Hired: Cinderella Chef

But his green eyes were stubborn. “I want better than fine. Don’t get me wrong. I’m awed by the fact that you can manage in ways most people couldn’t, but those reluctant, inconsiderate neighbors of ours…”

“They want celebrity,” she said. “Ceremony. Pretty wrapping paper with all the trimmings. If I were a rock star who just happened to be in a wheelchair, they’d welcome me.”

He didn’t look away from her direct gaze. “You’re right and I’m not about to apologize for them. They’re wrong.”

“But you still want me to…to what?”

“I want you to make them envy you, to show them that the community would be diminished by the loss of all of you.”

“We shouldn’t have to do that.”

“You’re damn right about that,” he said, angrily. “But if I get overseas where I’m not in easy reach and someone hires some legal eagle team and tries to do some workaround scheme to close down Able House…I’m trying to prevent them from even wanting to attempt that. That’s all. All right?” he asked.

Darcy pursed her lips and gave a reluctant nod. “If you put it that way…if we’re gearing up for a fight of sorts…” Her words ended on a harsh laugh and she looked up and blinked, trying not to show her frustration. Sometimes it felt as if she’d been fighting all her life. For money. For respect. For the right just to exist.

“I’m not trying to punish you, Darcy,” Patrick said, and he cupped her jaw with his palm, kneeling next to her chair. “Really. It’s not like that at all.”

His hand against her skin produced an instant reaction, an awareness of him as a man. Darcy struggled to think to continue breathing. “I know you’re not trying to punish me,” she managed to say. “I’m so…grateful for Able House. All of us are. Couldn’t you hear it in their voices when they spoke to you today?”

“I don’t want you to be grateful, although I appreciate the thought. I want you to…not have to justify having your home here.”

“But we will, won’t we? Just by having to take the extra steps other people don’t have to take, we’ll work for the right to stay.”

“Yes, and it’s not right,” he said with a groan, sliding to the ground beside her.

“What are you doing?” She looked down at him.

He looked up at her and smiled. Her heart thumped. “Making myself short,” he said. “Do you mind?”

She laughed. “Well, I’ve gotten used to looking up people’s noses, but no, I welcome the chance to look someone other than my friends at Able House in the eye.”

“I’ll remember that.”

No, don’t, she wanted to say. Don’t be too nice to me. Don’t make me want things I can’t possibly have. Because she had once had things she wanted and had them taken away. Love had been one of those things.

She tried not to think of the other thing, the unborn baby she had lost and that terrible day afterward when she had lost that last sliver of faith that she could ever try to become a mother again. Darcy fought not to remember all of that…and failed.

“So, why are you going overseas?” she asked, wanting to change from the subject of loss to something more positive.

Patrick shrugged those big, broad shoulders. “It’s time. I’ve been running the company for years, raising the girls. Now, they’re grown and I have things I’ve put off that I want to do. I’m twenty-nine, still single, I run a major international company that sells sporting goods, but while I love adventure sports and risk-taking, I haven’t taken any risks.”

Darcy gave him an “are you kidding me” look. “I thought you said you raised three sisters. Sounds like risk-taking to me.”

To her consternation, he moved closer, resting his arms on the side of her chair so that he was very close. “Are you teasing me, Darcy?”

No, she was torturing herself. But she wasn’t going to back down. “I’m just saying it couldn’t have been easy.”

He moved away and went back to leaning against the wall. “I loved it, totally, but…you have no idea.”

“No. I’ve never had any children.” And never would now. Not after losing her baby in the accident, not when she wasn’t going to get married, ever, and not if she couldn’t be the kind of mother she wanted to be. So much for avoiding that heart-constricting pain.

She looked up and saw that Patrick was studying her closely. So, she dove into survival mode and forced a smile. “So, tell me more about your upcoming trip.”

He continued to study her for a few more seconds.

“Please,” she said.

He nodded. “It’s one of those trips that’s the result of too many years of daydreams. Probably too long and too expensive and too monumental in scope, but I can’t wait. Several months spread out over a number of continents. Part of it will be spent on business and part will be a series of charitable fund-raisers built around adventure sports. We’re hoping to draw big crowds and really make a difference.”

He held out his hands. “It’s a very meaty venture, a long time in the making, and yeah, I’m pumped, even though I feel just a little guilty. It sounds as if I couldn’t wait for the girls to grow up so I could have a life.”

Darcy leaned forward, closer to him. “Why should you feel guilty? You’ve worked hard, everyone knows your company is a success. You raised your sisters and…how old are they?”

“Twenty-five, twenty-three and eighteen. Cara and Amy are married and have children of their own.”

“Well, then, there’s no problem, is there? They’re grown, and they’re not going to care what you do.”

Patrick gave her a look of disbelief. “You haven’t met my sisters.”

No, she hadn’t. But that changed a few hours later when the doorbell rang, and she heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway. Lots of footsteps. She’d been told to prepare food for a few extra mouths, but it sounded as if an entire army had arrived.

She and Olivia exchanged a look. “It’s them,” Olivia offered.

As if she knew who “them” was. “Who?” Darcy asked. “You’ve been here longer than me. I don’t know the code yet.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “The sisters,” she whispered as the voices grew closer.

Darcy barely had time to panic before the kitchen was filled with tall, dark-haired, gorgeous women and…a dog? A big dog?

“Fuzz, get down,” one young woman ordered as the dog pounced, setting his paws on Darcy’s lap. Startled, Darcy dropped the stainless steel bowl she was holding. It rolled around on the floor, clanging.

Immediately a cacophony of high-pitched feminine voices began. One of the beauties screeched.

“Oh, no,” another one said.

“Patrick is going to have a cow,” the third one said.

“Fuzz. Down now.” Patrick’s voice broke through the noise. The sad-looking, big-eyed mutt backed off of Darcy.

“Later,” she told the dog, winking. “Steak.”

“No steak,” Patrick said.

“Tyrant. He’s just a big puppy.”

“Who doesn’t belong in the kitchen,” he insisted.

We’ll see, Darcy thought with some amusement. She’d spent a lifetime being told she didn’t belong here or there. She and this dog had something in common. But Patrick had turned his attention away from the dog who had wandered out of the room.

“Cara, Amy, Lane, what were you thinking?” he asked, crossing his arms.

“We thought you were in here,” one of them said. “We didn’t think about Fuzz. Come here, big brother. We have a secret to tell you.” She looked down at her abdomen and smiled.

“Cara? Another baby?” Patrick’s voice was soft. He folded his sister into his arms.

“And she’s such a baby when she’s having a baby,” another sister said. “Mark my words, she’ll be calling you whenever there’s a crisis.”

“I will not!” the other sister said.

“You did when you were pregnant with Charlie.”

“That’s because I was looking for an excuse to come over and give Patrick a hand with you, Lane, sweetie,” Cara said. “You are a handful.”

“At least I won’t come running to Patrick when I have a husband the way you two do,” the youngest beauty said.

Immediately the two older sisters began to protest and the ensuing sounds was nearly earsplitting, but Patrick calmly broke in. “Enough. You haven’t said hello to either Darcy or Olivia yet. Or apologized for letting Darcy be attacked by Fuzz.”

Darcy started to open her mouth to tell him that Fuzz hadn’t hurt her, but Patrick shook his head.

The trio of beauties greeted Olivia and turned to Darcy. “We were out of line,” Cara said.

“We weren’t thinking,” Amy agreed.

“And we really are sorry,” Lane agreed. “You’re new, aren’t you?”

“As new as they get,” Darcy agreed with a smile when Lane held out her hand.

“What happened to Elaine, the last cook?” Amy asked.

Patrick gave her a look that clearly indicated that was an off-limits topic.

“Ah, the usual,” Cara said.

Darcy raised one brow, but she said nothing other than what she felt needed saying. “I hope you’ll enjoy what I’ve prepared for dinner.”

“I’m sure it will be great,” Amy said.

“Yes. Absolutely,” the other women said.

“All right, we’ve disrupted Darcy’s kitchen long enough,” Patrick said. “If she’s going to work her magic, she needs us out of here.”

“Magic?” Lane asked.

“Darcy is a veritable genius in the kitchen,” he clarified, winking at Darcy.

The sisters exchanged a look. Not a happy look, either. “Is Angelise coming?” Cara asked. It was clear that she wanted the answer to be yes.

“I didn’t invite her,” he said.

“Why not?”

Patrick frowned. He didn’t answer. Now Darcy was as curious as his sisters were, but it wasn’t any of her business, was it? Besides, if he wasn’t going to share with his sisters, he certainly wasn’t going to tell his cook his secrets.

But as the sisters and Patrick left the kitchen, Darcy was certain she heard one of the young women say, “Be careful about how you praise Darcy, Patrick. You know how many members of your staff have fallen in love with you? One word of praise and they’re writing Mrs. Patrick Judson in their diaries. It’s not fair to hurt them or lead them on.”

“I have no intention of leading Darcy on.” Had Patrick really said that or was that simply what Darcy thought she heard? His voice had been muffled and low.

“Olivia?” Darcy asked. “Is that how I got this job? The last cook went off the deep end over… um…Mr. Judson?” No matter what Patrick had told everyone at Able House, this was not a good moment to start calling him by his first name.

“Afraid so. They all fall in love with him. I would, too, but he’s too old for me.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m not falling in love with anyone, least of all my boss. I don’t go looking for trouble anymore.”

“Yes, but my mother says that sometimes trouble just finds us.”

“Not me.”

Olivia shrugged. “Whatever you say, but I’ve seen it happen over and over. That last cook—Elaine? I liked her, but she was practically stalking Mr. Judson. He had to let her go.”

A sick feeling ran through Darcy. She knew all too well what rejection felt like. “We’d better get the meal on the table. We have four mouths to feed.”

“Six.”

“Who else is coming?” Darcy asked.

“The baby-sitter is on her way over to drop off Mr. Judson’s nephews, Charlie and Davey. They’re just four and five and so cute you just want to pick them up and hug them. They’re the light of Mr. Judson’s eyes. He loves children.”

“Children?” Panic attacked Darcy’s senses. She fought against it.

“Yes. Like I said, two of them. You’ll see.”

Darcy shook her head. “No, I’ll be in the kitchen. You’ll be serving.”

Olivia gave her the look. “You know Mr. Judson might want you to put in an appearance.”

Darcy wanted to say no, but she couldn’t do that. She had had her one reprieve. He wouldn’t allow her another. Like it or not, panicked or not, she was going to have to enter a room filled with women who were wondering whether she had a crush on Patrick, she was going to have to face those babies she couldn’t bear to face and she was going to have to do it all while trying to pretend that Patrick had absolutely no effect on her at all.

CHAPTER FOUR

TWO HOURS LATER, Darcy blew out a long breath. She had made it through the evening. Barely. Every time she’d entered the room, she had had to decide where to look. Those two gorgeous little boys were at one end of the table. Just one glance had nearly made her heart break and made her wonder…would her child have had those chubby little elbows, those huge, innocent eyes? The pain she thought she’d conquered had hit her like a sledgehammer, dredging up emotions she’d learned to suppress.

Darcy only hoped her hastily pasted-on smile had hidden her distress. Her inability to face children was not something she wanted to discuss.

After that, she had avoided looking toward the boys and had concentrated instead on doing her job and on the adults. Whenever she’d entered the room, Patrick’s sisters had seemed to be talking about women. Specifically, Patrick and women. More specifically, Patrick and Angelise Marsdon. Apparently the lovely Angelise was quite a catch. And no question about it, Patrick was…he was…

An image of smoldering green eyes and dark hair assailed her. Sudden, unexpected heat suffused Darcy’s body, and as if her physical reaction was like some sort of magic beacon, she heard Patrick’s telltale masculine steps nearing the kitchen. Caught off guard, she felt the plate she’d been holding slide from her hands, and she had to practically throw herself from her chair to catch it before it hit the floor.

“Darn it!” she said, hugging the expensive piece of china to her chest.

“Are you all right?” Patrick’s deep voice was laced with concern as he came through the doorway. Darcy braced herself for the physical reaction she felt whenever he was near. Not a surprise. Probably every woman on earth had that same reaction. It was meaningless, she reminded herself as she nodded at him.

“I’m fine. I just nearly broke a plate that probably cost more than a Mercedes.”

He frowned.

“It’s all right, though,” she said, holding out the plate to show him.

“I don’t care about the plate,” he told her. “That’s not what’s worrying me.” But obviously something was.

Patrick was angry. At his sisters but also at himself. It had been obvious all through dinner that Cara and Amy and Lane had an agenda where Darcy was concerned. Angelise’s name had been mentioned several time in Darcy’s presence, and while the food had been melt-in-your-mouth perfect, his sisters had offered only the most rudimentary of compliments and they had maintained a distant air.

“I’m sorry,” he told Darcy when everyone had gone home. “They’re grown up and yet despite two of them being married and mothers, they’re still young in too many ways. I’m sure I made some mistakes and indulged them too much to make up for their lack of real parents, but their manners are usually much better than this. I’ll talk to them.”

Darcy shrugged. “What did you expect them to do? Faint over my apple tart?”

“A few oohs and ahs wouldn’t have been misplaced. It was the stuff men have killed for, and that cinnamon scent wafting off of it…” He groaned.

Darcy’s eyes opened wide as if she was startled, as if he had done something sexual. Well, maybe he had. There was something very sensual about a woman who smelled like cinnamon and vanilla and could create masterpieces with those talented hands of hers.

Abruptly Patrick shut down those thoughts. What in hell was he doing? Darcy was his employee. As such, there were barriers he wouldn’t cross.

“Your sisters were perfectly polite. They said the food was very good.”

They had, but these were the three sisters who had been born speaking in superlatives. Something was amiss. He had the feeling he knew what it was. Darcy was prettier and more talented than any of his other cooks had been.

“My sisters have decided they’re going to choose a wife for me, and you’re an attractive woman. I think they see you as a potential wrench in their plans.”

And that blush did amazing things to her skin. Dammit, he had to stop thinking like that. Where were his principles and his self-control?

“They were disappointed that Ms. Marsdon wasn’t invited,” she said.

“I know. Angelise tops their list. They’ve been trying to match me up with her for years.”

“Are you going to allow yourself to be matched?”

He raised a brow.

“Sorry,” she said, looking sheepish. “Cop training. Be direct, get to the point. Wade in and ask the tough questions.”

“Do you miss it?” he asked, then shook his head. “No, don’t answer that. None of my business.”

She laughed. “I just asked you if you were going to get engaged to a woman I’ve never met. You’re my boss and I’m asking you personal questions. And you’re apologizing to me for being nosy?”

“All right. I’ll be nosy. Do you?”

She looked him straight in the eye. “I wanted it very badly. I was good at it. It meant getting respect. I was going to do something important. I was going to save the world. But that’s all done now.”

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking that what you do now isn’t important.”

“I cook.”

“You feed people, you nourish them.”

“Oh, you’re good. No wonder your sisters are worried that every woman you hire is going to fall in love with you.”

He gave her a look, tried to think of what to say, tried not to want her to be a little bit interested in him so that he could get closer to her so he could taste that sassy mouth.

No.

Had he thought that or had she said it?

“No, don’t worry. I’m not going to fall in love with you,” she said. “When I had my accident I was engaged to be married.”

She hesitated.

“I see,” Patrick said. Or at least he was beginning to. Who was that guy, he wondered? What kind of an obtuse idiot had he been?

“This isn’t something I talk about,” she said, her voice dropping to a mere whisper.

“You shouldn’t have to. Your privacy is sacrosanct, Darcy. I promise you that. I won’t ask.”

She looked up and stared directly into his eyes. “If this is going to cause your sisters even one moment of concern, that can’t be good for anyone. I don’t want there to be strife between you and your sisters or concern about my role here, so they—you—need to know that I’m not some starry-eyed romantic looking for love. After my accident, my fiancé…well, suffice it to say that I’m not stupid enough to start down that road again.” Her body was rigid. Her pretty brown eyes were troubled, and it was obvious how uncomfortable she was discussing this, but she had done it to reassure him.

Patrick had to work hard to control his anger. “It sounds as if your fiancé was the stupid one. Some men don’t deserve what they’re given.”

She sat stone-still for several seconds. Then she sucked in a long, visible breath. “So, are you going to marry Angelise Marsdon?” she asked, catching Patrick off guard. Clearly she wanted to change the subject. Only a total jerk wouldn’t take the hint.

“I don’t know. Maybe. Eventually. Now that the girls are grown I’ll eventually marry someone and Angelise and I have been friends for a long time. We grew up in the same world. We have similar interests.”

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