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My nerves were so bent out of shape, I could barely even focus on what was going on around me.
I watched as the camera crew set up their props, attach microphones to my coworkers, and get ready for the man himself to make his grand entrance.
I glanced at my brunette coworker who stood beside me, leaning against the bar. "Are you okay?" She asked. Her voice was soft, genuine. Ashley.
"Yeah," I replied, snapping myself out of the trance I was in. A heavy sigh escaped my lips, and I let myself slouch over in the barstool I sat myself upon.
"I wonder how Tony's gonna react to all of this . ." She trailed off nervously. I nodded. "I know. He's gonna definitely flip."
Her green eyes looked down, and she shook her head, causing her mid-low curly ponytail to bounce with her. "Oh yeah, he's going to loose his shit. Because we all know how he is."
"I'm scared, to be honest." I looked at her with watery eyes. She swung an arm around me and frowned softly. "Me too. They're going to go at it. Because you know how Tony is, and everybody knows how much of a hot head Gordon is."
I sniffled, trying to let myself laugh a bit. "Yeah,"
"It'll be okay, though. Don't worry." She reminded me. I nodded. "I know, I just don't want us to loose our jobs, or have the restaurant close down- what if something bad happens? This place is disgusting." I could feel the cameras on us, but I just ignored them.
After all, it was a reality tv show we were doing.
"We'll get through this. And if we do close down, then . . We'll find somewhere better." She sounded like she was trying to be confident, but only I could hear the worried tone under her true voice.
"We've just been here for so long, it's like, I don't know, I feel like I'm nothing without this place, you know? We've been here since day one. I still remember the 'help wanted' sign on the window before we even opened." I felt lost without this place.
I've left once, for a week. I tried to find somewhere better, but nothing compared to the family I've made by working here. I don't think of my coworkers as coworkers, I think of them as my family. And family sticks together, no matter what.
"I know, girl. Me too." Ashley leaned her head on my shoulder and sighed heavily. "I just hope Gordon can fix this mess." Her voice almost came out as a whisper.
I looked up to see Tony walking out from the kitchen, and into the dining room. His black hair was slicked back tightly against his head, a black button up shirt with dressy jeans, and his usual golden chain bracelet around his tone wrist.
He was probably the most stereotyped, narcissistic, Italian guy you could have met.
Gordon would have a very fun time with this guy.
"No, no, I don't want this shit there. It's going to make the customers never want to come back here!" His Brooklyn accent echoed throughout his voice. Ashley and I looked at each other before looking away, rolling our big eyes.
"What customers?" She whispered to me. I snorted, keeping the back of my hand over my mouth.
"Sir, we have to have them here. It's just for now." One of the crew members tried to explain, but Tony just had a fit.
We call it a bitch fit, because that's what he acts like. A little bitch.
"Whatever. I don't even want to do this fucking shit anyways." Tony stormed off, swearing to himself.
Cue the censors.
I sighed heavily, resting my head in my hand.
And just then, it happened. The front door opened, and in came the one and only, Gordon fucking Ramsay.
I turned to look with wide eyes, and my heart almost stopped.
If they edit music into this scene on tv, I'll probably die.
He was better looking in person than I thought, but not even that, there was just something about him in that split second, that made me love every bit of him.
Love at first sight, maybe? Or maybe it was all that grease and dirt in the air messing with my head.
"Oh, wow. It's actually allot nicer than the outside is. I'm highly surprised." That British accent dripped off his voice as he looked around.
Ashley nudged me, but I couldn't stop staring. "Holy shit, it's actually him." She whispered to me.
She smiled, and got up, earning his attention right away. Since the owner was nowhere in sight. I followed her, a nervous smile on my face.
"Hey," she grinned, stretching out a hand for him to shake. A smile appeared on his face, shaking her hand. "Ah, hello! Are you the owner?" He asked curiously.
She almost snorted, and shook her head. "No, I'm Ashley. He's off somewhere, bitching. The camera crew pissed him off." She replied, rolling her eyes with a laugh.
"The camera men made him mad? Oh dear," he didn't seem too phased. The sarcasm in his voice made me want to smile harder.
"And you are, darling?" Gordon's eyes finally flicked over to me, a smile still on his face. I almost felt my breath hitch in the back of my throat. "Charlotte." I replied, shaking his hand.
The rush of feelings from just his hand alone, made my heart race.
"Wonderful to meet you. Auh, where's the owner? Do you think I could get ahold of him somehow?" His fast voice perked up as he glanced around the dining room. Ashley and I exchanged glances with each other and snickered. "Good luck finding him. Once he gets mad, he storms off to go on a walk." Ashley shook her head.
Gordon hummed in thought, pursing his lips together tightly. We both knew what he was probably thinking, already.
This place was a trip.
"Okay, well . . Go find him, yeah? And I'll order awhile." He instructed. "Charlotte, can you go find me a menu, please?"
I perked up and nodded, doing as told. Ashley went off to go find Tony, annoyed as she usually was. She had sass, that one. But only when it came to Tony.
To everybody else, she was as sweet as honey. But she was defensive, naturally. She had a bad past with relationships. From family issues, to romantic interests, so being friends with her meant she really trusted you. And for me, she's like my non biological sister. She has a hard time of opening up to anybody, so I'm the only one she'll ever listen to.
After reaching the front counter, I snagged a clean one from the top of the stack. It had at least forty menu items on there, way too many.
From different types of pasta's, to pizza's and chicken choices. And of course, you can't forget our homemade desserts. Probably the only good thing here, since it was made by Ashley and I.
I smiled, returning myself back over to his table. My arm stuck out with the menu in hand, giving it right to him.
He glanced up at me, and shot a quick smile before turning the first page of the menu open.
