“Do you have an appointment with him?”
“Umm, yes and no. Look, I’ll just come back–”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll tell him you’re here. He usually stays until the last desserts have gone out, which is about now. Can I take your coat?”
“It’s fine, thanks.”
“Follow me.”
We walk through the dimly lit hall, and I hear the buzzing of voices from the dining room, along with the clinging of glasses and trendy lounge music. When I peek inside, I notice most tables are still occupied. The ambiance is warm and intimate, with candles burning on the tables, and the large chandeliers are spreading a soft light across the room. I long for an intimate dinner with Josh.
In a corner in the hallway is a small space with a couch, a few chairs and a table, and the girl gestures to the couch. “Please have a seat. I’ll tell Josh you’re here to see him. Teresa Sainz, right?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
I untie the belt of my coat and take a seat, hoping it won’t be too awkward to see Josh after all these days.
“Tess?”
My head whips up when I hear my name. “Ed, hi!”
He walks closer to the lounge area. “Hey, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?”
I push a string of hair behind my ear and gaze up at Emma’s lover boy. He’s rocking a navy blue tailored suit, and the ‘Pomp’ haircut makes him look classic and timeless, like Elvis in his younger years. I can definitely see why she took his number, and I’m pretty sure it’s not because of sending hot text messages about her waiting skills. God, I hope she knows how to keep it professional, but if there’s any chance this man is single, he has no idea what’s going to hit him.
“Yeah, absolutely,” I finally answer. “I’m so grateful for your help today; I can’t thank you enough. And Emma too of course. She says hi by the way.” I closely watch the slow smile spread across his face, reaching his eyes. Oh, he’s a goner, for sure.
“The pleasure was all mine. Emma’s a diligent pupil.”
“I’ll tell her you said that.”
“You do that. I’ll swing by in a few days to see if I need to brush up on her skills.”
Okay, now it’s officially getting hot in here, because that remark is open to ambiguous interpretation.
“What brings you here? Felipe or Josh?” He grins and I flush. Hate it when that happens.
“Umm, Josh, actually.”
“Are they already letting him know you’re here?”
“Yes.”
“Excellent. Can I get you a drink while you’re waiting?”
“I’m fine. Thanks. Don’t let me keep you from your work.”
“See you around then. Give my best to Emma. Josh should be here any minute.”
He props a hand in his pants pocket and saunters his tight butt into the dining room. Oh my God... The quiff, the cheeky smile... Emma is so screwed.
I relax back in the seat and gaze around for a while, listen to a jazz version of “Roxanne,” and smile as I think of Felipe working here now. I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen next between Josh and me, but right now, Josh is the best thing that could have happened to Felipe, and I’ll always be grateful to him for that. He’s the perfect mix between a bad boy, a nice guy, and a good man, and Felipe needs someone to look up to in the absence of Dad.
A moment later, Josh’s sous chef with the perfect blonde bob stands before me, looking down at me. Right, I forgot all about his sexy sous.
“Hello, Teresa,” she says as she lets her eyes run over me from head to toe, and certainly not in the subtlest way.
I flash her a friendly smile when her eyes come up again. “Hi, Donna.”
“Listen, they just told us you’re here to see Josh, but unfortunately he’s too busy to see you now. We’re still working on the last course, and he’s got a ton of other things to do before he calls it the night. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, sure, no problem,” I say as I get up. “I can come back another time.”
“Can I give him a message?”
“No, that’s okay, Donna. Sorry I interrupted.”
She smiles. “We’re kind of used to it, no worries. I thought I’d better tell you before you’re waiting here in vain for him to show up. Some of them are lucky.”
I stop tying my belt. “I’m sorry?”
Donna sighs. “Suite 63 is frequently visited by women who try to catch a glimpse of the hot chef who just made their dinner. They buy his cookbook and sit at the bar, desperately waiting for Josh to walk by and give them an autograph. Every now and then he sits down at the bar with one of them, and asks them to wait for him to end his shift. I know he meets up with them later at his apartment.” She chuckles. “It’s really pathetic. They’re like groupies, admiring him as if he’s freaking George Clooney.”
I can’t believe she just spilled all those private things about her boss. “I just wanted to thank him for what he’s done for me and my brother,” I say coldly, unable to muster friendliness. “I’m not one of his groupies, thank you very much.”
She just keeps standing with her hands placed on her hips, her big blue eyes piercing into mine. She has the appearance of a sweet angel, but only one wreaking havoc.
“But you kissed him, didn’t you? I saw the two of you outside the other day.”
I open my mouth to reply, but don’t know how to react to that kind of shamelessness.
“He’s a great kisser, isn’t he?”
I cock my head when I should’ve walked away.
“That surprises you?”
“I... It’s not any of my business.”
“It’s okay. Yeah, we are...involved, although there’s nothing going on between us at the moment. Our timing sucked. Josh just got his second star, and things are crazy since then.” She shrugs. “Well, I guess we all crave his attention. Those Vandenberg boys are real heartthrobs, but unfortunately damn inaccessible.” She jerks her thumb over her shoulder. “I need to get back to the kitchen. It was nice seeing you again, Teresa. Your brother is doing great, by the way.”
I stride down the hallway and let myself out. Steam is coming out of my ears by the time I reach my own restaurant, and not only because of my fruitless expedition.
“Oh-oh,” Emma says. “That’s not good, you being back this soon. What happened?”
I toss my coat over a barstool and sit down at the bar. “Donna, Josh’s sous chef, just compared me to a groupie. That’s what happened.”
“What a bitch.”
“And she basically told me she had a claim on him.”
Emma laughs. “Well, he’s pretty smitten with you these last weeks, claimed or not.”
“He picks up women from his bar.”
“I don’t know of any law against that. A man like him has sex, Tess.”
“He told me to wait for him at his bar. I told you it was all about fucking. This proves it.”
“You don’t know that for sure. From what I’ve seen and heard, he’s pretty hung up on you.”
“He sent his staff to tell me he didn’t have time for me! He even didn’t have the decency to tell me in person. He makes me feel like a whore.”
“On second thought, I will serve his balls after all, on top of the tiramisu.”
I can’t help but chuckle. “Anyway, you were right about Ed. Nice butt, cute hair... Go for it. He wants you.”
“No way!”
“Oh, yes. The naughty look on his face when I mentioned your name said it all.”
“Holy shit... really?”
“Yep, you better dig up those instructions. You’re going to need them.”
Emma doesn’t smile, but grips my hand. “What do we do with you? I hate to see you like this.”
“I’m fine, Em. I already knew life isn’t a Nicholas Sparks novel, believe me. I appreciate everything Josh has done for us, but that’s it. No more fucks for him, not with me anyway.”
“It’s his loss, sweetheart, not your
s.” Then on a sigh, “Now, where did we leave that bottle of pumpkin spice liqueur again? That’ll warm us up if they won’t.”
“You have someone with a firm behind to warm you up if you want,” I remind her, chagrined, as I place my elbows on the counter and lean my chin in my hands.
“Oh, screw him too!” she says, slamming two glasses on the counter. “Who does he think he is with his fine-dining etiquette, telling me I pour out the wine the wrong way?”
“He’s sommelier too.”
“Screw him anyway. He smokes, and you know how I feel about smokers. It’s a disgusting habit, and I’ll be damned if I let him turn me into a passive smoker just because I want a piece of that fine ass.”
God, I love her compassion, even though we both know she’ll send him a hot text message later.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
joshua
I’m done!
Done waiting for Teresa. According to Felipe, they’re leaving for the Balearic Islands tomorrow, and I can’t believe she didn’t stop by to see me.
“If you’re looking for me, I’ll be at Camila’s Kitchen. Back in a few,” I tell Ed as I shimmy into my jacket and run across the street, finally taking fucking matters into my own hands. Don’t know what it is, but she possesses something that keeps me running after her like a damn puppy. Maybe it’s the way those rare smoky blue irises cut into my soul, or the way she takes care of her brother, putting her own life on the backburner. No, I can’t pinpoint it exactly, but I’m desperate to find out, and if I was only a casual fuck, then at least she could have the decency to tell me so.
I push against the door, and the damn bell prompts every head in the house to look up. Brilliant! She’s in the middle of a cupcake class. At least eight women wearing bright pink aprons are surrounding the big table in the center. The table is a gigantic mess, covered with cutters, plungers, paintbrushes, and every other equipment one can think of when making an advanced-level cupcake.
When I look up, I catch Teresa’s gaze. She’s giving me a what-in-hell-are-you-doing-here look. “Sorry, please, continue.”
“Holy shit,” someone whispers. “Who’s he?”
“I dunno; he must be the flavor of the week. I’d sure like to taste.”
Pretending I don’t hear their silly remarks, I stand against the wall, fold my arms, and nod at Emma behind the counter, who’s making drinks. She doesn’t look too happy to see me. Great. What did I do? I lent her Ed, for fucksake!
Teresa clears her throat, trying to reclaim the attention from the women in front of her. “Okay, girls, let’s take our minds out of the gutter for a while, and focus back on the cupcakes. It’s what you came for.” Her comment prompts a huge laugh, and it has me smiling too. She picks up a pastry bag with pink icing. “Making a buttercream rose is so simple, you’ll be bedazzled by it.” She then picks up a pastry nail. “First, we pipe a base for the center of the rose onto the pastry nail. See? Easy enough, right? Now let’s get to the fun part and create the flower petals.”
I could stay in this spot the whole day, watching Teresa interact with her clients. It’s a joy to watch and listen to her voice.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Hello, Emma,” I reply softly. “Nice to see you too.”
“I told you you’d have to deal with me if you hurt her.”
I shake my head, confused. “I didn’t hurt her.”
“You’re warned,” she says sternly, then walks away, throws a look over her shoulder, and then whispers with a smile, “Thanks for Ed. He’s magnificent. Is he single by any chance?”
She leaves with a wink, then hands out the drinks like a true professional.
I gaze back at Tess. What did she tell her best friend, that I had hurt her? If any, she hurt me. I made it quite clear I wanted to see her again, but left it up to her to come and see me, because I didn’t know if she wanted the same.
Tess continues giving the class step-by-step instructions on how to make petals, and then finishes with a gorgeous looking rose. Well done.
“How do you remove the rose from the nail?” a woman in front inquires.
“I use an offset spatula. Here, take a closer look.” Tess hands the nail to the woman. “Pass it around and then try for yourself. Emma will assist you. I’ll be right back.”
She places the pastry bag on the table, makes eye contact with me for the briefest of moments, and then stalks to the back. Guess that’s my cue, so I push away from the wall and follow her to the back.
I find her standing in a hostile posture with her arms crossed over her chest, hip leaning against the counter. I stand before her, but maintain a discreet distance.
“Make it quick, Joshua,” she says, perfectly composed, while I feel a knot forming in my stomach. Fuck, but she’s cold. Is she already ending it?
“Wow, my full name. So formal.”
“Why are you here, Josh?” she asks quietly, her voice a little softer.
I run a hand through my hair, pining my gaze to hers. “So this is it?”
“You wanted to fuck and so did I. I owe you a lot, but I draw the line when you turn me into a groupie. I’m not that desperate, thank you very much.”
“A fucking what?”
“A groupie. I’m not going to wait for you to finish your shift so you can fuck me when you feel like it.”
Her comment pisses me off beyond belief. “That’s nasty, Tess, and quite frankly an insult to both of us.”
She lifts her chin, defiance written all over her forehead. “Is that how you woo them, by impressing them with your food, and then take them upstairs to your apartment?”
I flinch. “Excuse me?”
“Didn’t you tell me after we fucked I could wait for you at the bar, and that you’d find me after your shift?”
I shrug. “Yeah, so?”
“Isn’t that what you’re used to, Josh? Women waiting for you at the bar?”
I shake my head. “I have no idea what in hell you’re talking about, and I don’t think I owe you an explanation about how I picked up women in the past, but I’ll give it to you anyway,” I say, almost clenching my teeth. “Yeah, they sometimes sit at the bar, waiting for me to sign my cook book they just bought. I might have picked up a woman or two like that when I just started Suite 63, women who practically begged me to fuck them. That’s two years ago, and I don’t do that anymore. I asked you to come and see me at my restaurant because I wanted to see you again without pressuring you with everything going on.”
My gaze travels up and down her curves, her face. She’s so beautiful my heart aches.
And she just stomped on it.
“You don’t owe me anything, Tess,” I say, finding calmness. “Felipe can keep working for me when you come back from Spain. He proved himself yesterday that he’s up for the heavy job.” I step back, distancing myself from her. “Have a safe trip.”
I turn around, rubbing my forehead as I stride out of the kitchen. I can’t believe this just happened, and wonder if it’s somehow my fault. Yes, I was nasty to her when we first met, then being drunk when we had an appointment, but did I really treat her like a groupie? And where in hell did she come up with such an idiotic word?
“When were you planning on telling me you’re involved with your sous chef?” she asks in a quavering voice.
I stop dead in my tracks, turn back. “Could you repeat that for me, please?”
“Donna told me the two of you have something going on, but your timing was off. Tell me, Josh, was I just an easy lay until you have more time to work on your relationship with her?”
I stand before her again, this time a little closer, forcing her to gaze up. “You saw Donna?” I ask quietly, clenching my fists.
“Yeah. She had quite a lot to say about you. Just so you know.”
“She came here to talk to you about me?”
A frown creases her forehead. “No, I saw her at your place, yesterday, when I was waiting for you to finish up, reme
mber?”
This is officially getting weird. “You came to see me yesterday at Suite 63?”
“Yeah, Donna told me you didn’t have time for me.”
I laugh out of sheer disbelief, raking two hands through my hair. “Is that’s where all of this is coming from?”
She shrugs. “Kinda, yeah.”
“Listen, Tess. Yeah, I’m pretty busy at nighttime, but for you I make time. Believe me when I say I didn’t know you were there.”
“What?”
“Donna is... fuck,” I curse, rubbing my head. “I’m not involved with her on a personal level, and I certainly never slept with her. We kissed a few months ago, and I assure you it was a meaningless kiss that lasted roughly twenty seconds. We talked about it, both decided it wouldn’t get in the way of us working together, and we never talked about it again.” I exhale deeply. “Until I met you. Since she suspects I’m seeing you she’s bringing it up, telling me she wants more. I explained I’m not interested in her that way, but she clearly won’t take no for an answer.”
Tess tips her head. “You mean she’s sabotaging things between us?”
“Yeah, and it ends today. I’m not accepting her BS anymore.” I step closer. “I swear, Tess, I didn’t know.”
“I believe you, Josh. I’m sorry for the things I accused you of. I just...” She sighs deeply. “Donna went on and on about all those pathetic women craving your attention, and about how all the Vandenberg boys were inaccessible.”
I tilt my head back and burst out in laughter. “Where did she get that idea? She’s crazy.”
“She made me feel like a desperate woman, and something inside me just snapped.”
I pull her close and wrap her arms around my waist. “Hold me. I may be inaccessible, but I’m willing to make an exception for you.” She breaks into a smile, and I rest my forehead against hers. “I have it bad for you, baby.”
Her eyelids close. “Same here, Josh.”
“What time does your plane leave tomorrow?”
“Felipe leaves in the afternoon. Emma and I will take him to the airport.”
“You mean you’re not going?”
She nods. “I can’t abandon the restaurant for two weeks.”
Joshua Page 17
