Chapter 4 #2
“He’s the one that convinced your dad to give me a chance when I was finally back on my feet. He vouched for me and even though your dad knew you and I had history, he trusted Dave and that was enough to get me in the door.”
Lily bit her bottom lip and something deep inside his belly tightened. Because he knew that look. She wanted to say something but was stopping herself.
“What?” He raised an eyebrow and stared at her until she finally looked back over at him.
“My dad doesn’t know what happened between us, at least he doesn’t as far as I know, because I never told him. I never told anyone anything except that we broke up.”
His heart gave a painful squeeze and he wanted to go to her side but there was a wariness in her expression that kept him rooted to the spot, “Lil…”
She waved him off before he could utter more than that one syllable, “I don’t want to talk about that. Not now. Like you said, it’s been a long time. Just… tell me the rest of the story about you becoming head chef.”
He didn’t want to. He wanted to apologize for being an idiot when he was younger. He wanted to apologize for being an idiot even now. Because she deserved the truth, and he deserved to be the one to tell it. But if she wasn’t ready for that discussion yet, he could give her this one.
“Not much left to tell.” He shrugged. “I started out as a busboy and I worked my way up. I worked hard. I took extra shifts. I stayed late to learn from the older guys and I showed up early if I thought I could get extra time in the kitchen. I fell in love with cooking and your dad seemed to understand what it meant to me so when Dave retired I stepped up and when your dad wanted to take more time for himself, I was the logical choice because I’d proven he could trust me. ”
He didn’t miss the flash of hurt in her gaze and he knew what she was thinking. He wasn't the logical choice. Not really. Not when she should have been the first and only choice to take over the kitchen. Instead of letting that sit on either of them, he did the only thing he could and made a joke.
“It probably helped that I already knew how to make the signature Montcrief lemon tart.”
Lily smiled and his heart stuttered at the sight.
Because they both knew that she had taught him that particular secret family recipe.
Not here, not in the kitchen at The Mont, but on a quiet night similar to this one, when they’d had the house to themselves because her parents were at an event or something.
It had been their anniversary, and just a few months before he would go and ruin everything between them.
She’d taught him how to create the delicate pastry and then he’d made love to her as if they had all the time in the world because back then, he’d thought they did.
Lily cleared her throat and looked away and he knew from the flush in her cheeks that she’d been remembering that night too.
Their past was all around them. It was everywhere they turned.
And he would have to address it sooner or later but since she’d already shut him down once he decided not to press her on it just yet and instead focused on the present and finding out all he could about the woman the girl he’d loved all his life had become.
“What about you?” He asked nonchalantly.
“What about me?” She countered.
“Tell me about your life. Is working in a five star in a big city everything you ever wanted and more?”
“It’s the best.” She smiled wide and he saw straight through the lie.
Unlike him, she’d never been any good at it.
“Oh yeah? So you love New Orleans?”
“Of course. It’s a beautiful city.” She started scooping chopped vegetables into a bowl without looking at him.
“It’s a party town from what I hear. You go out a lot?”
“I have some friends from school who live in the area and there’s the crew from the restaurant of course.”
He didn’t miss that her answers were short and vague and realized that Jay had been right.
After his friend had delivered the second plate of lemon tarts to the table he’d come back with the news that the Montcrief’s were arguing about more than just him being named head chef.
Jay had said he overheard Lily saying she hated her job in New Orleans and wanted to come home.
The words had filled Myles with a hope he hadn’t dared to let grow but now that he had her talking, he thought maybe, just maybe, they might get their second chance after all.
“Do you still see the old gang from high school?” Lily countered before he could prod her further.
“It’s a small town.” He shrugged.
“So you still see Asha then, how’s she doing?”
The words felt like a blow to the gut and from the way Lily tilted her chin up defiantly, that was exactly how she’d meant to deliver them.
She’d felt him getting closer to something she didn’t want to discuss and this time instead of simply shutting him down, she’d dug up their past and thrown it in his face to remind him of just why he didn’t get to know about her life anymore.
He should have known it wouldn't be that easy, not with his Lily. If he was going to win her back, win her over, he’d have to confess to all his sins and grovel. But on the other hand, if she was still upset with him about that, it meant she still cared, right?