‘I was going to message you yesterday,’ he said, flicking a switch. The fluorescent lights went dark and the lanterns crackled to life. Everything changed, softened. The bar turned rich and dark and the velvet curtains glistened. Tara was on the other side of the room, straightening an already perfectly set table, and the light from the filaments bounced off her shiny blonde hair like a rose-gold tiara.

‘It’s fine,’ I said. ‘Honestly.’

He put his empty coffee cup down on the counter and I picked it up and put it in the washing-up bucket behind me without thinking. When I turned back he was leaning forward on his elbows. Up close he was overdue for a shave, uneven tufts of stubble poking through the skin on his cheeks. ‘Are you sure? You look tired.’

‘Yeah.’ I gave him a smile. ‘I just didn’t sleep well last night.’

He raised an eyebrow. ‘Big night?’

I laughed. ‘Maybe.’ When I’d first told Nic I wanted Tuesdays off he’d spent weeks pestering me for a reason—his guesses ranging from a second job to a tempestuous fling with a married man on a very tight schedule to Alcoholics Anonymous, which had felt uncomfortably close to the truth—and he still occasionally tried to trick me into telling him.

‘You know it wasn’t up to me,’ he said, as I did a quick check of the spirits. ‘Lenny’s been desperate to get him back for ages. I swear he sabotaged that whole Bondi thing.’

I rolled my eyes.

‘Good Food are writing it up as a homecoming. It’s a big deal. Expensive, too.’

‘No raises for the floor staff this year then?’

He shook his head. ‘No raises for any of us. Not when you’ve got talent to pay.’

I scoffed. ‘What talent?’

‘Besides, word’s out. He only started yesterday and he’s only sous until he settles back in, but we’re half booked today, only two open tables tonight. On a Wednesday.’

‘Great.’ I turned around. ‘Are they all going to want autographs too? Should I put a reserved sign at the end of the bar for his groupies? Take a tour through so they can see the great man at work?’

Nic ignored me.

I tipped my head towards Tara, walking out of the kitchen carrying a plate of food. ‘Have you warned her yet?’

‘Very funny.’ He smiled. ‘I wasn’t just blowing smoke up your arse, you know? You really are the only person here who knows what they’re doing.’

I laughed. ‘Thanks.’

He watched her push the staff door open, the plate too precarious in her hand. ‘What do you think?’

I shrugged. ‘Not much. You?’

‘She’s sweet. Young.’

‘How young?’

‘Nineteen.’

‘Jesus.’ That explained it. ‘One of Lenny’s hires then?’

‘Shhh,’ he chided, glancing around as though to check we weren’t overheard. ‘Look after her, okay?’