Chapter 3: Strike two

Florian's POV…

“Here are your Car keys.” Gabriel threw my key in the air.

“Thanks,” I muttered, catching them but avoiding his gaze.

“So tell me, why did you leave your car at the club last night?”

“I had too much to drink, I couldn't drive.”

“Hmm Florian, drunk?”

I know he wouldn't believe it, but I chose to try.

I wasn't about to tell him, I just had a one-night stand with a girl whose name I couldn't even get.

“Two Coffee Cups?”

Shit! I should have tossed those in the trash.

“Okay I had someone over, but I don't want to talk about it.”

"Okay Mr Grumpy, I am sure you scared her off.”

“I didn't scare –”

Gabriel chuckled.

“I see what you did there?”

“It was worth the try.” He shoved my sides.

“Why are you here?”

“We have new submissions for the restaurant, I thought you might want to see.”

“Already?”

“Yes, that's what happens when people find out their favorite mystery billionaire is opening a new business.”

I rolled my eyes at his statement.

“Let me see them.”

The first submission was submitted just 30 minutes ago.

I read the name ‘Roseline’. 

It rolled off my tongue easily.

She didn't have a photo attached to her resume, but something about it caught my attention.

Zero working experience, but I would do your company the honour of hosting a soon-to-be-world-class-chef.

I almost laughed, I loved the humour.

“Invite all of them over for an interview, today.”

“Today?”

“Yes… today.”

Gabriel raised his brows.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, I would get on it.”

“Good.”

I went inside to prepare for the interview while Gabriel sent out the emails.

When we arrived the applicants were already present.

So we started the first stage, which was the oral interview, before we proceeded to the next stage of testing.

As the chefs were assigned their stations, someone else walked in.

"I am sorry I am late, I didn't expect feedback so soon, so I wasn't adequately prepared I had to–”

She paused. 

"You!” We both echoed at the same time, causing everyone to stare at us.

“What are you doing here?”

“I am here for the interview.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I am the head chef of the restaurant.”

“Great, fuck me!” She whispered beneath her breath, but I heard her.

“Too bad I already did,” I muttered to myself.

“What's your name? I didn't see anyone with your ID photo on the list.”

“That's because I didn't use one.” She said lazily.

“You are Roseline?”

"In flesh and blood.” She did a sarcastic courtesy.

“No need to waste your time, since we both know I won't get the job.”

“Wait!” I called out stopping her in her tracks.

“Assign her to a work station, I would love to see what she can do.”

She was about to speak, but held her tongue.

She nodded and joined the other chefs.

She was going to compete against five-star chefs with some having working experience of 10 years, of course, I would love to see her try.

Their first tasks here handed to them, were to create a unique and new dish from scratch.

The rules were given to them and the countdown began.

“Remove 30 minutes from their working time,” I yelled.

I could hear Roseline grunt from where I was seated.

Her displeasure spread warmth across my chest.

There was no way she would finish on time.

The clock ticked, “Three, two, one.”

All their hands were in the air by the count of ‘one’.

"Sir, which of the chefs would you love to start with?”

I moved over to one of the Chef's Stations, but my gaze was fixed on Roseline.

She tensed as her eyes met mine.

She returned her gaze to her dish, and she muttered something while staring at it.

A smirk played on my lips, she knew she wasn't getting the job.

I know she wasn't getting the job, but I was going to crush her spirits, the same way she did mine.

After I had tasted the other chef's dishes, it was finally her turn.

I saved the worst for last.

“Roseline,” I called her name when I got to her station.

She lifted her head to meet my gaze, that was when I noticed dark circles beneath her eyes.

My chest tightened.

Did she even get any sleep or rest at all?

I squashed the ounce of care that arose.

I didn't get any sleep as well, and that wasn't going to make me lenient in my judgment.

I folded my arms across my chest, "Present your dish.”

"Given the limited time we had to come up with a new dish, I decided to prepare a dish I came up with while in culinary school.”

“What's the name of your dish?”

“It doesn't have one.”

“You are presenting a nameless dish for an interview?”

"That's exactly why it's nameless, its unique taste is what lives in your memory.”

“That's against the rules, you were told to create a unique dish and it's to have a name.”

“Well, you didn't state that it was compulsory to name it.”

"Are you questioning the head chef?” Gabriel asked her.

"You didn't keep to the rules, we can't have someone like you working here.”

I turned my back to her about to take my seat when she called out.

"Florian,”

The sound of my name on her lips shot blood straight to my groin.

Get a grip.

“I may have broken your contest rules but can you at least have a taste of my dish and if after that your decision doesn't change then I would accept it.”

I scoffed, “Accept it?”

“That's what I said.”

“You really think the world revolves around you.”

“I don't think the world revolves around me, but I do believe you shouldn't allow our past encounter to cloud your judgment.”

I could sense Gabriel Stiffen beside me.

Every other person was silent watching us bicker.

“Okay, I would try your dish.”

She pouted her lips, stopping herself from commenting any further.

The other chefs stared at me with wide eyes but Gabriel's gaze could literally burn a hole through a skull.

I knew he was surprised that I had gone back on my word.

I never go back on my word, but Roseline was on my last nerve with her persuasion.

But one thing she did have was audacity, she probably doesn't ever want the job as badly as she appeared.

I dished a small spoonful of her food onto a plate.

Immediately I took a bite, and it felt as though time stopped.

My mind was taken aback.

I paused.

The smell of smoke. The screams of my parents. 

Distant laughter and a call for help filled my mind, it was vague but I could feel it. 

The memories that had been hidden all these years came flooding back with one taste of her meal.

“Are you okay?” Gabriel called out and touched me after I hadn’t responded.

I was brought back to reality.

The woman before me had just given me what I had been searching for all these years.