Chapter 15: Part 3 – A new job opportunity

I picked up a fork and started picking at the different dishes. Chris explained that this Gala featured European and Middle Eastern dishes to cater to the diverse crowd that was attending. We had some Mediterranean salads along with pan-seared fish with herbs, pita bread, roasted chicken, and hummus, to name a few of the dishes. Everything Chris had brought home was a serving for one person, so although there were so many dishes, we could easily finish the spread between us.

"That was amazing. If this is the kind of food at your hotel, no wonder there are so many repeat customers. Your clientele is booked until five years from now," I said as I stretched, satisfied after such a good meal.

Chris picked her teeth with a toothpick "Thank you, but on further reflection, I feel the chicken needs to be brined for longer; it's not as delicate as I would like, and it gets stuck in one's teeth. This would be a problem for our elderly patrons".

I smiled and crossed my arms at the end of the table. "You are always thinking of others; that's what makes you so good at your job. Every fine detail is taken into consideration," I said as Chris folded the toothpick into a piece of tissue.

Chris shook her head "I asked you to appraise the food, not the chef, but thank you, I appreciate you taking notice of how much work goes into all of this" she said and got up, gathering up the dishes as she did so " If you'd be so kind as to wait at the couch, I'll be right with you with your surprise"

I started picking up some of the plates but put them down when I saw Chris raise an eyebrow.

"I can help," I said, trying not to pout again.

"Yes, well, these come from the hotel. I don't want to lose one of these plates on the floor. Just take a seat, and that would be help enough." Chris winked and took the dishes she already had to the sink.

I got up and did as I was told, throwing myself onto the couch and sulking. I looked around for something to entertain myself with and just as I was about to reach for one of the coffee table books on photography, there was a ring at the door.

I jumped up and eagerly went over to greet whoever was out there. I opened the door and standing there was a delivery man.

"Package for… Pi—"he started to announce, but I hushed him and pulled the package from his hands. " It's me, it's me. Where do I sign?" I asked hurriedly.

The delivery man looked a little confused, but then he shook it off and passed me the clipboard and pen.

I signed for it, and the delivery man left while I closed the door and sank to the floor with the parcel in my hands.

"Who was that?" Chris asked, coming around the corner to check on me while drying a dish with a dishcloth.

I quickly scrambled to my feet and pressed the side of the box with the name and address to my chest.

"Oh I ordered something and it just arrived" I laughed sheepishly "I-I'll just put this away and open it later"

"Ah alright," Chris said and returned to the kitchen.

I sighed in relief and dashed to the room. Placing the package under my desk with the address face down, I grabbed my phone off my phone charger and returned to the living room, trying to calm my beating heart down with a phone game or two.