Page 10 of The Hidden Daughter (The Lost Daughters #7)
‘I can have an offer in writing by the end of the day if you’re interested,’ he said.
‘As far as I’m concerned, there’s no one better suited to the job.
My wife and I loved what you did at Velluto when we visited London, and if you can bring the same creative flair to our restaurant, you’d make me a very happy man.
You’re exactly the person I need here, and to be honest, your experience and culinary skills speak for themselves. ’
‘You don’t have any questions for me?’ She’d been expecting a more rigorous conversation, not to be offered the job on arrival!
‘One,’ he said with a grin. ‘What do you think of the hotel? I want your honest opinion.’
‘I love it,’ she replied. ‘It’s one of the most stunning hotels I’ve ever set foot in.’
‘Exactly the answer I was hoping for. I’ve built a few hotels in my lifetime, but this one is special,’ Daniel said, leaning forwards and resting one arm on the table between them.
‘Which is why I need the very best people working for me, because a beautiful building means nothing without the right people at the helm, creating an atmosphere like no other.’
She listened, waiting for what he was going to say next.
‘I’m proposing that we agree to a three-month term. You design our menu, I get to announce the news of such a successful young chef returning home, and at the end of the term you’re free to walk away if you don’t like it here. I don’t want to force you to stay if you want to move on.’
‘Three months?’ she repeated.
‘You will be well remunerated, and my hope is that once you’re here, you won’t want to leave.’
Charlotte sat back in her chair and surveyed the dining room around her, catching a glimpse of the kitchen when she turned her head left as she thought over his offer.
It was all still very much a blank canvas, and she wanted to see the kitchen space for herself before she indicated whether she might take the position, especially when she hadn’t been expecting to be offered the role so quickly.
But there was a feeling building inside of her, a pull to her heritage combined with the excitement of a new project, that was all pointing towards this being the right career move for her, especially with the short initial term he’d offered.
What did she have to lose by saying yes?
She could just amicably move on after thirteen weeks if she wanted to return to London.
When she turned back to Daniel, she saw that the hotel staff member who’d helped her earlier had walked in. She cleared her throat, trying to indicate to him that there was someone there listening to their conversation. But Daniel’s reaction to the man’s interruption wasn’t what she’d expected.
‘Harrison! Come and join us,’ Daniel said, waving his hand towards the vacant seat beside Charlotte. ‘I’d love you to meet Charlotte, who might just be our first executive chef here at Nordic Hotel Oslo. Charlotte, this is Harrison. I’m so pleased you’re able to meet each other today.’
Charlotte opened her mouth, but the mystery man spoke before she could, as if sensing her confusion and wanting to put her at ease.
‘We actually met by accident a short time ago,’ he said, holding out his hand.
Charlotte reciprocated, feeling the slight roughness of callouses on his fingers when his palm clasped hers and wondering what he did to get them.
‘It was only fleeting though, so we didn’t have the chance to introduce ourselves properly. ’
‘I, ahh, I’m sorry, I don’t—’ She stumbled over her words.
‘Harrison is the lead architect on this project, so anything you don’t like about the design? You blame him.’ Daniel laughed. ‘It’s no exaggeration to say he’s my right-hand man, and I’m fortunate enough to have him here in Oslo until the opening, overseeing everything.’
‘You’re the architect?’ Charlotte asked, still trying to catch up on the conversation. ‘I…’ She stopped talking, deciding not to confess that she’d thought him the underdressed concierge or manager. How wrong she’d been.
‘Guilty as charged,’ Harrison said, and the kind smile he gave her made her wonder if he could tell what she was thinking—that he knew the presumption she’d made about him earlier. ‘Please don’t let me interrupt, though, I was only coming through to—’
‘You’re never interrupting, Harrison, it’s great to have you here.
You know, I have a feeling you two would get along great.
I actually have to get to another meeting, but after you’ve looked at the kitchen, Charlotte, perhaps Harrison could give you a tour of the rest of the hotel?
I’d love you to really see everything we’re trying to create here, and I hope that after you’ve taken it all in, we might be able to talk more about you accepting my offer. ’
She found herself nodding to Daniel, and discovering that it was quite hard to look away from the handsome architect sitting across from her, his legs casually crossed at the ankle as he smiled back at her.
‘I’ll just take myself for that look at the kitchen first,’ Charlotte said, clearing her throat and rising, ‘then I’ll be ready for the grand tour.’
Daniel stood, which made Harrison stand as well, and she suddenly felt as if she was living in a different generation where all the men at a table stood whenever a lady did.
It almost made her laugh, although out of respect for both of them, she managed to keep a straight face. She appreciated the chivalry.
‘Shall I have that offer prepared?’ Daniel asked, holding her gaze across the table.
‘If you have it prepared, I’ll look over it and come back to you,’ she said, not wanting to be pressured into saying yes, but also not wanting to miss the opportunity.
It was obvious that he was a man well used to hearing yes when he asked a question.
‘And thank you for inviting me here to see this place, it’s nothing short of exquisite. ’
‘You know I like you, Charlotte, and I want to give you time to think this through, but if you don’t accept, I’m going to have to start searching for someone else straightaway,’ Daniel said, taking his phone from his pocket when it started to ring.
‘Shall we set Friday close of business as our deadline to make this happen?’
‘Agreed,’ she said. Friday worked—it gave her enough time to properly consider the offer and have her lawyer read it through, but not too much time to overthink things. ‘I’ll come back to you before then with my answer.’
He took the call then, so she gave him a wave goodbye, which he returned, then took herself into the kitchen without looking over at Harrison.
She needed a moment to centre herself, and just like she always did when she was feeling rattled, she placed her hands on the cool stainless steel of the counter, closed her eyes and slowly inhaled.
Even when she’d been a child, when thinking about her mum had overwhelmed her, it was going into the kitchen and preparing something that grounded her and helped her move past the panic.
‘It’s quite something, isn’t it?’
Her eyes popped open at the sound of the smooth, deep British voice behind her.
‘It is,’ Charlotte said, looking around and admiring the huge workspace, with its gleaming brand-new surfaces and appliances.
Shiny pots and pans were placed in the spaces below, and she found herself walking the length of the kitchen, her fingers trailing the handles and then across the counter.
Now this is a kitchen I could work in. It’s everything I’ve ever wished for—a perfect, custom-built space just waiting for me to make my mark, to show the world what I’ve accomplished.
‘Daniel’s been talking about you all morning, telling me you’re the only chef he wants. I was with him the day you replied saying you’d visit, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile like that.’
Charlotte laughed. ‘Just because I came to see him, doesn’t mean I’m going to say yes.’
Harrison gestured for her to follow him. ‘Then come with me and let’s see if I can impress you with the rest of the place. He’ll never forgive me if I don’t talk you into staying.’
He had a long, relaxed gait and she fell into step beside him as they crossed through the restaurant and out into the lobby. The enormous light fitting was still being hung, and he lightly placed a hand to her back to guide her past it and out of the fall zone.
‘Do you have a say in everything, including the lighting?’ she asked. ‘I’ve never actually thought about all the little details that have to be considered, and who the person making the decisions is.’
Harrison’s smile was easy, and she wondered if he was the same as her—more comfortable talking about work than anything else.
‘I’ve liaised closely with Daniel’s interior designer on this project, but the short answer is yes.
When I start a project, it’s about considering every angle, the way the light will filter into the building, the atmosphere my design will create.
I’m always involved, from the moment the actual design begins until the day the building is completed. ’
‘I have a feeling you love what you do,’ she said, as he led her out to the lobby. ‘Am I right?’
‘I do. Design is my life, I live and breathe it, much the way I imagine you live and breathe food.’
‘It takes a workaholic to know one, hey?’
Harrison laughed, but his face became more serious as he gestured around them.
‘When guests step into the hotel, I want them to feel two things. First, that it’s somewhere special, making them pause to look around and drink in their surroundings, and second, that it feels like a place they could stay for a long time.
It has to feel magical, but at the same time almost like it could be their home away from home.
I want to balance cutting-edge design with a sense of comfort. ’
‘That’s quite the design brief.’