Page 215 of The Unwilling Bride
There’s a thoughtful expression on his features.
“I did. But if you remember, it was you who picked out her profile from the thousands of applicants and brought it to my attention.”
“That’s true. But you didn’t tell me that you knew her already. It wouldn’t have mattered that you did, but the fact you didn’t…makes me wonder if you felt you were doing something wrong.”
Silence descends around the room.
That Henrik could ask the question with such confidence makes me re-evaluate my opinion of him.
He always defers to James, but he’s confident enough to ask the tough questions, which the rest of the team are probably thinking but haven’t asked.
I wonder if James will tell him off, but to my surprise, my husband gives the question his full attention. He lets a few seconds pass, indicating he’s getting his thoughts together.
Then he says, “A part of me was apprehensive about inviting her to interview; you’re right about that. But not for the reasons you think.”
Henrik seems surprised. “What was it then?”
James smiles faintly. “I was worried I would lose control over my emotions where she was concerned. That I might not be able to control the variables if she was in the kitchen. And as a result, for the first few months, I micromanaged her. I tested her. I challenged her. I’m afraid I made a complete ogre of myself. But you’ll agree that she more than delivered. She stood up to me, even when I was working her so hard that she walked into the refrigerator room thinking it was the exit and then proceeded to fall asleep there because she was so tired.”
A ripple of understanding runs around the room. Ollie smiles at me. Ryan nods and gives me a thumbs-up.
Mark’s expression, though, is not impressed.
This is the second time James is defending me to the team.
I’m sure it makes me look weak.
I need to face the team, to speak up for myself.
“It’s true, James pushed me hard the first two months. He’s stillpushing me. He has never compromised on the excellence in this restaurant, be it about the quality of the food or of the personnel.”
I glance around the room. I’m reiterating facts the team already knows, but there’s no harm reminding them.
Yes, I’m defending James, but he’s worked hard building his reputation and that of his restaurant. He deserves it.
I take a moment to gather my thoughts.
“No matter how we met and decided to marry, which is between my husband and me, the bottom line is that we want to be together.” All that is true. “Given we are in the same career, it makes sense for us to share the load of running the restaurant, but”—I look at the brigade—“I think it’s time for me to move on.”
I sense the tension rolling off of James in waves. From the corner of my eye, I see him set his jaw.
He’s trying to keep his emotions in check.
He’s upset, which is understandable. I did not discuss this with him.
I'm catching him off guard. I'm catching myself off guard with my announcement. But in this moment, I know it's right for me.
James gave me everything a mentor could. Under him, I found my touch, my confidence, the chef I did not know I was capable of being.
But as long as I stand beside him in his kitchen, wearing his ring, I will never know how much of what I have is truly mine.
Every win will be questioned. Every call I make will carry the shadow of our marriage. I could outwork every person in this room, and half of them would still wonder. And worse, so would I.
He's already defending me. Standing there, still and certain, holding the line for me without flinching. Maybe they will believe him.
But I need to believe in myself. And I cannot do that here. It’s why I cannot stay.
Mark seems taken aback. “You’re leaving?”
