Taste Read online

  On my walk home, my phone beeped with a text message. Hi beautiful. Missing you already. Can’t wait to see you tonight. Leo.

  My heart did a somersault, and then went splat.

  Was this like what Emilia had said, smitten at first and then the cold shoulder?

  Had she not told me, I would have replied with: I miss you too! See you tonight, save a kiss for me. T xx.

  But I resisted the urge, and put the phone back in my pocket.

  Chapter 20

  “I’ve gotta go,” I said, grabbing my phone and my bag later that afternoon. “We’ll have to connect after the event.”

  “Have fun. See you when we get there,” said Savannah. “At least we don’t have to worry about the poisonings now.”

  “It’s a relief. Except now I have to worry about other stuff.”

  “Like what?”

  I waved my hand. I didn’t want my personal life to be public knowledge. I’d tell Talia about my night with Leo, and what Emilia had said, but not yet; there was too much else going on. Tomorrow. And if I told Savvy, she might let it slip in front of Riley, and then he might ask his brother about it and then it would be all weird and embarrassing.

  But should I mention anything about Emilia’s ex? It didn’t seem relevant now that the danger of poisoning had passed, and she wanted to be discreet about taking safety precautions on leaving work tonight. Though Michael may well be stalking her, I doubted he would be doing it to put her in danger. But try telling that to Emilia. With her bad past experiences, no wonder she was on high alert.

  “See ya.” I stepped outside, and before putting my phone in my bag, I looked at Leo’s second message again.

  Did you get my text from before? Just checking. xo

  This time I thought I better at least acknowledge him, since I’d be seeing him soon and we’d be busy tonight.

  Yep, sorry, busy day. See you soon.

  There. No kisses or cuddles, no smiley emoticons, plain and simple. Not needy, not smothering, just polite. It was better to play it safe for now.

  I walked past Mr. Jenkins’s house and out of Roach Place, wondering if Mr. Jenkins was wondering what to wear tonight like my mother was. As if!

  I arrived at work the same time as Lachlan. He smiled feebly and lowered his gaze when he saw me.

  “Hey, how are you doing?” I said.

  “Better. Thanks.” He opened the door for me.

  I knew he was still feeling ashamed about last night, but at least he’d accepted some help and could see that there were alternatives to breaking the law.

  “So, you’re not telling anyone else, are you?” he asked.

  “I promised, remember? No more—” I glanced around to check no one could hear. “No more stealing, then no telling.”

  He nodded. “Good. Because if Sam found out, well, I don’t think he’d let me keep my job,” he whispered. “And Emilia, she’d probably throw a fit or slap me or something.” He chuckled.

  “My lips are sealed.” I drew my fingers across them, then wiped the sticky lip gloss that had transferred onto my fingers on the side of my shirt.

  When we walked into the kitchen, the chefs were already at work. Leo glanced up from his preparations, and I diverted my gaze.

  Tamara! What was I doing? I was supposed to be playing it cool, not completely ignoring the guy.

  Sam gave us a rundown of the evening’s plans, and I got ready to wait for whatever I was needed for.

  Pretty soon I had things to wash, and I was glad to keep my hands busy.

  After a couple of hours, the guests started arriving and the meals were taking shape. Delicious aromas filled the room, and I was starting to get hungry myself. I glanced up from the sink toward the front door as a nice-looking man and woman entered. The man ran a hand over his hair as though checking it was all in place, and… hang on. A glint of silver sparkled under the lights. On one of his fingers was a ring. It only caught my attention because at the same time I saw it I tasted something metallic. I narrowed my eyes, watching his hand as he walked toward the table close to the kitchen window. He placed his hand on the back of a chair and my gaze homed in on the design. It wasn’t a simple band; it was curved, like a paper scroll.

  I almost gasped as Emilia sidled up next to me. “How did you know that’s Michael?”

  “Huh?”

  “Your eyes are like lasers pinning him. And I thought I’d be the only one casting a glare his way.”

  “I just guessed.” I shrugged.

  He took his seat, and then my family entered the restaurant. I wanted to go speak to Savannah, ask her about that vision she’d had of the silver ring and someone’s hand grabbing a woman’s wrist. An uncomfortable sensation filled my belly. The poisonings may be over, but now I believed Emilia completely, that her ex was trouble. If it was supposed to be Emilia’s wrist he would grab, then who knew what else was supposed to happen. We must have sensed it for a reason.

  “So,” I said to Emilia. “Don’t forget, we’ll take care of things tonight after work; make sure you get home safely.”

  She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh, thanks, but maybe I’m worrying about nothing. I feel a bit silly now, actually! It’s just my overanxious mind playing tricks.” She managed a chuckle.

  “No,” I said. “Better safe than sorry, remember?”

  “In that case…”

  “And maybe you should consider telling someone else about your concerns.”

  She shrugged. “Maybe. Thanks again.” She returned to her work.

  I got busy, and next time I saw Emilia she was standing in front of the plates that were waiting to be taken out to patrons. While everyone else bustled about busily and efficiently, she seemed to be moving in slow motion, probably fiddling with the food arrangement like she liked to do and adding her own touches when the chefs weren’t looking. I wouldn’t put it past her to arrange seeds or some other garnish into the word “ass” on Michael’s plate.

  I grabbed a cloth to avoid dripping water on the floor, and went to her side. She flinched a little when my shoulder touched hers. “Is that his meal?” I cocked my head toward the dining room. I looked around for Lachlan to see if he could help her out, but he was on the floor dealing with a talkative table. Lucy was busy carrying plates out. “Do you want me to take it out so you don’t have to face him?” I asked. “I don’t mind being a temporary waitress.”

  She turned to me with a forced smile. “No. Thanks. I’ve got it.” She took in a sharp breath of air and picked up three plates, balancing two expertly with her arm and hands. She turned and walked out of the kitchen with her head held high, to her ex’s table.

  I had to hand it to her—she had guts. I didn’t know if I could face someone from my past who’d been so awful to me, let alone when he was here with the woman he’d been so awful with.

  Emilia placed two of the plates down onto the table, then placed the meal in front of him. He stiffened, and I watched him mouth a strained “Thanks.” I thought she would want to get away from them as soon as possible, but then she stepped behind Michael’s chair and lifted the coat hanging on the back of it. Her lips moved as though speaking to him, but he obviously didn’t want her to take his coat and hang it elsewhere. He held up a hand and waved it, gesturing to the back of his chair. She leaned closer, over his chair and shoulder, and I think must have asked, “Are you sure?” The woman seated next to him eyed her suspiciously. Here I was thinking she’d be awkward and embarrassed and uncomfortable, but she was flirting with the guy! She replaced the jacket, adjusting it so that it hung perfectly, and then stood straight and smoothed her apron around her hips as though it was a miniskirt. She sauntered back to the kitchen with a big grin.

  “What just happened out there?” I asked.

  She chuckled. “Oh, I simply turned on my exceptional waitress abilities. I’ll show him—and her—how good I am at my job, and how nothing he does can bother me.” She flicked a loose strand of hair from her face.
“No way am I going to give him the satisfaction of seeing me squirm. Cheating bastard.”

  I held up my hand, sheathed in a rubber glove. She went to high-five me, then scrunched up her face. “Maybe later,” she said. I gave her an air high-five instead, and she shook her head with a laugh. “Oh, and be warned, if you happen to walk anywhere near them, hold your nose.”

  “BO?” I asked, scrunching up my nose.

  “No, but his woman smells like she’s been dipped in perfume. I almost suffocated!” She laughed as she turned back to the plating up zone.

  “Here you go,” said Leo as he brought some pans over to be washed. “I’ll need to use these again in a few minutes, so can you clean these before the other things?”

  “Sure,” I said, not meeting his gaze. He could have at least said “please.” His warmth radiated to me as he stepped closer, and it reminded me of last night. My body softened at the memory, then stiffened as my brain caught up with the current reality.

  “What’s wrong?” he whispered, then leaned in close to my ear. “Why the silent treatment? You weren’t really that busy today, were you?”

  I gulped. “I thought you said you needed these quickly. I’d better focus on keeping up with things.” I put one of the pans in the soapy water and grabbed the scouring sponge.

  “Tamara.” He grasped my rubber-gloved hand. “Just tell me, did I do something wrong?” He glanced behind him discreetly, then led me by the elbow a little further away from the staff.

  I sighed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to act all weird. It’s just that last night was a big deal for me, and I thought maybe for you it wasn’t. I mean it’s not the first time, right? And…” I glanced toward Emilia, who was walking back into the kitchen after delivering more meals, eyeing her ex through the rectangular window at the same time. “I thought you said you and Emilia only had a couple of dates, that nothing really happened.”

  “That’s right,” he said flatly. “And last night was a big deal.”

  “But Emilia, she said…” I glanced at her again, hoping she wouldn’t come our way and hear, or prevent us from having this awkward conversation. Then again, maybe it would be better if we got interrupted, or if someone dropped and broke a plate so that I had to go clean it up. Emilia was near the entrance to the office, leaning over as though rummaging in her bag in the cupboard. Then she stood straight and slid a smear of lipstick across her lips. God, she was really going to extremes for her ex tonight. Maybe she wanted him to lose his cool in front of his new woman. Maybe she wanted to charm him into extreme irritation so he would make a fool of himself.

  “She said what?” Leo asked.

  “She said that you and her had more than just a couple of dates. She said you slept together and then you ignored her after that and never went out with her again.” There. All said. All out in the open. I didn’t know why he was afraid of telling me the truth. I knew he didn’t want me to feel awkward at work or around Emilia if I knew they had shared something together, but we were beyond that now. No games—I just wanted the truth.

  Leo stepped back and rubbed his stubbled chin with his thumb and fingers, sucking in an annoyed breath. He shook his head and placed his hands on his hips. “I know she likes to spin things out of proportion, but this is going too far.” He glanced toward Emilia, who seemed oblivious to the fact that we were away from our workstations discussing her. Then he stepped back close to me and looked me square in the eye. “I swear on my father’s grave; I never slept with Emilia, and I therefore never ignored her after an incident that never happened.”

  Relief and confusion met in my mind. But if that were true, then why would she… hang on. “Was it an April Fools’ Day joke?” If so, she’d probably laugh about it after the dinner event.

  Leo’s mouth gaped a little as he tilted his head back. “Ah. Maybe that’s all it is, then.”

  But she had seemed so convincing.

  “Tamara!” an urgent whisper shot toward me. I looked over Leo’s shoulder to see Savannah in the kitchen, her eyes wide and her hand beckoning me toward her.

  “Savvy! What are you doing in here?” I asked, my face flushing at the unprofessional nature of my sister’s intrusion. Then again, I still wanted to ask her about the vision of the silver ring.

  “Everything okay?” Sam approached.

  “Oh yes, I just wanted to say how delicious the meals are,” Savvy said.

  What a load of crap. Well, not crap, because I knew they would be delicious, but that sure as hell wasn’t why she was in here.

  “And I was wondering if I could have a very brief word with my sister? Important family business. It’ll only take one second.” Savvy put on her influential charm that was almost as good as Sasha’s.

  She gently but firmly grasped my elbow and led me out of the kitchen. I glanced back at Leo, flashing him a look of confusion, both for the Leo/Emilia situation and what was going on with my sister.

  “Savvy, that was so embarrassing! What’s going on?” I whispered as we stood by a tall fake plant near the wall.

  “Tamara, that guy over there.” She cocked her head toward the table where Emilia’s ex sat. “That’s him.”

  “Him?”

  “The guy from my vision. What are we going to do?” She gripped my arms urgently, trying not to cause a scene.

  I watched Michael digging into his meal, laughing with his girlfriend. “The one who gets poisoned? But they’ve solved those cases now, so maybe he was going to be, but now that they’ve found the source of the contamination it’s not going to happen anymore.”

  Savannah didn’t look convinced. “Then why would we sense it? See it? They solved it without any kind of input or clues from us, so there must be a reason for the vision.”

  “The guy, he’s Emilia’s ex. The one who cheated on her.” I slid a brief glance toward him. “And also, see his ring? It might be the one you saw in your vision. I think he’s going to get aggressive with Emilia at some stage, so we have to look out for her. She thinks he’s stalking her.”

  “Really? And she’s here, serving him? And we’re here, eating in the same room as him?” Savvy glanced back at the man, her gaze landing on his hand. I looked over too, and my heart palpitated.

  He was loosening his tie, his face looked weird, and his shoulders were hunched. His girlfriend put a hand on his arm. Then he rubbed and scratched at his throat, and reached behind him for his jacket.

  Instinctively, I dashed over there. “Is everything okay, sir?” I must have looked ridiculous standing there in my rubber gloves.

  “My EpiPen. I need to give myself a shot.”

  “Oh no.” His girlfriend’s hand flew to her mouth.

  He rummaged in the pockets of his coat, and lines of fear creased his face. “Where is it?” He looked at me. “It was in my coat. I told the staff I have an allergy to peanuts; there must be traces of peanut oil or something in this meal. Where the hell is my EpiPen?” His voice was hoarse and strained.

  I eyed Savannah, and I knew we both thought the same thing.

  He’s not getting poisoned; he’s having an allergic reaction.

  My gaze darted toward the kitchen, and I was about to dash in to ask for help when my gaze landed on Emilia. She stood with her arms crossed, a smug grin on her face.

  What the hell? No way. This was too dangerous. She was probably just scaring him into leaving her alone and would produce the EpiPen any second now and everything would be all right.

  “Has anyone seen an EpiPen?” the guy’s girlfriend called out. “It looks like a sunglasses case!” She stood and peered around the restaurant.

  But he hadn’t dropped it. I knew exactly what had happened to it.

  “I have mine,” another man said, dashing over and handing a case to her.

  “Oh thank God,” she sighed, frantically opening the case and extracting the adrenaline-containing needle pen.

  Phew. Disaster averted. But Emilia, she should be fired for this bad attempt at a revenge jo
ke. Charged, even. I turned to go and march in there to confront her in front of Sam and Leo, but a click sounded, and I froze.

  Emilia stood still and strong nearby, her eyes a pair of focused lasers staring down the length of the gun she had pointed in our direction. She aimed it at her ex’s girlfriend, who held the EpiPen inches away from her boyfriend’s thigh. Then she opened her glossy, red lips and spoke. “Move, and you die.”

  Chapter 21

  “Emilia!” Leo stepped out from the kitchen.

  Oh God, Leo. Don’t get hurt, please.

  She turned her head slightly, the gun still pointed at her ex’s girlfriend. “Get over here. All of you!” she shouted to the kitchen staff. “Stand by that table, now!” She cocked her head at the table my family sat at. My family. My family who had been through so much already and now stood here in danger yet again. My body trembled. My Mom held the hands of my sisters tightly as they huddled around her, trying to hide behind the table and chairs. But Serena… Serena was missing. Was she under the table?

  The kitchen staff, Sam included, did as she ordered. Sam stood in front of my family, covering them. Lachlan and Lucy stood next to him, confusion and fear on their faces.

  I stood frozen on the spot next to Michael and his girlfriend, my legs threatening to give way. I saw out the corner of my eye, a man at the table slowly slide his phone closer to himself on the table.

  But Emilia saw it too. “Don’t touch that phone!” She turned the gun on him, then back on the woman. “You give him that injection, and I’ll shoot.”

  The EpiPen was so close to where it needed to be, and desperation was clear on the woman’s face as Michael’s lips and face began to swell, his eyes becoming small slits between his puffy eyelids, his hand clutching at his throat, the other reaching out and grabbing his girlfriend’s wrist.

  I heard Savannah gasp.

  It wasn’t a sign of aggression she’d envisioned, but of desperation.