Bachelor's Special by Christine Warner

and me at Creations, I was let go.”
    “Fired?”
    She nodded. The pink in her cheeks faded and her eyes brightened with unshed tears. “Please, Chet. Don’t interrupt or I’ll never get this out.”
    “Sorry.” But everything inside of him bucked to take her in his arms when a solitary tear rolled down her cheek. He didn’t like how difficult this had become for her.
    She wiped her tear away, swallowing repeatedly, drying her fingertips as she twisted the edge of her apron.
    “After you left the kitchen that night, Chef Arnaud went ballistic. I couldn’t understand most of what he ranted, but I made out a few choice words. Words like standards, professionalism, unbecoming. He was right. My actions weren’t professional at all, at least not for the profession I’m in.” She chuckled half-heartedly, keeping her focus on the floor.
    “I’m sorry, Jill. I didn’t know.” Anger at her previous boss chewed through him. “When I went into the kitchen my only intention was for you to meet my grandmother. She was so impressed with the meal. I never intended…”
    “I know.”
    “When I saw you there, I don’t know what happened. You looked so delicate, concentrating on making that damn birthday cake perfect. Your face filled with happiness and confidence surrounded you. And then when the cake fell and you looked so lost…and the tears…I can’t explain it, but I just had to kiss you. I had no idea you’d been let go because of my actions.”
    She waved his words away. “I certainly didn’t try to stop you. You caught me by surprise, for sure, but it wasn’t like I didn’t return your kiss.” She chuckled, her embarrassment evident by the red coloring her cheeks. “I’ve never done something so forward.”
    “That makes two of us. To know what happened explains a lot.”
    “How’s that?”
    “Well, after our kiss, I couldn’t get you out of my mind. I went back to the restaurant to apologize and you weren’t there.”
    “You did?” Her face softened with a tremor of a smile.
    “Nobody would tell me where you’d gone. I just assumed you’d moved up and out.”
    “I moved out, for sure.” She forced a laugh, then grew serious. “All of that doesn’t matter now. I pounded the pavement for work, not realizing the restaurant community has no secrets. I thought I’d found the leprechaun at the end of the rainbow when I won out against all the other applicants for sous-chef at Ricardo’s. Chef Manuel, the chef de cuisine, was set to retire, which meant the executive chef would take his spot, and I’d have a chance at his position.”
    “That’s right up there?”
    “Second in command.” Her eyes sparked with pride.
    “So what happened?” He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the row of cupboards to concentrate on her words instead of reliving their kisses that clouded his mind.
    “Word preceded me about my escapade in the kitchen, and I guess some of the other chefs assumed that my past actions were now part of my job description.” She smiled, but her chin shook. “When that didn’t turn out to be the case, my work was sabotaged and I was fired.”
    Chet cringed. He’d become the lowest possible form of life in his own book. He never would have guessed his actions had gotten her fired, and worse yet, marred her reputation to the point she couldn’t find work.
    “While at Ricardo’s, I’d received an excellent write-up in Food Fanatics magazine, and I foolishly thought that would help me land another job. It did, but I relived the same treatment over again.”
    “What if I talk to your boss at Creations and set him straight?”
    She shook her head. “No, it’s too late. Word followed me wherever I went and my actions, along with my big mouth, landed me back on the street. I couldn’t even find work as a line cook.”
    He furrowed his brow. “Sorry, I guess I’m not getting the soap-opera restaurant world. I thought they’d be more in competition