22. Leo
LEO
Testing out new dishes made me feel like a mad scientist—and I loved every second of it.
No matter how many times I created a menu from scratch, adrenaline coursed through my veins. Would the food turn out how I intended it to? Would my vision come to life?
As I moved through the Lake Ridge kitchen, working in unison with Ray, ingredients, plates, and tasting spoons were spread out everywhere. My notepad, filled with scribbles and crossed out ideas, was on the counter, and I had a pen behind my ear for easy access in case anything came to mind.
We had a few dishes to test out before we finalized what the summer menu would be, but we’d nailed the burger.
After talking to Wes earlier this week, I knew I wanted to add some dishes to the menu that played on the food that his family enjoyed.
Hearing about how Wes’s dad Mark was known in the community for his grilling and summer barbecues confirmed that there needed to be a damn good burger on the menu.
I wanted to keep it simple with a beef patty, American cheese, pickles, and brioche bun, but also wanted to add in something that made it stand out—which was where the aioli and slaw came in.
We were going to swap it in for the maple bacon cheeseburger currently on the menu.
The hot honey sriracha cauliflower wings and flash-fried brussels sprouts had been a hit, so those were both staying.
I was switching out the salad, but I’d yet to figure out exactly what I wanted to replace it with, and we were going to add chipotle chicken tacos and coconut shrimp lettuce wraps.
“Behind!” I heard a familiar voice call, and I glanced over my shoulder to see Eliza coming through. She smiled when our eyes locked, and my gaze dipped to her mouth immediately.
It’d been a few days since we’d agreed to our arrangement, and while I’d seen her since, this was the first shift we were working together. We had about an hour or so that overlapped, most of which was the staff meeting.
“You keep staring at me like that and you’re going to make it obvious,” she murmured once she was close enough, setting down a paper bag that had Pasta Fresca written across it in cursive.
“Make what obvious?” I asked, leaning in and catching a scent of her perfume. I was tempted to wrap an arm around her waist and pull her into my chest. I was in so much fucking trouble, but I pushed that thought away deeper into my mind.
“How much you want me.” She fluttered her dark lashes, and her lips spread into a sultry smile.
“I thought that was obvious by what I’d texted you earlier.”
Her smile widened into a grin. “It’ll be late when I finish up at Lake Ridge tonight, but do you want to come over?”
“I wish,” I sighed. “Tomorrow, maybe? I’m heading up to Maple Bluffs after work to have dinner with my mom and grab a few boxes from her house.” I hadn’t been up there in a couple of weeks, so I also want to make sure the house repairs were coming along.
“Tomorrow works great. We can walk home together again.”
Home. While I know Eliza didn’t mean it like that, her words stirred something within me that I hadn’t felt in a long time. But I liked that we’d gotten into a routine of walking back to our apartments together when we ended our shifts at the same time.
“Yeah, we can,” I agreed then turned to continue cleaning before the staff meeting. “Want me to make you a burger before I put everything away?”
She shook her head. “I ate before coming here. Gran, Cooper, and I went to Pasta Fresca.”
“You ate before coming here?” I asked with raised brows. “Is the sky falling or…”
Eliza tipped her head back with a laugh. “Okay, see, I can take care of myself every now and then.” She ran her tongue along her bottom lip. “I, uh, I actually brought you something.”
I stopped what I was doing and turned toward her, surprised. “What’d you bring?”
She pushed the paper bag toward me, and I nearly missed the faintest hint of pink on her cheeks.
I peeked inside, eyebrows lifting.
“Two of my favorites. Margherita pizza and spaghetti bolognese. But you might not want to eat it tonight since you’re going—”
Her words cut off as I glanced back at her, something warm settling low in my chest. She’d been out, doing her own thing with her family, and still thought of me. Had gone out of her way to share something she loved…something she thought I’d enjoy.
Without giving it another thought, I took a couple of long strides to close the distance between us and pulled her against me, crashing my lips against hers.
She melted into me immediately, parting her lips and sliding her hands up my chest. As much as I didn’t want to stop, I pulled away before someone walked into the kitchen but kept Eliza close to me.
Her eyes were hooded and heavy as she looked up with her mouth slightly parted.
“That’s quite a thank-you,” she murmured, sliding her hand down and fiddling with one of the buttons on my chef’s coat.
“I’m very, very grateful.” My tone was lighthearted, but I meant it—and I liked that it’d meant she’d been thinking about me. “Thank you.” I squeezed her hip before dropping my hand. “I’ll have some now and then finish the rest when I get back tonight.”
“You’ll have to let me know what you think.” When the door swung open and Ray walked in, Eliza took a small step back for me. “Do you like to try food from different restaurants?”
I nodded. “It’s one of my favorite things, actually. I haven’t tried Pasta Fresca yet, and I happen to love spaghetti bolognese, so I’m excited to try it. I love seeing how chefs create a classic recipe just as much as trying food that is different and out there.”
“Sounds like we have some progress to make before you leave town.” She grinned.
I looked down at her and couldn’t help but smile. “Sounds like we do.”
“I’ll let you finish up here before the meeting. Um, I guess if you wanted to you could eat while I’m getting the bar set up? Unless you had to get going right away?”
“No, that sounds good. I think it should be a short meeting today from what Wes told me earlier.”
“I’ll see you in a bit.” Eliza gave me another smile before stepping back. She peered past me and waved. “Hey, Ray!”
The older chef grunted a hello, and Eliza made her way through the swinging doors. Once she was gone, I turned to find Ray chuckling to himself.
“What?” I asked.
He shook his head, looking at me with a grin. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”
After our weekly staff meeting, I changed out of my chef’s coat and quickly wrapped up the day before heading out to the bar. I sat on one of the stools while Eliza set up for the night.
Since customers weren’t walking in yet, I’d brought up the two to-go containers from Pasta Fresca, along with silverware, and went for the spaghetti bolognese first.
“Damn,” I hummed after my first bite, the flavors bursting on my tongue. “That’s fucking good.”
“Isn’t it?” Eliza asked with a grin. “That’s what I got today with a salad. We went when the lunch deal was still going on, and you can mix and match dishes on the menu.”
“Is Italian food typically your favorite, then?” With how passionately she talked about the restaurant and how much she enjoyed the gnocchi, I had to imagine it was among her favorites.
She tilted her head to the side, wiping down the wooden bar top. “Maybe? It’s hard to pick a favorite. I also love tacos and burgers. Oh! Indian and Thai food, too. I’ll pretty much try everything. What about you?”
“I’ll try just about anything and everything, too, but I love a good burger or Italian beef. You can’t go wrong with that, but the Italian beef has to be from Chicago. That’s a nonnegotiable.”
“Well, if I find myself in Chicago, I know who to call for a recommendation.”
Eliza and I continued chatting while she got set up for her shift. There was something peaceful and comfortable about being in her presence and this natural routine we’d gotten into. Being around her both calmed and awakened something in me.
Fifteen minutes later, I got ready to head out. With my hands on the bar top, I stood from my stool. Eliza paused wiping down the bar, her hand brushing lightly against mine, so quick no one else would notice but deliberate at the same time.
“Have a good shift,” I said, my voice low.
“Have a safe drive,” she said, eyes locked on me.
Whatever passed between us settled low and steady in my chest. I lingered a second longer than necessary then tapped my fingers once against the bar near hers before stepping back.
I was wrong.
Eliza wasn’t trouble.
She was dangerous.
I forced myself to turn and head out before I did something reckless, already thinking about the next time I’d see her as I made my way back to my apartment to drop off the leftovers in the fridge and begin the drive to Maple Bluffs.
The hour drive flew by as I listened to music and podcasts, and when I pulled up to my mom’s house, there was her car and one I didn’t recognize.
I parked behind her Honda and knocked on the door before pushing it open. “Mom?” I called as I walked inside.
“In here!” Mom’s voice sounded from the living room.
“Whose car is—” I started to ask, but that question was quickly answered when I saw my brother sitting next to her. He must’ve come here straight from work, because he was still in his slacks and button-up with his hair neatly styled. “You got a new car?” I asked my brother.
He looked up from the photos that were spread out on the coffee table. “Yeah,” he said simply. “Figured it was time for an upgrade.”
I nodded, trying to ignore the way my chest tightened when I saw him. It was the first time I’d seen him since things between Eliza and me changed. As much as I believed Colin didn’t deserve her, they’d still spent a year together, and he’d cared about her.
I cleared my throat. “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight,” I admitted.
Colin scoffed. “Good to see you, too, brother.”
“That’s not what—”
“Okay, boys,” Mom sighed. “Maybe one dinner without an argument, all right? Or at least save the argument until after we eat. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”