“Thanks,” he said, catching with an agility that was all too impressive. “I’m Mason.”
“Bobbie. Now come over here. I’m gonna show you how to get breakfast going, so I can sleep in tomorrow morning.”
“Bobbie!” Lila gasped. “You can’t do that. I am the boss.”
“Yes, but I am yourelder. I also worked here before you were knee-high to a bean sprout. I’m not a spring chicken anymore. If you don’t need help running the place, that’s your business. But I will not say no to getting help back here.”
Lila crossed her arms. “I am not hiring you, Mason.”
“Lila, sweet, angry Lila. Give me one week.” He held up one finger, wiggling his eyebrows.
“One week?” she repeated, uncertain. “To do what? Burn down my restaurant?”
“No, silly. Give me one week to show you that I can do this job well. You don’t even have to pay me for the week’s trial period.”
“Well, that’s not suspicious at all,” she cried, throwing her hands up in the air. “No one works for free. No one. Especially not prim city guys who roll in here for a few days before they get bored and go back to civilization.”
“It’s free help, kiddo. You’re insane if you don’t take him up on his offer.” Bobbie led Mason to the grill and started to point out where ingredients and tools were kept.
Lila had to stand there…in her own kitchen…and watch as her cook and lifelong friend betrayed her with a newcomer. Mason waved her off with a smirk. “Go on, Lila. Go back to the dining room and take care of your customers. We’re in good hands back here.” He winked at her.
Lila opened her mouth to argue, but Bobbie joined in on the shooing. “You can’t kick me out of my own kitchen,” she argued.
“We just did,boss,” Mason chuckled. He took her by the shoulders, spun her around, and walked her to the door.
His fingers were warm on her shirt, and Lila tried to ignore how good it felt to be touched by another human. No, that wasn’t right. It wasn’t just that Mason was a person touching her like it was nothing.
He was amantouching her. A handsome man.
One who is temporarily in town.
She had to remind herself of that. If Mason was helping her out now, that was fine, but she couldn’t get used to it. Soon enough, he would realize just how bad life as a diner worker was. Then he would quit and also realize that there was nothing in Half Moon Key for him. And then, he would be gone.
Just like Erik had gone…
Lila plastered on her best fake smile and took orders from her customers as she waited for her day…her whole damn life…to pass her by.
FIVE
MASON
Mason couldn’t believe it. He had always liked cooking. He was even amazing at cooking. But that wasn’t why he was stunned by this turn of events. He was now actually standing in front of a professional grill, being coached by a cook.
Even though he was a chef. A world-renown and much sought-after chef.
He didn’t have the heart to tell Bobbie, though.
After all, this washerkitchen, and if she wanted to tell him how to do things, he would extend her that professional courtesy.
“You’re a quick study,” the cook commented once Mason stepped behind the grill. There was an edge of suspicion to her voice.
“Thanks.” He almost told her, but it was too late to come clean now.
Bobbie’s dark gray hair was pulled back from her face and piled into a hair net. Her apron was stained, and her hands had the telltale signs of a lifetime of cooking. He envied her a bit that she had always lived in Half Moon Key close to Lila.
All through his time with Bobbie, Mason hadn’t stopped thinking about the dark-haired beauty. He tried to find a way to bring her up that would be completely organic and not give off psycho-stalker vibes.
There was no way to do it, though. Soon enough, he found himself blatantly asking, “So what’s the story with Lila?”