“Mr. Von Doren, you’re usual room?” Jasper asked him. Leon nodded, and we were led to a private room via a private elevator on the third floor. I saw that it was the only room on the entire floor, and it even had its own resolute chefs.
“Oh wow, this is amazing,” I gasped at the lavish decorations as we walked in.
“This room is reserved solely for Mr. Von Doren and his VIP guests. It’s never occupied. Dr. Hollands, if you’re ever in the area, even without Sir, you may come in whenever you like. It’s exceedingly rare that Sir brings a guest.”
“Sir?” I questioned the sudden title change.
“Ah, yes, my apologies. Not only am I the G.M. here, but I also serve Sir at home. When in public, I must maintain my professionalism; however, since we’re in private at this moment, I have to refer to him as Sir.”
“So, you’re also a butler. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Oh, no, Sir has a butler that works full-time at home. I manage the household’s kitchen during the day and come here at night. Since the restaurant is only open for dinner, I don’t have to work many hours. Sir has entrusted me with this establishment, so I must make sure the business runs smoothly. Speaking of, I should get back down before someone starts a fire. Sir. Dr. Hollands.” He bowed his head and scurried back into the elevator, leaving just Leon and me.
“Don’t mind his eagerness to please. Jasper has been with me for a decade. He’s a great kitchen manager at home, which is why I wanted him to run the restaurant,” Leon mentioned as he led me to the table. I saw the chefs firing up the grill and a bottle of wine being chilled at the table.
“Wow, it’s almost like they knew we would be coming here,” I said while surveying the room as I took my seat. It was nice to know that chivalry isn't dead as Leon pulled out my chair for me and slid it back in as I sat down. He was the perfect gentleman.
“Well, they saw us walking in,” he replied.
“Huh?” Leon gestured behind him, and I saw a T.V. that displayed a clear view of the entrance.
“Oh, well, that makes a lot of sense now,” I said sarcastically. “If you’re the only one who uses this room, what do these guys do if you don’t come by?” I wondered out of curiosity.
“They help downstairs if absolutely necessary. Or they just chill up here and relax. The chefs get paid either way,” Leon replied with a shrug as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
“Must be nice to be paid to do nothing,” I couldn’t help but snicker at his words. I may be a billionaire heiress, but I still built my business from the ground up.
“They do plenty during the day getting the restaurant prepped for dinner. They’re my private chefs and some of the best in the world. Even Bobby Flay couldn’t compare to these guys. I hand-selected them by going to various restaurants over the years and recruiting them to my service.”
“Wow, what a way to brag. The rest of us peasants can’t compare to the likes of you,” I sneered and huffed in a joking manner.
“Says the Young Lady of the Silverton family,” he whispered in my ear. His breath tickled me and made my skin crawl, but not in a bad way. The goosebumps he set off throughout my entire body made my cheeks burn and my lower body suddenly became warm. His actions were almost seductive. He put some space between us and pulled out the bottle of wine, pouring us each a glass.
“Oh, is there a way that I can get a glass of apple juice or apple cider?”
“You can get anything you want,” he replied and snapped his finger. A server came over instantly.
“Sir, what can I get you?” he asked.
“Bring my guest a glass of apple juice, and make sure that it’s chilled. Also, have the chefs prepare the seven-course dinner for us,” Leon directed.
“Perfect, Sir.” The server bowed and retreated.
“What’s the seven-course dinner?” I asked him. Since we didn’t have any menus in front of us, I was anxious to know.
“It’s a surprise,” he answered. “It’s the restaurant's best-selling item. You’ll love it.”
“And if I don’t?” I cocked a brow at him due to his unwavering self-confidence.
“Then I’ll have to owe you.”
“Owe me what?”
“Whatever you want?”
“Hmmm … I’ll have to hold you to that, Mr. Von Doren,” I said with a wry smile.
“It’s Leon. And you can hold me anytime you want.” I sucked in a breath at his words as my face flushed red. I stared at him in shock, but he showed no signs of realizing the implications of what he said to me. Was he hinting at me and trying to court me?