asked softly.
Gabrielle shook her head, feeling extremely awkward. “No small talk. Tell me what you’re doing here. Did you tell them about our… you know?”
Holden smiled. He had a gorgeous smile that was contagious, but the black circles under his eyes betrayed that not everything was copacetic. “Is that what’s got you all strung up? I didn’t say anything.”
She let out a long sigh. “Okay, then why are you here?”
“Turns out I’m being royally screwed on more than one front, and you showing up in town might actually work out to both our satisfactions—and I don’t mean the sexual kind.” His gaze roved over her form sending an instant wave of heat straight to her groin.
Swallowing past the knot in her throat, she raised a brow and said, “What are you talking about?”
“ I have a job offer for you.”
“Really?” Her ears perked up. She needed a job and soon. She had enough money in the bank to get by for only a few months. She didn’t want to go back to Georgetown. Everyone there knew she and Len were going to get married, and then he’d given her the axe. It would just be too embarrassing. But Holden already had a head chef. “I’m not interested in being a waitress or line chef.”
“ I know. And I’d never ask you to do that. Turns out the Bistro needs a head chef.”
“I thought you had one?”
“Yeah… Ridge Vineyards is playing hard ball. They stole her away. I need someone I can trust. Someone who’s the best. I think that’s you.”
D id he really just offer her a job? The chance to be around him all day, every day? Stare at will at his muscled chest? This wasn’t a good idea on so many levels. But… She needed a job. The chance to work in Mount Airy and near her father was a great opportunity.
“So what do you say, Gabrielle?”
She cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips. “I’d love to.”
“We’ve already been spreading the word about it, not too many veg places to eat around here. The guys at the firehouse are totally psyched about it.” He winked, and appreciated the pretty flush that covered her cheeks.
A slow smile spread on her face. “I like the sound of that. When would I start?”
“How’s Monday? The restaurant won’t be open for a couple more months, but we need to get started on menus and ordering and all that. Besides, you can look over the kitchen plans and see if they are to your liking.”
She n odded, feeling more at ease than when he’d first offered her the position. The more she thought about it, the more she warmed to the idea. The first chef at an up and coming Bistro—and the ability to help in the design. Taking on a new place was risky, but she was good at what she did. Together, they could make it a success. As long as they could keep their hands off each other.
“Monday sounds good.” She pointed at him and smiled. “Thanks for thinking of me, Holden. I’m excited. I can’t wait to get started.”
“I’m excited , too.”
Gabrielle bit her lip, darted her eyes toward the kitchen to make sure they weren’t being spied on. “This is going to complicate things… Maybe we should forget about our pact. It might interfere with our work.”
Shaking his head , a gleam of enticing wickedness in his eyes, he said, “Only if we let it. Let’s give it a shot. Business is business. The pact is outside of work only.”
Oh, she wanted to say yes. A new, potentially awesome job, and a sexy friend with benefits… But sleeping with her new boss was bound to be an issue. Employer/employee relationships were never good for business…
Her lip was bound to be raw from all the chewing on it she was doing. What the hell, it’d been a long time since she’d done anything for herself. The last year had been one stress after another, and to top it off, Len had completely whipped her world upside down, taken her heart and put it through her Vitamix blender, then chucked it out the window. She deserved the rebound
Gabrielle shook her head, feeling extremely awkward. “No small talk. Tell me what you’re doing here. Did you tell them about our… you know?”
Holden smiled. He had a gorgeous smile that was contagious, but the black circles under his eyes betrayed that not everything was copacetic. “Is that what’s got you all strung up? I didn’t say anything.”
She let out a long sigh. “Okay, then why are you here?”
“Turns out I’m being royally screwed on more than one front, and you showing up in town might actually work out to both our satisfactions—and I don’t mean the sexual kind.” His gaze roved over her form sending an instant wave of heat straight to her groin.
Swallowing past the knot in her throat, she raised a brow and said, “What are you talking about?”
“ I have a job offer for you.”
“Really?” Her ears perked up. She needed a job and soon. She had enough money in the bank to get by for only a few months. She didn’t want to go back to Georgetown. Everyone there knew she and Len were going to get married, and then he’d given her the axe. It would just be too embarrassing. But Holden already had a head chef. “I’m not interested in being a waitress or line chef.”
“ I know. And I’d never ask you to do that. Turns out the Bistro needs a head chef.”
“I thought you had one?”
“Yeah… Ridge Vineyards is playing hard ball. They stole her away. I need someone I can trust. Someone who’s the best. I think that’s you.”
D id he really just offer her a job? The chance to be around him all day, every day? Stare at will at his muscled chest? This wasn’t a good idea on so many levels. But… She needed a job. The chance to work in Mount Airy and near her father was a great opportunity.
“So what do you say, Gabrielle?”
She cocked her head to the side and pursed her lips. “I’d love to.”
“We’ve already been spreading the word about it, not too many veg places to eat around here. The guys at the firehouse are totally psyched about it.” He winked, and appreciated the pretty flush that covered her cheeks.
A slow smile spread on her face. “I like the sound of that. When would I start?”
“How’s Monday? The restaurant won’t be open for a couple more months, but we need to get started on menus and ordering and all that. Besides, you can look over the kitchen plans and see if they are to your liking.”
She n odded, feeling more at ease than when he’d first offered her the position. The more she thought about it, the more she warmed to the idea. The first chef at an up and coming Bistro—and the ability to help in the design. Taking on a new place was risky, but she was good at what she did. Together, they could make it a success. As long as they could keep their hands off each other.
“Monday sounds good.” She pointed at him and smiled. “Thanks for thinking of me, Holden. I’m excited. I can’t wait to get started.”
“I’m excited , too.”
Gabrielle bit her lip, darted her eyes toward the kitchen to make sure they weren’t being spied on. “This is going to complicate things… Maybe we should forget about our pact. It might interfere with our work.”
Shaking his head , a gleam of enticing wickedness in his eyes, he said, “Only if we let it. Let’s give it a shot. Business is business. The pact is outside of work only.”
Oh, she wanted to say yes. A new, potentially awesome job, and a sexy friend with benefits… But sleeping with her new boss was bound to be an issue. Employer/employee relationships were never good for business…
Her lip was bound to be raw from all the chewing on it she was doing. What the hell, it’d been a long time since she’d done anything for herself. The last year had been one stress after another, and to top it off, Len had completely whipped her world upside down, taken her heart and put it through her Vitamix blender, then chucked it out the window. She deserved the rebound
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