Tonight the restaurant was humming, as it had for a while now. This week in particular had been crazy when Draco’s friendship with newly-engaged billionaire entrepreneur Brent Colby had been at the forefront of the gossip magazines. It seemed as if every aspect of Draco’s life was fodder for the papers, and by association, hers too.
Reporters still hung around outside each night, but instead of the headlines reading things like “Is Carson’s Going Italian?” or “Italian Stallion on the Menu?” they were more focused on the increasing high number of local celebrities who’d taken to wanting to be seen at what was rapidly becoming the place to be seen.
Blair turned to check the latest round of orders from her wait staff, only to feel the kitchen floor tilt beneath her. Whoa, she thought, gripping the stainless steel countertop to steady herself.
“You okay, sweetie?” Gustav hesitated in front of her, his hands and arms filled with entree plates heading out to a group of actors from New Zealand’s longest-running soap opera who were celebrating local television award nominations.
Blair swallowed back against the bitter bile that had risen in her throat as the dizziness had hit, and took a steadying breath.
“I’ll be fine. You’d better get those out.” She gestured to the plates on his arm. “Can’t keep the punters waiting, right?”
“Maybe you should get checked out. Who knows, you might have brought back something more than just a gorgeous Italian stud muffin from Tuscany.”
Gustav gave her one of his trademark cheeky smiles, but underlying his humor, she could sense he was worried about her.
Blair reached for the bottled water she always kept on hand, and took a long draw from it. That spell had been worse than most, she acknowledged. Maybe she really did need to see a doctor just to get to the root of what ailed her. It wasn’t as if it was debilitating, but dizzy spells in a working kitchen were risky at the best of times. And these were the best of times, she smiled to herself.
Business had never been better, and at the end of each evening Draco was waiting for her to take her back to his apartment where they’d enjoy a late supper together before retiring to bed. Although there wasn’t much retiring in that department.
The next afternoon, when Blair arrived at the restaurant her staff were abuzz with the news that the food critic from Fine Dining magazine was reported to be coming to the restaurant that night amongst a bevy of his friends. Blair’s nerves shot off the Richter scale as she realized what this could mean.
Tonight could be the night that would realize her dream—or seal her fate into the “almost-ran” category forever. It was imperative that everything be perfect.
She checked and rechecked the storeroom and walk-in-fridge, ensuring that everything she’d ordered was of the highest quality and at its peak of freshness.
Draco let himself in through the back door of the restaurant and waved a quick hello to Blair’s sous chef, Phil, who was busy overseeing the kitchen hands’ preparations for the menu that night. He was surprised not to see Blair in the kitchen, but caught a glimpse of her in the little office off to the side.
He crossed the distance between them on silent feet. Her back was to the door and she was intent on the computer screen in front of her. The online version of Fine Dining magazine, he noted.
He dropped his hands on her shoulders and stroked them down her arms as he leaned forward to kiss her lightly on the back of her neck.
“Draco! This is a surprise,” she said with a jubilant smile as she spun round in her computer chair at his touch.
She reached up and pulled his face down to hers. His pulse quickened as her lips pressed against his, then parted, allowing him access to taste her. Dio, it seemed as if he could never get enough of her. It would make the news he had to tell her now even more difficult to impart.
“So,” she said when he finally drew back from her welcoming embrace, “what brings you here at this time of day?”
“Not so good news, I’m afraid.”
“Oh?”
She made a tiny moue with her mouth, making him want to kiss her again.
“I have to go away for a few days, to Adelaide. My Australian business manager has unfortunately been in an accident and won’t be out of the hospital for several days. I need to meet with some of our exporters.” A sudden thought occurred to him. “Come with me. Leave the restaurant in Phil’s hands and run away for a few days. It’s beautiful in the Adelaide hills this time of year. You’ll love it.”
“When do you leave?”
“In a couple of hours. I’m traveling by charter, I’ll call them and delay the flight to give you time to get ready. All you have to do is say yes.”