Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Elias and I ended up sitting at the artists’ table again, our Champagne in front of us.
“What a marvelous pumpkin,” Elias said as we watched Soyer and Ben get the massive gourd out of the oven.
Everyone else was standing around in the kitchen, snacking on Soyer’s cookies and the bread Chef had cut into a little while ago.
Dwayne and Laura were busy knitting on the couch, and Ella and Sophie had their heads together and their phones out, having claimed chairs at the table already.
I couldn’t help but remember Soyer in the kitchen earlier, when I’d gotten myself a cup of coffee. When he’d gotten me…when he’d gotten me off.
“Yeah. He didn’t let me help cooking it.”
Elias crossed his legs. “Oh, why bother with that sort of thing when you have someone who does it for you?”
“Because it’s nice?”
Elias waved his glass at Soyer and Ben. They’d gotten the pumpkin out okay, and Chef was looking at it with interest. Soyer had reattached the top, and now, after hours in the oven, the skin was shiny, golden brown, and wrinkled. The smell was divine, even over the Champagne.
“Oh, you’re misconstruing what nice is, Amory. You see, one lets their powerful lover take care of them. That’s nice. It’s your responsibility to be needy enough that they keep taking care of you. You can be extra-special needy every now and then to remind them that you need taking care of.”
I frowned at him. “I’ve never really been in a relationship before, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works. Speaking of, you and Valentin and Simeon have been together for a while, right?”
A smile snuck over his face. “Yes. As long as I care to remember.”
“Then…did things ever change?” I moved my chair closer to his. “I mean, you get that feeling too, right, when you look at them, and you just feel…happy. Like happiness is a spark, and looking at them turns it into a flame.”
“Aww! How romantic! Say, do you burst into an actual flame in all this?”
“No. But does that change? Does that ever go away?”
Elias thought about that. “It hasn’t, not for me. I cannot imagine not loving them. Say, are you done with your Champagne?”
I looked at his glass. He still had two fingers in there. “Why?”
“Oh, well.” He tossed back his drink. “I’m just so thirsty, Amory. I’m parched.” He tilted his head and blinked big puppy eyes at me. “Please, Amory?”
I sighed. “Fine. Here you go.”
He took my glass and wrapped his fingers around the stem.
“You’re just my bestest friend, you know.
I have already forgiven you for not visiting me in my unjust confinement, but really, I must have you for the photos finally.
It won’t do for much longer, your social wallflower lifestyle.
” He waved my champagne flute at the room.
“Not when you’re throwing lavish parties such as this one. ”
“I think everyone’s having fun, but I wouldn’t call it lavish.”
“Po-tay-to, po-tah-to.” He leaned in close enough to whisper in my ear.
“If you think your black prince ever had a party, you are deluding yourself, so this is memorable.” He straightened.
“Speaking of potatoes, you have nothing at all to drink, and that’s sacrilegious. We should get you some potato juice.”
Elias finished the remainder of my drink, but before he could beg Chef to run the juicer for him—apparently after trying to do it himself, he’d been forbidden—Simeon put a hand on Elias’s shoulder.
“No getting people drunk, pet.” He looked at me. “Mind if I join you?”
“Oh, sure. Sorry, everyone’s breaking off into little groups.”
Simeon glided into the chair next to Elias, putting one hand on Elias’s thigh. “That’s to be expected. With the overrepresentation of culinary masters, I’m surprised anyone left the kitchen at all.”
“Right. I didn’t even consider that.”
He was very right. Kasey and Chef were at the stove, Vico right next to Chef.
They’d found a burner to reheat the chili, and it looked like there was a tasting and a general evaluation happening.
Kasey’s snakes were subdued, and Chef looked strict and intimidating, which was his norm as far as I was aware.
“It’s a rather interesting gathering you’ve managed to put together, I will say. Did it take you long to convince Bennet to do it?”
The memory of Soyer balking at first but really liking it warmed me like a hug. “He was on board almost right away.”
Elias frowned. “How come I get spanked when I lie, but he’s allowed?”
Simeon rubbed Elias’s thigh. “You know why, pet.” He turned to me. “I do agree it sounds unlikely, Amory. Either that, or you and Bennet are similarly overqualified in making people change their minds, though in very different ways.”
I pursed my lips. “Was that an underhanded insult to my fiancé?”
Elias melted against Simeon. “Aww, adorable.”
Simeon looked pleased. “Absolutely not. I meant to say that it speaks to your determination and character that you’re able to convince Bennet to do something he’s never done before. It’s a rather good thing.” He leaned back. “I myself can’t always get him to pick up the phone.”
I shrugged. “Well, he likes texting.”
Elias cackled. Simeon gave me a bemused if approving look. Over his shoulder, I saw Soyer walk up.
“What’s this, huh? Why’re you monopolizing my fiancé’s attention, Simeon?”
Simeon turned. “What, me?”
“We were just chatting,” I said.
Soyer frowned at the champagne glasses on the table, and from his face, I could just tell he knew Elias had sort of stolen mine. Then again, maybe it was his mind reading ability shining through.
He stood right next to me and ran his index finger along my cheek. “Amory, it’s time to have dinner. Will you please join me?”
He held out his hand, and I took it. I felt the wide smile tug at my cheeks, but I couldn’t stop myself. I had Soyer’s attention, and it made me feel special. It made me feel warm and loved, the exact opposite of alone. I hoped he felt the same. I wanted that for him.
He led me to the head of the table on the side facing the door and pulled out the chair to the immediate right for me.
That way, I sat immediately in front of the sliced-up pieces of pumpkin, the flesh still bright orange, the filling perfectly cooked.
In fact, almost all of the space on the table was taken up by food.
Kasey and Chef had moved the chili pot over, which was farther down.
Everyone else was finding places to sit, and Rae was going around the table with Ant, pouring the wine Valentin had brought.
Soyer took his place next to me, which probably made sense.
For years, my father had sat at the head of the table in our home.
There’d been rules about how we weren’t allowed to eat before him, especially not at Sunday dinner.
This wasn’t that. Today wasn’t even remotely like those dinners had been.
Soyer eyed me, but his face didn’t betray his emotions. He was offering me his hand again though, this time placing it on the table, perhaps a dare to make us seen, perhaps his need for affirmation. I didn’t care. I put my hand in his and held on to him like he did to me.
At the other end of the table, sitting opposite Soyer, Valentin cleared his throat. “Well, Bennet, let’s have your speech, then.”
“You think I have a speech ready for you?” Soyer shot back, his brow rising.
Valentin, cool as you please, raised his wineglass, and Elias to his right and Simeon to his left followed suit, Elias for once not putting on any attitude at all.
“Just a few words will do, Bennet.”
Soyer heaved a sigh and reached over his plate, taking up his wine glass with his left hand. Everyone else picked up their glasses too. I raised mine, giving him an encouraging nod.
“Thank you all for coming.” He looked at me. “Thank you, Amory, for thrusting this celebration upon me. Enjoy the food, enjoy the company, and leave this house brighter than you found it.”
“Hear, hear,” Valentin said, and it was echoed around the table amid glass clinking in lieu of applause.
People started eating, piling all the morsels on their plates, except Soyer didn’t move. He was looking at me.
“What?” I asked. “Want me to pass you the pumpkin?”
“Not yet. Are you happy, my heart?”
I tried to keep the laughter bottled up by pressing my lips together. “Happy as a clown. Of course I’m happy.”
Soyer made a bit of a face, then hid it, and nodded. I thought he looked relieved. “Good. Now you may pass me the pumpkin.” He lifted his plate. “In fact, feed me.”
And with that, our Thanksgiving Feast started.