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It all had started, when celebrity chef Rowan Whitethorn had joined the kitchen staff as a sous chef. Aelin had been running the kitchen for years under immense pressure, coming up with the most incredible menus for each day, and never even thinking someone might come in and change things up. Here change was, in the form of a gorgeous arrogant bastard. The restaurant owner Maeve wanted a change of pace, only the gods knowing why. Aelin was pissed about the decision, but ever the professional, as the head chef she did her best to continue working the kitchen, creating magnificent dishes and leading the kitchen with her iron grip.
Honestly, working with Rowan Whitethorn of all people wouldn’t be a bad thing, if it weren’t for the fact that he was arrogant and thought he walked on water. Until one of her chefs had changed the recipe for her special lemon sauce, that was supposed to go with the cod she’d specifically gotten that day for the baked lemon garlic cod that was going to be the special of the day. Apparently, chef Whitethorn had an idea to change her menu a bit, forgetting to mention it to Aelin. At that point, she prompty walked out of the kitchen to Maeve’s office, where she was informed that Rowan Whitethorn brings a certain reputation to the restaurant and should have his signature dishes made more often.
It was obvious Aelin was perpetually mad. She had made the kitchen to what it currently was, her skills and dishes bringing the level of the restaurant higher, making it a very popular place in the city. And Rowan Whitethorn with his perfect looks and amazing skills coming in ruining her creation did not belong in her daily plans.
After that one recipe change, it was expected for Rowan to choose one dish for every menu from his signature recipes – usually they just happened to be a new variation of one of Aelin’s special dishes, or somehow unfitting the entire menu, creating more work for Aelin to change things up again. Day after day it was the same. Every single time Aelin tried to talk about it to Maeve, her complaints were promptly swept under the carpet.
Aelin felt her position as the head chef wasn’t respected. The staff was supposed to work under her instructions, but celebrity chef Rowan somehow had come sweeping in as the second-in-command and her honest work seemed to be for nothing. It was supposed to be an honor to work with her, as Aelin was a very well-known skilled chef in the restaurant industry.
She felt threatened. Did Maeve bring Rowan in so it would be easier to kick her out? Had she done something to make this happen?
One day she had reached her breaking point. She had been working on her favorite dessert, a layered chocolate mousse, when she found out that her specially ordered chocolate truffles were gone – one of the chefs had taken them per Rowan’s orders and now they were a part of a chocolate truffle raspberry cheesecake. And definitely not on Aelin’s menu that day. She had had enough.
Feeling disrespected and down, she didn’t even finish her mousse. What was the point, as it was missing one of the key components. Seeing Rowan laughing with her kitchen staff, she saw red. And in the blink of an eye her unfinished mousse was sliding down Rowan Whitethorn’s perfect silver hair.
The man looked shocked, slowly turning around to look at the perpetrator. His gorgeous green eyes focusing on none other than Aelin. He couldn’t have anticipated Aelin to do something so childish, but there it was.
“What?” he couldn’t even form a coherent question; he was genuinely stunned.
“I’ve had enough! My chocolate truffles! I had specially ordered them for my signature layered mousse, but do you respect my menus? NO! I’ve given you leeway, changed my menus so many times and given you a chance to add your dishes to the menu, but for some reason you just love to test my patience!” Aelin stomped her foot like an angry toddler before swiftly exiting the kitchen and going outside.
After cooling down for a while, she was feeling a bit embarrassed of her outburst. She knew she had trained the kitchen staff to work well even without her present at all times, but still she usually preferred to make sure everything was going perfectly. Now, however, she was sitting outside with her back against the wall, pondering if her life truly made her happy. Maybe it was time to change things up a bit. Maybe she could open the restaurant she had always dreamt of opening, instead of running someone else’s business.
The door opened, and someone joined Aelin on the ground. She didn’t raise her gaze, she was so lost in her thoughts. A lone tear slipped down her cheek.
“Look I’m sorry about the truffles. I didn’t realise they were yours, one of the chefs just brought them to me after I mentioned I’d like to make my truffle berry cheesecake,” Rowan began. It was the first time Aelin heard him speak with a gentle voice. Usually his tone exuded a bit of arrogance, which of course just added to Aelin’s irritation.
“The truffles were just the tip of the iceberg, Mr Whitethorn,” Aelin stated coolly.
“Rowan, please. And what do you mean?” His brows scrunched up in confusion.
“Like you don’t know what you’ve been doing! Coming up with dishes that don’t fit my menus, creating new variations of MY dishes. The disrespect, no one listens to my instructions anymore! What am I, air? I thought it was supposed to be my kitchen but I’ve been swept under the carpet. Maybe Maeve truly is letting me go,” she said with a dejected voice.
“What? I thought- this is not- I don’t know what to say, I thought you knew?” Rowan’s words shocked Aelin. Wait, he knew she was going to be fired? And he played with her in her kitchen like that all these weeks? Well, apparently not her kitchen anymore.
The anger came back doubled, making Aelin stand up.
“YOU KNEW? You knew I was going to be fired and you just toyed with me, disregarded my decisions and made me a laughingstock as a head chef?” Aelin yelled. Rowan had gotten up too and looked at Aelin with wide eyes.
“Fired? What? NO! Maeve is about to step away from the business entirely and is looking to hand the ownership over,” he stated.
“So, you’re here to essentially become my boss? So much better, wow,” the words coming out her mouth were dripping in sarcasm.
“You don’t understand, it’s not me she wants to take over! Well, in a way it is. She wants me to take your position,” Rowan tried to explain, but Aelin was just getting madder at him. She was now up in his face, almost seething.
“You mean to tell me that my boss is about to leave the business, and I’m losing my position? I get it, everyone else knew, that’s why the blatant disrespect at all times-,“ she began before being interrupted.
“Maeve wants you to take over the business side, and me as the head chef. She wanted me to bring in some of my dished in to make the transfer smoother, and as for the variations of your dishes, well… I’ve always admired you as a chef and thought you were a culinary genius. I honestly did not realise you’d think of it as disrespect, I just wanted to show off a little for you – kind of as a sign of respect, really. I’m so sorry, and I won’t do it again, I promise. It’s just… Well, I- I’ve really enjoyed working with you,” Rowan explained.
Aelin stared at him in shock, with her mouth open and eyes blinking. No other reaction.
“Say something, please,” Rowan pleaded.
“And here I was ready to hand in my resignation,” Aelin said with the shock still in her voice. Rowan chuckled.
“Please don’t. Your kitchen is the best one I’ve worked at, and I’ve worked at quite a few. You’re a genius when it comes to food, and I love to watch you work. The way your eyebrows slightly scrunch up when you focus on something, the small smile that graces your lips when you taste something you like. Trust me, there is no disrespect from my side, only admiration,” he smiled at her. Aelin once again looked absolutely stunned. Something fluttered in her stomach. He’d noticed such tiny details about her – when was he looking at her? He was always surrounded by his fan club in the kitchen.
“Well- I- I suppose-,” Aelin blabbered as she realised just how close they were standing. She swallowed. She’d have to just lean in a bit and they’d- no. She shouldn’t think like that. She was a professional.
Aelin was about to take a step back when she felt arms surround her. Rowan was looking deep into her eyes and suddenly the hatred she had felt was forgotten, leaving only the tension between them. Tension that had been there since day one, but Aelin had thought it was simply anger.
He really has beautiful eyes, Aelin thought just a moment before she felt his lips on hers. A brief kiss that left her wanting more, but also her mind jumbled; she couldn’t have imagined that this morning she would throw mousse on him, and the next moment be kissing him. The world really worked in mysterious ways.
She thought they should be getting back to the kitchen, but as she looked at Rowan who was staring at her with those perfect green eyes of his showing how much he admired her… She supposed one more kiss couldn’t hurt.