinned up at him. “Actually, it was fantastic. Rosalie met every requirement I had for the position and then some. I even had her cook a meal for me, and it was delicious. Here.” I scooped up a bite of her food and shoved it into her mouth. “Isn’t that fabulous?”
Ty raised his eyebrows. “Wow. That is pretty damn good. So, what’s the next step? A second interview?”
“Actually, I already hired her. That is, of course, if her background check comes back clean.” I glanced up at Ty, bracing for his reaction over not hiring a Keller pack member.
He shrugged. “Well, at least the interview process is over, and we won’t be having strangers in our home…
at least for now. We’ll get some of the staff to do the deliveries.
Do you feel like you can trust Rosalie, seeing as how she’s not a member of the pack?
” He crossed his arms. “I have to admit, having an outsider in our home worries me a little.”
“I got a good feeling about her.” I was ready to argue my choice, but Ty just nodded.
“I trust your judgment, babe. I’m happy you found someone so quickly. Oh, there’s something else I wanted to tell you.” Ty moved across the kitchen and lowered his voice. “I asked Isaiah to track down the surviving members of your pack.”
My jaw dropped as Ty pulled me into his arms. It was happening. Maybe I’d meet the boy who had been haunting my dreams. At the very least, I could potentially meet people who looked like me.
Ty kissed the top of my head. “I hope you find some closure in all of this, because it seems like at every turn there’s a fresh memory that haunts you.
I know these latest memories aren’t traumatizing, but I still can’t help but feel terrible about the fact they trouble you at all.
You haven’t had a sound night of sleep in a very long time, and I feel so helpless. ”
I wrapped my arms around him and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek.
“Just remember that none of this is your fault. I’ve made peace with what happened to my pack, but I still need to fill in the empty spaces of my memories.
I may have been young when everything happened, but there’s clearly a lot I still need to know. ”
Ty was silent for a moment, then he whispered, “My only hope is that it all gives you peace in the end, because that’s all I want for you, Liza.”
Peace. That sounded lovely, yet so far out of reach.