"The panini sounds delicious," she told the head chef. "I can't wait to try it"

"I have something better for you, sweet cheeks " one of the guys said.

Dani didn't bother turning around to find out who was speaking. Instead she picked up one of the large carving knives. "I have a set of these myself."

A couple of the guys groaned.

Nick grinned. "As long as you know how to use them."

"I do."

That would back the cooks off for a while. She knew that as long she did her job and they learned they could depend on her to respect them and not do anything to make their work more difficult, they would come to respect her. It took time to build a good relationship with a kitchen staff and she was more than willing to put in the effort to make that happen.

"You want to make any changes to the specials?" Nick asked casually.

Dani wanted to laugh at the ridiculous question, but kept her expression carefully neutral. Nick didn't really want her opinion. If she tried to give one, he would rip her head off…probably just verbally. The division of labor was very clear. The head chef ran the kitchen, the general manager ran everything else. Dani's position of authority stopped the second she stepped through the swinging doors.

"No," she said sweetly. "They look great. Have a good lunch,"

She pushed through the doors, back onto her turf. She and Nick had to work together. Either of them could make the other's life a living nightmare. As the new kid, it was up to her to prove herself, which she was happy to do.

One of the advantages of her new job was how it helped her focus. After her meeting with Mark Canfield, she'd found herself unable to concentrate, until she'd come to work. Alex Canfield had gotten to her, invading her brain on a regular basis. She tried to tell herself that he was completely uninteresting, not the least bit attractive and not someone she would waste her time on but she knew she was lying. There was something about him that compelled her. The fact that he was her biological father's adoptive son added a level of confusion that told her she needed to run in the opposite direction. Considering the past year in her romantic life, it was advice she should listen to.