Before the whole insomnia thing hit, I’d cracked open that book Woman on Top. I really didn’t want to read it, but the rules of the book club were pretty clear. You had to get a physical copy of the book (no digital or e-book) and you had to read it, no complaints allowed. It was fine to critique it, but we had to read the book first. Each of us got to pick a book every three months, and so I’d get my turn next.
As I began the first chapter, I was pleasantly surprised. My eye caught a passage that looked like it could have been written for me.
Sometimes in life, we put ourselves on the back burner, letting our dreams simmer so long that by the time we remember them, the pot is empty. Bring your dreams to the front and let them boil!
That’s exactly what I’d been doing for as long as I could remember. I’d been so focused on school and then my career, making my boss and then my clients happy that my own needs had been put on the back burner.
When was the last time I’d even had sex? It had been so long I could barely remember. As I added more and more Thai chilis to the Spicy Basil Noodle dish I was making, my mind started to wander back. I was pretty sure the last time I was intimate with a man was at that culinary convention with Mario. He was a fellow student at the Institute and we’d gone together, but in separate rooms. Wine tasting night led to champagne in his room, which led me to sleeping in his bed. Let’s just say that everything about Mario was as limp as his Fettucini Alfredo.
Before Mario was Charlie, some guy I met at a catering event. Did all my romantic interludes start with food?
Taking a taste of the noodles, my mouth instantly caught on fire. I hadn’t been paying attention and added way too many Thai peppers!
“That’s not going to work,” I said. I hated to waste food, so I wrapped it up and stuck it in the fridge, thinking that I might be able to doctor it later. There was a difference between a spicy little dish and permanently damaging someone’s mouth.
Then again, Kimberly looked like her tastebuds were probably already numb.
“That was bitchy, Nikki. You need to go back to bed.” I poured myself a glass of milk to soothe my angry tongue and padded back upstairs to my bedroom. Truth was, if my tongue was going to be on fire, I wanted it to be because I was licking a man, not Thai peppers. And if I were being really honest I’d admit that I knew exactly whose pepper I’d like to be licking.
Chapter Four: Just Their Thing
It had been about a week since my Thai noodle fiasco, and I’d been working hard to create several new dishes for Bryant and Kimberly’s tasting. She’d said she wanted her menu to be “the best anyone had ever tasted.” So, I’d spent the week scouring the city for exotic ingredients, crafted two signature cocktails named after her two dogs, and felt really good about the sample menu I’d created for them to choose from. In particular, I was excited to show Bryant what I’d created. I was just excited to see him again.
“I don’t know why you did all this, Nick.” James stood in the kitchen looking at all of the new dishes. “Our menu was just fine.”
“This has the potential to be an important gig for us, James. If we do well at the engagement party, not only will we be likely to get the wedding, but the engagement party itself will have a lot of high profile people there. I heard that Shakira is a friend of Bryant’s.”
“She was something at the Superbowl. I wonder if J-Lo will be there, too?” James said as he wagged his eyebrows. “I’ve got a pole she can dance on.”
“Very funny. I think her fiance might have a problem with that.” I handed James a chipotle dusted mac and cheese truffle to taste. “Try this. I created a bunch of new things for them to try.”
As soon as the truffle was in his mouth, his eyes lit up. “This is amazing, Nick. Really good. They have to love it.”
I sure hoped so. We had a lot riding on this event.
***
The conference room had never felt so small. I’d set up the tasting in there because of the regulations about having people in the kitchen. Kimberly kept stepping outside to take calls and I honestly didn’t think the tasting was going all that well. Every time it was just Bryant and me in the room, I felt flushed and as if the walls were closing in like that Haunted Mansion room.
He was just so damn sexy.
Today he was wearing this blue sweater that made his eyes pop. And this cologne that smelled like he’d been skiing all morning and had just finished a cup of hot cocoa.
Kimberly, on the other hand, was wearing these silver pants, thick high heeled boots, and a zebra print, low cut top. And way too much expensive perfume. It actually was almost overpowering the taste of the food.
“This is incredible, Nikki.” Bryant was eating an orange chocolate mousse and licking the spoon. Oh, how I envied that spoon.
“Thank you. It’s a new addition to our menu.”
There was an awkward silence and Bryant tried to move past me to set his dish on the tray I’d set up by the door. Instead, his arm brushed my breast and sent a shockwave straight between my legs.
“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry.” He said the right words, but there was a mischevious twinkle in his eyes as he looked down at me.
“Oh... it’s... fine.” I was having trouble breathing.
“Do you have anything else for me to eat?” he said, still grinning.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was flirting with me!
He’s not flirting with you, idiot. He’s asking if you have more food.
Before I could answer, Kimberly’s perfume came into the room. Then, she walked in. “Sorry about that. Lots of wedding details. You know how it goes.”
I did know how it went, seeing as I was one of those wedding details.
“Anyway, I haven’t been too impressed with the tasting menu. The truffle things were bland, I don’t like the flavors of orange and chocolate together, and the drinks named after my dogs are a bit passe. Everyone does that.” She sighed and looked around. “Do you have anything else, or should we just take back our deposit and look elsewhere?”
She then looked at Bryant and said, “Babe, I heard that the caterer who did Gwenyth Paltrow’s wedding is available. Maybe we could call her?”
Excuse me... I’m standing right here...
“No, no. I’m sure that Nikki has some other things you’ll like. My mom really wanted us to use One Night Stand Affairs.”
We’d catered a Bon Voyage party for a couple who were going on a cruise around the world, and Bryant’s mother was evidently in attendance. That’s where they got our number.
“I’ll get James to bring in some other things...”
Kimberly stuck out one pouty lip. “But baaaabbeeee....”
Bryant said, in a firm tone, “Kimberly, my mom hasn’t asked for much, and this is one thing that is important to her. Eve is her best friend and she wants to use the same caterer.”
As if he’d read my mind, James knocked on the door, carrying a tray with some samples of our old menu.
“Here you are, Boss.” He came in and set the tray down on the table.
It was if a light had turned on, and Kimberly’s pout turned to a smile, and her fake boobs stood at attention. “Oh, thank you!” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Kimberly. And you are...?