through me at the mere touch of our bodies.
“Excuse me,” she says with a stomp of her foot. “I earned that.”
“Correction. You’ll earn it at the end of your shift when I release you for the day.”
Maggie crosses her arms and leans back against the island. “Fine. But since we’re talking about earning things, what are you even getting out of this show anyway? Do you even want to do it?”
I nod.
“Why?”
“Because I have goals for the kitchen that are reliant on the extra income. The show is a quick way to reach those goals.”
“What kind of goals?”
I let out a heavy breath, trying to keep my frustration at bay. “I’d like to expand our offerings. I’d like to hire more employees so maybe I can enjoy a few days off now and then without taking a huge hit.”
“Okay.” She thinks for a moment. “So maybe you need a little bit of cash. Can’t Zach just give you what you need? He is your partner. And according to ESPN, the dude is loaded.”
I snort. “You seem to think Zach’s pocketbook is the solution to everything. That’s not how our partnership works. Zach might have purchased this place, but it’s me who runs it. It’s me who makes the big decisions. And if I decide to expand, it’ll be me who will fork over the dough to do it.”
“Okay, suit yourself. Guess a cooking show is the way to go, then.” She reaches for something on the counter, and I laugh when I see it’s the beer I told her not to drink.
Oh, what the hell? It’s Monday, which means no one else will be popping into the kitchen. I reach into the refrigerator and pull another beer out so I can join her. I lean against the island she’s now sitting on. “So you really won’t be my cohost, huh?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t think I can.” This time, she cuts me an apologetic glance, and I can feel her sincerity. “But I’m sure Faye will find you the perfect girl.”
I blow out another breath, feeling the stress of the day slowly decompressing in my system. “I don’t know. You saw some of those auditions. Nothing felt even remotely right.”
Maggie twists her lips. “The cohost thing was Faye’s idea, wasn’t it? What is she looking for exactly? Maybe you can just do the show on your own.”
I chew the inside of my lip while shaking my head. “The network wasn’t into it just being me. Faye actually got the idea of a cohost by watching you and I work together.” I laugh at the memory of how bizarrely well we worked together last Saturday. “You were her inspiration.”
Something in Maggie’s expression has a squeezing effect in my chest. “Faye did make it sound like you needed me desperately.” She smiles softly. “Just think. If I did accept, I’d probably have the money to get my own place and get out of your hair.”
“It’s only been a few days, Maggie. Besides, I don’t think it’s such a bad arrangement. I know you just started, but you’re helping me plenty. And who knows if this show is going to take off. Please don’t try to find a way out of here because you think I want you gone.”
“Good to know you don’t.”
“Good to know you care what I think for once.” I can feel a ridiculous grin on my face and force it into something more professional. “And I’m serious about the beer drinkin’. We’ll make the booze an exception today, but from now on, if you want to have a glass of wine during a class with the rest of the students, that’s fine. Or if you want to crack one once your shift is over, fine by me. But no other time.”
She tilts her head and presses the bottle to her lips, amused. “You realize what time it is, right?”
I look up at the clock and almost choke on my next sip. “Six o’clock.”
“Good thing you don’t pay me overtime.”
I look back at Maggie, who winks, and then I chuckle. “All right, smart ass, you win. So then what are you still doing here if you’re off the clock?”
“Having a happy hour with my new boss. What else would I be doing?”
Ignoring her last remark, I decide to push our newfound understanding a bit further. “What do you feel like for dinner? I owe you a meal.”
Maggie hops off the counter and downs the rest of her beer. “No