Well, hell. Now she was asking for a second opinion. Maybe she hated it but she wanted someone else to back her up.

   Her assistant chef came over. “Yes, boss.”

   “Taste this, please. It’s pan-seared sea bass with lobster risotto and snap peas.”

   She handed the plate to Stefanie, who did the same thing. She slid her fork gingerly into the fish, then tasted the rice and the peas.

   Stefanie nodded at Amelia. “It’s outstanding. Did you make this?”

   “I did not,” Amelia said with a smile. “Our owner did.”

   “No shit. I mean, no kidding. Mr. Cassidy, this is amazing.”

   Flynn finally expelled the breath he’d been holding. “So, you both like it?”

   Amelia laid her hand on his biceps. “Flynn, it’s really good. Like, really good.”

   Amelia turned to Stefanie. “Flynn has wanted to make a signature dish for the restaurant. Something he can put his name on.”

   “I’d eat it. Like every day,” Stefanie said. “The sea bass is moist and flaky, the risotto is filled with flavor. The lobster is tender and the peas are crisp. Perfectly balanced. I think our clients will go crazy for it.”

   “I agree,” Amelia said. “Thank you, Stefanie.”

   Stefanie nodded and went back to her station. Amelia turned to Flynn and finally grinned. “It really is outstanding. I think we can safely put the Cassidy dish on our menu.”

   Flynn sighed. “I’m really glad. I’d been pondering this idea for a while, and I thought it tasted good when I sampled everything. But man, it was nerve-racking watching both of you taste it.”

   She nodded. “It’s always hard introducing new dishes. And I don’t always succeed with them. But I want you to know that Stefanie is extremely tough. If she doesn’t like something, she is brutally honest about it. She takes her job very seriously and she will not let anything leave this kitchen unless it’s perfect. So I trust her judgment implicitly.”

   “Good to know. And thanks for letting me cook here. It really did make a difference. I don’t know that I would have worked as hard on it if I’d done this at home.”

   “Of course you wouldn’t have because you wouldn’t have had the added pressure of Stefanie and me to judge you.”

   He laughed. “Well, thanks for that. I think I’ll get out of your way now so you can get back to work.”

   “Yes. Get out of my kitchen, please.”

   He leaned in close so only she could hear. “I’ll see you later.”

   “Yes, you’ll see a lot of me later.”

   With that vision in his head, he headed out of the restaurant with a giant grin on his face.

   So far, it had been a really great night.

TWENTY-THREE

   Flynn was always at ease with people. One of the reasons he liked having the restaurant was that he was comfortable around strangers. Meeting his restaurant guests and talking to them? No problem. Doing interviews with the media after games? Never an issue, even if the Sabers lost. Nerves never came into play. He was a rock.

   Until tonight. Tonight he was meeting Amelia’s best friend, Laura, and Laura’s husband, Jon. After he’d cooked at the restaurant yesterday, Amelia had told him that Laura was dying to meet him, so they’d planned a very informal dinner at Laura and Jon’s house for tonight.

   After practice, he ran errands, went home, did laundry and took care of work calls. Then he showered and stared at his closet, trying to figure out what to wear. After five minutes he realized he was still staring into his closet, undecided.

   What the fuck? He was a dude. Guys didn’t do this. He pulled out a long-sleeved button-down shirt and put it on, then grabbed a pair of jeans and finished getting dressed.

   He had no idea why he was nervous. But as he walked down the stairs and buttoned the cuffs of his shirt, he knew the answer.

   Because it was Amelia’s best friend. Best friends held all the power. If Laura didn’t like him, it could affect his relationship with Amelia.

   He should buy a nice bottle of wine for them. Maybe some flowers, too. He had plenty of time before he had to pick up Amelia, so he stopped at the flower shop and picked up a nice bouquet, then drove to the liquor store and searched out a bottle of pinot grigio, and on second glance, pulled a good cabernet as well. Hopefully Laura would like both.

   He drove to Amelia’s house and went up to ring the bell. She came to the door and he inhaled her fragrance. Not perfume, but something citrusy that smelled fresh and made him want to shut and lock the door and bury his face in her neck. He wished they had time for some getting naked and fooling around, but they didn’t, so he pulled her against him and kissed her instead, letting her know how much he really wanted her.

   When she drew back, she planted her hands on his chest. “You’re affectionate tonight.”

   “I’m insulted by that statement. I’m affectionate with you all the time.”

   “I stand corrected. Yes, you are. Did I mention how much I like that?”

   “No, you haven’t. Care to show me?”

   She laughed. “I’ll show you later. Otherwise, we’ll be late. Or no-shows.”

   She was right and he knew it. If he started touching her or kissing her he’d never stop. “Let’s go.”

   She took a glance at the backseat as she climbed into his SUV. “Aww, you got her flowers. She’ll love that.”

   “I got wine, too,” he said as he backed out of the driveway. “Two bottles.”

   “She’ll love that even more.”

   It didn’t take long to drive to Laura’s place since she lived just down the street from Amelia. They could have walked, but an uncharacteristic rain was threatening tonight, so he wanted to make sure they had a vehicle just in case. He parked and he grabbed the wine and flowers from the backseat.

   “I warned you that Laura isn’t a great housekeeper,” Amelia said. “And she’s really nervous about having you here, so be kind.”

   “I am always kind, and shouldn’t I be the one who’s nervous?”

   They stood on the sidewalk and Amelia turned to face him. “You’re nervous?”

   “Well, yeah.”

   “Why?”

   “Because Laura is your best friend. She gets veto power.”

   Amelia’s lips curved. “Veto power.”

   Flynn nodded. “If she hates me, we’re over.”