Page 139 of A Chef's Kiss for Christmas

She froze, pondering what to say. Part of her was tempted to brush the subject aside, but there was also a part of her that was desperate to chat it through.

Dennis and Jen probably weren’t the right people to talk to. Yes, they were business people, but on a very different scale than anything she aspired to.

“I viewed potential premises a few days ago,” she said, the urge to talk winning out.

“How exciting,” Jen said, sitting forward in her chair. “How did it go?”

“Fine,” she said weakly.

Dennis frowned. “The building wasn’t suitable?”

“It was,” Anna said. “It was actually perfect, but I just didn’t feel much when I looked around it. I thought I’d be excited, but it left me feeling flat. Maybe it was just overwhelming – I’m not sure.”

“Perhaps it just wasn’t the right place,” Dennis suggested. “You’re absolutely right to trust your gut on these matters.”

“The first place you look at is unlikely to be the right one,” Jen said. “You may have to view lots of places before you find one that ticks all the boxes.”

“Yeah.” Anna bit her lip. Maybe she should leave it at that…

“It wasn’t just the building though,” she added after a pause. “I started getting into the business plan, and it felt all wrong.”

“In what way?” Dennis asked.

“I don’t want to do it,” she said, a lump forming in her throat. “The idea has been floating around my head for ages, but the reality of it just depresses me. If I expand the business, so much of my time will be spent doing things I don’t like. There’d be heaps more paperwork, and I’d need to employ at least one person, probably two. Managing people fills me with dread. And doing those things means less time doing the things I enjoy.”

She realised she was talking a lot, but apparently after bottling it all up, she now couldn’t stop. “I like working for someone else. I get to do the job I enjoy without all the responsibility that comes with being the owner. And even though my boss can be a little annoying, overall it works out well because I have time for my online shop, and for any craft markets and workshops I want to do. Things are pretty perfect as they are, so I’m not sure why I’m thinking of changing them.”

She swiped at the corners of her eyes to catch the stray tears while cursing her lack of composure.

“I’m probably being daft,” she said to fill the silence. “I’ll look at it again in a few weeks, and I’ll probably feel differently.”

“I suspect you’ll feel exactly the same,” Dennis said calmly. “If you don’t have the drive and ambition, it probably won’t work out well. Expanding your business will mean putting in a lot more hours. If you’re not willing to do that…”

“I’m not afraid of working hard,” she said quickly.

“That’s not what I meant,” Dennis said, a smile teasing his lips. “I only meant that you have to give it your all.”

He cast a glance at his wife, which seemed to express some private meaning. “I always wanted Warren to join the family business,” he said slowly. “Partly because I’d like to work with my son, but partly because I thought he’d be very good at the job.”

He shifted in his seat and shook his head. “I’m starting to see that having a head for business isn’t enough – your heart has to be in it, too. Warren has done well with his cooking because he gives it his all. He wouldn’t do that for the family business because it’s not what he’s passionate about. He’s followed his own path, and I think that’s admirable.”

Anna’s jaw had gone slack as she stared at Dennis. “He has done very well for himself,” she muttered.

“I think it’s the same with your business,” he went on. “If you’re happy with the way things are – and you’re financially stable – maybe it’s best to stick with that. At least for now. I can’t imagine you’ll change your mind in a matter of weeks, but maybe in a few years you’ll feel differently. Or not,” he added and reached for his wine.

“Yes,” Anna said, and took a swig of her own wine. In the ensuing silence, she glanced around the room. “Maybe I’ll see if things are slowing down in the kitchen.”

Walking through the hotel, she felt slightly dumbstruck by the conversation with Warren’s parents. And surprisingly lighter at the notion that she didn’t have to expand her business if shedidn’t want to. Somehow, she’d felt sheshoulddo it, but she wasn’t sure where that pressure had come from.

The kitchen was reasonably calm – with just the normal amount of chatter and bustle. Warren was in the centre of the room, his focus entirely on the two dessert plates in front of him, which he drizzled chocolate sauce onto with artful precision. He gave the waiter the nod to take them before looking up and spotting Anna.

“Hi!” The way his eyes lit up at the sight of her made her stomach flutter, as did the casual way he greeted her with a kiss. “This is a nice surprise. I know you said you might come in, but I wasn’t really expecting you to.”

“How’s work?” she asked.

“Busy, but good.”

“I’m glad.” She smiled gently. “Your parents are here.”