ass.
Holden chucked his cell across the room , hearing it crash into something. Calling Max was an idiotic idea. Although, staring at the ceiling and thinking of Gabrielle’s rockin’ body wasn’t much better.
Chapter Six
H olden woke to the urgent and ear-piercing sound of his phone ringing. His head felt like it’d been speared by a hundred nails and his stomach rolled violently. How much wine had he drank? Two bottles? Rubbing his head, he swung his feet over the side of the bed, hitting three empty bottles. Well, that would explain things.
The phone ceased ringing for only a few blessed seconds before going off again.
“Fucking A,” he grumbled and grabbed for the receiver. “Hello?”
“Holden, its Donna. Look, I’m just going to be straight with you.”
Immediately, a portion of his mind cleared. Why did his new head chef sound so… curt?
“Morning, Donna.”
“I’ve taken a job with Ridge.”
Holden blinked, his mind trying to process what exactly she meant by that.
“I’m sorry. I know you really wanted the Bistro to be big, but… I’m sorry. I have a family to support and they offered a better deal.”
“Wait a second. Are you saying you took a job with Ridge and you’re quitting on me?” He just couldn’t wrap his mind around that.
“Yeah. Best of luck.” The phone went dead.
Holden stared at the receiver until the annoying automated operator told him to hang up and try dialing again. He let out the breath he’d been holding in, slammed down the phone and punch ed his bed. Fucking Ridge was trying hard to sabotage his plans. Trying to steal his builder was one thing—taking his chef away and copying his entire idea for a one of a kind restaurant was another. If he was going to save his bistro he had to think fast.
He grinned. He had a secret weapon—Gabrielle.
He’d read the reviews of her restaurant in Georgetown, even though he’d never admit it. People clambered for reservations at her restaurant, some waiting weeks for a table. She didn’t even realize how much he needed her to make his vineyard infamous. Only the best chef would do. And Gabrielle was the best.
Dressed and ready to go to the gym for real this time, Gabrielle bounded down the steps only to stop, nearly tripping over the final step when she heard Holden’s voice in the kitchen. At once, her nipples hardened, clit twinged, with the memory of his touch. No. That wasn’t the way it worked. Casual. No strings. No crazy body reactions.
She’d just have to sneak out. Grabbing her keys from hook by the door, she was almost free when Max called out to her.
“Where you going? Come say hi.”
Holding in a grown, Gabrielle reluctantly turned around and walked back toward the kitchen. Max looked smug and her Dad looked pleased. But Holden looked stressed out. Which made her stress out, sweat beading under her arms. She shifted her feet and clenched her keys.
“Hey, Holden.” Turning toward Max she tried to act casual. “What’s up? I was going to try a Zumba class at the gym.”
Oh my… Was that Holden’s cologne? Damn if it didn’t smell so sexy… She swallowed hard afraid at any moment she’d turn toward the man in question and start sniffing him, nose stroking up and down his neck as if she couldn’t get enough.
“Holden’s got a problem you might be interested in helping him with.” Max raised a brow. “Want some coffee?”
Had he somehow found out about their pact? Holden wanted her to help him get over his ex… But that couldn’t be it. She glanced from one to the other. They wouldn’t all be so casual would they?
“Maybe we ought to talk about this on the porch?” she asked, trying for casual.
Holden nodded and stood from the table. “Thanks for the coffee, Mr. Dane.”
Max eyed them like a hawk as they walked out back, but whatever it was Holden needed her help with, she’d be damned if she was going to discuss it in front of everyone.
“How are you?” he
Holden chucked his cell across the room , hearing it crash into something. Calling Max was an idiotic idea. Although, staring at the ceiling and thinking of Gabrielle’s rockin’ body wasn’t much better.
Chapter Six
H olden woke to the urgent and ear-piercing sound of his phone ringing. His head felt like it’d been speared by a hundred nails and his stomach rolled violently. How much wine had he drank? Two bottles? Rubbing his head, he swung his feet over the side of the bed, hitting three empty bottles. Well, that would explain things.
The phone ceased ringing for only a few blessed seconds before going off again.
“Fucking A,” he grumbled and grabbed for the receiver. “Hello?”
“Holden, its Donna. Look, I’m just going to be straight with you.”
Immediately, a portion of his mind cleared. Why did his new head chef sound so… curt?
“Morning, Donna.”
“I’ve taken a job with Ridge.”
Holden blinked, his mind trying to process what exactly she meant by that.
“I’m sorry. I know you really wanted the Bistro to be big, but… I’m sorry. I have a family to support and they offered a better deal.”
“Wait a second. Are you saying you took a job with Ridge and you’re quitting on me?” He just couldn’t wrap his mind around that.
“Yeah. Best of luck.” The phone went dead.
Holden stared at the receiver until the annoying automated operator told him to hang up and try dialing again. He let out the breath he’d been holding in, slammed down the phone and punch ed his bed. Fucking Ridge was trying hard to sabotage his plans. Trying to steal his builder was one thing—taking his chef away and copying his entire idea for a one of a kind restaurant was another. If he was going to save his bistro he had to think fast.
He grinned. He had a secret weapon—Gabrielle.
He’d read the reviews of her restaurant in Georgetown, even though he’d never admit it. People clambered for reservations at her restaurant, some waiting weeks for a table. She didn’t even realize how much he needed her to make his vineyard infamous. Only the best chef would do. And Gabrielle was the best.
Dressed and ready to go to the gym for real this time, Gabrielle bounded down the steps only to stop, nearly tripping over the final step when she heard Holden’s voice in the kitchen. At once, her nipples hardened, clit twinged, with the memory of his touch. No. That wasn’t the way it worked. Casual. No strings. No crazy body reactions.
She’d just have to sneak out. Grabbing her keys from hook by the door, she was almost free when Max called out to her.
“Where you going? Come say hi.”
Holding in a grown, Gabrielle reluctantly turned around and walked back toward the kitchen. Max looked smug and her Dad looked pleased. But Holden looked stressed out. Which made her stress out, sweat beading under her arms. She shifted her feet and clenched her keys.
“Hey, Holden.” Turning toward Max she tried to act casual. “What’s up? I was going to try a Zumba class at the gym.”
Oh my… Was that Holden’s cologne? Damn if it didn’t smell so sexy… She swallowed hard afraid at any moment she’d turn toward the man in question and start sniffing him, nose stroking up and down his neck as if she couldn’t get enough.
“Holden’s got a problem you might be interested in helping him with.” Max raised a brow. “Want some coffee?”
Had he somehow found out about their pact? Holden wanted her to help him get over his ex… But that couldn’t be it. She glanced from one to the other. They wouldn’t all be so casual would they?
“Maybe we ought to talk about this on the porch?” she asked, trying for casual.
Holden nodded and stood from the table. “Thanks for the coffee, Mr. Dane.”
Max eyed them like a hawk as they walked out back, but whatever it was Holden needed her help with, she’d be damned if she was going to discuss it in front of everyone.
“How are you?” he
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