Page 11 of Until August

It must be nice to have all the answers. “What’s the deal with you and Zach? Before you started working for me, he never had a problem with anyone.”

“You’re blaming me for his lack of skills?” he asked incredulously.

“Is this some kind of pissing contest? Is this because you graduated from the CIA and he didn’t? Is that what this is about?”

“I don’t like the guy. If this was my restaurant, I’d get rid of him. And I’d get rid of that weird chick on garde manger.”

Hannah was not weird. She was quiet and kept to herself, but she was good at her job and could hold her own in a male-dominated kitchen. “Stop being such a dick.” I smacked him upside the head to drive my point home.

“Ow. Jesus.” He rubbed the back of his head. “You’re getting just like Mom.”

Oh God. Note to self:Don’t smack your little brother, or you’ll turn into your mother. “It was a love tap.” Oh man, I really was turning into my mother. Let’s just say my family was demonstrative. “You’re fresh out of culinary school and—”

“I graduated almost two years ago.”

I sighed. I loved my brother, but I could live without his superior attitude. I blamed it on my parents. In the Benedetti house, the men were treated like kings, and Luca had always been spoiled rotten. He’d be the first to tell you he was a culinary genius. Graduating from the top culinary school in the country and scoring an externship at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Sonoma had only made him cockier.

“You still have a lot to learn. Now get back inside and help them clean.”

“Yes, chef,” he said in the most sarcastic tone ever. Smart-ass.

If he wasn’t my brother, I’d fire him. But, no, I wouldn’t. Luca was talented, and he was a hard worker. He just needed an attitude adjustment.

When the door closed behind him, I fished out the lighter and put the pilfered cigarette between my lips. The flame caught, and I took a deep drag, filling my lungs with nicotine and chemicals.

I tipped my head back and looked at the sky, searching for the brightest star. When I found it, I made my wish and blew a ribbon of smoke into the sky.

I was still staring up when footsteps sounded on the gravel. Pressing my back against the wall, I watched with wary eyes. The man stopped in front of me and studied my face before plucking the cigarette from my fingers.

As if we were friends and he had every right to do that.

The lights from the pier in the distance formed a halo above his head, but I very much doubted that he was an angel.

“You shouldn’t smoke,” August said in his deep, raspy voice. “It’ll kill your tastebuds.” He took a drag and blew the smoke out of the corner of his mouth.

So cool. So cavalier.So familiar.

CHAPTERFIVE

Nicola

“What are you doing here?”I was hoping I’d never see you again.

“Looking for you.” August took another drag and handed the cigarette back to me. “I have a proposition for you.”

“I’m married.” I flashed my left hand in front of his face as if he needed proof and took a drag of the cigarette that had just touched his lips.

He leaned against the wall beside me and crossed his arms and booted feet. “It’s not that kind of proposition.”

I tossed the cigarette and crushed it under the sole of my black leather clog. “Whatever it is, I’m not interested.”

He was the kind of trouble I didn’t need. I turned to go back inside, dismissing him.

“You need a sous chef.”

I paused but kept my back to him. “Were you eavesdropping on my conversation?”

“No. I was sitting at the bar earlier.”