Before I know it, I’m back in the car and pulling up outside Somerville’s.I’m filled with that same nervous excitement I had earlier, but this time it’s a feeling that says my future is here in this job.It’s my dream job.A place that is lowkey and fun, a place that will allow me to showcase my talents in food and drink pairings, and a place where I won’t begin to question my ability.
I head back toward the kitchen and find Leo waiting for me.He smiles and I swear my insides turn to jelly, my legs suddenly wanting to give out from underneath me.This is going to make working for him really hard.Maybe he has some weird quirk that will make him horribly unattractive.Maybe he has smelly feet or bad grammar.Doubtful.
“Hey, Hannah,” he says, greeting me, and again with my name.Why does he make my name sound so damn sexy coming out of his mouth?
“Hey, Leo.Ready to get started?”I ask, sounding a little overzealous and possibly desperate.
“I thought we could talk about a few things first and then we can team up on some new menu ideas.What do you say?”
“Sounds perfect.”
He escorts me back to the same office from this morning and pulls out a chair for me to sit down across from his desk.I scan the room for pictures of his wife or girlfriend or boyfriend or whoever but come up short.There’s nothing but a few pictures of the orchard and the vineyard, and some before and after shots of buildings that I know were renovated by Tessa.
Score one for me!
You’re not hooking up with your boss, Hannah.Especially a boss who literally hasn’t even formally hired you yet.
“We’ve been a little short staffed, so it’s really good to have you on board.I wanted to give you a quick rundown of how things work here since we’re not your typical city restaurant.”
“Been there, done that, and I’m ready to try something new,” I reply, again sounding stupidly asskissingly desperate.
Shut up, and listen, Hannah!
“You’ll be working at both the Somerville and Apple Jacks restaurants,” Leo says, tossing a thumb in the direction of the building.“I’m in charge of both, so I go back and forth.Some days you’ll be here at Apple Jacks and other days there.Right now, Jack and Lauren are working on expanding the restaurant at Somerville’s so that means there will be an opening for another head chef once that is complete.They’re also expanding their catering business which will require a lead chef too.”
“So there’s definitely an opportunity for advancement,” I add, and Leo nods.I just hope I’m not getting ahead of myself.
“Is that important to you?”Leo asks, and fuck my life, I did get ahead of myself.“Obviously, we’d like to keep employees, but we also understand that the Somerville name is relatively small—”
I cut him off, which is once again, me getting ahead of myself, but my mouth just won’t seem to stop today.“But there’s a sense of respect andcamaraderiehere, and the idea that the owners appreciate the hard work and effort that their employees put in.”
I stop talking before I tell him I don’t want to ever leave because leaving would mean I wouldn’t be able to stare at his gorgeous face every day at work.
“Jack and Lauren are great to work for.I think you’ll really like it here,” Leo now says, turning on that perfect smile of his.
“I do too.”
“Let’s get to work,” Leo announces, clapping his hands together once and grabbing a binder.He opens it up to the first page, handing it to me, he explains this is a list of new ciders that Jack has been working on, and next to them are Leo’s menu ideas.
We chat for a bit, tossing around ideas and letting things play out before deciding that we’re going to get started on a squash soup.It’s simple but will showcase some of my skills.
Leo points me in the direction of where I can get set up and he begins working a few feet away.With the restaurant still open, he can’t devote all his attention to me, and given they are short staffed already, he needs to be working.Orders will be coming in and I can only hope he’ll let me help out if needed.
“The pork chops with onion gravy and cinnamon apples are the most popular dish on the menu, but people really love seasonal specials.The seasonal menu is always a big draw.”
The second he says seasonal menu, I shudder.I’m never going to be able to hear those words and not think of that prick Roy Langston.I must have even made some sort of guttural moan because Leo looks over at me, his eyebrows going up.
“Sorry, my old boss hated every idea I had for the seasonal menu and now I have menu PTSD,” I joke as I begin to create the roux for the soup.
“The guy sounds like a real jerk.You won’t find that here,” Leo says, winking at me, and holy shit, just that simple gesture has my heart fluttering.Forget that dick Roy Langston, Leo Marsh is healing my confidence one wink at a time.
“Thanks,” I reply, as I watch Leo begin to chop an onion and it has never looked sexier.The muscles in his arms are flexed, his tattoos peeking out from his sleeves, making me wonder if he’s tattooed anywhere else.
I quickly look away before he catches me and thinks I’m some kind of weird stalker or worse that I have some kind of kitchen fetish.
We work in silence for a while with Leo filling orders from the restaurant and me perfecting the soup recipe.The restaurant is buzzing, and I feel bad that I’m working on something that won’t be able to help Leo out.It’s obvious that they’re in need of more employees and I start to wonder if I should mention that I have some friends I left behind when I quit my other job so abruptly.
“How’s it going?”I hear Leo ask, and when I turn around to answer him, I nearly crash into his firm and perfectly muscled chest.Our faces are only inches apart and if I leaned forward just slightly, our lips would be touching.
