Can't Stop Loving You by Lisa Harrison Jackson Page A

about minimizing yourself?” La Jetta chastised. “Mr. Rick gave you the title of chef, so walk in it.”
    He mumbled something under his breath and waved La Jetta off before offering his wrist to Kaycee. “I would shake your hand, but I’ve been handling some meat and I don’t want to get you messy, but welcome.”
    â€œThank you,” Kaycee replied with a smile. He might have a bark, but Otis’s thoughtfulness made her like him right away.
    La Jetta turned to the other two. “This is Rafael, the sous chef, and Melody, the assistant.”
    â€œIt’s good meeting you both,” Kaycee said with a smile.
    Rafael responded in kind. Melody only nodded while holding her hand over her mouth. Kaycee later learned from La Jetta that the girl covered her mouth because she’d been in a bad automobile accident a couple of years back and had lost most of her front teeth. As a result, she was shy about smiling around strangers.
    The tour ended at Kendrick’s small office.
    â€œMr. Rick is out running errands,” La Jetta announced and picked up a manila folder left on the table. “He told me to give you this to read through and fill out the appropriate paperwork and he’ll see you when he gets back this afternoon.”
    Kaycee nodded and set her things down. With a happy sigh, she sat down and opened the folder.
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    â€œHey, is somebody hungry in here?”
    Kaycee glanced up from her place at the desk to find La Jetta standing in the doorway with a tray in hand.
    â€œAm I?” she said, rubbing her growling stomach.
    La Jetta carried over the tray and set it on the desk. The French onion soup, smoked mozzarella and cheddar grilled cheese sandwich and Caesar salad looked very appetizing along with a glass of sweet tea on ice.
    â€œIt’s on the house,” La Jetta said, removing the items from the tray and placing them before her.
    Kaycee’s eyes lit up with appreciation at the deliciously prepared meal. “Thank you so much.”
    â€œOh, don’t thank me, Mr. Rick asked me to bring it in to you. He felt badly about not being here on your first day and thought it was the least he could do.”
    Kaycee glanced at her watch and was surprised to see that it was after two o’clock. “Wow, the time has flown by.”
    â€œYou should have been in the dining room at lunchtime. It was a madhouse!” La Jetta pulled a straw from her apron pocket and handed it to Kaycee before leaning over the contents of the folder she gave her earlier. “What has he got you reading?”
    â€œEverything I wanted to know about coffee and cafés. It’s pretty interesting.”
    â€œDon’t be surprised if he gives you a pop quiz.”
    The surprised look on Kaycee’s face made La Jetta burst into a fit of giggles.
    â€œRelax, girl, I’m just kidding. Mr. Rick can be no-nonsense, but he’s a very nice guy.”
    Kaycee took a bite of the sandwich and rolled her eyes back into her head. “Oh, my goodness, this is so good!”
    â€œI’ll let Otis know.”
    â€œIs he married?” she asked, taking another bite. “Because I could use a man like him around my house.”
    â€œA marriage proposal from a sandwich? Is that all you got to do these days?” a voice asked from behind.
    Both women turned to find Kendrick standing in the open doorway. Kaycee’s eyes shone at the sight of him. He looked both sexy and powerful in a pin-striped shirt and neutral tie with dark blue tailored trousers. His clean-scented cologne filled the room like an aphrodisiac, making her tongue-tied. She was grateful for La Jetta’s presence, as well as for the food before her to act as a buffer until she regained her composure.
    â€œHey, Mr. Rick, I’m about to take off,” La Jetta announced, walking toward the door.
    â€œThanks for holding down the fort, Jetta,” he said, his eyes glued on