“I’m…really? Did you say Vermont?” Did that mean I wasn’t fired? Did BPG own a restaurant in Vermont? I didn’t think so.

“We can’t put you in another front-of-house job. And we can’t send you back to the fish market.”

“I understand, sir,” I said in my most humble voice.

“But we’re going to give you one more chance, as a favor to your mother.”

“My…what?” My mother and I hadn’t spoken in over two years, since she cut me off financially. I’d put myself through culinary school, renting rooms in dives all over Boston. “What does she have to do with it?”

“She owns fifteen percent of the company,” Burton said in a voice that made sure I knew how stupid I was. “We can still fire you next week. But we’ll give you one more chance at bat as a courtesy to her.”

I didn’t even hear that last bit, because I was still stuck on the bomb he’d just dropped. My mother owned a stake in BPG? I’d had no idea. I guess it shouldn’t be a complete surprise. My mother had her hands in moneymaking ventures all over Boston. And since she dined out with business associates four or five nights a week, she knew her restaurants. In fact, when I’d worked the reservation system at l’Etre, I’d wondered if she’d come in for dinner some night.

But an owner? Ugh. I could see how she and the company were a good fit. BPG was ruthless, and so was she.

“Audrey?” Burton prompted.

“Look,” I said, hating the desperate sound in my voice. “I need this job. But keep me because I’m a good chef. Not because my mother has deep pockets. She doesn’t even know I work here.” We weren’t on speaking terms at the moment.

He shrugged, as if it made no difference. “Are you going to go to Vermont for a few days or not?”

“I’ll go,” I said quickly, “as long as you don’t throw out my application for the Green Light Project.” I was in no position to make demands. But if he wasn’t going to let me compete for my own kitchen, I might as well cut my losses and find another job.

Burton startled me by laughing. He actually laughed at my dream. “Audrey, it takes a hell of a lot of savvy to win the Green Light. There are guys who have been trying for years.”

I knew that. But I didn’t have years. I needed to win BPG’s annual new restaurant competition on the first try. “I know it’s hard to win.” It had to be. A company like BPG didn’t just fund every idea that walked through their door. But I was going to bring them a great idea, and I was going to take top honors. “But promise me you’ll let me try.”

“Go ahead and give it a shot.” He spread his hands magnanimously. He was humoring me, I was sure of it. “You never know. Now, let’s talk about this assignment in Vermont.” He picked up another file folder and opened it. “I’m sending you to talk to some farmers for me. I want you to help our supplier fill some late-summer, farm-to-table acquisitions. You’ll be negotiating prices on two dozen agricultural goods.”