SINNERS LUST

CHAPTER {4}

MARK

"I turn my back to the window so I can focus. I know alessio is offering me the job of a lifetime (I know it because he's reminded me of it at least fifty times since offering it to me) and that I'd be a fool to pass it up. He's started three other restaurants in various parts of the country similar to the one he's trying to get me to sign onto in Chicago.

Those other three restaurants have all won Restaurant of the Year awards, and I'm sure this one will do the same. Alessio has turned the restaurant business on its head by reinventing"

"the way people view their eating experiences. Because that's exactly what his restaurants are—an experience.
And apparently, my silence is tipping alessio off to my hesitation. "Mark , don't pass this up. Bask will launch your career into a whole other realm."

"I thought that's what the Michelin stars were supposed to do."
He scoffs. "Those are only the tip of the iceberg."
I hate when people say phrases like that. What does it even mean? If you want me to sign the next three years of my life away to work grueling hours in a high-stakes restaurant game, give me a Powerpoint presentation of the exact ways it will benefit me.

Don't hit me with frilly meaningless answers like "tip of the iceberg" because I'm not a freaking glaciologist. And yeah, I'm grumpy. It has nothing to do with me looking over my shoulder and seeing izak Man touching Dia's shoulder. Just a coincidence.
    
"I need a little more time to think about it," I say to alessio He lets out a sigh, and I can picture him running his hand through his thinning hair. Because that's what this business we are in does to a man.

"who's only in it for the love of money—takes your hair and leaves you with a unique eau de cologne called Le Douchebag Suprême.

And although the life of a chef and a restaurateur are different, they have a few things in common: long days that often bleed into the next, high-stress work hours, and the constant need to please the unpleasable. It's all worth it if you love what you do.

Note: personally mark I think u would be better at working as a dish washer at dia and Sophie's bakery 🤷🏻‍♀️

—continue..

I'm just not sure that I do anymore...
"Fine. Tell you what, I'll give you until the end of the week to decide. But I can't keep the investors happy for long. I've heard them mention Martie's"

"name more than once. They're planning to offer him the position if you pass it up."
"End of the month," I counter.
"What?"
"I want until the end of the month to decide."
"You've got to be kidding me? We both know you're going to take it, so what do you need to think about? Is it salary? Because we're already offering you an obscene amount of money, but I can go back to the investors—"

"It's not the money. I just need some time." My voice sounds clipped and final. I'm annoyed that he's trying to talk like we're buddies and I'd confide in him. We've brushed elbows over dinner a few times with mutual acquaintances, but we're not friends, and I'm not about to pretend we are. In fact, the only friend I have is in that bar right now doing flaming rum shots with his fiancée."

A/N: nasty Sophie being drunk I wonder what's about to go down ...

—continue...

"My eyes shift from Tom and Sophie over to the bar where Dia is sitting with another cocktail in her hand. She shouldn't be drinking any more. The woman was already tipsy two bars ago. I wonder if it's my presence that's making her knock 'em back? Is it because I still get under her skin? That thought makes me smile.