Page 72 of The Village Inn of Secret Dream

He reached out to hold her chin gently to bring her gaze up to his.

There it was again. The zinging chemistry that surged whenever his eyes met hers. He caught his breath and saw that she had too.

It was no use. She was like some kind of drug to him. He went to step forward to kiss her again, but at the sound of a sudden footstep behind him, he took a step backwards instead.

Belle smiled and chatted to Cassie as she came around the corner, fussing over the dark uniform and telling the girl how great she looked.

Leaving Pete as confused and mixed up as he had ever been.

He had to get his act together, he told himself. Self-doubt wouldn’t help anyone.

Tonight would be a roaring success and then he and Belle would decide where their futures lay. And he found himself hoping that it was together.

39

Belle put on the new waitressing outfit so that she matched the others and checked herself in the mirror. It was pretty sombre, but perhaps it did look more professional than she usually did in her jeans and top.

She glanced over at her brighter clothes and figured that they would have to wait a while longer yet. Anyway, wasn’t black her signature colour?

She had been worried about the restaurant opening, but it hadn’t really hit home until that evening. She was nervous, but it was mixed with excitement as well.

Perhaps change really was good. Perhaps it would all be all right. And perhaps this could be a new beginning, not only for The Black Swan but for her and Pete as well.

The kiss had stayed with her. Although upset that Pete had once more pushed her away, she had hugged those memories close to her all night and had woken up smiling. She didn’t think it was an act this time. Nobody could pretend whilst kissing her with such passion. His feelings for her were real. She just wasn’t quite sure what they were. After all, he had kissed many women before her.

But there was no time to worry about that now, she told herself, as she slicked on some lipstick. She checked that her hair was back in its ponytail with no stray locks. She looked okay. Better than okay, she told herself. She looked, dare she say it, pretty?

She nodded at her reflection and then rolled her eyes at herself. What on earth was she turning into?

But she was still smiling as she headed down the stairs.

She found Lucy and Tom standing behind the bar, where Pete was showing them the ropes. They were going to be running the bar whilst Belle and Pete were hands on inside the restaurant that evening.

‘All set?’ she asked.

Lucy nodded. ‘No worries,’ she said. ‘We’ll have it all under control.’

Tom gave her his usual wide smile. ‘Trust us,’ he told her, with a wink. ‘I’ve spent many nights in this bar. I think we can handle it.’

‘And we’re only in the restaurant if there’s a problem,’ said Pete.

‘Exactly,’ said Tom, laughing. ‘So you two go and do your stuff. Me and my beautiful girl will hold the fort here.’

Belle smiled at Lucy’s blushes. They really were the sweetest couple, she thought. And wistfully found herself wishing that someone talked about her in the same way at some point in her life.

As Pete told them how the till and credit card machine worked, Belle wandered into the kitchen to check on how the preparations for the evening meals were going.

Unfortunately she found the atmosphere somewhat stressful.

‘I said julienne!’ shouted Andre. ‘Not sliced!’

‘This is better for the recipe!’ Brad shouted back, holding his ground.

‘That’s enough,’ she snapped, coming to stand between them. ‘You’re not helping anyone by ranting at each other.’

‘My kitchen, my rules,’ said Andre.

Belle took a deep breath.Let’s just get through tonight, she thought.Then I’ll get Pete to have a word with him.Andre’s attitude was truly awful.