Chapter 6

JANICE'S POV

The first thing I notice when I walk into the kitchen is that Eden is already there. The second thing I notice is that he isn't pretending anymore.

No clipboard or managers hovering beside him and no inspection notes. He's standing near the service entrance with a coffee in one hand, watching the line like he has nowhere else to be.

My stomach tightens. "He's back." I don't look up from the prep list in my hand. "Who?" Celine snorts beside me. "The billionaire stalker."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure." She walks away before I can throw something at her. Service starts twenty minutes later and somehow Eden is still there watching.

I hate it, I'd rather he criticize something at least then I'd know where I stand. This silent observation feels worse because it leaves too much room for questions.

"Table fourteen." I grab the plate automatically. "Too much garnish." The cook groans. "It's one leaf."

"It's the wrong leaf." He mutters something under his breath and fixes it. Across the kitchen, Eden's mouth twitches.

The morning rush crashes into us hard after that, orders stack up. Pans slam against burners and servers weave through the kitchen carrying trays while everybody moves faster to keep up.

The pressure feels normal but Eden standing there doesn't. Every time I glance up, he's still watching mem

Around eleven, a delivery arrives early with three oversized produce boxes get dumped near the storage room before half my staff disappear for break.

I grab the first box myself, It's heavier than it looks. I manage two steps before another pair of hands lifts the opposite side. I freeze, Eden. "Put it down."

"No, It's not your job." He lifts his eyebrow. "It's a box, Janice, not a hostage negotiation." I glare at him and he looks completely unbothered.

Unfortunately, the box still needs moving, so we carry it together in silence. The storage room feels too small and quiet.  When we finally set the box down, my fingers brush his accidentally for a second.

Something familiar shifts low in my chest and I step back immediately. "Thanks." The word feels awkward leaving my mouth, his expression softens slightly. "You're welcome." I leave before the conversation can become anything else.

Two hours later I burn my finger, a tray comes out hotter than expected and my grip slips. "Shit."

Pain shoots through my hand and before I can hide it, somebody grabs my wrist. My breath catches, Eden. Cold water runs over my fingers as he pulls me toward the prep sink, the entire kitchen becomes very interested in absolutely nothing.

Everybody is looking. "I'm fine."

"You burned yourself."

"It's barely anything." His fingers tighten slightly around my wrist. "Then stop acting like it's nothing." For a second neither of us moves, water runs across my skin, his hand stays wrapped around mine. The awareness hits harder than the burn.

For one awful second my body remembers exactly what it felt like when touching him was normal. I pull away first and the loss of contact feels immediately embarrassing.

"I'm working."His eyes stay on me another second then he nods once. "Right." The word lands strangely like disappointment.

The rumors naturally start before lunch. "Did you see that?"

"See what?"

"The hand thing." I nearly stab Chan with a spoon. "What hand thing?" He grins. "The romantic hand thing."

"There was no romantic hand thing."

"Alright." Celine walks by. "There was absolutely a romantic hand thing." I point at both of them. "Find something productive to do."

"We are working."

"Badly." They leave laughing. I hate everyone and the worst part is Eden hears enough to look suspiciously entertained.

By afternoon the kitchen finally settles then my phone rings from Jack’s school. Every muscle in my body locks as I answer before the second ring. "Hello?"

The teacher speaks quickly, explaining that Jack had a minor playground accident, nothing serious, no injuries, no hospital, no emergency, and only then does the knot in my chest begin to loosen. 

"We just wanted you informed."

"Thank you." I end the call. Across the room, Eden is watching carefully, I look away first because I already know what he saw.

Every conversation about Jack changes me, every single one and Eden has started noticing. The rest of the shift drags.

By the time I finally leave, my feet hurt and my head feels heavy, Jack makes all of that disappear within thirty seconds. "Mama!" He launches himself at me the second I reach the school gate.

I barely catch him in time. "You survived another day."

"I'm very brave."

"Clearly." He nods seriously. "I fought three dinosaurs."

"Only three?"

"Four." We head toward the car together. The entire drive home becomes a nonstop stream of information on dinosaurs, cartoons, a classmate who ate glue and a substitute teacher who resembles a turtle.

Normal five-year-old chaos, I let it wash over me. It's my favorite sound in the world then he says something that makes my grip tighten around the steering wheel.

"The tall man was looking for you again." The car drifts slightly before I correct it. "What tall man?" Jack shrugs. "The one from the picture."

Silence fills the car because Jack keeps talking completely unaware. "He looks sad when you leave."

I stare at the road, my pulse pounds louder. "What makes you think he's sad?"

"I don't know." Jack presses his face against the window. "He just does."

Children notice too much and that's the problem, they don't understand secrets, they don't understand consequences. They simply see things and somehow they're usually right.

We stop at a red light, Jack hugs his dinosaur backpack against his chest. "Mama?"

"Hmm?"

"The man from the picture." My fingers tighten slightly. "What about him?"

Jack thinks for a second then looks up at me, completely innocent and serious. "Did you stop being friends with him?" The light turns green, I don't move. A horn blares behind us but all I can hear is that question.