May 6 2025

The restaurant was quieter early this morning, Everyone knew what had happened the night before, Everyone had seen Anne, in full control, putting Steve's ex in her place, But nobody knows if the fallout was gonna be good. . . Or bad. What Anne did was correct, But this was Lumerie & Ember, One of the most famous restaurant and those kind of behaviours was unacceptable.

Anne was seen at the boss's office, He seemed very disappointed and upset, The restaurant could have went down because of what happened yesterday.

Anne: *Sighs* With all due respect-

Boss: No, None of that. You think you can stand in the middle of my restaurant and mouth off like you're on a reality show?

Anne: She wasn't a customer, she was harassing your manager. Screaming in front of guests. She humiliated herself-

Boss: She humiliated this restaurant, And you fed the fire!

He raised his voice as Anne was quiet, feeling a bit upset herself. Wishing the boss could understand but she also understood why he would be upset, That's when someone barged into the door and they saw Steve.

Steve: Boss, I-

Boss: Where are your manners, Mr Miller?

Steve: I'm really sorry, Sir, But please, Don't blame Anne, She stood up for me and herself.

Boss: I'm glad she did, But that kind of behaviour is unacceptable, Miss Winters is a chef, not some mouthpiece for drama. I don't care what that woman said or did. Anne shouldn't step out of line.

Steve: I understand, sir. I really do. But Anne didn't step out of line, She didn't throw a tantrum. She didn't raise her voice. While my mistake of an ex was tearing through like she owned this place.

He spoke calmy and respectfully, Anne was staring at him and felt her heart melt, He really cared about her so much and wanted to defend her for last night's actions, The boss glared at both of them but soon it faded into something softer, But he was still upset.

Steve: If you're going to blame anyone for what happened, then blame me. I should've stopped Kelly the second she walked in. But I didn't. I froze. Anne didn't.

He placed a hand on her shoulder as Anne stared at him before looking back at her boss, The boss stared at both of them in silence before sighing and began holding his head, There was a moment of silence between them until the boss finally spoke in a quieter tone.

Boss: Okay. . . Fine, I understand. But Anne, Steve, I want you to remember where you work. Your both talented. You've got potential. But Michelin doesn't give stars for bold personalities, they give them for discipline.

Anne/Steve: Yes sir.

Steve: Again, I apologise for what happened that night, I'll take full responsibility-

Boss: No, Its okay, Let's forget about it. You're both dismissed and if your ex does come back, Make sure she doesn't leave without a police escort.

They both nodded as Steve patted Anne's shoulder, gently leading her out of the door until the boss said something.

Boss: Anne, I don't say this often, but I'm glad you're on my team. . . Keep that fire, just learn to control it.

Anne had a small smile on her face and said "Yes Chef" Steve smiled a little before they both left the office, Even though Winters wasn't in trouble, She still felt upset, drained and frustrated, Steve looked at her, noticing the look on her face as he frowned.

Steve: Are you alright?

Anne: I'm fine. . . Kinda mad and drained out.

Steve: Don't think about it, Okay? It's over, You're not in trouble.

Anne: *Smiles* Thanks for. . . Being there for me.

Steve: I should be thanking you, darling.

He kissed her forehead as Anne had a smile on her face, blushing a little.

Steve: Now, come on. Let's get back to the kitchen before they start missing my star chef.

Anne: Well. . . I would love to but-. . . Actually never mind.

Steve looked confused and concerned and spoke to her softly.

Steve: You don't want to work today?

Anne: I'm kinda out of focused right now. . .

Steve: Hey, It's okay, Look, How about you go home? Me and the others will handle it.

Anne: I can't do that-

Steve: Anne, I'll talk to the boss, You need to rest up. *Sighs* I'm really sorry if all that drama happened.

Anne: Don't blame yourself.

She kissed his cheek as Steve smiled, pulling her closer and caressed her cheek, whispering to her.

Steve: I have an idea, How about you take this whole week off?

Anne: *Eyes widen* Whole week? That's a bit too much-

Steve: No, You deserve it. The gossip might die off within a week and I don't want anyone eyeing on you.

Anne was silent as Steve continued touching her cheek, Winters never took a break from work for years unless it was only for a day. A week seemed a bit too much but she also felt like it was a good idea.

Anne: Okay. . . I'll go. I'll talk to the boss tonight.

Steve: Great and I'll tell him that you're leaving right now.

Anne: *Smiles* Don't have fun without me.

Steve: I won't, But I'm definitely gonna miss you.

Anne blushed and laughed softly before they shared a quick kiss and said "Bye" to each other, As Anne was walking away, Steve couldn't help but stare at her, feeling a flutter in his heart, That kiss also made him feel something.

As Winters was leaving the restaurant, She felt like some of the staff workers were staring at her, It annoyed her a little bit since she was not in a mood, But she shrugged it off and walked away, However Maria noticed Anne was leaving the restaurant as she quickly called someone to take over for a moment.

While Anne was making her way to her car, She heard Maria calling her name as Winters turned around.

Maria: Anne! Is everything okay?

Anne: *Shrugs* No, We made it clear, Steve was also there to defend me, Its over, I'm glad I'm not in trouble.

Maria: *Frowns* I know you're feeling bad about yourself.

Anne: No I don't, I hate her, She had no right to walk in like that. . . *Chuckles* Okay, Maybe I do feel a little bad about myself. . . Like, This is the first time i almost got in trouble.

Maria: You did nothing wrong, Anne.

Anne: I guess. Still, it's weird feeling like I might've crossed a line, you know? I'm used to cooking, not drama.

She laughed a little as Maria had a small smile on her face.

Maria: Hey, sometimes the kitchen's full of drama too.

She spoke, trying to lighten up the mood as Marshall and Winters shared a laugh together.

Anne: True, true. . . Anyways, I'm gonna go home for the day.

Maria: Of course sis, Take care of yourself. And call me or the others if you need something.

They both shared a hug as Marshall quickly went back to the restaurant as Winters got in her car, thinking about what happened, She might get over this feeling in sometime.

A few hours later, Anne was seen laying on her couch while the TV was open, But she didn't bother watching, The volume was loud but it wasn't loud as the thoughts running through her head.

(First time I almost got in trouble. . . .)

She hated this part, the overthinking, The what ifs, Her mind kept replaying everything. Anne sighed to herself, looking at the ceiling until. . .

She heard a soft knock on the door, Winters turned around, looking confused as she sat up, The second knock was louder as Anne immediately got up to see who it was. She opened the door and saw Steve, holding a bag and a bouquet of flowers.

Her eyes lit up as Steve had a small smile on his face.

Steve: Hey Anne, I made lunch for you.

Anne: Steve, Are you serious? You shouldn't have done that.

Steve: I couldn't just sit there while you were home alone, Plus you said you liked the fettuccine I cooked yesterday, I thought about cooking something else.

Anne felt her heart melt as Steve walked in, his gaze softening.

Steve: And I just wanted to check up on you.

Anne: *Smiles* That's why you're my favourite manager.

Steve: And you're my favourite chef.

Anne took the bag and bouquet before kissing him on the cheek as Steve smiled, pulling her close for a hug as Winters hugged him back.

Steve: How are you doing?

Anne: A little better, After seeing you.

Steve: *Smiles* I'm glad. Come on, You should start eating, I'm excited to hear your thoughts on it.

Anne: Mmmm, You're just excited because you want compliments.

Steve: *Laughs* That's my mission.

They both shared a laugh as Steve kissed her cheek again before Winters placed the bag on the coffee table, Steve sat next to her with a smile on his face.

Soon, Anne opened it and saw Lemon Butter Salmon with Roasted Veggies, Her eyes lit up and already found it delicious as Winters took a bite while Steve stared at her with a smile on his face.

Steve: So?

Anne: Mmm. . . Its edible.

She joked as Steve's eyes were widen and gasped.

Steve: Edible!? *Facepalms* Mission failed.

Anne began laughing as Steve looked at her, raising an eyebrow but couldn't help but smile, He was glad she was feeling happier now.

Anne: I'm just kidding, It's kind of amazing.

Steve: Kind of?

She giggled as Steve rolled his eyes and laughed a little, He knew she was just teasing him as Winters continued eating, Soon, Steve moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Anne gave a side eye to him but secretly had a smirk on her face.

Steve: You know. . . you're beautiful when you're mad. Kind of intimidating~

Anne: *Smirks* What are you thinking now?

Steve: Nothing innocent at the moment, I think you deserve more than lunch~

Anne: *Chuckles* I'm not sure if you're still thanking me or trying to seduce me

Steve: Can't it be both?

Anne looked at him before grinning and leaned closer to his face, speaking in a low tone.

Anne: So this is the 'personal' reward, huh~

Steve: Only if you want it to be.

Anne: *Smirks*You know I do~

She winked, taking another bite as Steve locked his eyes to her, smirking to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was the evening, The time was eight twenty five p.m, A car stopped by a beautiful huge house with a gate, Maria got out of her car, staring at Anthony's eyes with her eyes lit up by amusement. Of course, He owned a real estate business, His house looked amazing from the outside, She wondered how it looked from the inside.

Maria grabbed the bag of groceries, Anthony invited Maria to his house for a cooking lesson, After their conversation yesterday, He was really excited and couldn't wait to cook with her, He got off of work early just for that.

The gate opened automatically as her eyes widen with surprise, Anthony must have known she arrived at his house.

Marshall walked towards the door and pressed on the doorbell, Not even a minute and the door opened, revealing Anthony who has a smile on his face.

Anthony: Good evening, sweetheart.

Maria: *Smiles* Good evening, Tony. Excited to cook?

Anthony: *Chuckles* I have a good and bad feeling about this.

He grabbed the bags from her hand as she slowly walked in and took a look around the house, The decor was minimal but thoughtful, Everything had its place, neat, deliberate, uncluttered. It felt like him. The house was really beautiful, it felt like a dream.

Anthony shut the door as Maria continued staring before taking off her heels as Crawford had a smile on his face.

Anthony: Like what you see?

Maria: You're literally amazing when it comes to this.

Anthony: Well, if I can't cook, I might as well impress with good floors, expensive furniture and great lightings.

Maria laughed and continued walking, admiring the house as Tony was following her, holding the bags. He continued staring at her, drawn by her admiration. Both of them never forgot about their talk yesterday, Sometimes it still replays in their head, But right now, They wanted to spend time with the same feeling and vibe.

She entered the kitchen, admiring the colors and cabinets, She opened one of them and noticed a lot of cooking warfares and other stuff which made her chuckle.

Maria: You brought all of this even when you don't cook?

Anthony: Plot twist, I actually bought them this morning.

Maria: *Eyes widen and laughs* Seriously!?

Anthony: *Laughs* At least the kitchen looks convincing, Had to make it look like I know what I'm doing.

She couldn't help but laugh again as Anthony smiled before placing the bags on the counter, unpacking everything as Maria decided to help him out, Later on, Both of them wore an apron and looked at each other.

Maria: So, are you ready to become a five-star chef, or should I just take over?

Anthony: I already preheated the oven and didn't set anything on fire. That's progress.

Maria: *Laughs* Wow. Slow down, Gordon Ramsay.

Anthony: *Grins and pulls out a packet* You said pasta, so I bought three types. One of them is alphabet-shaped. . . figured you might make me spell things out.

Maria: *Laughs* Tony! Okay, For real. Let's focus now.

Maria looked around, preparing everything as Anthony was watching her.

Maria: Step one: Don't burn the kitchen down.

Anthony: Already ahead of you. Fire extinguisher's under the sink and I have 911 on speed dial.

Maria: *Laughs* Tony, You're a menace.

Anthony: A charming one.

Maria: *Blushes and smiles* Can't disagree with that.

He smirked as both They got to work, chopping vegetables and prepping sauce. At first, Maria tried to give him instructions, but Anthony refused to follow them exactly, He also kept making her laugh in the most serious moments, Clearly both of them were enjoying this.

Maria: You're supposed to stir gently, not like you're trying to sink a ship!

Anthony: *Shrugs* I thought passion was part of the process.

Maria: And I don't understand why you're trying to wrestle the cheese grater!

Anthony: It's not slicing through, God and it was expensive as well.

The kitchen slowly filled with the smell of garlic and tomatoes, and an unexpected ease. There were moments where their hands brushed reaching for utensils. Maria was looking at the pasta that was boiling, Anthony was staring at her with a small smile on his face.

Anthony: I can smell the special ingredient, You know?

Maria: *Smiles* Its just garlic.

Anthony: No, It's you.

He winked as Maria felt a flutter in his heart as he moved a strand of her hair.

Anthony: Your perfume is doing all kinds of damage to my focus.

Maria giggled, stirring the pasta just to keep her hands busy, because with him this close, and that tone in his voice, it was suddenly hard to think straight.

Maria: You're supposed to focus on the food, not me.

Anthony: It's difficult, you know? It always has been.

Maria: *Smiles* You've complimented me more than you've stirred the sauce.

Anthony: I'm multitasking

He grinned and picked up the wooden spoon and tried to stir. It made a loud splatter and Maria jumped back, letting out a laugh.

Maria: Okay! Okay! Chef of the year right here.

Anthony: *Laughs* If you weren't here, I don't think I would survive this.

Maria: You're lucky I'm here.

Anthony: I wake up and the morning and thank god for that.

He pinched her cheek as Maria felt her heart skip a beat, She just smiled as their cooking session continued on

Later on, the pasta was successful and Anthony was already celebrating his win, Both of them sat at the dining table, taking the first bite and it was delicious.

Anthony: I actually can't believe it, It's amazing.

Maria: *Smiles* It's so cute to see you excited like that.

Anthony: Maybe it's exciting because my favourite girl helped me out with this, Thank you, sweetheart.

Maria blushed as Anthony kissed her cheek which made her heart skip a beat, After that conversation yesterday, It felt different. . . And the feelings gotten stronger between them.

Anthony: You know, Even if i lived longer, I still get nervous around you.

Maria had a small smile on her face and the tension became full of something unspoken, He gently placed his hand on her as Maria was staring at him.

Maria: You always make my day.

Anthony: Me too. . . And you do something to my heart.

He stared into her eyes as Maria stared back, both of them leaned closer, their lips almost touched until they realised where this was going, They stared, leaning back as Anthont frowned a little while Maria blushed and looked away for a moment.

Something between them had shifted. . . Something real.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading and stay strong!!! :)