I Came to Find a Girl Read Online Free Page B

pressed, his hair gelled, sauces prepped, cuts of meat portioned and wrapped, ready to be ordered. Even so, something had obviously kicked off.
    “How can I work without a stove? I’m not a fucking magician,” Jason said.
    Our boss, Vivienne Saviour looked agitated, as she flicked her blonde highlights. “Someone’s coming in on Friday to fix it,” she said.
    “We’re fully booked and I’ve only got two poxy gas rings.”
    “You’ll just have to manage, Jason. You’re a professional – surely they train you to cope with unforeseen circumstances.” Vivienne turned on her patent court heel and walked out of the kitchen.
    “It’s a fucking joke. She could have got someone out today. She’s just too tight to pay the emergency call-out fee.”
    “Is there anything we can do to help?” Jenny asked. She was the commis chef. She’d only been there two months but was considered the best commis chef ever. She was lovely looking too, in an understated way, with long mousy hair that she wore in a plait down her back.
    “Jen, you just keep doing what you do. It would help if Mia and Donna get the first tables’ orders in quick so we can get them out the way.”
    There were people waiting: a balding man of about fifty and two women. “Party for four – Drake,” the man said. He was about my height, and well dressed in a dark suit, his forehead deeply lined. It was Nicholas Drake, the art collector, but I didn’t know that then.
    I showed them to the best table by the limestone fireplace, and gave them menus and a wine list. “Can you do the crab and scallop cakes without the crab?” the blonde woman asked. She was dressed in a flesh-coloured top that from a distance made her appear naked.
    “I’ll have to ask chef.”
    “I’ll have the duck,” the other woman said.
    I returned to the kitchen: “Jase, we’ve got an awkward anorexic on table two.” I passed him the order.
    “I can’t do the crab and scallop cakes without the crab. They’re prepped.” He was calm considering.
    “Can you see to that other customer? He’s hot.” Donna said, as she was in the middle of serving a table of four. I looked out the porthole window of the kitchen’s swing door at the solitary figure in a pinstriped jacket over jeans and T-shirt. Jack Flood . A rush of nervous excitement went through me and I returned to the restaurant.
    “Hello, I didn’t know you’d booked?”
    “We meet again,” he said and smiled. “There should be a table under Drake.”
    He’s not single, was my first thought. And what is he doing dining with them ?
    “Jack, at last,” Nicholas Drake said as soon as he saw him. “Let me introduce you. This is Mandy.” He gestured towards naked-top woman. “And this is Christine. We’ve already ordered, so get a move on.”
    “Can I get you anything to drink?” I said.
    “My lady friend would like to change her choice of main,” Drake said. “She’d also like the cod without the roasted garlic potatoes and paprika oil.”
    “It may be too late, I’ll have to check,” I said. And yes, Jason was already cooking the duck she’d previously ordered, but I mentioned it anyway and unfortunately Vivienne had made her way back into the kitchen.
    “Change it,” she said.
    “What?”
    “Do as they ask.”
    “Whatever you say, boss. It’s your profits going straight in the bin.” Jason flicked the part pan-roasted duck into the rubbish. Vivienne glared and walked out, and Jason said nothing for once, which meant he was really pissed off. And, to make matters even worse, Drake also changed his mind.
    “Jase, the guy on table two’s now changed from pork to spiced rump of beef.”
    “Where’s the chit?”
    For some reason, I hadn’t thought to write it down.
    “I need a chit.” Jason’s eyes were hard – the way he looked at Vivienne. “Look, I’ve got ten fucking chits here, if you just say it to me, I don’t know what you’re on about. It has to be written down.”
    I tried