The empty platter in Blake's hand clattered against the steel surface of the prep table. "They practically inhaled those appetizers."

"That's a good sign." Sophie placed the custard cups into the bain-marie and dried her hands. "How's Simon?"

Blake's nose squished like she'd opened a container of raw squid. "The stick fell out of his ass, if that's what you're asking."

"Hey." Sophie hip checked her temporary sous chef and server. "That's no way to speak about your potential boss."

"But he's been impossible today. Now he's out there acting like everyone's best bud."

"He has a lot riding on tonight." Sophie crept across the kitchen and cracked open the door a sliver. In the center of the dining room sat Simon at a table with two older men in dark suits and an elegantly dressed woman with silver hair and circular diamonds twinkling in the candlelight at her ears. The sound of Simon's booming laugh filtered across the empty room.

Sophie gently closed the door and turned to Blake. "If he gets this funding, this restaurant could be up and running in a month. That means decent jobs for folks in this area. And you'd be in on the ground floor."

Blake's eyes shone. "Really? You think he'd hire me?"

"I'd give you a glowing recommendation. Besides the serving skills Simon hired you for, you're a quick learner and have been an asset in the kitchen with me."

"You explain things. Not like when I try to cook with my mom. She only wants me to do things her way."

Sophie winked at Blake. "Each chef has to find their own way."

"I like your way." Blake chewed on the side of her thumb. "You'd still teach me, right?"

The request made her heart race. "I'd like that. But this is only a temporary position for me. Simon hired me for tonight. He might want someone with more experience to manage the kitchen full time."

"That's not what he told those people when they asked about the menu."

Warmth not from the oven washed over Sophie's cheeks. "Quick, let's get the first course plated."

Sophie was adding the hazelnuts to the scallops cooked with chorizo when the kitchen door pushed open, and Simon stuck his head into the room.

"Sophie." He nodded in the direction of the table of potential investors. "Can you come explain the menu?"

"Absolutely." She straightened her apron, brushed her bangs off her face and, with a quick smile in Blake's direction, entered the dining room. As she followed him to the table, she focused on the fine lines of the back of Simon's dark suit and willed moisture into her dry throat.

Simon stopped and rested a hand on the back of his chair. "Mr. Melcon and Mr. and Mrs. Purty. May I present the star of the evening and the brilliant mind behind tonight's inspired meal, Sophie Kim."

Sophie shook each of their hands, maintaining eye contact. Mrs. Purty smiled. "Simon can't stop singing your praises. Is it true you worked at La Terra?"

A stone fell in Sophie's stomach. Had Simon inflated her worth, touting her as the head chef at her old restaurant? "I was there for almost two years."

"Cal and I used to love their pommes de terre soufflées." Sophie's shoulders relaxed. The classic French dish had been one of the creations she was mostly responsible for in her old kitchen. Mrs. Purty's mouth turned down. "Such a shame the owners decided to retire."

Simon inched closer to the table. "But luck for us because it brought us Sophie."

"I don't have any soufflées on the menu tonight, but I have prepared a creamy Koshihikari risotto boosted with a porcini emulsion that might appease your tastebuds." Encouraged by the nods of the three guests, Sophie described the rest of the menu.

Buoyant as a hot-air balloon at sunrise, Sophie retreated to the kitchen. Back to the door, she closed her eyes and sucked in the satisfaction of the delight in Simon's investors' eyes. The rightness of this moment clung to her like silk and there was only one person she wanted to share this with. She slipped her phone out of her pocket and snuck a peek at her text messages.

Nothing from Max.

The balloon of euphoria in her chest deflated. She bit the inside of her cheek and shook her head. On the call earlier, Max had wished her good luck for tonight because he knew his job might cause him to miss this moment. That meant she shouldn't really expect to hear from him. Still a part of her, the part that had come to rely on the presence of Max as something stable in her life had expected a word from him and her heart pinched at the lack of connection. Just like it had when she'd texted him about Etienne's offer and he hadn't replied then either.

Sophie shoved aside the tight knots in her stomach and pushed off the door.

Max would text soon.

***

"Is it safe to enter?" Mary didn't wait for an answer, propping open the door to the kitchen for Emily.

Sophie abandoned the pot she was scrubbing in the sink and walked into the waiting arms of her two best friends. "What are you two doing here?"

"We couldn't wait to congratulate you." Emily pulled a bottle of champagne from her bag.

Mary headed for the bureau with the stemware. "I'll get glasses."

Emily removed the outside foil on the green bottle in her hand. "Simon was beaming when we passed him, helping his guests into the limo."

"Our girl knocked their socks off." Mary lined up four glasses on the counter. "Now Simon has to make you head chef."

A band wrapped around Sophie's lungs. "About that. Etienne might have a job for me. I'd be working with him again back in Washington."

"That's wonderful." Emily something.

"No, it's not." Mary's pout marred her face. "Sophie needs to stay here. Be with us. That's the plan."

Sophie crossed her arms. "That might have been your plan, but you know I belong in the city. Maybe I can find a nice apartment with a spare bedroom and you can visit."

"I might be able to help with that." Emily twisted the wire around the champagne cork. "The tenant in my condo in town gave me their notice. You could take over the lease. I might even be convinced to sell the place to you."

"No." Mary stomped her foot. "Don't encourage her to leave."

"I'm not encouraging her. I'm supporting my friend in whatever decision makes her happy." Emily squeezed Sophie's arm. "Although I've loved having you here and would be sad to see you leave."

"See. Even Emily wants you to stay." Mary wrapped her arms around Sophie. "Please, Sophie. Say you'll stay."

Wrapped in her friends loving embrace, Sophie's shoulders dropped, and she let her head fall on Mary's shoulders. "Your husband has to offer me a job first."

"Consider this your formal offer." Simon's hand caressed his wife's neck. "I didn't realize you were under any other impression than that I consider you a part of Wainwright Winery's already."

Sophie's gaze bounced between her friend and Simon. "Really, Simon, you don't have to say that. I know this was a temporary deal. I'd completely understand if you want to hire someone with more experience."

Simon placed a hand on each of Sophie's biceps. "I'm serious. I'm sorry if I haven't made that clear. You are smart and creative, and I like how you fight for what you think is right. Never mind your food tastes so good I wouldn't be surprised if The Purty's don't sign a contract with us tomorrow. I'd be honoured to have you be a part of my growing family."

A pop echoed in the kitchen and all eyes turned to Emily, an overflowing bottle of champagne in her hand. "Now that calls for champagne."

***

Sophie awoke in Max's bed. What used to be his bed. Even with clean sheets and no warm body beside her, something about lying here made her feel closer to him. The other way was the good morning text waiting from Max, his words the best start to her day.

She snatched her phone off the bedside table and scanned her messages. Etienne asking what time to make the appointment to meet his boss. Simon's joke text from last night saying his message was in lieu of a formal offer, but that one would be on the way. The knot in her stomach tightened at the sight of the conversation with Max and her three unanswered texts.

Her finger hovered over the keyboard. The need to prompt a response, connect with him, burned in the pad of her finger, along her hand and arm into her chest. She'd never been a needy girlfriend before. Yet again, she was out of practice at the girlfriend role altogether. Perhaps this was what life was like when you date a man in the Navy. Maybe they eased back into work and the constant stream of texts with Max had been an aberration. From now on, he'd be too busy to swap good morning notes with her.

Sophie snuggled back into the covers to combat the shiver that raked over her and the confidence she could last six months without him wavered. His physical absence was infuriating, but sufferable because she understood what being in the Navy meant to him. But no texts? No calls? She didn't know if she was cut out for long stretches of not even being able to talk to him. Or even hear from him. Her fingers wound around the comforter, long repressed feelings of being abandoned by Thomas fluttered on the edges of her mind. She shook her head. That was illogical. Thomas hadn't chosen to leave her.

But Max had.

With effort, she peeled back the covers and shed those thoughts as well. Max hadn't abandoned her. He simply had a job that required him to be away from her. In the shower, she bargained with herself, making a promise to not give into the dread lurking in her heart. There was no reason to doubt Max wouldn't text soon.

Downstairs, she found Finn in the kitchen, Lucy tucked into his arms while she frantically sucked on a baby bottle. Sophie freed a mug from its hook and poured herself a coffee. "Morning."

His head snapped up like Sophie had magically appeared. "Thought you'd sleep in today. Em's not up yet."

"Think I'm still wired from yesterday. All that preparation and the meal was over in the blink of an eye."

"Em seems to think things went well. That your menu sealed the deal." Finn tilted the bottle and Lucy kicked her legs as if the rush of milk was an endorphin hit.

"Your brother is a good salesman."

Finn chuckled. "That he is."

The coffee tasted bitter on Sophie's tongue, and the questions spilled from her lips. "Have you heard from Max?"

Baby Lucy stopped bouncing in Finn's arm. His gaze fell to the floor, and Sophie's heart jumped to her throat. Her fingers gripped the hot cup of coffee like the fine china was a lifeline. "Is he hurt?" The words croaked out of her.

Finn's jaw worked and Sophie's knees threatened to give way. The smell of antiseptic mixed with stale air stifled her nostrils even though they were nowhere near a hospital. A thousand ways Max might have been injured combined with the potentially catastrophic injuries themselves flooded her mind, her stomach rolling and pitching at each horrific vision.

"Sophie?" Finn touched her arm, bringing her back to the kitchen lit by the soft hue of the overhead lamp. Finn stood beside her now. "Max knows how to take care of himself."

"So..."–Sophie's lip wobbled –"he is hurt?"

"There's no official word." Finn bounced Lucy, who had begun to fuss, either because her father had stopped with the feeding or she also felt the tension in the air. Tension radiating from Finn.

"But unofficial..."

"Unofficially, I heard from Campbell. They finished a shift and Max left to get the car but didn't return." Finn met her gaze. "He's been missing for over twenty-four hours."

The crack of the porcelain coffee cup that slipped from Sophie's grip and hit the ground rang alongside the snap of her heart tearing into pieces.

Hey all, DL here. I know, I know. Where is Max? I promise, you'll find out what's happened in the next chapter.