TIED [l.p] ✔

Chapter 92

AUGUST

Remember by Liam Payne
Impossible (cover) by James Arthur.

"IT'S delicious, Gray," I moan, taking another bite of the vegetable and cheese Focaccia. I, shamelessly, slide the whole plate towards me and wolf down the cheese and vegetable topping bread. He smiles at me and wipes his hands on a tissue.

It's been a few weeks since I unveiled the pregnancy to my co-workers. Marjorie was the most excited one whereas Carla said she already knew; Grayson was shocked but he beat it. If I hadn't decided to tell them then, my swollen belly would have done the work. All the new people in my life know about the baby. Liam, his parents and mine don't know about it yet and I feel guilty keeping it to myself.

For the past week, I have been hogging up Gray's lunch. He brings a new cuisine every day. And also he is kind enough to bring extra for himself. I don't bring lunch to work since Grayson has promised to bring me a new recipe every day.

"It's all yours," I thank him with a mouthful of bread. He chuckles, taking a sip of water from his bottle. "I was thinking about talking to Michele about adding this on our menu. Cosa na pensi?" He ponders.

"Penso che sia un'ottima idea! I, for one, am going to ask you to make this for me regularly." I smirk, raising my eyebrow, waiting for him to agree. My mom's Focaccia sandwiches were always my favourite but now I like Grayson's better.

"I'll make them wherever you want, Jane." He says shyly, earning a pursed giggle from me. "I'll get back to the kitchen before Michele comes looking for me. Starai bene?" I nod. "Here's more water if you want." He pushes his bottle of water towards me and exits the back room.

Michele enters a few minutes later looking as irritated as ever. "I don't pay you to make the same mistakes twice, Janet!" I look at him confused. "One more time the trays are anywhere but in their given place, you are fired. No exceptions, pregnancy or not." He warns. I am ready to apologise but he is already out of the door. One thing I have learned is that one shouldn't take Michele's words to heart, he is all bark and no bite, plus his intentions arent bad. Very likely to Adrian.

I empty my lunch within minutes and get back to work. Marjorie continues her shift with me, skipping her lunch hour. We serve for the rest of the lunch session until four-thirty on the clock. At the end of my shift, I take my belongings ready to leave when I hear altercation between Gray and someone in the kitchen.

I drop the things on the table in the backroom and rush towards the kitchen. "Sei un completo idiota!" Ross yells at Gary. "Mi ci vorranno altri venti minuti per farlo di nuovo! The customers is already upset with the delay orders!" He says in a prominent Italian accent.

"Well, you shouldn't have transferred the vinegar in this bottle. Come avrei dovuto saperlo?" Grayson defends himself. Since no one is in the kitchen, I walk over to them to diffuse the situation.

When I ask what happened, Ross explains how Grayson put a half bottle of vinegar in the veggie skillet instead of water and it isn't until now that they are aware of the blunder caused by the welter spread on the countertop. Grayson justifies his mistake by blaming the one who switched the bottles. Ross, in short.

"Where is the rest of the team?" I ask both of them. There are about seven people on the chef's team but only Gray and Ross are present in the kitchen. They both look at each other and then back at me, shrugging their shoulders and childishly blaming each other for sending the rest of them away for a quick break since there are only a few tables occupied and it is almost time to shut the restaurant until dinner.

"He sent them saying he had everything under control!" Grayson points his finger at Ross who is tossing vegetables and glaring Grayson at the same time.