Read Online The Big Bad Boss by Susan Stephens - Free Book Online Page B

thanking her mother for all those hours they’d spent together preparing food. She had everything she needed in the restored garden—and more eggs than she knew what to do with, thanks to the chickens being of too little value for Uncle Harry’s executors to chase them down. Tonight’s menuincluded minestrone soup, and a huge Spanish omelette, full of finely chopped seasonal vegetables and crispy potatoes, which she had browned beneath the grill until the cheese on top was crunchy. To complement this there was a bowl of crispy salad, along with some freshly baked bread and newly churned butter from a nearby farm. Then there was beer, wine and soft drinks from the local shop to satisfy twelve hungry mouths around the supper table. She loved doing this, Bronte reflected with her chin on the heel of her hand as the chatter continued abated—especially feeding Heath, who seemed to relish every mouthful.
    ‘The country’s not so bad, is it, Heath?’ She couldn’t resist saying when he dived in for second helpings.
    ‘I’ll freely admit it gives me a healthy appetite.’
    And how was she supposed to take that? She drew a deep, steadying breath, but the tension between them remained electric. It was the same between Heath’s men and Bronte’s friends, she noticed. The village was severely depleted when it came to good-looking guys, as most had gone to work in the city, so this was an interesting occasion for everyone, to say the least.
    ‘This is a real feast,’ Colleen observed, passing the bread round.
    Indeed it was, Bronte thought, glancing at Heath.
    ‘Here’s that cheese we bought to go with the bread,’ he said, passing the cheese board round to an appreciative roar.
    Bronte’s glance yo-yoed between Colleen and Heath. They had walked to the farm together, which meant they must have talked. And Colleen was hardly noted for holding back. She must have said something about Bronte’s feelings for Heath.
    Well, it was too late to do anything about that now, Bronte thought, putting an Eton mess on the table for pudding—easy. fresh whipped and sweetened cream, thick Greek yoghurt, strawberries, raspberries, and crumbled chunks of home-made meringue. ‘Please, tuck in,’ she announced brightly, swallowing back her embarrassment at the thought that her feelings for Heath must have been aired extensively at some point today.
    ‘This pudding is delicious,’ Heath said, looking up.
    His eyes held all sorts of thoughts that went beyond pudding—none of which Bronte trusted herself to examine too closely. How would Heath’s energy translate if they were leftalone together for any length of time? Perhaps he had better install a sprinkler system along with all his other DIY improvements.
    ‘We’re going to be here for the best part of six months according to the boss,’ one of the men said, directing this comment at Bronte. ‘I hope you’ll be staying on?’
    ‘She’ll be here,’ Heath confirmed.
    ‘Oh, will I?’ Bronte challenged.
    ‘Where else would you go?’ Heath demanded.
    Everyone went silent and turned to look at them.
    ‘We definitely can’t let a cook as good as you go,’ the first man said politely to break the standoff.
    ‘We won’t let her go,’ Heath assured him while Bronte frowned. It wasn’t just that she didn’t like to be told what she was going to do—she was beginning to wonder if she had blown the bigger job. Not that she didn’t enjoy cooking, but her mother was the one trained in household management, while Bronte’s training had been geared towards managing the estate.
    Don’t make a fuss, her inner voice warned …
softly, softly catchee monkey.
    ‘I’ve really enjoyed cooking for you all,’she said honestly, thinking it best to leave it there.
    ‘If you do stay on and work here,’ Colleen piped up, ‘I’m sure Heath will pay excellent wages.’
    ‘We definitely need to talk terms,’ Heath agreed above the laughter.
    Great wages and impossible terms?
Bronte