Happy Anniversary!

As Lucia approached the restaurant, she paused taking a deep breath.She stepped through the doorway, her eyes scanning the room for the manager's figure. He was nowhere to be seen, but she knew he was watching, always watching.

"Miss Lucia, back so soon?" the chef inquired with a polite smile.

"Yes, just needed some fresh air," Lucia replied as she halted

 "Good to know" floated through the bustling kitchen. 

With a practiced sweet smile gracing her lips. "Chef, the sweetest chef," she cooed, her voice dripping with honeyed charm.

The chef, a burly man with a mustache that seemed to have a life of its own, arched an eyebrow. "What do you want?" he grumbled, his towel making a show of landing on his shoulder with a practiced flip.