Garlic & Butter

[frostian]

Title: Garlic and Butter - Part IV
Pairing: JA/JP
Rating: R for language.
Warning: Um, don't read on an empty stomach?
Disclaimer: Fiction, fiction, and more fiction.
Summary: Jared was born with many gifts, but only one will give him the courage to take a stand for himself, and create magic out of the most humblest of things. Adapted from Ratatouille.

Main Post


April 2008

Though Devon was a success from week one, Jared knew that running a restaurant in a city was a challenge he’d never faced before. The competition would be hellish, and chefs were not above sabotaging a newcomer should they feel threatened by the competition. One bad review or a well-placed backstabbing remark could bring down Jared’s new restaurant in the first month.

So, Jared took extra care in the creation and staffing of Spoon. He also wanted to make sure the restaurant was business viable a month before opening. That way he could practice run-throughs with the wait staff and bring the front people up to par with his vision of what Spoon should be.

With grim determination Jared began sifting through the numerous applications for various positions. He systematically went through the various CVs until he had three piles: Accepted, Maybes, and 'I'd Rather Sacrifice My Firstborn'.

Those three stacks were soon buried under others. Realizing he was quickly drowning in paperwork, Jared decided to keep everything in order by using a filing system. Not being a fan of hanging files (due to Sadie's unholy love of nabbing them every chance she got) he opted for the expanding ones. Jared dutifully set out filling tabs and sliding them into place when he realized that he’d managed to flip two. He easily pulled out one but the second refused to slide out.

With a frown, Jared tried to take it out using an envelope opener. The blade just slid on top of or under the tab. This went on for nearly three minutes before he officially gave up.

“What the hell?” he muttered.

In spite of what Chad thought, Jared was not a metrosexual, so he didn’t have anything like tweezers anywhere in the house. He was staring at the envelope opener in his hand when an inspiration suddenly hit him. Jared tightly wrapped the steel tip with some tape, its sticky side facing outwards. He then cautiously shoved the entire thing into the tab and wiggled it a little in order for the tape to stick itself to the label. He slowly began pulling it out, only to discover that the tape was now jammed next to the label, firmly cementing it to the tab.

“Motherfucker!”

Jared tried to jam his pinky in but, of course, all it did was tear the tab off the file. He woefully stared at the now-torn tab which was still sealed with the label and the tape firmly stuck inside. All of which was jauntily sitting on the tip of his pinky like a rakish hat.

It took twenty-three minutes to find an office supply store open after nine in the evening. Jared purchased six boxes of expanding files. He also stopped by a Walgreen’s and picked up brow tweezers, just in case.

Jared sat on his chair and took a deep breath before opening up his goddamn expanding files.

“So it begins,” Chad intoned ominously.

Jared took a sip of his coffee and straightened his tie. “Shut the fuck up.”

“The first is Danneel Harris.”

“One of your bodacious babes?”

“And here she comes.”

Jared looked up but only saw a closed door. However, he trusted Chad. The man always knew when there was a beautiful woman in the vicinity. Within moments the door swung open and a gorgeous woman appeared. She languidly slouched against the doorframe before examining the room.

“Please sit,” Jared said hastily when he realized she wasn’t moving because he didn’t invite her in.

“Thank you,” Danneel said and sat on the wooden chair. She placed both her perfectly manicured hands on the table and smiled. Her face lit up but her eyes remained cool as she studied them.

Jared had to admit she was a looker. In spite of the demure wrap dress, it was obvious she had a body that could only be described as kick-ass.

Jared cleared his throat in order to snap Chad out of his daydreaming prominently featuring Danneel. “So, why are you interested in working for us?”

“I live just around the corner,” Danneel said.

“Your CV says you live in West Seattle,” Jared said.

“I had a problem with a stalker about a year ago. It was messy, and I had to move.”

“Oh, sorry about that,” Jared said. “Do we need to do anything?”

“Nope, my brother took care of him,” Danneel’s smile turned genuinely sweet.

“So, no more problems?” Jared asked.

“Nope, even when the guy gets out of the hospital, he’s not going to be in any shape to come near me.”

“Your brother must have been very motivated,” Chad said in order to fill the silence since Jared suddenly stopped talking.

“He was,” Danneel answered. “I miss him.”

Jared wondered if the guy was doing life in a federal prison somewhere. “He doesn’t live around here?”

“No, he went back to Afghanistan.”

“Oh, he’s in service?” Jared asked, feeling a little more even-keeled after such a bizarre start to the interview.

“Yes, Naval Intelligence.”

“Isn’t Afghanistan landlocked?” Jared asked.

Danneel made a handwaving motion. “Is that important to this interview?”

Chad cleared his throat. “Of course not.”

“No,” Jared agreed quickly. “So, why do you want this job?”

“Besides the location?” Danneel looked at her CV and frowned a little. “I like the idea of your restaurant. My friend dined at Devon for her birthday. She still talks about it. I know how people respond to good food, and to bad food. Her response to Devon was nothing less than stellar. That made me curious.”

Jared looked at her with a cold eye. She was brimming with self-confidence and the devil-may-care gleam in her eye could sweeten up hard clients or quell them into behaving while waiting for their tables. And her résumé was nothing short of spectacular, with no less than five letters of recommendations from previous workplaces.

“Well,” Jared said. “We are definitely interested.”

“Great,” Danneel smiled. “When do you want the paperwork?”

Jared handed over a packet. “By the end of this week is fine. There’s a return envelope so you can mail it to us.”

“Thank you.” Danneel stood up and shook their hands. “I’ll see you soon, then!”

Jared looked at Chad and watched in amusement as he gazed after Danneel with unabashed lust.

“Wow,” Chad said. “All that and talent. I wonder…”

“Touch one of my employees and I’ll use you as an ingredient for my sweetbreads.”

Chad snorted and rolled his eyes. “Yes, Dr. Lecter.”

By six o’clock, Spoon had a full wait staff. Now all they needed to do was meet with Sophia Bush who had made reservations at a local eatery for dinner.

The Indian restaurant was crowded by six, with Bollywood music blaring to drown out the banging and the shouting from the kitchen. Because of his height Jared spotted Sophia Bush first. The porn video didn’t do her justice; the chef was a serious looker. Jared grabbed Chad by the collar of his jacket and navigated them through the huge crowd.

“Hope you don’t mind,” Sophia said. “I ordered some appetizers.”

Jared sat down and pointed to her drink. “What’s that?”

“Mango lassi,” she answered. “Theirs is the best.”

“Okay, I’ll have one then.”

Sophia looked up, beamed a smile towards the bar and a second later there was a waiter standing next to their table. New drinks were ordered and the lithe man sashayed away, expertly weaving his way through the crowd.

“I’m guessing you’re a regular here?” Jared asked.

“I eat here three times a week,” Sophia answered. “Love this place. Also love the fact that they’re open until two in the morning.”

“Oh yeah,” Jared nodded in agreement. “Big bonus right there.”

The same waiter returned with two more glasses of mango lassi and the appetizers. Jared and Chad quickly placed their orders, as they were more interested in talking with Bush than the food.

After eating his share of bhajias and samosas, Jared asked, “So, I have to ask - why do you want to be a sous-chef?”

“You want the truth?” Sophia met Jared's gaze with steely confidence. “‘Cause I’ll tell it to you but you might not like it.”

“I’ll live,” Jared answered with a grin.

“I know you’re planning to reopen Devon down the road.”

“How the fuck could you know that?” Jared blurted out as Chad exclaimed “Holy shit!”

Sophia gave a merry laugh as she examined their stunned faces. “Oh, c’mon boys. You think I wouldn’t do my research before applying as a sous-chef? Especially after the last fiasco?

“Anyway, I know you’re going back to Devon. So, I figure with you back at Hicksville, I could be Chef.”

“That is if you’re good enough,” Jared said.

“True,” Sophia agreed. “But I think I’m good enough. I dined at Devon, by the way.”

“I heard,” Jared said. “You approve?”

“Very much so,” Sophia said. “This town likes to brag that it’s all organic and hormone free, but the truth is they've got a ways to go. They just don't like to admit it. Devon’s not like that. You built something quite special there, Chef. So, when I heard you were going to open up a place in town, I had to try.”

“Okay,” Jared said. “Well, I like your résumé, and as long as you don’t make a private porn of myself and release it on Youtube, I think we’ll work out fine.”

Sophia’s smile was bright if also slightly predatory. “You prefer dick to boobs. I think I’m safe.”

Jared was stunned. He’d been extremely careful about revealing his sexual preferences. Even in a town like Seattle, prejudices existed, especially in the culinary world.

“Like I said, I have my sources,” Sophia replied primly when she saw the look on Jared's face. “So, you saw the video?”

“Why the fuck were you banging him to begin with?” Chad asked. “I gotta tell you, you looked damn good but Martin looked like the Pillsbury Dough Boy.”

“I was in love with him,” Sophia said breezily. “And I was under the impression he was in love with me. So, when he sold the restaurant from under me and then told the new chef to try me out for size - well, I had to let him know how displeased I was.”

“Aren’t you worried about your reputation?” Jared asked hesitantly.

“In this town? Please,” Sophia made a snorting noise and finished her drink. “People around here are more fascinated by what's going on in West Seattle than the latest kink available. In fact, unless you get a skinhead banging a female Tibetan goat that was illegally smuggled in, you’re not going to get a second glance from the mossbacks.”

“Okay,” Jared slowly said then looked at Chad who seemed a little starry-eyed by Bush’s imagination. “So, yeah - the job’s yours if you want it.”

“Cool.” Sophia flipped open the menu and pointed at the list of masalas. “I don't know about you guys, but I've got room for more. Besides, you have got to try those. They are amazing!”

The rest of the dinner passed by uneventfully, with the two chefs exchanging numerous war stories while Chad threw in his two cents about what wine would pair well with what dishes.

It was almost three in the morning when Jared finally crawled into his bed. As he looked up at the ceiling of his newly-purchased home, Jared knew Spoon was going to be something very special.

All it needed now was a supply entrance.

Jared made sure both Harley and Sadie were leashed before making his way to the dreaded Pike Place Market. Besides being the largest tourist trap in Seattle, it was also a genuine farmer’s market, and with a sharp eye a chef could plan a day's worth of menu by strolling around the place.

However, Jared was on a mission. He knew Tom Welling, the current owner and farmer, of Welling’s Farm had established a regular tent in the market where he sold his produce. Having Welling as a purveyor meant the end of a huge headache for Jared, so he was willing to use any means necessary to convince the man to supply Spoon.

He spotted the tent with a dusty banner declaring it to be Welling's domain. There was only one person manning the entire business and when Jared got a good look at the guy, he nearly tripped over his dogs. The man looked like he should be going down a catwalk and not handing over fresh spinach along with change. Or maybe don a red cape and go rescue people while leaping over tall buildings.

“Hi,” Jared choked out. “What’s good today?”

“Oh, everything’s good, Chef.”

Jared couldn’t hide his disappointment. “You know me?”

“I’d be an idiot not to. Name’s Tom. I’m guessing you’re here because of your new restaurant?”

“Jesus Christ!”

“Around here, gossip spreads faster than lightspeed,” Tom explained with a smile. “How are things at Berth?”

“The cleanup’s going too damn slow,” Jared said. “People aren’t happy.”

“That’s what we’re afraid of,” Tom admitted. “We’ve been watching like a hawk to see what the government would do for farmers like us. So far, jack shit seems to be the answer.”

“So, about Spoon…”

“Is that what you’re calling your new place?” Tom asked.

“Yeah, I was wondering…”

Tom’s attention suddenly shifted to the left of Jared. “Hey! Thanks for bringing them in!”

Jared looked around and felt his jaw drop for the second time in less than five minutes. The man who was struggling with two crates of fresh spinach was the stranger who rescued him from certain death.

“Holy shit, it’s you!” Jared blurted out. “I thought I’d never see you again!”

The stranger stared at him with equal look of surprise on his face. “Do I know you?”

Jared couldn’t believe the man had forgotten. In fact, he felt downright irked that his rescue ranked so low on the memory scale. “Yeah, you saved…”

“Oh, you were the guy in that farm house!” the man cried out when he spotted the dogs batting about what Jared hoped was a radish.

Jared was desperate enough to take any opening. “This is Harley and Sadie, and I’m Jared Padalecki. I never got your name or the chance to thank you for what you did.”

“My name’s Jensen Ackles,” the man said as he hauled the crates onto the table. He then slid under it and placed himself next to Tom. “I work with this Farmer McGill over here.”

Jared gave a wan smile. Of course, Captain America would be banging Superman. Or vice versa. How could he have forgotten the first law of nature? Hot people find other hot people. Seriously, send two attractive people out into the Mojave Desert from opposite ends, and they’re bound to find each other, fall in love to the unending frustration of middling-hot people, like Jared for instance.

How depressing.

“So, you were talking about Spoon?” Tom prompted.

“Yes, I was wondering if I could interest you in becoming my purveyor,” Jared said with great deal less enthusiasm. “I want to serve the same quality that I did in Devon.”

Before Tom could answer a petite woman slipped next to Tom. She gave a bright smile as a form of greeting before kissing the man. “Hey, how’s it going?”

Tom’s smile turned lazy and more than a little salacious. “Fantastic now that you’re here.”

Jared studied the gorgeous woman and spotted the matching wedding bands on her and Tom.

So, I see the Justice League of Organic Farming has its Wonder Woman. And she’s married to Superman!

Suddenly the day was looking mighty fine to Jared. “Hi, I’m…”

“Oh, I know you! Tabitha pointed you out a minute ago.” She grabbed Jared’s hand and shook it. “Name’s Jamie, by the way.”

Jared looked at Tom with disbelief. “Seriously?”

Tom laughed and hugged his wife tighter. “Like I said: lightspeed.”

“Dude, I don’t know what your dogs are playing with, but whatever it is - they shouldn’t be eating it.” Jensen pointed at Harley who was happily gnawing on what Jared now realized was most certainly not a radish.

“Damn it!” Jared yanked out the muddy, well-chewed fish head from Harley’s jaws and tossed it into the garbage can with a grimace.

“Cute dogs,” Jensen said with a smile.

“You like dogs?” Jared asked, beaming.

“Oh yeah, especially with a little hoisin sauce.”

Jared’s eyes widened considerably as his arms automatically tightened around Harley’s neck in a protective grasp.

“I’m kidding,” Jensen deadpanned.

“Jensen’s humor takes some getting used to,” Tom confessed. “And the answer is yes.”

“Yes to … what?” Jared asked warily. Between Jensen’s dazzling good looks and his sinister humor, Jared had completely lost track of the conversation.

“To become your purveyor?” Tom said with a slight frown.

“Oh, that’s fantastic!” Jared let out a deep breath of relief. “I was praying you’d say yes.”

“Give me your e-mail address and I can send you what will be available on a weekly basis. That way, barring any major catastrophes, you’ll have a good idea what you’ll be getting. And if you want, I can start delivering a week before so you could experiment with your menu.”

“That really is,” Jared paused for a moment. “Wait a minute, you know where Spoon is?”

“Capitol Hill, right?” Jamie said. “Right around the corner from that toy store everyone’s been raving about.”

“Jesus Christ,” Jared muttered. “This is friggin’ unbelievable. Some of my wait staff couldn’t find Spoon and you guys know where it is?”

Jamie shrugged and said, “People talk, we listen. We make our living that way. The only way to run this business, actually.”

“Word of mouth is still the best source for us,” Tom explained. “And the reputation you built up with Devon is pretty damn solid.”

“Good to hear,” Jared peeked at Jensen to see if the man was listening. Unfortunately, Jensen was too busy explaining the nutritional value of spinach to a pair of couples who seemed a little starstruck that Captain America was manning a vegetable stand.

Jared heard a polite cough from Jamie and realized he was caught staring. She looked at him with a smug grin.

“I’m guessing you guys do a brisk business,” Jared said in what he hoped was a suave voice.

“Can’t complain.” Tom’s grin was even smugger than his wife’s.

Jared gave up any hope of being subtle. “Well then, I’ll see you soon.”

“Nice talking to you,” Jamie said with laughing eyes.

Jared said loudly, “Nice to finally know your name, Jensen!”

Jensen turned to him and said, “See you soon, Chef!”

Jared examined the growing crowd around Tom’s tent. At the current rate, the famous fish throwing guys at the other end of Pike Place were going to be entertaining thin air before the hour was over.

As he corralled Harley and Sadie into his truck, Jared felt like singing. He’d met his rescuer and learned his name, and to top if off, he could now check off Welling’s Farm from his list.

It was a damn good day. Even without a functioning supply entrance.

Jared looked around the kitchen as the wait staff either sat down or leaned against the counter. He was glad to see they were chatting with each other, as quite a few of them were already friends and brothers in arms in the world of warfare where every diner could be a live grenade in Jimmy Choos.

“Most of you know the drill,” Jared said. “So, I won’t waste any more of your time than necessary. Just sit back and enjoy the free dinner and show!”

He turned on his iPod and queued up his music, then quickly got to work as Alphaville started blaring out of the speakers. More than few eyebrows were raised in surprise as Jared started shimmying to the music.

The first plate was seafood terrine - a dish he began cooking at nine in the morning. It wasn’t by any means the most difficult one on his menu, but a mistake of few seconds could destroy the delicate offering. Jared had calculated it perfectly and as he sliced it, everyone in the room could see the Dover sole that composed the rim, along with shrimp mousseline, flecked with herbs. Also, glistening and looking like jewels were whole scallops and bite-sized lobster chunks.

There was no need for sauce or side dish. Everyone knew from a single bite that the seafood terrine was perfect in form, taste, and presentation. To add anything else to it would’ve detracted from its perfection.

The talking died down completely as Bruce Springsteen started jamming about what it meant to be young and carefree.

Jared checked the oven to see the short ribs he started earlier were tender enough to be removed from the heat. They were. He immediately took them out. Jared then strained and restrained the liquid in the casserole pot until it passed through cleanly. He cut carrots, turnips, leeks and pearl onions along with Italian parsley and parsnip. He blanched the carrots, parsnips and turnips in boiling salt water which was later sweetened with sugar. He removed the vegetables into a bath of ice water. He then added leeks into a pot of boiling water until they were tender. He did the same with the red pearl onions, adding red wine vinegar at the end.

By this time everyone was watching with intense interest. Some knew what he was doing and realized that one slip and Jared would be in the ‘weeds’, that is spinning out of control. However, the Chef was in no such danger. Jared warmed the ribs in a skillet until they were golden brown. Then he placed the vegetables along with the parsley and some of the strained braising liquid in a saucepan and set it aside. He then dumped the rest of the liquid on top of the ribs and brought the entire thing to simmer.

For the final step, Jared took out the bone marrows from their ice water bath. Then, with surgical movements, he popped the marrows from their bone encasings. He drained, dried, and seasoned the marrows with kosher salt before lightly coating them with flour. Jared cooked them until the tips were golden brown, he repeated the process for the sides until the color was pretty much even throughout.

The dish was done. The vegetables were plated. The bone marrows were placed on top of them. The short ribs finished what Jared liked to think of as ‘Tower of Power’. The wait staff fell on them like barbarians. Jared was glad to note nobody was a vegetarian. Even Chad managed to cut out his share and gave a huge nod of approval towards his friend as he chowed down.

Jared was establishing dominance the quickest and surest way he knew. By showing off his abilities and the fact that everyone will eat whatever he was willing to cook, he made it quite clear that he was Top Dog. No questions asked, no challenge to the throne.

A message that Sophia Bush received with respect and envy.

In order to clean everyone’s palate for the next presentation, Jared made sushi rice risotto with eggs and scallions. Everyone managed to scrape in four bites while watching Jared pull out a plastic cylinder. Only few recognized it as a roulade, but none knew until later that it was duck breast rolled in Savoy cabbage. While the duck was poaching he made morel mushroom sauce, using mushrooms no larger than his thumb. With the sauce done, Jared returned to the roulade. He cut off the ends before pushing the roulade out of the plastic. He then sliced the roulade into thick sections and plated them.

As he drizzled the mushroom sauce on top, people began to lean forward, eager to fork their share of the dish.

As the wait staff ate hungrily, Jared decided to end his show with a simple dish: mussels, Portuguese style. He included genuine chorizo along with garlic which all conspired to make the mussel broth spicy and garlicky enough to warrant breath mints after.

Chad then served each person a small glass of ice wine from a local winery. Jared noted the looked of happy satisfaction on everyone’s faces, including Sophia and the two line cooks, Mike and Justin, whose only job was to expedite the process.

“It’s very simple, really,” Jared said as he turned off the iPod, cutting off Cure in the middle of spelling out what was so great about Fridays. "Spoon isn’t an experimental restaurant. The experience we offer isn’t like those of Alinea or El Bulli. Our diners will see the plate and know what’s what. They won’t be forced to guess or wonder if they’re in the right place.

“Spoon will serve good portions of the best of the best. Top cuts of meat, organic vegetables, homemade practically everything else, including the bread. We’ll have foie gras and we're not going to be stingy about it either. And I’ll tell you right now, there won’t be a ‘vegetarian’ dish offered. It’s not because I'm unfamiliar with the style, but we all know how many kitchens lie when they say they serve ‘vegetarian’ and I won’t go down that road.

"So, there you have it. I also hope you guys realize the staff meals won’t be this fancy.”

There was genuine laughter from everyone. Jared’s smile grew as he looked at the people who’d entrusted their livelihood to him. “Welcome aboard. Anyway, here’s my best buddy and the man who sank his own money into this venture - Chad 'Mayhem' Murray. He’ll work out the nitty gritty with you guys.”

Chad rubbed his hands together in a show of manic glee. “So, let’s talk about customers: the good, the ugly, and the psychotic…”

May 2008

“You’re fucking kidding me,” Jared screeched, looking wild-eyed and a little murderous.

Chad closed his eyes and sighed. “Look, Danneel can handle it for a week until we find another person to man the front.”

“Our reservations are booked solid for three weeks starting today! She’s going to be chewed and spit out. And where the hell did that little fucker go anyway?”

“He says he needed complete isolation to write. So, he's going to live on Vashon Island for the next two years.”

Jared blinked at that bit of news. “Vashon Island? Has he been sprinkling meth on his Wheaties?”

“I’m guessing you guys are talking about Henry’s sudden departure,” Danneel said as she swooped into the kitchen.

“Don’t quit, please don’t quit,” Jared begged. “I’ll pay you overtime but…”

Danneel stood on her tiptoes and kissed Jared on his cheek. “You are adorable. And I’m not quitting. I found someone to replace Henry.”

“You did? How? You found out like an hour ago,” Chad said, stunned by Danneel’s announcement.

Danneel looked over her shoulder and said, “Chris, come in and meet the keepers of the dungeon.”

A short man with ice-blue eyes and body that looked like it was fashioned after a Sherman tank came in.

“Hi ya,” Chris said with a crooked smile.

Jared felt his balls shrink. He knew men like Chris: they were the leather jacket crowd. The kind that bothered no one but also answered to no one, and God help you if you ever fucked with them. Any idiot who did that was liable to wake up hanging upside down, butt naked from the flagpole in front of the school. With a plaque dangling underneath that usually went along the lines of:

Free Target Practice
GO FOR IT!!!
Having such a person work for him was not Jared’s idea of a sane decision. However, he didn’t know how to fire Chris since he didn’t hire the guy in the first place.

“You have experience?” Chad asked brusquely.

“In the hospitality business? Not so much,” Chris answered before exchanging a snickering laugh with Danneel. Obviously they were sharing an inside joke that Jared was only too glad not to be in on. “But I worked in Naval Intelligence with Danni’s brother and my job was to facilitate exchange of information under stressful conditions.”

“Right then,” Chad glanced at Jared who was looking at Chris with respect and fear. “You realize it’s going to be hell, right?”

“Mr. Murray, you don’t know what hell is,” Chris said in a lazy drawl.

“Okay, then,” Jared interrupted loudly. He looked at Danneel and asked, “You sure?”

“Don’t worry about us, Chef,” Danneel answered. “We’ll be just fine.”

With that the two left the kitchen. Chad took a deep breath and said, “Why do I feel like I just defused a nuclear bomb?”

“Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker,” was Jared’s reply.

Chad’s elbowed Jared’s side and shook his head. “I feel like I should have an ambulance idling outside, just in case the Terror Twins decide to get holy on some customer’s ass.”

“It’s out of our hands,” Jared said. “I really have to start now, Chad. Only eight hours ‘til opening!”

“Good luck,” Chad said. “I’ll be back around three. Call me if you need me to pick up anything.”

“I will. See you at three.”

As soon as Chad left Jared began his rituals of opening day. And soon Sophia, Justin, Sandy, and Mike joined him, all going through their own mental games as Spoon geared up to open its doors at five.

All the reservations showed up, most of them early by at least fifteen minutes, and all eager to eat. By six, orders were flying in and out, with eighties pop music blaring its lively beat. By the end of the night, everyone was exhausted, but they all knew Spoon would be a success, especially the kitchen staff. As overworked as they were, not once were any of them in the weeds. And that meant Jared had gotten it right, down to the very last man.

Jared sank into his bed with his dogs taking the lion’s share of the space. As he fell asleep, Jared wondered if there was a way he could convince Jensen to visit Spoon.

Gotta thank the guy somehow. Might as well offer a free dinner and some wine and dessert and maybe more wine...

Three weeks into the opening, two waiters suddenly quit, lured back to their old jobs with promises of hefty bonuses. Once again, Danneel came to the rescue and introduced yet another ‘friend’ of her brother’s.

“This is Sterling.” Danneel lobbed a friendly arm around a man who seemed coolly amused by the bustle going on around him.

“Hi,” Jared said. “Haven’t I seen you before?”

“I started yesterday,” Sterling explained. “I just didn’t get a chance to introduce myself until today.”

Jared’s eyebrows rose when he discovered that little fact. “So, you’re fine with this job?”

Sterling frowned a little. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Oh, nothing,” Jared said hurriedly. “It’s just the stress factor is pretty high and people can become relentless assholes.”

Danneel turned to Sterling and said, “See? I told you he’s cute.”

Sterling’s chuckle was deep and rich. “Sweetheart, that’s not what you’re supposed to say about your boss.”

“Phooey.” Danneel gave her customary kiss on Jared’s cheek. “Definitely one of a kind.”

With that remark Danneel dragged Sterling away. Jared watched the odd couple and shook his head. At the rate they were going, if a group of terrorists ever invaded Spoon, his staff could take them down in ten seconds flat.

Jared was busy making sure the quails were all de-boned correctly when he heard a polite cough from the doorway. He turned to see Jensen standing there with the vegetables, looking slightly flushed and lost, and altogether gorgeous even with the beaten duster and ankle-high shit kickers.

“I couldn’t find the supply entrance to drop these off.” Jensen looked around the kitchen, obviously looking for the mythical portal. “And … you don’t have a supply entrance?”

“Long story, we’re gonna have one by the end of June,” Jared said, ignoring Sandy’s snickering from the pastry corner - a spot that was as designated as a Nuclear Zone, since Sandy would go nuclear should anyone violate her sanctuary. Pastry chefs were known for their elegance, their architectural creations, and unbelievable temper. Screw with them, and they will mail your kidneys to your mother via FedEx.

“You do have cold storage?” Jensen asked in a tone that was often used with people who were about to go into surgery.

Jared pointed at the metal door to the left. “Over there.”

He’d forgotten to warn Jensen that the door was tricky and would often swing shut after opening. So, there was no surprise when he heard Jensen banging on the door, shouting: “I’m stuck!”

Jared frowned. Jensen should be able to open the door from the inside without a problem.

“Wait a minute,” Jared shouted before turning the handle. It rotated without a problem but Jared didn’t hear a click that told him the lock was disengaged. “Oh shit!”

Jared jiggled the handle before trying again. No success.

“Dude, this isn’t funny!” Jensen yelled angrily. “Let me out of here!”

“It’s not working!” Jared turned to the kitchen staff, all who were looking at the drama unfolding in front of them with voracious interest. “Get somebody! Call … who the fuck do we call for this?!”

Sandy wiped her hands on her apron and said, “I’ll get Chris.”

Jared just watched the pastry chef calmly depart.

Chris? What could Chris do?

Jared thought for a moment and mentally trembled. Actually, Chris could do a lot of things. He might be able to level this entire block with a bottle of Advil and an Ouija board.

“What’s up?” Chris asked, as he entered the kitchen. “Sandy told me…”

“Get me the fuck out of here!” Jensen yelled from inside the storage.

“Okay, I see the problem,” Chris said with a smile. He took off his jacket and gave it to Jared. “How long has he been in there?”

“Few minutes,” Jared answered weakly.

“Good, so we don’t have to worry about hypothermia.”

Jared mutely shook his head. Chris examined the handle and then asked if there was a toolbox. Jared remembered the contractors keeping some of their their supplies in a hallway closet and sent Mike to fetch anything that remotely resembled one. Mike was successful as he returned with not one but three.

“Dude, this stunt’s so not funny! I swear, if you don’t let me out I’m gonna…” there was a long pause. “I’m gonna start eating your stash of … Hudson Valley foie gras! I mean it! I didn’t have breakfast so I’ll just make myself a sandwich with your goddamn foie gras and maybe some of this cheese from Tom!”

“Won’t that give him the trots?” Chris asked amiably as he unscrewed the handle from the door. "Might not want to eat that combo if he gets stuck in there for more than an hour."

Jared had to bite back his laugh. “Jensen, there’s no bread in there! You can’t have a sandwich without bread! And this isn’t a joke. I’ve got somebody who’s getting you out!”

“Goddamn son of a bitch!” was followed by a loud thump against the door.

“I wouldn’t hit the door again if I were you,” Chris shouted, his smile only growing bigger. “It might jar something loose and then you’ll really be stuck in there!”

“Oh fuck off!” However, Jensen’s tirade seemed to have lessened as the curse was said with no heat. “So, this isn’t a joke?”

“No,” Jared replied. “It isn’t, though I have no idea why this is happening.”

“I do,” Chris said and gave a nod at the place where the entrance was and should be, soon. “All the going-ons must have jarred something loose.”

Jared’s good humor vanished. “Motherfucking sons of bitches!”

“What? What’s wrong?” Jensen asked, his panic obvious in his voice.

“Nothing,” Chris answered. “The boss here is finally having a conniption is all.”

“So, locking up the man who saved his life in an icebox didn’t merit a meltdown before?”

Jared felt everyone stare at him with shock. He closed his eyes and sighed.

“What’s he talking about, Chef?” Chris asked, his eyes on the door but his curiosity firmly focused on his boss.

“He didn’t tell you?” Jensen crowed. “Oh, man, it was something else!”

“Work faster,” Jared hissed.

“Hey, can’t rush this,” Chris replied around a mouthful of what looked like hex screws. “So, how did it happen?”

Before Jared could come up with a suitable threat that would make Chris hurry, the door clicked open. Jensen was standing right behind it and stumbled out, taking huge breaths of air. Jared noted his pale face and realized the man was either in the middle of panic attack or was about to have one. However, before he could do anything Sandy shoved him aside.

“Here, have this,” she said, handing over a champagne glass filled with frothy, lemon-colored custard.

Jensen blinked at her and didn’t reply. Sandy just shoved the concoction into his hands and spooned him one. Jensen swallowed it, his eyes growing wider as he got his first taste of Sandy's creation.

“Holy cow,” Jensen said. “What is that?”

“My specialty,” Sandy answered with a beautiful smile. “Rose Kiss.”

Jensen scarfed down another spoon. “It does taste like roses, but the scent is lemon.”

Sandy nodded eagerly. “It took me an entire month to get the combination just right.”

“This is amazing,” Jensen finished it with three more generous spooning. He looked at Jared, eyes aglow. Obviously, his anger not to mention his panic completely forgotten. “That was the best dessert I ever had.”

Jared didn’t know whether to kiss Sandy or deck her for making Jensen look like he just had mother of all orgasms. Jared had forgotten of all the foods associated with sex, dessert ranked the highest and for a good reason.

Sandy gave an angelic smile, signaling to Jared that she hadn’t forgotten that particular fact and walked away. Then Justin came with a bowl of soup. “Have some, it must have been cold in there.”

With that, Jensen was piloted to a chair in a corner and offered fresh bread. Chris managed to fix the door and returned to the front, no doubt eager to tell everyone what had happened in the kitchen.

Jared woefully looked at Jensen who was happily munching on fresh bread Mike just pulled out of the oven, resembling more of a happy, beloved child than a man gifted with looks of a Greek god. Jared quietly returned to the butcher’s station, resigning himself to the mountain of quails when Sandy sidled up next to him.

“Go to him,” she whispered.

He turned to her. “What?”

“Go. To. Jensen. Hit him while he’s weak.”

Jared looked at Sandy with confusion and some trepidation. He was under the impression that she was a sweet if also exacting person. Now, he was seriously wondering if she also happened to be a friend of Danneel’s brother.

“Right now, that man’s in ecstasy,” Sandy explained quietly. “So, associate yourself with the source of his happiness: food. That way when he comes back, he won’t remember the trauma of being locked up in an icebox and automatically think about you.”

Sandy did have a point, and Jared really, really didn’t want Jensen to wince every time he came into view. Making sure he wasn’t holding anything resembling a weapon, Jared approached Jensen.

“How are you doing?” he asked in the gentlest voice he could manage.

“Good,” Jensen replied, sopping up what’s left of the soup with bread. “I have to tell you, I’ve never eaten anything this good in my life.”

“Not even your mom’s?”

Jensen shook his head and smiled. “My mom, bless her soul, could do a lot, but one thing she couldn’t do was cook. We had just about every pizza joint on speed dial.”

Jared cocked his head as he heard a familiar drawl under Jensen’s words. “Are you from Texas?”

“Yeah, Richardson, near Dallas. You’re from San Antonio, right?”

Jared nodded. “Yup. Man, I gotta tell you, I don’t miss the heat. Or the Alamo.”

Jensen outright laughed. “Spoken like a true Texan. I have to admit though, I miss real steaks: not the polite, one-inch appetizers they got here.”

“Okay, yeah, that I can understand. So, how did a Texan end up working for an organic farmer in Bremerton?”

Jensen’s humor vanished and something in him shut down. Jared immediately wished he didn’t ask the question. Whatever drove Jensen up north wasn’t pleasant. In fact, by the look on Jensen’s face, it was outright painful.

“Like a lot of people, I lost my job,” Jensen finally explained. “And I wandered for a while before Tom and Jamie took me in.”

Jared was worldly-wise enough to read between the lines, and what he saw made his hackles rise. But he knew he couldn’t say anything about it. Jensen didn’t give him permission and Jared respected the man enough to let it go.

“Well, whatever it was, I’m pretty damn glad you’re here. I’d be dead if you weren’t.”

“That’s also true.” Jensen put aside the bowl and stood up. “I have to get going. Gotta take the ferry back before rush hour comes piling in.”

“Tell Tom and Jamie I said hi, and I really am sorry about earlier.”

Jensen shrugged and put on his jacket. “Don’t worry about it. All that free food was worth it!”

“Sandy is one talented dessert chef.”

“I wasn’t talking about the food I had outside the storage.”

Jared’s attention was suddenly diverted to the locker where fourteen torchons of foie gras was supposed to be dangling by meat hooks. “You did not…”

“I love foie gras. Damn thing gives me indigestion, though.”

And with that final remark Jensen left the kitchen, cheerfully whistling a tune from Alamo, which Jared knew only too well. For the rest of the evening, his head was filled with:

Let the old men tell the story
Let the legend grow and grow…
Of the thirteen days of glory at the seize of Alamo.

Jared had to admit, Richard Widmark kicked ass in that film, and made a mental note to buy it from Amazon the first chance he could. He also began mentally preparing a menu that would entice Jensen to spend more time in his kitchen. If Sandy’s instincts were true, Jensen might not be so unreachable a star for him.

Of course, there was still the fact that Jensen’s sense of humor scared Jared more than entertained him. When the night was done, he counted the foie gras in the locker, and found an entire roll was actually missing. It took Jared few minutes to find it sitting primly between a collection of goat cheeses from Welling’s farm.

As Jared planned out the menu for the next day, he knew exactly what he had to cook to seduce Jensen. And foie gras was prominently featured in the dish Jared had in mind. That and one of Sandy’s dessert: preferably something chocolaty, slightly bitter, and with lots of liquor thrown in.

Part III * Part V