Nodding Lena pushed the door open and stepped inside. Dr. Roger McKinney, Hospital Administrator. He stood at 5'6, so yes she was taller than him. He was balding and what little hair he did have was graying on the sides. He wore thick glasses that reminded her of coke bottles and had a white moustache. Dr McKinney was the very picture of how she thought the word ‘stuffy’ should be described. However, he was her boss and for that reason she kept her thoughts to herself and respected him. He looked up from what he was signing.

"Lena." he said and sat back in his chair removing his glasses. Lena nodded and he gestured to the chair opposite his desk, "Please sit."

Walking around to the front of the chair she sat crossing her legs, "You wanted to see me?"

He raised his left hand to squeeze the bridge of his nose while bringing his glasses down to his mouth. He bit on the left handle and looked at her thoughtfully. "We had a complaint on you today Lena." he paused.

Sitting straight up in her chair she was about to demand by who, when her mind zeroed right in on a certain delivery man. That asshole.

"I can explain."

"Lena. I don't want an explanation and usually I wouldn't ever call my doctors out on one complaint but this is the third one in four days. That on top of your lack of time management skills and the fact you seem to have lost your ability to tell time at all, leaves me no choice but to ask you. What’s going on? Do you need to take some time off?"

She jammed her clenched fists under her legs and shook her head. "No sir. This week has been rough." she swallowed thinking that was the understatement of the century, the whole last nine years of her life had been rough. She still couldn't believe that giant had reported her. What a giant asshole.

"Well just keep in mind that I have my eye on you and try not to have anymore complaints for let's try, a month?"

Smiling weakly she answered, "Sure. Was that it?"

He put his glasses on the desk and shook is head. "Actually no. I wanted to confirm you’d be at the dinner tonight? For Dr Jones, new Gastro. I expect all the faculty to be there."

Damn it. Just what she didn't want to do tonight. Well at least Shelly would be there. Plastering on a false smile so big it nearly slid off her face, she answered. "Sure, what time is it?"

He stood, told her 9pm then walked her to his office door. "Remember Lena. I'm keeping my eye on you."

She walked out past the receptionist, shooting her an instant death glare, and thought, God I'm screwed.


It was 8pm and Exquisite had opened two hours earlier. The dining room was full and bustling tonight. Mason smiled to himself as he stood at the pass inspecting every dish before it was handed over to his wait staff to be delivered to his hungry customers. Above the chatter and laughter was the music of the greats. Sinatra, Dean and the newer Buble and Jones. This made him happy, he loved his restaurant. It was his second home and had been his dream his whole life. The delicious aromas wafting from his kitchen, the people relaxing and celebrating at their tables. Smiling he looked over to the women and men flirting with his bartenders as they sat and waited for a table or merely sat having a drink and winding down on a Friday night. All to the soundtrack of smooth easy jazz. This was, in his mind, heaven.

"Where’s the New York Strip for table 25?"

Rachel came up sliding it onto the pass for him to garnish with a side of baked baby potatoes in garlic and chives. Mason placed everything carefully then put it up on the lip and rang the service bell.

"One Bourbon Street New York Steak, table 25. Ahh thanks Gail." he said with a wink.

She loaded her tray and smiled turning to go and deliver the meal.

"Oh yeah Mase. It’s happening tonight." Wendy called out as she strolled up smiling.

"Even without two extra cases of Merlot?"

"You're one to talk? You do know I have a very demanding boss right? And he’d be very mad if we ran out of wine to compliment his wonderful menu." she batted her eyelashes at him dramatically as Mason leaned over, wiping his palms on his apron, so he could kiss her cheek.

"You’re such a kiss ass."

"Yeah yeah." she said waving him away. She looked back out to where the waiters were pulling three tables together for the party of 15. "You ready for them?"

Mason grinned at her, his dimples winking. "Bring it on baby."

She laughed and turned to go and check on the setup.


Lena pulled her car around the back of Exquisite, where McKinney had told her they were meeting, and lucked out when a car happened to be leaving. She quickly swung hers into place then sat there for a moment to get herself ready for two hours of forced communication. Looking in the mirror again she wiped the smudge of lipstick from the corner of her mouth.

She’d gone with professional business woman tonight. Ha, who was she kidding? She went with that everyday why would this be different? Her sleek black pencil skirt that stopped just below her knee and midnight blue blouse screamed professional. Her only weakness and concession to anything flashy was her love of shoes. She was wearing black Jimmy Choo stilettos that made her legs look even longer than they were. Glancing at the clock she was about to vacate the car when her phone buzzed. She looked at the text, it was Shelly, I'm in here at the bar, bartender is hot lol. Lena sighed got out and made her way inside.


Mason was standing with Wendy talking to one of their guests when he saw her walk in. It wasn't that she stood out as a knockout beauty, it was the fact that she was so stiff and rigid in such a relaxed atmosphere. He couldn't believe the thing had just walked into his restaurant, what were the odds? He instantly felt his hackles rise as he watched her eyes roam around his place, as though assessing and judging it, and then from her unimpressed expression finding it lacking. Oh hell no sweetheart, this was his pride and joy and he let no one leave without enjoying themselves.

"Isn't that right Mason?"

His attention was brought back to Wendy and the man standing with her, a journalist from Dine Fine. He smiled and nodded, "Yes that's right. I learned alot from my father as well as culinary school. Never give up the opportunity to learn your family’s cooking secrets they’re often the special ingredient." He paused as he watched the thing make her way through the tables and tap a blond at the bar on the shoulder. The blond turned smiled, and low and behold, Queen B managed to crack her face into one as well. Mason chuckled to himself and then said softly.

"Excuse me Wendy I just saw someone I need to speak to." he excused himself and made his way over to the bar.


Lena looked around the restaurant. It was packed. People at tables, people sitting and standing at the bar. A lot of people, period. Too many for her taste but she was sure the owner was happy with the turnout. The smooth melody of Nora Jones, Don't Know Why floated through the air. Spotting Shelly, in a red dress perched on a barstool flirting away with the hot bartender, Lena grimaced slightly then made her way over. She tapped her on the shoulder and Shelly swiveled around. She smiled and looked Lena up and down then narrowed her eyes.

"Hi there Lena. I'm so glad the library closed early enough for you to get away."

Lena glared at her then smirked taking the seat that was vacated beside her. "Well we keep shorter hours then the corner you walked off."

Shelly didn't take offense, in fact she laughed out loud, moving over so Lena could sit. "Lena, that was great! Seriously, that was funny. So honestly? You like my dress right?"

Lena looked at it again, the red dress was skintight and had two inch straps holding it up. It had a straight cut across her chest then came in tight under her breasts. It remained tight to mid thigh and she had completed the look with bright purple heels.

"I like your shoes."

Shelly laughed and took a sip of her Cosmo. "That's because you’re a shoe whore."

Lena looked up the end of the bar for the, now missing, hot bartender."Well I guess I'm not doing this right."

Shelly raised an eyebrow at her.

"I mean who do I need to suck face with or bat my eyelashes at to get a drink in this place?"

"Well you could start with me and see if you get anywhere."


Mason waited as she turned around on her seat. He quickly decided he would’ve given a weeks earnings to have a camera right then to capture the expression that came onto her face. It was a relief to him that her face could actually move. Before about ten seconds ago he’d thought it was stuck on pissed off but right now it was morphing. He watched her as she registered shock, disbelief and finally, a new level of downright pissed off.

"You? You work here?" she sputtered out, which he found refreshing and slightly victorious, since it would seem she was a hard person to rattle. As her friend sat staring between him then her, he leaned on the bar with his left hip.

"No. I waited outside all day for you then followed you here and jumped behind the bar."

He watched her green eyes narrow as she took a deep breath trying to gather patience, he would assume. Much like he had this morning when she’d dressed him down in the waiting room.

"God, could this day get worse?" she muttered to herself. Mason switched his attention to her bodacious friend and cranked up the charm.

"Well hi there. How rude of me not to introduce myself." he grinned as he saw the thing glare at him.

"I'm Mase. I met Lena this morning at work. This is such a nice surprise to see her here."

He watched her friend turn to look at Lena, "You two met this morning?"

Before Lena could say anything he jumped right back in. "Oh yes, didn't she tell you? I brought her flowers."

Mason had to try really hard to stop himself from laughing as he watched Lena's mouth fall open and her eyes get even narrower as she tried in vain to glare him to death. He continued to smile at her then turned that smile back to her friend who was sitting there looking dumbstruck.

"No she didn't tell me anything like that."

Turning to face Lena her friend asked, "Lena? Is there something you need to tell me?"

Leaning on the bar Mason could smell a hint of vanilla. "Yeah Lena, is there?"

She tilted her head to the side and one curl slip free from the clip at the back of her neck. Her eyes looked him over like he was a bug she wanted to squash then she dismissed him with those eyes, turning to Shelly.

"The only thing to tell you Shelly is that morning this gentleman decided that when I was not simpering at his feet he would go behind my back and report me to McKinney."

Mason watched, confused. Who the hell was McKinney? Then she turned back to him and hopped off the barstool picking up her purse.

"Now. We have to go and join the table over there with the other faculty member's of St Luke’s. So why don't you try and be good at one of your job's today and get the drink orders recited to you since you have trouble reading, flower man."

The thing's friend looked horrified but Mason just stood with his arms crossed and smiled a shit eating grin, nodding silently having a feeling that would annoy this prickly little woman even more. However, right before she was about to saunter away Wendy rushed over past the women.

"Boss man. Table of 15 are doctors from St Luke’s let's not screw up. Would be good to have them as regulars."

Mason winced slightly but kept his eyes on the woman in front of him and her suddenly frozen feet. He continued to smile like he didn't have a care in the world, and wasn’t someone who’d just been on the receiving end of a cutting insult. Then he tilted his head toward her. "I'll be sure to send one of my staff over to take care of you as soon as possible sweetheart."

There, he thought with satisfaction, what do you think of that Queen Bitch?

Chapter Three

Shelly practically dragged Lena toward their table while constantly looking behind them to the bar. Lena on the other hand, followed without a backward glance. She was to busy processing exactly what’d just happened. The flower man was also a bartender? No, that didn’t seem to be adding up. The flower man was the restaurant manager? Hmm, maybe that was the case but why would the manager of the hottest restaurant in town be delivering flowers from that cute little flower boutique Precious Petals? So many questions and thoughts were flipping through her mind she didn’t even realize Shelly had come to a stop and turned to face her. Lena almost bumped into her but at the last minute she looked up and stopped. Shelly craned her neck to see past her, she would guess at Mr. Flower slash bartender slash restaurant manager slash pain in her ass.