capacity at this time of year. I keep it small. In the winter we really scratch out a living.”
Her gaze flicked from one of his eyes to the other. He felt the heat blooming again and this time it seemed to go way down into his jeans.
She tucked a loose few strands of blonde hair behind her ear, went back to her food. “This is good. She’s a good chef, that Heidi.”
“She is, but she’s also good and pregnant and due to drop any tick, which brings me back to what we touched on in the pub.”
When she looked at him this time, there was a smile on her lips, inviting and interested. “You’re buying the pub and replacing Alan and the glasses.”
He sat back in his seat. “Not quite. I’ll need a chef here very soon, and I should have done something about it long before now.” He picked up his glass of red. “There’s a job going if you want it, here at Berry Flavours . A formal offer.”
“You haven’t asked for any references. Maybe I can’t boil water.”
“Then show me. Don’t get on the bus. Start with Heidi tomorrow night. She can show you the ropes and away you go.”
“All right. Sounds good.” She hesitated, then, “Was that an interview?”
“Yup. And you’re hired.”
Chapter Seven
Things might be all right after all. She had a job again, she had somewhere to stay and according to Heidi, she would be working for the greatest man on earth. Except for, of course, Heidi’s husband, the father of her baby.
Berry had excused himself after lunch. He said he had to go and check the ponds, something about paddlewheels which left Clancy wondering. He headed in the direction of the house first.
Heidi stood at the sink, her head of reds curls bouncing up and down as she spoke. “Your job for tomorrow night is to make a killer dessert. Anyone can dress a cray, but you have to do a great dessert.” She stacked the dishwasher and pushed the start button. “And a clue, it’s Berry’s favourite course. Another clue – he has a very good palate, loves subtle flavours and we try to use only seasonal fruits and so on.” She dried her hands on a paper towel pulled from a dispenser. “Ideas?” She straightened up, a hand on her back at her hip and stretched. With the back of her other hand, she patted perspiration from her forehead.
“Maybe. I’ll work on it.”
“Good. Check the coolroom for whatever you need, and the dry store’s in there.” Heidi pointed to a pair of swing doors next to the coolroom. “So. You tried working for the Thomas’s.”
Clancy headed for the pantry. “Nearly. I arrived, found there wasn’t a restaurant, or a place for me to stay other than their house, got creeped out by Greg Thomas and decided to leave.” Inside she eyed the shelves with a sort of sinful glee. “Then when they got bad news this morning, it went pear-shaped very quickly.” She moved further into the space, marveling at its orderliness.
“Greg can be a bit strange.”
“Not to mention Mac.”
“True, but he’s all bluster. Greg can be downright weird. It’s a crime he’s so good-looking, can throw you a curly one for a while. Trust me, I know.”
Clancy came out of the room feeling eager to start work. She glanced at Heidi whose intent gaze on her was curious. “It felt very strange right from the start.”
“Good thing you met Berry at the pub.”
Clancy had related their meeting to Heidi when she first poked her head into the restaurant kitchen earlier that day.
“What were you doing before?” Then Heidi let out a whoosh. “Little bugger just kicked me.” She placed a hand on her big belly.
“You okay?” Clancy decided she didn’t look okay. Oh no...
“Yes. Just sometimes gets me right there, you know? I’ll sit for a bit.” Clancy fussed for a moment then when it was clear Heidi was taking a breather and not about to deliver a ten pounder on the spot, she left her and wandered into the main room.
What was I doing before?
Her gaze flicked from one of his eyes to the other. He felt the heat blooming again and this time it seemed to go way down into his jeans.
She tucked a loose few strands of blonde hair behind her ear, went back to her food. “This is good. She’s a good chef, that Heidi.”
“She is, but she’s also good and pregnant and due to drop any tick, which brings me back to what we touched on in the pub.”
When she looked at him this time, there was a smile on her lips, inviting and interested. “You’re buying the pub and replacing Alan and the glasses.”
He sat back in his seat. “Not quite. I’ll need a chef here very soon, and I should have done something about it long before now.” He picked up his glass of red. “There’s a job going if you want it, here at Berry Flavours . A formal offer.”
“You haven’t asked for any references. Maybe I can’t boil water.”
“Then show me. Don’t get on the bus. Start with Heidi tomorrow night. She can show you the ropes and away you go.”
“All right. Sounds good.” She hesitated, then, “Was that an interview?”
“Yup. And you’re hired.”
Chapter Seven
Things might be all right after all. She had a job again, she had somewhere to stay and according to Heidi, she would be working for the greatest man on earth. Except for, of course, Heidi’s husband, the father of her baby.
Berry had excused himself after lunch. He said he had to go and check the ponds, something about paddlewheels which left Clancy wondering. He headed in the direction of the house first.
Heidi stood at the sink, her head of reds curls bouncing up and down as she spoke. “Your job for tomorrow night is to make a killer dessert. Anyone can dress a cray, but you have to do a great dessert.” She stacked the dishwasher and pushed the start button. “And a clue, it’s Berry’s favourite course. Another clue – he has a very good palate, loves subtle flavours and we try to use only seasonal fruits and so on.” She dried her hands on a paper towel pulled from a dispenser. “Ideas?” She straightened up, a hand on her back at her hip and stretched. With the back of her other hand, she patted perspiration from her forehead.
“Maybe. I’ll work on it.”
“Good. Check the coolroom for whatever you need, and the dry store’s in there.” Heidi pointed to a pair of swing doors next to the coolroom. “So. You tried working for the Thomas’s.”
Clancy headed for the pantry. “Nearly. I arrived, found there wasn’t a restaurant, or a place for me to stay other than their house, got creeped out by Greg Thomas and decided to leave.” Inside she eyed the shelves with a sort of sinful glee. “Then when they got bad news this morning, it went pear-shaped very quickly.” She moved further into the space, marveling at its orderliness.
“Greg can be a bit strange.”
“Not to mention Mac.”
“True, but he’s all bluster. Greg can be downright weird. It’s a crime he’s so good-looking, can throw you a curly one for a while. Trust me, I know.”
Clancy came out of the room feeling eager to start work. She glanced at Heidi whose intent gaze on her was curious. “It felt very strange right from the start.”
“Good thing you met Berry at the pub.”
Clancy had related their meeting to Heidi when she first poked her head into the restaurant kitchen earlier that day.
“What were you doing before?” Then Heidi let out a whoosh. “Little bugger just kicked me.” She placed a hand on her big belly.
“You okay?” Clancy decided she didn’t look okay. Oh no...
“Yes. Just sometimes gets me right there, you know? I’ll sit for a bit.” Clancy fussed for a moment then when it was clear Heidi was taking a breather and not about to deliver a ten pounder on the spot, she left her and wandered into the main room.
What was I doing before?
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