Sara
“I’LL CALL YOU from the train, once I get on, I guess.” I wrung my hands in my lap as Drew’s car arrived at the train station. “God, I’m so fucking nervous.” My hand raked through my hair, pulling at the roots.
He pulled into the parking lot and cocked his head to the side. “Really? I couldn’t tell.”
I jabbed his arm before unbuckling my seat belt. “This is important. The one restaurant that seemed willing to give me a decent salary and flexible hours. If I don’t get it—”
“This . . .” Drew reached over the passenger seat to squeeze my arm and pull me toward him. “This is a formality. You had two interviews when you were in the city the last time. I bet they’re bringing you in to make an offer.” He pressed a kiss to my temple and cupped my cheek. “They’d be crazy not to hire you.”
The corners of my lips lifted despite the crippling nerves. If only the rest of the world saw me through Drew’s dazzling dark eyes. The adorable bastard had me almost optimistic at times. It was surreal to have someone so dedicated, so in your corner for every little thing, I wasn’t sure how I survived back when I had no one.
“You’re the crazy one, Kostas.” I cradled his face in my hands and kissed his lips, savoring him for a moment before I pulled back.
“I’ll pick you up tonight. And good luck, even though you won’t need it.” He picked up my wrist and planted a quick kiss to the inside of my wrist. “I love you.”
I sucked in a quick breath and opened the car door. “I love you, too, baby.”
“Wait.” Drew grabbed my wrist before I could step out of the car. “What did you just say?”
“I love you,” I scoffed, holding back an eye roll. “I’ve said it a few times now. This isn’t like . . . one of those big moments. We’ve had those already. Can I go get my train now?” I nodded to the empty track across the lot.
“You called me baby.” He inched to the edge of the driver’s seat and slid his hand to the nape of my neck.
“So? I’ve called you baby before.”
“Eh.” A smirk curled his lips before he offered a shrug. “What you say when I’m between your legs doesn’t count.”
I laughed before I could help it. My head fell into my hands, my cheeks on fire. I’m sure I said a lot I didn’t remember pre and mid-orgasm.
I groaned, exasperated but still smiling. “You’re impossible.”
“Maybe.” His lips made a wet trail from my jaw to behind my ear. “Say it again.”
“I love you, baby.”
Drew growled in my ear, and my neck lolled to the side before I could stop myself. I shrugged Drew away and forced myself out of the car.
“What am I going to do with you?” I asked Drew before shutting the car door.
“I can think of a few things, but you can start by buying me dinner when you get this job. Which you totally will.” A slow smile curved his mouth, and as usual, my insides melted. The intensity of what Drew and I had together knocked the wind out of me at times. It wasn’t only the connection we had or the combustible attraction. He believed in me and truly cared about me. He was the one I ran to when I had good news and who I would seek out when I was upset.
“Hey,” he called out before I stepped into the station.
I turned with a wry half smile.
“I love you.” The heat that flashed in his gaze traveled all the way to my toes. All three words were drenched in sincerity and truth. It shocked me every time in the best way.
I shook my head and continued on. Right before I made my way through the door to the station, I craned my head to Drew, the smile still lingering on his beautiful face.
“I love you, too . . . baby.”
His head fell back as he mock clutched his chest. I laughed, exhaling a happy gust of air. This man was my everything.
It was wonderful and scary as fuck at the same time.
I rushed into the restaurant even though I was ten minutes early. Every time I came here, I obsessed over every single detail of my appearance. When I noticed a white stain on my black skirt the last time I was here, I was sure I’d fucked up any chances of making the impression I’d intended. I was acing all my classes at school and learned so much from Loretta at McQuaid’s. There was no doubt in my mind I’d be perfect for the assistant chef’s position, if only I could get my shit together.
There were other restaurants I’d applied to, but I had my heart set on Blystone. It was the eclectic but traditional restaurant I’d always dreamed of cooking in. Plus, they were still interested after I inquired about flexible hours. Sure, I shared parental responsibility now with Josh and Brianna and wouldn’t have to miss a day of work when Victoria wasn’t in school or couldn’t go to school. Part of the new life I wanted to give her was to be her hands-on mother again, especially after being away from her for so long.
“Sara, so nice to see you!” Aida, the head chef, came out of the kitchen to greet me. “I know it’s a trek from upstate.”
“No problem at all.” I shook her hand and then wiped my sweaty palm on my hip when she led me into the back office, too scared to bring my eyes down and see if I had another white stain. I was so close; it would be heartbreaking to screw it all up now.
I took a seat across from her, exhausted from hiding the shaking in my hands and fighting the urge to let my knee bob up and down. I knew better than to let myself want something—or at least, I used to. I had less than a minute before I screamed, “are you going to hire me or not?” Put me out of my damn misery already.
“Sorry, Sara. George wanted to be here, but his daughter was sick. You know how that is; they always get sick at the worst possible time.” Aida was a beautiful Hispanic woman, I guessed in her late 40s, with black hair slicked back into a low bun. The crinkles around her eyes when she smiled only enhanced her natural beauty. She had a commanding, yet maternal way about her. Blystone had reservations booked two months out, and while the decor was beautiful, food is what made customers come back to a restaurant. Even if the place is shitty and the workers were nasty, if the food was good it was surprising what customers were willing to tolerate. I’d waitressed in a few of those places. I was anxious to learn from her. Hell, I was anxious period. A drop of sweat dripped down the nape of my neck.
“I do; you can never plan for it.” A nervous laugh bubbled out of my chest.
“Luckily, George left all the forms for you to fill out.” Aida handed me a thick, manila envelope. “Don’t worry about finishing them here. You can take them with you and mail them back. Now, your graduation date is May twentieth, correct?”
“Um, yes, it is.”
She nodded, tapping her chin while studying the calendar on the wall. “That leads us to Memorial Day weekend. Would June first be a good start date?”
I gulped, almost swallowing my tongue. “Start date?”
“Yes . . . oh, I’m sorry. I thought you knew that’s why George wanted you to come in. We want to make you an offer. The salary information and vacation time is what he said you both discussed. There are insurance and tax forms in there as well. He wanted to give you a tour of the entire restaurant, even though you’ve seen most of it the three times you’ve been here. You . . . are still interested, right?”
“Yes,” I screeched, wondering what the hell happened to my voice. “I mean, yes, I am very interested and would love to accept the offer. June first would be fine. I have to look for an apartment, but I have a place to stay in Queens in the meantime.”
“Great!” She grinned and relaxed her shoulders. “I think you are going to be perfect. I loved your technique.” She leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs. “I’ve had some bad luck with assistant chefs in the past. You have the experience and drive my kitchen needs.”
“I’ve been in the restaurant industry a long time.” I forced a smile, ignoring the pinch in my gut that equated ‘experience’ with ‘older.’
“No, that’s not it. You have a focus and determination a good chef needs. I think you’re going to excel here.”
“So do I.” I exhaled a long breath and the tension behind it. “Thank you so much.”
I did it. I was an assistant chef or would be on June first. The salary was decent, allowing me to afford one of the apartments I’d been looking at in Josh and Brianna’s neighborhood. My daughter would be taken care of and would still have both of her parents close by. Elation flooded my veins as Aida showed me around, introducing me to the staff and giving me a sneak peek at their new menu.
I left the restaurant in enough time to get to Penn Station with time to spare for the earlier train. I would have loved to see Victoria, but I needed to be back at school for an early morning exam. Taking the train was much less taxing than four hours of driving back and forth, but when I arrived back upstate I would have spent most of my day in a train car. But, I didn’t care. I was relieved and happy and so damn excited. What a difference a year made.
I dialed Drew after I boarded and found a seat by the window. My knee bounced, in excitement—not dread—this time, as I impatiently waited for him to answer.
“How does it feel to be an assistant chef?” I could hear the smile in his voice even with all the distance between us.
“It feels pretty frigging awesome. They gave me the salary and vacation time I’d asked for and I start June first.” I shook my head at the long pause, imagining Drew working on the perfect delivery of ‘I told you so.’
“And I was . . . right?”
“Yes, show off. Just a formality. Hit me with the ‘I told you so’ you’ve been itching to say.” I leaned back in the cushioned seat, my eyes heavy from all the anxiety and travel.
“Maybe later.” I pictured Drew’s arrogant but sexy smile. “I am so fucking proud of you. You’re going to be amazing. I have a surprise for you when you get here.”
“At midnight?” I yawned, already settling into position for my long nap back.
“Don’t get tired on me now, Caldwell. I have plans for you.”
“Do the plans involve a mattress and pillow . . . for sleep?”
“You’ll see. There may be that gelato you like in the freezer for you when you get here.”
“With the salted caramel?” I gasped before another yawn escaped.
“Get some rest. I’ll serve it to you naked.” I chuckled before a heavy silence fell over us.
“I love you, Gorgeous. I knew you could do it.”
“I love you, too. That makes one of us.” I laughed as my eyes fluttered. I was already feeling the sleepy effects of the rocking back and forth of the train.
“You need to learn to trust me, Caldwell,” he whispered, almost on a plea. “Can you do that?”
I’d been so happy for the past hour, there was no time to think of the other significance of June first. I’d be a New York City resident again, far away from the quaint upstate town and the man I loved. The very reason I’d resisted giving in to any kind of feelings for Drew was coming to fruition: the dreaded complication when school stopped, and real life started. I finally had what I’d been working for, but would that cost me the other most important person in my life? I didn’t know what to do or what to say.
The only word I managed to force out, even though I didn’t fully believe it, was “Okay.”