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Authors: Darry Fraser
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handfuls and dropped them into the dog’s bowl.
Berry settled on the settee, his booted feet landed on the upturned half wine barrel. He listened as Rommy crunched his dinner down. A man could do with some food too, he thought and idled around the idea of heading towards the restaurant.
Too obvious, peanut.
He’d go down later, after Heidi left. That shouldn’t be too long; she could hardly stand up much after eight in the evening these days and it would mean Clancy had left the kitchen as well. He’d grab one of the staff meals Heidi always had packed and ready, a chicken thing or a beef thing and head back up to the house.
He leaned back in his seat. The beer was heading south really well.
He’d let it do its trick then he’d haul himself into the shower.
Fifteen minutes later, Rommy followed him back inside, sat at the bathroom door while Berry got himself wet and soapy. Rommy didn’t like that room particularly much; he’d also get wet and soapy in there from time to time and it was never much fun. No need to go right inside in case he was told to step in with the boss.
Dressed, except for boots, and back in the kitchen, Berry could see the light still on in the restaurant.
“Heidi must be really getting stuck into the handover, Roms.” He hoped they wouldn’t be too much longer and his stomach growled on cue.
He went to the dining table, flicked on the laptop and opened his emails. He checked a few orders, answered a few queries and entered a couple of restaurant bookings. These few days before Christmas were filling up nicely, and now even after Christmas and into January. At last the stress of previous years might be lifting; the place was well deserving of its good name and the bookings were proof.
And further up the email list, there was Clancy’s email. He hadn’t deleted it. He clearly remembered the thud in his chest when he’d opened his emails the day before and saw she’d contacted him. He almost leapt on the spot to help her out.
Something about her grabbed him, and he could feel it growing by the minute. But if she was working here with him and staying on the property, he would have to step carefully. Things could get messy.
Things could get bloody fantastic.
Better not to rush it. He didn’t need hassles in that direction at all. He wondered what she’d look like working in this kitchen here. Her fair head of hair would be bobbing up and down as she sautéed, stirring with a big wooden spoon, or whisking eggs for an omelette for breakfast.
Other things would be shaking and bobbing along with the rhythm. He thought a bit more about that. Thought about what might have occurred before that omelette breakfast.
Or maybe, better still, she’d watch him work in the kitchen, her chin cupped in her hand as she sat at the table waiting to be served dinner the night before...
Or she would have her elegant hands around a wine bowl and a deep, rich berry-flavoured shiraz would be warming in her palms. Her brown-eyed gaze would be on him the whole time and then when he served dinner—
Dinner. Food.
What were those two doing down there? Once he realised the light was still on he glanced at the clock. Eight pm. Heidi was usually well gone by now on no-trade days.
“Rommy, stop being a chicken. A man’s got to eat.” He pulled on his boots. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Nine
Clancy stood in the coolroom. They’d easily need another couple of hours before they’d be ready to turn out. But she didn’t have to do that tonight.
And they did look gorgeous. Three loaf trays of her special lemon yoghurt panna cotta. Not to be taken lightly.
Three trays ought to be enough for service tomorrow night, and perhaps the following night as well if it wasn’t as popular as she expected it would be.
And they looked about the best she’d ever done.
She checked the berry compote, careful not to disturb it too much. It needed to draw a bit more in it own juices before
Berry settled on the settee, his booted feet landed on the upturned half wine barrel. He listened as Rommy crunched his dinner down. A man could do with some food too, he thought and idled around the idea of heading towards the restaurant.
Too obvious, peanut.
He’d go down later, after Heidi left. That shouldn’t be too long; she could hardly stand up much after eight in the evening these days and it would mean Clancy had left the kitchen as well. He’d grab one of the staff meals Heidi always had packed and ready, a chicken thing or a beef thing and head back up to the house.
He leaned back in his seat. The beer was heading south really well.
He’d let it do its trick then he’d haul himself into the shower.
Fifteen minutes later, Rommy followed him back inside, sat at the bathroom door while Berry got himself wet and soapy. Rommy didn’t like that room particularly much; he’d also get wet and soapy in there from time to time and it was never much fun. No need to go right inside in case he was told to step in with the boss.
Dressed, except for boots, and back in the kitchen, Berry could see the light still on in the restaurant.
“Heidi must be really getting stuck into the handover, Roms.” He hoped they wouldn’t be too much longer and his stomach growled on cue.
He went to the dining table, flicked on the laptop and opened his emails. He checked a few orders, answered a few queries and entered a couple of restaurant bookings. These few days before Christmas were filling up nicely, and now even after Christmas and into January. At last the stress of previous years might be lifting; the place was well deserving of its good name and the bookings were proof.
And further up the email list, there was Clancy’s email. He hadn’t deleted it. He clearly remembered the thud in his chest when he’d opened his emails the day before and saw she’d contacted him. He almost leapt on the spot to help her out.
Something about her grabbed him, and he could feel it growing by the minute. But if she was working here with him and staying on the property, he would have to step carefully. Things could get messy.
Things could get bloody fantastic.
Better not to rush it. He didn’t need hassles in that direction at all. He wondered what she’d look like working in this kitchen here. Her fair head of hair would be bobbing up and down as she sautéed, stirring with a big wooden spoon, or whisking eggs for an omelette for breakfast.
Other things would be shaking and bobbing along with the rhythm. He thought a bit more about that. Thought about what might have occurred before that omelette breakfast.
Or maybe, better still, she’d watch him work in the kitchen, her chin cupped in her hand as she sat at the table waiting to be served dinner the night before...
Or she would have her elegant hands around a wine bowl and a deep, rich berry-flavoured shiraz would be warming in her palms. Her brown-eyed gaze would be on him the whole time and then when he served dinner—
Dinner. Food.
What were those two doing down there? Once he realised the light was still on he glanced at the clock. Eight pm. Heidi was usually well gone by now on no-trade days.
“Rommy, stop being a chicken. A man’s got to eat.” He pulled on his boots. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Nine
Clancy stood in the coolroom. They’d easily need another couple of hours before they’d be ready to turn out. But she didn’t have to do that tonight.
And they did look gorgeous. Three loaf trays of her special lemon yoghurt panna cotta. Not to be taken lightly.
Three trays ought to be enough for service tomorrow night, and perhaps the following night as well if it wasn’t as popular as she expected it would be.
And they looked about the best she’d ever done.
She checked the berry compote, careful not to disturb it too much. It needed to draw a bit more in it own juices before
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