Chapter 12 #2
Nanine brought her a glass, her roommates and their Plus Ones parting, like a spoon through whipped cream.
Like her, Nanine was wearing all black, but the color was elegance personified on Nanine.
Her long and curly white hair was a striking contrast, but it was the love in her big brown eyes that had Madison freezing in place.
“You have brought Nanine’s great acclaim, Fifth Course. Not that I am surprised.”
She took the flute, her insides swirling like the yeasty bubbles in her glass. “I’m only building on what you created, Nanine.”
Lifting her glass, Nanine cupped Madison’s arm as her sculpted brows winged up. “Take the moment, my love.”
Madison could feel heat crawling up her neck at the endearment as much as the attention. “Thea, get your butt over here. Your breads were responsible for this circus as much as the other dishes. I’d say we all have a right to raise our glasses. To us. Women who get stuff done.”
Thea thrust out her glass enthusiastically, Jean Luc’s hand on her shoulder. “I’ll drink to that. I love you guys. Oh, Madison! I’m so happy for you—and Nanine’s.”
“We’re all pleased.” Nanine’s mouth curved. “Santé, ma chérie.”
God, when Nanine dropped multiple endearments like that, it made an impression. So she raised her glass and drank, her throat aching with emotion as her gaze met Kyle’s again.
Nanine caressed her arm after lowering her glass. “It’s an interesting situation, having paparazzi around. I might need to wear a disguise.”
Dean did the whole photography frame hands, squinting at her. “I think a Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief look would be perfect. Hermès scarf. Oversized sunglasses.”
Brooke punched him lightly in the arm. “It’s winter, Dean. Besides, she can’t wear sunglasses at night.”
“That would draw even more attention.” Nanine’s mouth curled into a wry smile. “No, I think this is my sign to move into Carl’s apartment.”
“Our apartment, my dear,” Brooke’s dad corrected, his face beaming his happiness.
The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Madison’s throat burned now. “But Nanine! I am not letting this circus drive you from your home. You’ve lived there—”
“Yes, I know, but life changes and so do our circumstances.” When Nanine looked at her, she knew the woman was speaking directly to her.
“Carl and I are engaged and will marry. It is time I make a new home. Nanine’s will always be in my heart, but it is now in your hands, Madison. Hands I trust with my whole heart.”
Madison’s eyes were stinging. She felt Kyle come up behind her. God, he’d know what this news would do to her.
“Besides, Carl and I are enjoying traveling and finding wines for Nanine’s,” Nanine added as Carl slipped his arm around her waist. “We thought we’d head to the Loire Valley for a few days to allow the movers time.
Kyle, I know you’ve arranged for the construction company to up their timetable on the remodel in the upstairs floors.
Can you help me find the right movers? Once I vacate, you can add my apartment to the remodel plan. ”
Now Thea and Brooke had tears falling down their faces. Sawyer wasn’t close behind. He had a handkerchief in hand. Madison suddenly wanted to throw something.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” Kyle asked softly. “Nanine, I understand why you’d want to create a home with Carl. He’s your partner now. But your apartment has always been a special place. We don’t need to add it to the restaurant.”
Her soft smile had Sawyer dabbing his eyes under his spectacles, and Madison watched as Dean grabbed the handkerchief from him and did the same. People were losing it. This had to stop.
“Nanine—”
She only held up a hand. “No, my loves. This is what I want. You all have given so much to Nanine’s to help it return to prominence. Without your support and financial investment, the restaurant would never have reopened.”
“Nanine, we’ll be turning a profit in a month,” Kyle told her, finally putting his hand to Madison’s back and rubbing it reassuringly. “Well ahead of schedule. The two floors upstairs we’re adding to the restaurant are more than enough.”
The desire to lean into him was strong, but Madison held firm. After everyone left, she’d bang around in her kitchen. Maybe sharpen her cleaver. Clearly Kyle needed to get out his emotions too. He was vibrating with tension behind her.
“My dear Sixth Course.” Nanine crossed and held his face.
“I am delighted the Paris Roommates Group will be making a profit on Nanine’s, which means all of the love and support you gave the restaurant will have succeeded.
But I mean what I say. Please include my former apartment in the restaurant additions.
You will need it. Even I had calls today requesting help in securing a coveted reservation. ”
She watched as Kyle swallowed thickly. “We can change your phone number. No one should be pressured about the reservations.”
“I think we should just have everyone send in a postcard if they want a reservation—like that place in Maine.” Thea’s face was wet with tears. “This is too much.”
“No, my dear,” Nanine said softly, “praise of this nature is never a burden. I am proud of you all. Nanine’s lives on in people’s hearts. That has always been my wish. Let us raise our glasses again and toast this wonderful review and all of the incredible work that has led us to this moment.”
People were slow to raise their glasses. But Nanine arched her brow, and that was all it took. Heart aching, Madison uttered a half-hearted Santé along with the rest of her friends. The champagne tasted like battery acid to her dry mouth.
When everyone started to beg off, citing the lateness of the hour, she couldn’t help but be glad. She wanted to hit something.
After everyone left, the first thing she did was dump her nearly full glass of champagne down the sink and let the flute clatter down.
“Take that!” she spat.
A hand gently landed on her shoulder as Kyle’s other arm came around and flung his champagne down the drain as well. “Yeah, fuck that.”
Turning around, she launched herself into his arms. “I hate this! I want to be happy for her, but I don’t want Nanine to leave.”
He gripped her tightly, pressing his face into her shoulder. “I feel the same way. Today was supposed to be a celebration, but it feels like we toasted a death.”
“Like the old Nanine’s we knew since first coming to Paris is finally all gone.” She shoved him back, her eyes stinging again. “I hate funerals. When I die, burn me and scatter me in the ocean. Do you hear me? I won’t have people trying to make toasts and putting on brave faces.”
He gave a full body shudder. “I’m trying to see the positive in that request. That you finally believe we’ll be together forever.”
She gripped his dark jacket, staring up into his sad, expressive blue eyes.
“The last thing I’m thinking about is Operation Forever.
Right now, I’m up to my ears in Operation Survival.
I almost laughed on my way home, thinking about how worried I was that you might be a distraction from my goal.
Do you know what really is? All this junk.
Stuff like Nanine moving out of her home. ”
He leaned down and kissed her softly, lingering until they both settled. “Thank you for admitting I’m not a distraction. I needed a bright spot.”
Laying her head on his chest, she listened to the solid thrumming in his chest. She knew the cadence of his heartbeat now.
It sounded like a drummer’s encore at a Latin concert when they made love, and in quiet moments like this one, its steady beats reminded her of the comforting ticks of the clock counting down the minutes until a dish was ready.
“A few staff members received calls today from restaurants offering them jobs,” she told him. “I expected it. Hell, I got them after La Fleur won the star. But we haven’t even won a star yet. We’ve only been open six weeks.”
“Our restaurant opened with a bang.” He caressed her back. “But yeah, we’re in the big time now. A few heads of big governments even reached out tonight. Even I took a moment after those calls.”
She banged her head against his chest. “I know we’re going to get through this roller coaster, but I hate the highs and lows. Slow and steady wins the race, wins the star. Consistency is key, and it’s in short supply right now.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll do everything in my power to get things back to even steven in the kitchen for you. We have some changes to implement, but you’ve got celebrity chef status right now.”
“I hate it!” She waved a hand down her front. “I mean, look at me. Who thinks this screams celebrity? I’m not one of those chefs who likes to hobnob and party with important people. I want to cook, come home to you, and eat ice cream in our Romance Shrine.”
“Ah, Madison…” He cupped her chin and raised her gaze to his. “You’ve managed to turn this night around for me. I love you. More than anything.”
She had to cough to clear her aching throat. “I love you too. Especially in moments like this when the world is going nutso. Oh, and you should know…I let Rico down easy tonight. We’re going to stay friends and colleagues.”
That gorgeous mouth of his tipped to the side, making her want to kiss him again. “I won’t tell you how happy that news makes me.”
“Chef Marcel called him after the review and told him you were in talks about the restaurant,” she added. “That means he wants this deal to happen.”
“I know,” Kyle added, a devastating smile lighting his mouth. “We’re nearly there. The lawyers are reviewing the terms. I’ve also gotten messages from about six other high-profile chefs wanting to talk about opening a restaurant in Paris with PRG.”
She playfully punched his chest. “That’s awesome. You’ll have all the challenges you need to be happy.”
“With you topping the list.” He slid his arms around her waist and gave her a devastatingly long, sexy kiss. “How about we grab ice cream and light some candles?”
Her belly liquified, the best damn feeling of the whole day besides the initial insanity of reading William Silver’s review in the bathroom, well away from the staff.
Praise she would take; it validated her skills and hard work.
The celebrity nonsense she’d rather chuck in the garbage.
She needed to read it again. Half her brain had gone into a coma at the praise, but one sentence had been seared into her neurons.
This new menu reaches that touted excellent standard of French cooking previously only secured by greats like Paul Bocuse, Alain Ducasse, and Joel Robuchon…
Yeah, they were so celebrating that with ice cream. “You get to light ten candles. I’m too tired to wait for all five hundred.”
He gave a crack of wicked, masculine laughter that made her toes curl in her high-tops. “Be glad Brooke texted me to say everyone was coming over, or they’d have walked into the Romance Shrine at full light.”
“Dean would have had a field day. Okay, I am going to count to ten. By the time I get to one, I want your sweet ass headed to the stairs for the candle ceremony. I’ll follow in a bit with the ice cream.”
He narrowed his eyes, but he didn’t ask as she started counting. Sending her a wink, he only called, “Don’t be too long.”
Rushing to find her phone, she sat beside Pierre’s cage. “I know you’re probably asleep, but I promised you bedtime reading.”
She began to read the review, her voice thickening in parts. She had to remind herself that William Silver was talking about her. Not an alien from Mars. Her. When she finished, she clenched her eyes shut and pressed the review to her heart.
Please let this mean I’ve won the star.