Bianca caught what Lincoln left unsaid.
Her degree was unrelated. Even if she used Lincoln's connections, it would be a stretch.
Besides, Lincoln was only in Mr. Green's good graces because of his sheer competence.
If he overstepped his bounds, the boss would replace him in a heartbeat.
Bianca had no intention of dragging her boyfriend down.
"Forget it. I'm not going to your company anyway," she declared.
"It's way too cutthroat there. I don't want to age ten years before my time."
Bianca pulled back on the idea herself.
Lincoln audibly sighed in relief. "Don't stress. I'll look around for you. Vertex might not be a fit, but some of our partnered firms might be hiring."
Bianca didn't put much stock in his words.
Men were notoriously unreliable sometimes; it was always safer to rely on yourself.
But what exactly was she supposed to rely on? Her skills, or her looks?
She hadn't quite decided yet.
"I'm not in a rush. I trust you," she smiled.
Lincoln finally relaxed completely.
He needed to hustle for his boss and lock down the highest possible year-end bonus.
He was desperate to buy a house in Cabinda so he could give Bianca a permanent home.
Claire and Dane returned to the Green manor.
Baldrick was absolutely thrilled.
He had been waiting in the living room for a while.
In previous years, even with the heating blasted and a thick blanket draped over his
legs, the old man would still be in agony by this time of year.
This year, however, he was doing drastically better.
With the indoor heating, he could move around the house with total ease.
He only had to be extra cautious when stepping outside.
The older man rarely left the estate anyway, so it hardly bothered him.
Sully had arrived at the manor early that afternoon to start his prep work.
Dinner turned out to be an incredibly extravagant feast.
The portions for each dish were small, but he had prepared a staggering twelve
courses.
Even a simple plate of blanched greens was packed with incredible flavor.
Claire thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Of course, it was still a step below the culinary genius of Arthur
the Green family's former
6, Winn
chef.
But on the surface, Claire praised Sully to the high heavens.
Sully had been invited to join them at the table, and he grinned so hard his cheeks nearly cramped.
"I cook purely for the sense of accomplishment. The more people love it, the happier
I am," Sully boasted.
"That's why I've been having such a blast running the corporate cafeteria."
The employees found creative new ways to sing his praises every single day.
Especially since he allowed them to request one dish a day—the meal with the most votes would appear on the menu the next afternoon.
The staff's morale had skyrocketed, and Sully felt immensely fulfilled.
Sully's father was Arthur Quinn. And yes, his grandfather had also been a legendary chef.
His grandfather had long since retired, while Arthur still commanded the kitchen.
After mastering the Quinn family's ancestral techniques, Sully had gone out to apprentice under various
masters, dramatically expanding his repertoire
He was proficient in a little bit of every culinary style.
He had picked up tonight's Glazed Plum Ribs during his time in a major coastal city.
The cuisine in that region leaned heavily on the sweet side.
Even though Claire wasn't a massive fan of sweets, she had to admit the ribs were phenomenally delicious.
With the holidays fast approaching, Sully had focused primarily on grand, festive centerpieces.
And since Claire preferred spicy food, half of the dishes packed a serious kick.
Claire ate until she was absolutely stuffed. Food prepared by a chef who truly poured their heart into it simply tasted different.
She couldn't deny how deeply satisfied she felt.
After dinner, she didn't administer Baldrick's acupuncture immediately; instead, she went outside for a walk.
Because she was just way too full.
Dane escorted Claire outside.
Baldrick waved them off. "Go on, you two. My legs won't survive that chill."
Claire nodded in understanding.
While she and Dane went for a stroll, Sully
I.ne
debate ated to the kitchen to
debate the pros and cons of his dishes with his father, eager to find ways to improve.
Although Claire had praised everything, her preferences were patently obvious.