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was describing. “This isn’t as difficult as you seem to think it is. Just read the recipes and follow them. You’ll do great. Trust me.”
    Cale scowled with displeasure but quickly pasted on a smile as Alex returned with a white apron and hat in hand.
    “Here we are.” She handed him a ridiculous, large white hat and then quickly tossed the top of the apron over his head. Alex then grabbed the strings and reached around him, intending to tie them up for him, but then flushed and stepped back when she realized the position she’d put herself in. Avoiding his eyes, she muttered something under her breath and hurriedaround him to tie the strings from the back. Cale had liked it better when she was doing it from the front.
    “There. All set. I guess you’d best get to it. The orders are waiting.”
    When Cale stared at her blankly, Bricker snatched up one of the orders and shoved it in front of his face. “This is the first one. Trout Amandine. Mmmm.”
    Cale snatched the slip of paper from him irritably and peered at the writing.
    “Ms. Willan?”
    They all paused and glanced toward the girl who suddenly hurried into the kitchens. Dressed in black dress pants and a wine-colored shirt, the woman obviously wasn’t kitchen staff. She was also upset about something, a frown marring her plain face.
    “What is it, Sue?” Alex asked, moving a little away to speak to her.
    “What do I do?” Cale asked Bricker sharply the moment she was out of hearing.
    “Make the trout,” Bricker said dryly.
    “How?” Cale growled. “And what trout?”
    Bricker glanced around. “Oh. Right. Hang on, I’ll find it.”
    Cale shook his head with disgust as the man hurried off, and then turned to glance toward Alex, catching some of the conversation going on. It seemed one of the waitresses hadn’t shown up for work and they were short-staffed in the dining room. Alex looked stressed at this news.
    “Here, I already coated both sides with flour,” Bricker announced, appearing at his side again to distract him,and Cale turned to find him holding out a plate with two slices of floured fish on it.
    “What do I do with it?” he asked, accepting the offering.
    When Bricker glanced to the sheets of paper, Cale followed his gaze, but all the recipes were for sauces, and there didn’t appear to be a recipe for Trout Amandine. He supposed chefs were expected to know how to make it.
    “Hang on, I’ll pick Bev’s brain again,” Bricker said on a sigh.
    “Again? “ Cale asked as he started to move away.
    “How do you think I found out where to get the fish and to coat it with flour?” he muttered before hurrying away toward the redheaded Bev. It didn’t take him long before he was at Cale’s side again. “Right. Brown the trout in three tablespoons and one teaspoon butter for fouror five minutes, and then turn them and brown for another two minutes. Then you sprinkle them with lemon juice and cook another minute or two while you brown the almonds in another pan, no butter, then sprinkle the almonds and some parsley over the trout and send it out.”
    As he spoke, Bricker was dumping butter in a small frying pan and setting it on the grill. He turned the flame on under it, then reached for the plate of trout. Cale took it from him at once.
    “I’m supposed to be doing it,” he reminded him grimly.
    “Right. You do it,” Bricker said at once, releasing his hold on the dish.
    Grunting with satisfaction, Cale took the plate and turned it over the pan so that the fish dropped on top of the pats of butter. The other man immediately sucked in a dismayed breath.
    “What are you doing? You’re supposed to wait for the butter to melt before you put the fish in,” he said with alarm.
    “You didn’t say that,” Cale snapped, and reached to grab the fish back out, but Bricker caught his arm.
    “Never mind. Just leave it.”
    “A problem?” Alex asked, turning to peer in their direction with worry.
    “No,” Cale and Bricker