Page 85 of The Chef

“Fine,” she says, flicking her hair back and staring at me with her piercing eyes. “As you may know, I’ve been cast in the Vindicator film series as the newest superhero.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Congratulations.”

“Don’t be so snarky, Cliff.”

“Oh, I’m not,” I reply, snarky. “You always wanted to be even more rich and famous than you were.”

“I’ll ignore your little digs, Cliff,” she says, tracing a perfectly manicured nail seductively across my neck. “As I was saying, I’ve just been cast in this film series, and the producers and the studio have been all over my back. They don’t want me to be single, apparently, it doesn’t fit in with this golden-girl aesthetic they’re trying to promote. It hurts sales in China or something.”

“You never really were the golden girl.”

“Oh, really, you are so snarky, Cliff. I expect better from you,” Cleo says, biting her lip. It’s like my dry sarcasm drips off her with no effect. She’s as cold as ice. Like her heart. Like the way she crushed mine with her laugh at my proposal.

She is still so beautiful though.

“So, you’ve come back to make me your boyfriend because you need to look wholesome for your movie career?”

“Not just because of that.”

“What else then?”

She wraps her legs around mine, places her skinny arms over my shoulder, and leans in close so that we are nearly kissing. “I love you, Cliff.”

“What?” I stammer.

“I love you, that’s why I’m back. I made a mistake in Paris.”

“I don’t understand.”

She breathes in sharply. I watch her lips softly part. We could kiss, right now. “Well, believe this, Cliff. I’ve reconsidered, and I say yes to your proposal.”

“To my proposal?”

“Yes,” she replies, tightening her grip around me. “And what about you? Do you say yes?”

The office door opens and in walks someone. Both Cleo and I turn.

It’s Bay.

Oh, no.

Her eyes widen.

She’s shocked.

Understandably.

Cleo’s sitting on my desk, her legs and arms around me. Our mouths are nearly touching.

If I were Bay, I would be very, very shocked.

And she most certainly is.

“What’s going on?” she asks, her mouth agape, her hand still gripped around the door handle. I don’t move, I’m as shocked as Bay is.

Cleo laughs and lifts herself away from me and off the table. She stands between Bay and me like a wall. Aggressively. She doesn’t know who Bay is but her finely tuned instincts tell her that she’s a threat. I know Cleo too well. I know she sees Bay as someone to deal with quickly and decisively.

“I’ve heard there’s been problems with this place,” Cleo says, her voice lower and stronger than before. This is all directed at Bay, I know. Cleo glances around the room like she’s sizing up Rockpool. Like she’s sizing up Bay. “I’m prepared to buy this restaurant off you, Cliff. I’ve come into quite a bit of money thanks to this movie contract. I’ll buy it for you, Cliff. For us.”