Chapter 16 #2
“You look like a kick-ass chef and woman,” he only stated in that serious tone he used when he meant business. “Beauty and brains with a side of badass. But to me, you simply look like Madison.”
“Do I though?” she asked, holding up an egg. “Because I feel weird when I look in the mirror.”
“You felt weird about us when we first got together.” He shot her a knowing smile. “Look how you feel now.”
She started cracking eggs. “Yeah, but that’s you. This is hair!”
“Is it?” he only pressed.
She considered throwing an eggshell at him, but that would ruin his nice clothes. “Say what you’re going to say.”
He bit his lip again as she grabbed a whisk and started beating out her frustration. Eggs liked a good whipping.
“This is about your image changing—you’re a hotshot chef now who lives in Paris.”
She groaned. “And in a mansion with a hot guy to boot. I’m living the dream.” Then she winced. “Oh God, that was awful of me. Did it hurt your feelings?”
He only shook his head, laughing. “Nope. When you get like this, I only love you more. Feel free to groan about having perfect hair and living with a hot guy in a mansion in Paris. Especially when that guy is me.”
“You’re so lucky I’m resisting the urge to throw a cracked eggshell at you,” she said, pointing her whisk at him.
“I know.” He walked over and kissed her on the top of her perfect head. “Save it for Dean. While I know the others will see the Madison they’ve always loved, Dean can be counted on for some cute observation.”
“I’ll bring my cleaver. The real one. That’s all there is to it.”
“It won’t be that bad,” he told her.
She hoped so too.
For Dean’s sake.
And she made a flan, so she had an excuse to crack some more eggs.
The moment they came through the door to Dean and Jacqueline’s apartment, Dean put his hands to his cheeks in shock. “Are we taking a family photo today?” he called out loud enough for their friends to hear above on the second floor. “Because Madison got her hair cut.”
“Dean, I brought my cleaver,” she fired back as she stalked past him and took the stairs up to the family room. “Not the stuffed one.”
“I love your hair!” Thea cried out the moment she spotted her, running across the space and fluffing the ends before giving her a hug.
Even Nanine came over and framed her face. “Yes, I believe you are becoming who you were always meant to be.”
What? She couldn’t even properly squirt the perfume Nanine had given her.
“I don’t know about that…” she said, wishing the center of the floor would open up like a poorly baked cake and fall, taking her with it.
Brooke gave her an assessing look. “Goodness, Minato did do an incredible job, and in ten minutes.”
“Ten minutes!” Sawyer touched his head. “The man is a hairdressing god. Can he do me?”
“Babe, I know we just started dating, but I object,” Phoebe interjected with a laugh.
Which had everyone cutting up, distracting people from her hair, thank God. Except she sidled over to Brooke, who was doing her best not to laugh.
“Book an appointment for Sawyer—on me.”
She turned around before Brooke could sputter in shock, crossing to where Thea was talking excitedly about her bakery opening next Saturday.
Jean Luc beamed beside her with an affectionate hand to her back.
Her online bread orders continued to be insane, with people securing breads up to eight months in advance so far.
They knew her in-house daily offerings were going to sell out equally fast, with some of their friends betting on how long the line outside would be the first day given that it was Valentine’s Day.
Madison glanced at Kyle and decided he could use a little cheering up. She wasn’t sure who he’d told about his exchange with his parents, and it didn’t matter really. Operation Kyle was about him being happy. Tomorrow there would be puppies. Today it was roommates and his other good news.
“Did everyone hear that Kyle and my old chef signed the contract for the new restaurant this week?” she asked when the conversation shifted.
“Not only that, but the space he bought for it in the First is incredible,” Brooke added, glancing over at Axel, who nodded companionably.
Like a couple.
She watched the other couples in the room as Kyle started sharing his news.
They were like magnets coming together. Jean Luc took hold of Thea’s hand.
Dean had his arms around Jacqueline from behind.
Phoebe and Sawyer were touching each other’s waists.
Then she caught Brooke leaning her head against Axel’s large arm, which led to him pulling her more comfortably against his side.
Even Nanine and Carl were clustered closely together in front of the window.
What was she doing? Standing here alone like usual because that was how she’d gotten used to being. It was like her reaction to the hair.
Kyle was right. She was changing, and so was everything about her, including her image. Maybe that was what the mirror was showing her. Time to finally own what she was seeing like the badass she’d always told herself she was.
She did her best to walk unobtrusively over to Kyle as he was talking, an ability she’d honed by walking through plenty of restaurants during service.
For a moment, the weirdness was there, and her body got all stiff as she stood beside him, not knowing what to do. Then he nudged her hand as he continued talking, glancing over with a warm smile on his gorgeous face. She took the offering. Turning her hand into his, she gripped it tightly.
Because they were a couple too, and when people shared their news, they liked having “their person” beside them.
And if the culinary gods favored her with a star like she wanted with all her heart, she knew he was the one she’d want by her side when she received the news.