“If you would like to be helpful, might I suggest offering a hand to Leah in cabins or assisting Cameron with the stack of dishes we just brought in? Your input is not needed in the galley at the moment.”
I thought I heard a noise from behind me, something that sounded like Bernard was coughing to cover up a laugh, and Gisella snapped her mouth shut with her jaw grinding as she narrowed her eyes at me.
Fortunately, she was smart enough not to argue.
She shrugged past me, nudging my shoulder hard on the way past, but I didn’t react. Instead, I turned to Finn.
“Everything is fine,” I told him. “Regina didn’t care for the soup, but everyone else devoured theirs — including Marley.”
“Oh, joy,” Finn said, flicking off the burner as he removed a glorious cream sauce with mushrooms and garlic from the stove. “I’ve managed to please the dentist.”
I flattened my lips as he blew on a spoonful of the sauce to taste it. “Finn, it’s fine. Now, what is the next—”
“Goddamnit!” he cursed, and before I could stop him, he slung the sauce into the trash before throwing the pan into the sink.
“Finn!”
“It’s fucking shite,” he said, and the lamb he was planning to smother in that sauce went to the garbage next. “All of it. Trash. A swill bin. No, worse than a swill bin. Pigs would be offended if I served this horrific mess to them.”
I gaped at him as he stormed around the kitchen trashing everything needed to build the next course, and though I wanted to scream at him to stop, I knew it was no use.
This was it.
This was his breaking point.
I wasn’t the only one staring at him as he lost it, and I knew that didn’t help. He felt every pair of eyes on him as he lost himself, and eventually, his back hit the stainless steel of the freezer and he slid down it into a heap on the floor, dragging his hands through his hair. They caught on his hat and he ripped it off, tossing it to his feet before he sat there, resigned, breathing like a freight train as all his spirit seeped out of him like a slow gas leak.
My heart broke at the sight.
For a moment, I stared at him along with everyone else. Then, I cleared my throat, turning to face the crew.
“I need everyone out.”
“But—” Gisella started to argue.
I held up a finger. “Out. Please. Give me five minutes.” I didn’t wait for her to respond before I turned to Bernard. “I need you to stall. Refill wine glasses. Make a fun in-between-courses shot. Dance on the table if you have to.”
Bernard saluted me before he was jogging out of the galley, and Palmer helped shoo everyone else out behind him. Our bosun’s eyes snagged on mine, one brow arching as if to ask if I needed help. I hoped my eyes told him I had this even though I didn’t feel entirely sure.
Once they were all gone, I turned back to Finn.
I didn’t have time to second guess anything. We had eight guests out there waiting for their next course and two of them were already in a mood. If we were going to save this service, we had to do it fast.
I crossed the galley in quick strides, plopping down in front of Finn on the hard tile floor. I didn’t care that it had food scraps from him prepping. I didn’t care about anything other than getting my chef back in order.
Getting myfriendback to himself.
The word struck my chest like a hot iron as usual, but I ignored it.
“Hey,” I said softly, tapping his knee. “Look at me.”
He shook his head, bracing his elbows on them instead. “It’s over, Ember. I blew it.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I did.” His voice cracked, low and rough like it hurt just to admit it. And in that moment, I wondered how much of this was the dinner and how much was what happened with Gisella.
He was hurt by her kissing Cameron.