Epilogue
SEBASTIAN
“It’s the only way, Sebastian.” Felix Butler, my hiring manager, closed the folio Sienna Black’s team had put together when searching for a hot, attention-grabbing name to add to the team in my new restaurant.
The restaurant I was starting to regret ever considering opening after the disastrous months spent having my reputation destroyed online.
Accusations of food poisoning and rumors of unsanitary conditions thanks to habitually clogged pipes that insisted on overflowing.
We had come within a hair’s breadth of failing a safety inspection last week.
Here I was, a James Beard award winner, and my restaurant was losing revenue thanks to fewer and fewer guests making reservations.
We had already sunk way too much into the new location to bring an end to things now, though judging by the look Felix was giving me, not everyone shared that viewpoint.
“If we don’t pull in a name to get people talking positively, you can consider your investors a thing of the past. There’s been a lot of talk. A lot of worry.”
“They have deep pockets,” I grumbled.
“That doesn’t mean they’re in a position to start throwing money away.” He shook his head, sliding the folder my way. “This girl. Claudia Granger. She won that big baking show. She’s been on every talk show imaginable. People like her. They’ll like you due to your association with her.”
“I don’t need some flash-in-the-pan gimmick to bring in customers. The recipes have always been enough.” My glass was empty, the scotch a mere memory. I should have said to hell with the glass and taken the entire bottle instead.
“They aren’t anymore… that’s the point,” he snapped.
It was a good thing we were alone in my office, where no one else could witness his sharp tone.
“You have a decision to make, and I know you’ll make the right one.
Either you hire this woman as your new pastry chef, or you can kiss goodbye all the work you’ve put into your new location.
You can also kiss your current location goodbye while you’re at it,” he added with a scowl as he stood.
“We both know numbers are down. Do you want to wait until they’re in the toilet, or are you going to do the right thing by your employees and investors and swallow your damn pride? ”
When he put it that way, there was no choice to be made.
Opening the folder, I gazed down at the headshot clipped to the inside. That bright, beaming smile set my teeth on edge. Her peaches-and-cream complexion, golden bob, and soft, blue eyes made her perfect for television. But was she perfect in the kitchen? Not just any kitchen, mine?
I could only hope she was since I was between a rock and a hard place with nowhere to go. I could hire her as my new pastry chef, or I could go under.
Claudia Granger. You better hope you’re as good as they say you are.