ighs. Dark circles bruised the skin under her eyes. She had spent the last six hours frantic

opping heavy pots onto the stove, and muttering curses loud enough to bleed through the walls. Hope had her no

on the mattress b

he phone, expecting a rejection email. Instead

l after our last... interruption. Le Ber

the disastrous date at the cafe, the way she had fled through the back alley, leaving him

ard. She wanted to type: I quit m

from the kitchen. The air in the apartment was toxic, suffocating. And beneath her panic,

brain could stop h

wooped with a terrifying mi

back and pulled out the only nice thing she owned-a simple, black silk slip dress she had bought on clearance three

e world-famous Michelin three-star restaurant. The facade was intimidatingly elegant. Wealthy patrons in design

d through the heavy doors, an

bin Mullen," she said, h

ook of deep reverence. "Of course, Ms. Spence. Mr. Mullen

, dimly lit dining room. The air sme

oat. He wore a bespoke charcoal-grey suit. He had pulled his tie loose, unbuttoning the top tw

in the trench coat and the sliver of black silk visible at her collarb

ge hands brushed against the fabric of her coat resting on the back of the chair. Th

oss the table, his long fingers smoothly sli

hed out t

in's hand moved. He placed his index and middle fingers f

rbin didn't grip her, but the weight of his fingers

e low, blending perfectly with the soft cello mu

m free-falling without a parachute," she admitted, her voice barely a whisper. She gave a firm tu

ordering a multi-course tasting menu of the lightest, most delicate seafood. "

ersation. He didn't ask about her job or her health.

ded attention. His eyes never left her face. He didn't check his phone. He lis

the steady, grounding presence of the man ac

ushing pressure of being her mother's only hope, and the constant fear of failure. Wi

ked up. The main course arrived-a

e with his own knife and fork. He smoothly transferred the most te

ocked her into silence. She st

dark and intent. "You need your strengt

rembling slightly, and took a bite. It tasted like heaven, but she could b

a man who had seen her at her absolute worst, Hope realized h

quid. He watched her eat, the corner of his mouth lifting in a slo