My Fake Girlfriend

ATHENA

“Athena, two salmon steaks!”

“Yes, Chef!” I wiped the sweat from my forehead and then washed my hands before grabbing two fresh, pink steaks. I melted butter in a frying pan while I seasoned them, then tossed them in to fry.

“Athena, how long on the scallops?”

I gave the other pan a shake, checking their color. “Thirty seconds, Chef!”

I loved chaos—especially chaos in the kitchen. It was loud and messy, but also rewarding.

I grabbed a shallow dish and carefully lifted the scallops into it before adding white wine to the pan. As it simmered, I added minced garlic, shallots, and—my father’s secret ingredient—a little anchovy paste.

My dad had taught me almost everything I knew: how to slice vegetables thinly without injuring myself, how to make a delicious bearnaise sauce, how to time everything perfectly.

When I was only five, he even challenged me to cook a steak to order.

The fire department may have been called.

We had a long laugh about it.

Now, twenty years later, I was working my dream job at a famous fine-dining restaurant in Los Angeles.

Dad had wanted me to work with him in his restaurant in New York, but I refused. I wanted to make my own way, stand on my own two feet. I wanted to prove that I was worthy as a chef without my dad’s help. I wanted to make him proud.

I spooned some of the sauce over the scallops, then transferred the dish to the line behind me. “Order up!” Then I flipped the salmon steaks over to brown the other side.

When I’d told Mom that I was moving to LA, she’d supported me, which had caused Dad to lock himself in his room. My older brothers, Jayson and Jackson, had been upset too.

“You can still change your mind, you know…,” Jayson had told me at the airport, pouting.

I shook my head. “You know I won’t.”

“Maybe we can all find jobs in LA,” Jackson said, which made Dad’s face light up.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” I patted his arm and glared at him for giving Dad ideas. I loved my family, but I needed to do this for myself.

As I was plating the two salmon steaks, Chef shouted again.

“Athena, two chicken and another salmon!”

I fastened my pace, taking a split-second break to drink from my water bottle.

“Two rib eyes, medium-rare!”

I added them to the grill and seasoned the salmon.

“Pork chops!”

I grabbed two to start cooking, then checked on the chicken.

“Athena!”

“Yes, Chef!” I turned to look at him across the kitchen.

“This hamburger is underdone. The guest wants it medium-well. Flash it on the fly.”

My stomach did a somersault. Underdone? I took the plate and checked the meat’s tenderness, then transferred it back to the grill, trying not to let the shame get to me. I hated making mistakes, but I couldn’t afford to slow down on a Saturday night.

“Where’s my chicken for table five?” a server called.

“One minute!” I replied as I plated it up and brought it over.

“Athena, step away for a moment, please.” Minnie, our manager, gestured for me to stop everything.

I wiped my hands on a towel as I approached her. “Is everything okay?”

“Please follow me.” She turned to leave through the side door, which led to the offices.

She had a weird look on her face, and I gulped nervously, looking at her with questioning eyes. Is it about the rib eye?

“But…can it wait?” I pointed to the tickets waiting to be fulfilled, but she shook her head. So, I signaled another chef to take over my station.

“The boss wants to speak to you,” Minnie explained as we walked from the kitchen.

“Boss?” I asked.

“Yes. Our boss.”

“Did I do something wrong?” I laughed nervously as we went up to the second floor. I’d never been stopped in the middle of service before.

“I don’t know. Please keep up the pace.”

I hadn’t realized I’d slowed down, so I sped up to follow her as she led me to the small meeting room. She knocked on the door and gestured for me to go inside.

I opened the door, and my jaw dropped for a split second before I entered.

“Ares Anderson?” I looked at him in disbelief.

“Hello, Athena.” He smirked as he got up from his seat.

I hadn’t seen this man in person since high school. He’d been the most popular guy in school, a total jock, and changed his girls like he changed his clothes. We’d been friends, nothing more, and only because we shared a lot of classes.

He’d mostly been interested in hanging out with cheerleaders.

Now that he was all grown up, I heard that he still had girls leeching on him. It was a regular occurrence to see him in newspapers, gossip magazines, and attending big events. And every time, he had a different girl clinging to him.

I mean, I didn’t blame them. He’d changed a lot, and in all of the right ways.

His brown hair used to be short, but now he had an undercut and his bangs were longer, covering his forehead. His deep-brown eyes looked empty, but still as beautiful as I remembered with dark lashes.

He stood before me, taller than before, in a black button-down which strained against his muscles. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing a tattoo on his left forearm; it was a dragon, or maybe a phoenix.

His veins were visible, making me swallow before I looked up at him again. It was a crime to be this good looking, and I hated myself for lusting over him.

He let out a small cough. “Are you done checking me out?”

My cheeks heated. “I am not checking you out.”

“How are you, Athena? It’s been a few years.”

“Yes, it’s been a while.

“Come and give me a hug.”

I didn’t even move, since I was still trying to figure out why he was here. So, Ares grabbed my wrist and pulled me into him. I smelled his fresh cologne instantly as he wrapped his arms around me. I patted his back awkwardly.

“What are you doing here, Ares?” I asked in a suspicious tone.

He pulled away and pointed at the chair across from his. “Sit down, please.”

“You’re ‘the boss’?” I asked as I sat, and Ares copied my action as he nodded. His family had a lot of companies, so I guessed him owning the restaurant didn’t surprise me.

“Do you like your job?”

What an odd question to ask. “Of course, or else I wouldn’t be working here.”

“Good.” He paused. “Because you’re fired.”

My jaw dropped.