Focusing on her, he said, ‘My business partner, Liz, is pregnant, so I’ll be stepping up while she’s on maternity leave.’ And in choosing the words ‘stepping up’ he realised that he too would be moving forward, maybe just slightly slower than Chloe would contemplate. Also, remembering Angela’s advice, he knew it was the right thing for him to do at the moment. ‘Soalthough I’ll be doing the same job, it doesn’t feel like a step backwards to me,’ he added.
‘Sounds interesting.’
‘It was Liz’s business originally, but when she wanted to expand she asked me to become her partner,’ he said, convincing himself that he should be proud of what he’d achieved so far. ‘Shortly afterwards we took on a contract to cater for functions at Diva’s restaurant in Fitzroy Square, as well as private functions.’
Chloe’s eyes widened. ‘I didn’t know that. Diva’s has a fabulous reputation. What are the owners like?’
‘There are three of them altogether. Roberto Bianchi is Chef Patron. He’s brilliant. I used to work for him at La Emporium. Liz worked there too. Alex Sinclaire, Liz’s husband, is pretty hands-off. He’s more involved in the property side of things. And then there’s Tia McIntyre.’
‘Socialite and interior designer?’ Chloe asked.
‘The very same.’
‘Wow!’ Chloe said. ‘You do move in some fancy circles.’
Jay grinned as their food arrived. They both tucked in with gusto. All day they’d been surrounded by food, but hadn’t had the opportunity to eat.
He glanced at Chloe and realised he would miss her company once the competition was over. He remembered his conversation with Liz. It would be fun working with Chloe. She’d bring a new zest to his working environment, if she was interested. He decided to bite the bullet. ‘Actually, with Liz on maternity leave, we were thinking of taking on another chef. It might only be on a temporary basis, say six months to a year, if you’re interested in something new?’
Chloe stared at him. ‘Are you serious?’
‘Yes. It wouldn’t just be up to me, though. You’d have to meet Liz and she’d be the one to make the decision. But having worked with you, I know you’d be a good fit for the business.’
Chloe beamed. ‘That would be amazing and I’d love to work with you after the competition is over.’
‘I’ll sort something out with Liz then, after the banquet.’
‘Oh, God, the banquet!’ Chloe said. ‘I’m so pleased to have got through, but now that I have I’m rather terrified. Are you?’
‘Absolutely,’ Jay said. ‘I’ve been having nightmares about apples. And to scale that dish up to feed a hundred people, I’m beginning to wonder if I’ve taken on too much.’
Chloe put her hand on his arm and smiled at him. ‘We’re all in this together, Jay. We’ll all help each other.’
‘We will,’ he said, at a loss to know what else to say.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
‘I bet Jay’s over the moon that he’s got through to the banquet,’ Liz said. It was Saturday night, and she and Emma were preparing for the function that evening.
‘He is,’ Emma replied, this was the last time she had to have this conversation.
She’d been in bed when Jay had stumbled into the flat last night. In no mood to speak to him, she had feigned sleep, again. This morning he too had been fast asleep as she’d got up to go to work, and she had taken a change of clothes with her so there was no need to go home before coming to the function this evening.
‘What did you do to celebrate?’
Emma looked up from the glasses she was polishing over an ice bucket full of steaming water.
‘Wedidn’t. He celebrated his success with his new besties.’
‘Ouch.’
Emma sighed. ‘Maybe I’m just being over-sensitive and jealous, but I can’t help feeling pushed out. Again.’ She set a sparkling glass down, picked up the next one, turned it upside down and held it over the steaming water before she continued to polish it.
‘It can’t be easy, but once the banquet is over I’m sure things will get back to normal.’
‘I hope so,’ Emma said. Was she reading too much into Jay’s behaviour at the moment? Maybe she was, but it wouldn’t hurt to create more of a life for herself, even if it was just a distraction until this blessed competition was over.
* * *
