Shit could not get worse than this. It was already a mess coming home after missing Mikey's funeral, but everything else has Carmy pulling his hair out.

Richie's been nothing but an asshole since he took over The Beef— he’s still upset Mikey didn't leave it to him— but that's not the real issue. Having to rework a dysfunctional restaurant into something functional, working with staff that hardly respect him, and the real possibility of failure is the issue.

He didn't think it could get any worse— but then he’d realized that you work at The Beef too.

He hadn’t seen you since NOMA. Since he, Luca, and you all went through culinary school together and branched off, and since you and he went to public school together (what a small fucking world, huh?)

"Hey,” he calls out over his shoulder, giving you a small smile as you nod your head in greeting. You continue towards the employee lockers, and his racing heart slows.

Mikey mentioned offhandedly once during a hectic Christmas that you'd come to work for him. "Guess who I hired, Bear?" Mikey had boasted over a beer, "guess who I got to help out at The Beef?" Maybe Carmy blocked that out spitefully— he’d still been mad at Mikey for not letting him work there.

But you’re still here, after all this time. Your CV's impeccable, your culinary prowess top-tier, but you're here at a failing sandwich shop instead of some upscale kitchen more your caliber.

You'd always been soft on Mikey— soft on all of the Berzattos, really— but it's still a surprise. One Carmy can’t grasp just yet, and one he’s struggling to accept as normal.

"Had to change ingredients again," he calls out over the bustling kitchen, “our regular meat’s too expensive. Had to make a swap.”

His gaze shifts from Marcus making cakes in the corner to Tina and Ebraheim making sandwich fillings, but Carmy finds that he relaxes when you come out in your apron.

God, he still has the hots for you. Not that any of the others can know— they’d never let him live it down, especially Richie.