"Good. You more than proved yourself Sunday night."
I felt like he'd wrapped a warm blanket around me. "Thank you."
"What are the plans for this weekend?"
Once I'd walked him through each dish, he said, "That's great. This whole situation isn't at all what I'd planned but I think having the tastings is a good thing for Magma. You get tons of chances to try new dishes, and then we can make adjustments for the real menu."
We? I didn't want Kegan making changes to the dishes themselves, but I doubted he planned to be that involved since he hadn't changed any of them so far. Figuring he meant "we" as in "everyone on staff", I said, "For sure."
We arrived at the first site to find four men waiting for us. Kegan did quick introductions. "Gentlemen, Mary is Magma's chef."
Despite how many times he'd introduced me that way on the weekend, it still gave me a shiver of delight to hear him say it. Magma's chef.
I smiled, and he went on. "Mary, this is my lawyer Max and my real estate agent Kurt. John here is the owner of Franklin Contracting, and Lou's the interior designer who made Steel so gorgeous."
Everyone shook hands with me, and Lou said, "I had help with that, of course," with his eyes firmly fixed on Kegan's face.
To my surprise, Kegan's neck turned red. "Absolutely." He paused. "How is she?"
"She's great. A full designer now, specializing in retail. She won't be here."
Kegan's flush moved up onto his ears. "Understandable, since this isn't a retail outlet."
Lou gave a slow nod, then turned to me and smiled. "Well, let's go look at your two possible new homes, shall we?"
I smiled back, trying to hide my confusion. Who was she and why did the mere mention of her make Kegan blush?
And why did I care?
I didn't, of course, so I said, "Absolutely," and the five of us headed into the restaurant.
The poor space had been a "Bucky the Bunny" children's restaurant, decorated in sickly sweet pastels like an Easter egg factory had exploded, and it still reeked of cheap French fries. I tried to look past all that, though, to the bare bones, and what I saw I wasn't sure I liked. The restaurant was smaller than Steel, which I knew was Kegan's intention so that Magma would be gloriously intimate. That was all right, but the main dining area had several awkward angles to its walls, the kitchen was barely half the size of Steel's, and the ceilings seemed to be crushing down on me.
Once we'd seen everything, Kegan walked us down the street to his other option. I looked up at the sign proclaiming it "Wong's Oriental Buffet" and wondered why the former owner hadn't specialized in a particular cuisine. When we got inside, I further wondered if the former owner had any idea that "Oriental" encompassed many cuisines and countries. Everything remotely Asian had been all wedged in together: red and gold paint and wallpaper adorned with dragons and origami and vaguely Chinese-looking symbols.
"Mary, you look like how I felt when I first came in here."
I turned to see Kegan smiling at me. "How's that?"
"Confused about what culture this is supposed to be?"
The other men and I laughed and I said, "Completely. What is it?"
Kegan's smile widened. "Asian cuisine as interpreted by one Luigi de Luca."
John said, "An Italian guy?"
"Yup. I guess he ran lots of different restaurants in Italy but when he got here he thought there were too many Italian places already so he decided, and I quote, 'People eat that Chinese food, right? Thought I could sell tons of it.'"
We all laughed, and Lou said, "He'd have done better if it actually had been Chinese. I ate here once and the food was terrible."
The color scheme had to go immediately, but I felt at home in the space despite that. As we wandered around I could see myself here, much more than at the first one, cooking in the antiquated but spacious kitchen or coming out to see patrons in the high-ceilinged dining room. Every part of the place felt right.
After we'd finished the tour, Kegan said, "Well?"
John had noted some areas that weren't in great condition but thought they could be repaired fairly easily. "I have to say, though, I think the first place is a better buy."
My heart sank, and sank further when the lawyer agreed and gave a bunch of reasons why. I didn't have any reasons why not. I just knew it didn't feel right to me.
Kegan nodded. "Lou, they clearly both need your help, but what do you think?"
"I can work with either. I do think this one's easier for me, since the dining room is more of a regular shape, but the other has more options for creating private corners and I know you want those."
Another nod, and Kegan turned to face me. His eyes searched my face and I saw them warm. "You like this one, don't you?"
I nodded.
"Why?"
Feeling awkward with all the professionals watching me, I said, "The first one was weirdly shaped and had those low ceilings. This one..." I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I don't know how to say it. It just feels right."
His focus hadn't moved from my face. "I know. I felt the same way when I saw Steel for the first time."
"You did?"
He shot me a wink, which sent an unexpected ripple of energy down my spine, then turned to the men. "Gentlemen, this is Magma. Make it happen, okay? I want to open by Valentine's Day."
Delight flooded me, but even as they gave way with good grace and confirmed that February should be fine I had to say to Kegan, "Are you sure?"
"Are you sure?"
I looked around, and my mouth pulled into a grin I couldn't hold back. Not a single doubt in my mind.
"I'll take that as a yes. I was leaning this way anyhow, and if you like it that much then I'm convinced I'm right. We're right. Max, I know Luigi's away until Thursday night, but set up a meeting with him for Friday around eleven and do all that law stuff fast so these guys can get Magma whipped into shape, okay?"
Max laughed. "Law stuff. If I didn't know you were a lawyer I wouldn't believe it."
I looked up at Kegan, startled, and he said, "I did all the schooling, with this guy in fact, but never took the bar exam, so legally I'm not a lawyer. But I could be."
"You could also stab yourself in the eye, but you don't want to do that either, right?"
Kegan grinned at Max. "Exactly."
Wondering why Kegan would spend the time and money to go through law school when I knew he'd always wanted to own a restaurant, I realized that Max might present the perfect opportunity for me to handle a certain unpleasant task I'd been putting off for months. "Max? Can I ask you a question?"
*****
"How are you?"
I sat across from Kegan and realized he truly wanted to know. How sweet. "I'm okay, thanks. It was weird, but it had to be done."
Indeed it did. I'd asked Max to recommend a divorce lawyer, then called the Linda he'd suggested on the way back to Steel from the new Magma site and made an appointment for Thursday after lunch. I hadn't wanted to wait even those few days, but it had given me time to email Charles so he'd know I planned to file. I hadn't expected him to mind and sure enough within a few hours he'd sent back, "Go ahead."
I'd spent an hour with Linda, who bore a startling resemblance to Ally McBeal right down to the too-short skirt, and while I hadn't much enjoyed discussing my marriage's demise I'd also found it surprisingly cathartic. Getting it all out in the open made it so clear to me that Charles and I had been doomed from the day I'd given up my dreams of the culinary academy for him. I'd resented him and he'd expected my sacrifices to continue and none of that was a solid foundation for a marriage.
Since we had no children and didn't own any property, and I didn't want spousal support, Linda said there shouldn't be any complications. Charles would be served with the papers shortly and would have thirty days to demand different terms, although I couldn't imagine what terms he'd change: insist on giving me money? Then I'd pay Linda to file the final paperwork in January after we'd been separated a year and a few
weeks later I'd be divorced.
I'd never wanted to be a divorcée, but it was better than staying married to Charles, and I felt lighter and more relaxed now that the wheels were in motion.
Kegan smiled at me. "I'm glad it wasn't too bad. Now, Lou's sent over a bunch of paint samples for Magma. Want to take a look?"
I pushed the divorce stuff from my mind. "Absolutely." I dragged my chair around to his side of the desk.
He spread out easily fifty paint sample cards, all in deep smoky grays and silvers. "What do you think?"
Running my eyes over them, I said, "They're pretty dark, aren't they?"
He tipped his head from side to side. "Yeah, but I think it'll work with my idea."
On Monday, Kegan had driven me back to Steel, where we'd worked for a few more hours, then surprised me by suggesting we go out for dinner to celebrate Magma's acquisition. We spent most of the meal discussing potential Magma redesigns, and he'd eventually come up with a dormant volcano theme. "Probably. I didn't realize you wanted it to be that dark."
"Close your eyes."
I obeyed, and he said, "Picture the place. Don't imagine all those dragons though."
I giggled. "No worries. They're too ugly."
"Exactly. Okay. So the walls and ceiling and floor are dark and light-absorbing. The lights are pretty low too, so it almost looks smoky. And then around the walls instead of a baseboard we have a single row of tiles that look like they're red-hot metal. Like lava trying to break through. That's the only hint of heat in the place. And your food provides the real heat."
His words drew the picture behind my closed eyelids. I could see it, and I loved it, especially the last part. When he stopped talking, I kept my eyes shut for another few seconds so I could admire the view, then opened them. "Gorgeous."
He grinned. "I'm pretty proud of it, I have to say. Lou thinks it'll work, too, which is saying something. He was leaning toward a Middle Eastern spice market kind of color combo, all reds and ambers, but I like this better."
"Me too. Way less predictable."
He smiled, and we examined and discarded paint samples until his phone rang. "Hey, Carolyn. Really? Damn. I guess we can't play then?"
He listened to the caller, but I felt his eyes on me and looked up from the samples.
To the phone, he said, "Well, maybe I do. Hold on." He covered the phone and said, "Do you swim?"
I nodded. "I was a lifeguard in high school and I swam a few times a week before moving here."
"Are you free tonight?"
"Other than working on some recipes, yes."
He smiled. "Then maybe I can borrow you. My underwater hockey team needs a—"
"Your what?"
The smile widened. "That's exactly what I said when I first heard about it. It's fun, though. And we need another woman tonight or we'll have to forfeit the game. Want to play?"
"I might be terrible, though. I haven't gone swimming in a while."
"At the risk of sounding offensive, we just need a female body. Even if you're bad at it."
"Now why would you think that might be offensive?"
He chuckled. "You in or what?"
Hanging out in a swimsuit with my boss had never been high on my list of things to do. But underwater hockey? I had to check it out. "Sure. I'll need to go home to get my suit, though." And to shave my legs, which were more than a little overdue. When nobody's seeing them, it's easier to let them go.
"No problem." He uncovered the phone. "Carolyn, I've got us a former lifeguard. My new chef. See you tonight."
He ended the call and said, "Back to the paint."
I laughed. "How can I think about colors when I'm still trying to puzzle out how underwater hockey works?"
"You'll find out tonight. It's pretty simple, really."
I shook my head. "Sounds insane."
"Well, that too."
We worked through the samples until we'd narrowed it down to three, then he said, "How's about you go home for that bathing suit? Towel too. The pool doesn't supply them. We can grab a quick sandwich from Mildred for dinner before we go."
I shook my finger at him. "As long as it's an hour before we swim."
He laughed. "Yes, Miss Lifeguard."
Jimmy caught me at Steel's front door. "I haven't seen you in a while."
No, because I'd been avoiding him. He creeped me out. "I've been busy."
He laughed. "I bet. I still can't imagine what you did to change his mind."
"Nothing." I hitched my bag up onto my shoulder, wishing we weren't alone. "I need to get going."
He shifted slightly, blocking my exit. "Any guy who gets whipped that easily, well, I can't respect him."
"Whipped?" As soon as the word came out of my mouth I realized what he meant, and my face blazed with embarrassment. "He is not—"
"Pussy-whipped, I mean." Jimmy made a revolting whip-crack sound and hand gesture. "He doesn't have the balls to stand up to you."
Feeling even worse now that he'd oh-so-helpfully spelled it out, I said, "I have to go."
He laughed. "Not denying it, eh?" He moved closer. "You must be something else in bed. I can't think of anything else that would have changed his mind."
So many disgusting concepts at once. That I'd have sex to get a job, that Kegan would have accepted that deal if I'd offered, that I couldn't get a job on my non-sexual merits, that this troglodyte felt he had the right to talk to me like this...
And that I didn't know how to stop him.
I wanted to slap his face, but decades of "be a good girl" training meant I couldn't do it. I felt my hand twitch at my side but I couldn't bring it up. "I have to go," I said again, hating how weak my voice sounded.
"Not that I blame him," he said, moving in even closer. "I'd bang you too."
Lovely. And still I couldn't do anything.
But when he caught my hip and tried to pull me toward him, I had had enough. I stepped back and said, "Don't touch me."
Not remotely deterred, he moved in again. This time I stepped back two paces. "I mean it."
He laughed. "Afraid your pussy-whipped boss won't like it?"
"I don't like it."
My words came out much stronger than either of us seemed to have expected. There was a cool stillness to them, no frantic sound or shrillness, and it stopped us both for a moment. Then I ruined it by adding, "And I said I have to go," in what really had to be called a whine.
I'd lost my momentary control of the situation and Jimmy knew it. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward him despite my resistance. "I don't get whipped. I take charge. Chicks like that. You'd like it too. Better than whatever your whipped boss does."
I jerked at my arm but couldn't free myself. "I told you, I have to—"
"Take your hand off her or I'll rip it off."
My stomach twisted with horror and embarrassment and I couldn't look at Kegan.
Jimmy turned toward him, though, no doubt recognizing the barely restrained fury in his voice, and I managed to get my arm free as he said, "I was just—"
"I don't give a damn what you were just. I've talked to you before, about her and about the rest of my staff. Get out and don't come back. You no longer work here."
Jimmy laughed, surprising me. "We'll see."
"No, we won't. Go."
"I'll go," he said easily. "For now." As he passed, he leaned toward me but I jerked away. He chuckled and left.
I shut my eyes and longed to disappear. Bad enough that Jimmy had been harassing me, but for Kegan to see it? For my boss to have to step in to rescue like that? I'd never felt so humiliated.
"Mary."
I forced myself to look at him, and shivered at the sight. The blue of his eyes seemed electrified, lit up by his anger. I didn't ever want to see that rage directed at me.
"He didn't hurt you, did he?"
I shook my head. "He just wouldn't let me leave."
"You'll never see him again. I won't have him working here. Utter jackass."
I couldn't argue with that assessment.
Kegan took a deep breath and his eyes cooled a fraction. "I'm assuming you didn't want him talking to you like that?"
"God, no. I tried to stop him, but..." I shrugged helplessly. "He wouldn't listen."
He shook his head. "Wouldn't listen to Crystal either. She came in a minute ago and told me she had to slap him last night. Yeah, I'm done with him. No more."
"I'm sorry."
He frowned at me. "Why, because my contractor hired a jackass? Hardly your fault."
No, but it had escalated because I hadn't been able to stop him. I should have slapped him like Crystal did. When I didn't answer, he said, "Go home and get your stuff. I'll go talk to his boss."
I nodded, not sure what to say, and he held the door open for me. I left, and heard him calling, "Danny!" as I went.
Chapter Six
When I came back to Steel with my bathing suit and towel, Kegan seemed off, not angry any more but cool and distracted. I hoped Danny had agreed to get rid of Jimmy, but Kegan didn't volunteer any information and I was afraid to ask. He loosened up a bit when we visited Mildred's, and even smiled when I insisted on buying his dinner, but we barely spoke in his car afterwards.
Carolyn met us at the door to the pool and didn't seem surprised by Kegan's distance.
"Busy day for him, I guess?" She escorted me into the change room and pointed toward an empty locker.
I nodded. I doubted Kegan would want the details spread, so I said, "It's a lot of work coordinating the contractors."
"We can always tell how his day's been. He's quiet when he gets here if it's been rough. After that awful fire I'm surprised he's talking at all."
We politely turned our backs to each other as we got into our bathing suits, and I said, "He's so committed to Steel, and I know he hates how it is right now." A thought struck me. "Now that I think about it, I'm surprised we're here. I guess I'd have expected him to skip the game tonight to get more work done."
"Ask him about his exercise schedule some time." Carolyn moved to the mirror to pull her hair into a ponytail and stuff it under her bathing cap. I didn't have one, but I'd braided my hair to keep it under control, so with any luck I wouldn't leave the pool filter clogged with stray long brown hairs. "He never misses a workout. He's convinced they make him better able to handle the long hours at work."
Toronto Collection Volume 1 (Toronto Series #1-5) Page 80
