PRESENT

October | New York

It's starting to feel like fall in the city.  The air has a certain coolness in it that would require you to wear a light jacket and maybe a cute pair of booties.  I noticed on my way to work earlier today some trees has started to change colors.  When the wind blows, some leaves fly around and you could hear them hit the pavement. 

Of all the seasons I like most being in New York is fall.  It's not hot and humid anymore that you can get away wearing just a sleeveless shirt and it's not cold enough yet to bring out those puffy jackets that makes you look like the Michelin man.

The best part is the fashion. The outfit and shoes people wear here are impressive. Once the seasons change you will see the transition of colors, sometimes it makes you feel the city streets of NYC is a big runway show.  It is such a contrast compare to the sunny and bright fashion people wear in the City of Angels.  I watch a couple more people walk by.       

I take another puff of my cigarette and exhale a big smoke up in the air.  Today is hectic at the restaurant.  I look at my watch. I only have fifteen minutes left of my break.  That went fast.   Times like this makes me think about the life I left in California six months ago.

Here I am smoking in the back alley of Le Boeuf Rouge savoring last few minutes of my break before I go back in the line.  I was a month away of being promoted to Junior Sous Chef at the restaurant I was working at in Los Angeles.  Everything in my career, personal and social life, were all doing really well. Then the next thing I know I was watching all of it fall apart. I take another deep breath and exhale through my mouth. Now, it feels like I am back where I started.

"Eliza!  You are needed inside.  Geoff's looking for you." 

"I'm coming!"  I say as I step on the cigarette butt that I just dropped to the ground and started removing the kitchen glove I am wearing on my right hand. I begin to walk by where Jillian is holding the door for me.  I could already feel the heat permeating from the kitchen, a contrast from the chill out here in this beautiful October night.

"You are the only one I know who would wear a glove when they smoke,"  Jillian says to me. 

"Well, I like to smoke when I am stressed out but I don't like the lingering smell on my finger.  Plus I feel less guilty handling food afterwards,"  I say to her. Holding on to the door handle, I pull it to open wider as I step inside.

After I wash my hands thoroughly, I go back to my station and was reading all the tickets on the rail when Geoff's face appear by the kitchen pass. 

"Hey Eliza, we have VIPs coming in tonight.  I know you guys back there are swamped but we need 100%," he says while his eyes follow me as I move about by the big burners.

He has a stack of papers in his hand and his brown rimmed glasses is sitting on the bridge of his nose. When he turns to Nigel, our Executive Chef, I notice how Geoff's salt and pepper beard are neatly trimmed and his hair is shorter than yesterday. Good to know some of us has time to get pampered.  Well, he is the owner so he can always sneak in a me time here and there.

"Don't worry about it.  Even if we're in the weeds we got it here," I say to him as I put my attention to the order I am working on.  I double check the plate that Jillian just put infront of me.  After a quick glance, I place it out for Philip.

"Service! Two chops on the pass! I don't want this to be a dead plate again!"  I call out on the server that left the last plate I made sit out too long. 

Philip, my Sous Chef, takes the plate and examines it. He wipes the edge one more time before giving the server the go signal to take it.

"Somebody famous I know?" I say.

Turning my attention back to Geoff and at the same time focusing on the four pans I have going on on the burners.  Clattering sounds fill the kitchen as the dinner peak have arrived. A tall flame went up on the grill to my right as Jillian and I continue to work side by side.

"Yeah.  A very good friend of mine and other group of guys.  They will probably go for the specials tonight. Maybe seafood. Will have Ashley flag it down on the ticket. She is the server assigned to their table. Philip, will let you know what they order.  I need the best, Eliza," he says louder than normal as he tried to talk to me over the noise happening in the kitchen.

Geoff turns his attention back to Nigel and Philip. They're probably having a last minute huddle about the guests coming tonight and the menu for the specials that was prepared earlier in the evening.

"That's all we have here, Geoff.  That's all we have," I reply then nodded to Jillian, the commis who is the grill chef in-training.

I may be just six months on the job here but the number of years experience I have on my sleeve have qualified me to train her for the position. In my opinion, Jillian is ready to fly solo on the grill.  However, Philip won't take her off my wings just yet. So right now I am doubling as a saucier and grillardin.

"Jilly, you heard the boss. You have your mise ready?" I double check with her to make sure she's ready with all meats. 

"Yes Chef!" Jillian replies to me as she puts a filet mignon on the grill.

"Better drop these steaks. The sides are almost done, right?" She turns to me.

"Yeah start grilling them. These only need 2 minutes then it'll be ready. Make sure it's still mooing.  The dupe says rare," I tell her as I wipe my hand on the kitchen towel tied to my apron and look at the ticket that is hanging on the pass. I turn back to her at the same time flipping the lobster tail I have on the pan on the far right of the stove.

"We got this Jilly. Stay with me.  We will get buried tonight.  If we get lucky and survive this, taps on me later,"  we smile at each other. 

I like working with Jillian. She's very professional and we immediately hit it off. She's the closest I can call a friend at work.

Another yell from Philip fills the air, "On deck -- 1 veal chop, 1 strip, 1 au gratin side, 1 strip au poivre SOS, 2 truffle fries side." Reading the ticket that just came in.

"Yes Chef!" Everybody in the line replies.

The adrenaline is pumping through my body. This kind of night reminds me of why I love this job. The heat coming from the stove is making my cheeks flushed. With precision and finesse, I carefully place the seared tenderloin on a white plate then put the poached lobster tail on top before drizzling the sauce on it and on the side of the plate. I could feel sweat beads forming on my forehead as I methodically garnish the plate and clean the sides before putting it on the pass.

"Service!" I yell. Philip inspects and nods to the server.

On to the next order.

The banging of pots, pans hitting the stove tops, clinking of plates by the dishwasher, they are all the sounds that I normally zone out when I plate. I have to keep my hand nice and steady. I look around and see that my fellow chefs have their game face on as well. It's always like a sensory overload for me in the kitchen. I take a quick drink of water while I retrieve the folded paper towel from the pocket of my apron to wipe the sweat I can feel dripping on the side of my neck. 

"And clean up as much as you can on your stations.  We have VIPs coming through the back door tonight!"  Philip orders the staff amidst the chaos happening in the back of the house. 

"Chef, we just sat a 12 top." I heard the server, I believe his name is Jessie, said to Philip.

"12 top on the floor!" Philip yells again.

"Yes Chef!" We yelled back. This is going to be one hell of a shift. A group of 12 people just came in and we are already working double time. 

It's Saturday night so the busy grind like tonight is expected but the pressure is on whenever we have famous people, dignataries or politicians dine at the restaurant. It does not help when a big group comes in around the same time as the VIPs especially when the kitchen is already swamped with orders.

I should not expect anything less from Geoff Morgan. This restaurant of his is famous in New York City.  He owns other establishments too but Le Beouf Rogue is one of NYC's top 10 best restaurants and he wants to keep it that way.  

While he is the ultimate businessman and well respected in the industry, Geoff is a very good friend almost like a big brother to me. He is my saving grace. The lone reason why I am here and not back in L.A. washing dishes at some dingy restaurant in Hollywood Boulevard. 

I was not comfortable when he first mentioned about this job.  It is not in my personality to just take a position being handed to me. I am used to working myself up the ladder.   I cannot help but think he is offering it to me like I'm a charity case, although I know he is giving me a way to get out of there and start anew. 

A few days after our meeting, Geoff called me and said his saucier quit and he needed me out east right away.  It felt different the second time we talked about it.  It felt he needed me more than I needed the job.  I couldn't wait to get out of Los Angeles after that phone call.  I was so relieved that I was given another shot and at the same time be closer to dad and Anthony. 

I am in my groove and have been sending out orders in perfect timing when the door at the back entrance open and several bulky men in black starts to file in.  I have seen this happen here the last few months.  When Geoff's celebrity friends doesn't want to be bothered by the paparazzis, they take the back door to get in the restaurant.

I stopped for a second to see who it is.  I'm curious.  I thought of the people I called friends in L.A..  I thought about the life that I love there for a minute and then I reminded myself why I have come to hate it.

A very good looking man entered who looks familiar.   Of course Geoff is friends with Atticus Walker!  How can I not even thought  of that? 

I was about to call out on Atticus hoping he still remembers me from high school when the person behind him emerges and that made me swallow what I was about yell. 

I duck down while holding the pan on my right and kitchen thongs on my left in between the stove and the pass. I hear a smirk coming from Jillian.

"Who is it? Why are you hiding?" She asks as she extends her neck to see who it was.  Most of Atticus' men in black is blocking Jillian's view as they walk beside him and his companions. 

"What the fuck?!"  I whisper to myself. "This is not happening."  I shut my eyes closed telling myself after all these years I will come face to face with him.

"What the hell are you doing down there?  We got work to do!"  Philip yells at me.

Slowly, I stand up and turn around facing the stove hoping they didn't notice me.  The last thing I want him to see is me cooking in the line and not some big shot chef everybody thought back home I turned into.

I carefully turn my head sideways to the direction where they're walking.  He's with a beautiful blonde. I can tell she's either a supermodel, a stylist or a make up artist. Trust me I know those kind. I have hang around with them so much that I can actually smell them from ten feet away. He is holding her hand so I assumed that's his girlfriend. He is wearing his dark hair long that stopped by the base of his neck. I can see a little stubble of facial hair on the side of his face. I watch how his shirt stretches at the back of his shoulders when he holds the door for Ms. Supermodel leading to the dining area.

He turns around to talk to, who I believe is Jake Anderson.  That's when I realize the handsome devil, Chase Rossi, my high school crush, the college boy I fell in love with aged better with time.  What was I thinking seven years ago? Shit!

I put my attention back to the pan in my hand and shake off the distracting thoughts in my head. All these mistakes I have done in my life are slowly coming back and biting me in the ass one by one.

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Note from the Author:

Dear Friends,

Welcome to my third book!

I am so happy that you took the time to read this one.  So Chase's book is finally here.  Atticus and Jake are back! There will be two point of views in this story and there will be flashbacks, too.

I would like to dedicate this chapter to my dear friend, MidnightBell7

I am so lucky to find you here in Wattpad. Cheers!

Once again, thank you all!

With much love,

Dani