Page 2 of A Chef's Kiss for Christmas

Warren still didn’t open his eyes. “What’s really ridiculous is the idea that when one of those idiots in the kitchen winds me up, I’ll lie down and put my legs up the wall instead of shouting at them.”

“He only burned some bacon,” Carla said. “There was no need to yell at him the way you did.”

Warren’s eyes shot open. “It was pancetta! And there was noneed for him to burn it. Not if he’d been concentrating instead of sending his girlfriend pathetic messages.”

“Maybe you should have a rule about phone use in the kitche–” Carla didn’t finish her sentence before Warren interrupted her.

“Thereisa rule,” he boomed. “Liam broke the rule, which means food got burnt and he got shouted at. Which is a logical sequence of events, so I’m not sure what your problem is.”

“I just think there could be a more harmonious atmosphere in the kitchen. It’d be good for everyone.”

“Then maybe someone should have a word with Liam about concentrating on the job… oh, wait, I did that!” When he slid his legs down from the wall, Anna shifted out of his way, then went to sit on the couch while Warren slumped into the chair opposite Lewis.

“Is everything organised for the weekend?” Lewis asked him.

“Just about,” Warren replied. “Hopefully it will all run smoothly enough.”

“What’s happening at the weekend?” Carla asked, still lying on the floor.

“Nothing.” Warren shifted in his seat. “But I’m not working, so I need to make the menu idiot-proof.”

“His parents are visiting,” Lewis said, then cocked his head. “Is that why you’ve been in such a bad mood all week?”

“I haven’t been in a bad mood!”

Carla snorted.

“No more than normal,” Warren muttered.

“How come we’ve never met your parents?” Carla asked.

“Why would you have done?” Warren replied.

Carla moved her legs down the wall and sat up. “Have they never visited before?”

“Nope.”

Anna sat forward as curiosity niggled at her. “Are they staying here, in the hotel?”

“No.”

“There’s still a room free if they want to stay,” Lewis said.

“No, thanks. They have other accommodation sorted.”

“Why?” Carla asked from her cross-legged position on the floor.

“They’re just staying somewhere else, that’s all.”

“You’ll bring them into the hotel, though?” Lewis asked. “I guess they’ll want to see where you work.”

“And meet your friends,” Carla added, eyes sparkling. “We could all have dinner together.”

Warren rubbed his brow. “Or we couldnotdo that.”

“Don’t you get on with them or something?” Anna asked.

He shrugged. “We get on fine.”