Spark (Heat #2)(22)

"We want you for this, Cadence. Maggie and I know that you're the perfect choice."

I heave a sigh hearing the other's woman name again. I don't have to walk out of her with just a smile and a nod. I can actually thank them both personally for considering me for this.

"I have a daughter your age, Chef." Maggie pats my shoulder. "Your parents must be very proud of all that you've accomplished. I know that I'd be honored to work alongside you."

They see the value in me. They're offering me something that Tyler may never. It's a chance to show the world that talent's worth isn't measured by age.





CHAPTER 20


"What is there to think about?" Sophia breaks the yolk of her egg with a gentle pierce from the fork as we both watch it spill onto kale salad. "It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, Cadence."

"You're right," I agree. "If my end goal was to be a celebrity chef this would be a no-brainer, but it's not."

She takes a bite of the food. "You can cook an egg like no one else can."

I smile at the sweet compliment. It's an egg though so I'm not about to let that go to my head. "There's no guarantee that this idea of theirs will even take off. What if it crashes and burns and I don't make a cent?"

"You can't think that way, Den. You'll have so much exposure from this that you'll be able to land a job at any restaurant in the country."

I've considered that. I know that being on national television once a week, even if it is only for five minutes, will help my career in more ways than I can imagine right now. I'll be recognizable. There are many chefs, some in the industry much longer than me, trying desperately to get their name out there. I'm being handed that on a silver platter.

"What did your mom say?"

I look across the kitchen island at her. She adores my mother. They hit it off immediately when she came to visit me two months ago. Sophia thinks my mom can do no wrong. She's almost right. She's flawless in my eyes. She's helped me reach my potential by constantly reminding me that I'm good enough, in every way.

"My mom said that she wants me to envision my life if I'm not working in a restaurant." I shrug. "I told her that's impossible. I've worked in restaurants, in some capacity, for as long as I can remember."

"You'll work in a restaurant again one day." Her smile fades. "Think about the big picture, Cadence. Don't think about where you see yourself in a year. Think about where you want to be a decade from now. That will help you decide which path will get you there sooner."

I nod, knowing that she's right. "I think I should tell Tyler that I'm considering doing it."

"Talk to him before you've made a decision?"

"He's been in the industry longer than I have," I point out. "He's a celebrity in his own right. He has insight into that side of things. His input would be valuable."

"That would be a big mistake," she warns. "He just passed you up for a promotion. He likes having you working for him. He'll tell you to turn it down so he can keep you under his thumb."

"Tyler's not like that." I shoot her a look. "Besides, I'm not going to ask him to help me make the decision. I'm just going to give him a heads-up and see if he has any thoughts."

"You don't think he'll tell you it's a bad idea?"

"I don't know what he'll say."

"I don't think he recognizes how good you really are." She points toward the stove behind me. "You create better food here than anything I've ever had at a restaurant."

"I know that I'm good. He thinks I'm good too."

"He thinks you're good. He thinks Maribel and Rolly are better."

"He thinks they're better for the position because of their experience," I concede. "I think he's wrong but part of me wants to stay at Nova to prove to him that I'm better than both Maribel and Rolly combined."

"You need to start thinking about your future." Her lips move as if she's going to say something more, but then she stops and takes a deep breath. "He doesn't see your potential, Cadence. Why are you willing to shortchange yourself?"

"I'm not doing that. I know I'm good. I also know I could be better."

"Those sound like his words, not yours," she challenges. "You're great at what you do. You're not perfect but he's not either. Don't let his talent outshine your own, Cadence. Brendon saw something in you. That's why he wanted you to keep working alongside him when you graduated from culinary school, right?"

I bow my head.

"Don't let that decision be in vain. You gave that up when you left him."

"That's not what happened. Brendon never wanted to help me grow as a chef. He ignored every single one of my ideas." I'm as exasperated as I sound. "My future at Axel under his thumb was limited. I have potential to move up at Nova."

"What you feel for Tyler is messing with your common sense." She stands and picks up her plate. "Are you sure he wants you to grow? What if a year from he tells you to keep cleaning vegetables because someone else is better at entrees? If that happens you'll never forgive yourself for passing this up."