by Tara Randel
“Now we’re cooking.” She giggled at her pun.
Late in the afternoon, Nealy stopped by, juggling boxes of colorful brochures and business cards for the newly named Charming Delights Catering. A large bag hung from her arm.
Nealy nodded to the top box. “Take a look. Tell me what you think.”
Jenna grabbed it and examined the sample card taped to the box. Her eyes watered.
“What’s wrong? You look like you just cut up an onion.”
“Nothing. You know I’m wavering between terrified and excited.” She released a nervous laugh. “The cards are proof I’ve actually taken the first step.”
Nealy deposited the boxes on the desk, and returned with a handful of brochures. Carefully placing them on the coffee table, she stepped back to observe her handiwork. “I bought a brochure stand and card holders, so when a customer comes in, you’re official.”
Jenna exhaled. “Official. I like the sound.”
“Wait.” Nealy hurried to pull something out of the big bag. She shook out a magenta-colored vest with Charming Delights Catering stitched in black on the front left side and held it out for Jenna to see. “Now you’re official.”
Jenna placed a hand over her gaping mouth. She and Michelle had scoured every restaurant uniform catalog online until they found the perfect outfit to represent the business. When in the kitchen or meeting customers, Jenna would wear a double-breasted bistro blouse with a mandarin collar. After much debate, they decided on black pants, a long-sleeved white tuxedo shirt beneath the brightly colored vest and a matching bow tie to wear to events.
Jenna’s voice finally showed up as she took the vest from Nealy. “Wow. The color is even better than in the picture.”
“You’ll look both professional and fun. I love it.”
“This day just gets better and better.”
“So, how are the menus coming?”
“After you gave me the list of upcoming events, I made up different menus based on the type of party.” She jogged to the kitchen to retrieve a large notebook. Under the clear plastic cover, she’d placed a beautiful picture of a divinely set dining table she’d cut from a magazine. Inside, she had slipped each menu page into plastic sleeves, making it easy to flip through.
Nealy thumbed through the book. “Impressive.”
“Yeah, well, that comes from too many nights not sleeping. Once I got into the spirit, ideas kept bombarding me. I had to write them down. The other day I met with Bridget’s teacher and I had to ask for a piece of paper to jot down a dessert idea.” She grinned. “But I got us a client. Mrs. Roseman’s husband is retiring. She wants to throw him a big party. She’ll be calling you.” She paused. “Us.”
Nealy held up her hand to high-five. “We have it going on, sister.”
“We do.” Jenna took back the book and placed it on the table. “How are the RSVPs for the opening?”
“Every single business I invited is attending. Doesn’t mean a ton of bookings, since most folks in Cypress Pointe will just want to check out what we’re doing, but I’m optimistic. Plus, your celebrity status goes a long way.”
“I’m not sure how long the status will last. Barbara has been uncharacteristically quiet. It’s kind of freaking me out.”
“So I guess that means no news from the network?”
“None. And with Barbara’s silence, I can’t imagine that’s good news.”
“She has your best interests at heart.”
“She does. I invited her to the opening, but she hasn’t responded.” Jenna frowned. “Do you think she’s mad at me?”
“Even if she is, you’re doing what you have to for your family. Don’t forget that.”
“I don’t. I feel guilty, though. Barbara really got my career going.”
“And she’ll still find a way to benefit from it.”
“Maybe.”
“What’s wrong?”
Jenna filled Nealy in on her last run-in with Rod.
“So the cops had him in custody. You brought charges. He’s got to see how foolish it is to come near you. That’s good news.
He doesn’t know about the catering business, does he?”
“I asked Barbara to keep it a secret. Although once I officially open, all bets are off. Between the internet and the other avenues he has to get information, he’ll know where I am once he’s out.”
“He won’t bother you.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“You’re too far away from his sources. His network of celebrities. He won’t come here and miss out on other lucrative stories.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before today?”
“I kept hoping if I didn’t talk about it, it wouldn’t be real.”
Nealy frowned. “You can’t bury your head in the sand.”
“I know. That’s why I got the police involved. At least there’s a record of what he’s been doing and some jail time should discourage him from violating the restraining order again.”
“For now, focus on what you can control, like getting this place ready and cooking for the guests. The rest will fall into place.”
Jenna agreed. Right now she would focus on the girls and her business. Anything more would have to wait.
“Please, don’t keep secrets like that again. We’re friends, Jenna. That means we have each other’s back. Always.”
Unable to voice her gratitude, Jenna hugged Nealy especially tight.
* * *
JUST AS HE PROMISED, Wyatt showed a new side to himself. As the night of the soft opening for the catering business approached, he made himself available to Jenna. If she needed errands run, he ran them for her. If she stayed late at the office, he stopped by with dinner or took the girls down the street to one of the town’s restaurants or to his cottage to do homework. Between ordering supplies and setting up the kitchen to her specifications, Jenna alternated between staying busy and falling into bed at night exhausted.
Setting up the kitchen just the way she wanted had taken hours, but she was pleased with the result. All of the stainless-steel appliances gleamed after multiple scrubbings, from the commercial-grade refrigerator, double sink, range with cast-iron grates and two full ovens and the walk-in freezer to the large prep table. Everything was up to code and ready to use. Although the freezer was the oldest piece of equipment, it worked well, minus the sticking latch.
She’d got a good deal on her cooking utensils and pots and pans through Kitchen Care, her show sponsor. Everything had arrived recently and Jenna had placed each piece in a strategic position. All of the catering supplies, from serving pans and trays to food warmers, china, beverage ware, flatware and linens were neatly stored in a closed storage unit. The purchases had made a huge dent in her finances, but Jenna was pleased with every one. Thank goodness she already had a minivan, otherwise she’d have to look into new transportation.
On Wednesday afternoon before the soft opening, Jenna stood in the kitchen in a short-sleeved T-shirt, shorts and sneakers, reviewing a food order invoice. Slowly, over the last few hours, the sky had grown dark with thick black clouds threatening to dump rain on them. Sure enough, the first roll of thunder sounded, followed by a deluge. Wyatt stomped through the back door after shaking off his drenched slicker, only his boots and the bottom of his jeans wet.
“Hey, you’re getting water all over my clean floor.”
“I’ll mop it up.”
“You better. I don’t need an increase in my insurance premium if someone falls and gets hurt.”
Wyatt hooked his slicker on a peg near the door. “What happened to the happy-go-lucky TV chef? Seems she’s been replaced by bossy catering chef.”
His words blew the steam out of her. “Am I really that bad?”
“I’m attributing your mood to nerves.”
“So I am bad.”
“I’ve worked with worse.”
“Lucky you don’t work for me.”
“No, but as the odd-job guy around here, I have endured greatly,” he quipped.
“Wyatt, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You’re a professional. You have high standards. Nothing wrong with that.”
“Except when people don’t want to be around me. Is that why the girls keep asking you to take them out to dinner?’
“That and the fact they’ve hardly eaten out since you got custody.”
“I may be a teensy bit particular about the food they eat.”
“Stop worrying. They’re fine.”
She glanced at her watch. “Well, tonight they’re getting a home-cooked meal.”
“Whether they want it or not?”
“Exactly.” She smiled at the thought. “There’s a parent/teacher open house tonight. We can spend time together before heading back to the school.”
Wyatt chuckled. “So why’d you call me?”
“It’s the freezer door latch. The sticking is getting worse. Once the food order arrives, I can’t be worried about getting in and out of there. And with the girls around, I don’t want them getting stuck inside.”
“I’ll get on it.” As Wyatt attended to the task, he asked, “Ready for Friday night?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” She held up the invoice. “I’m going to hit the farmers’ market at dawn tomorrow, then be back for the rest of the food delivery. I’ll be up to my elbows cooking for the opening.”
He moved the latch back and forth a few times and then opened the freezer door. As he did, a puff of cold air escaped, pushing against the vinyl strips acting as a curtain. The condenser kicked on with a loud rattling sound from the top of the unit.
“How is Michelle working out?”
“Great. She’s knowledgeable about food service and has cooking experience.” She leaned against the prep table. “I feel bad, though. She’s always looking at the back door, like she’s waiting for Duke to walk in.”
It broke Jenna’s heart to see the yearning in Michelle’s eyes. Was she just as bad? Crazy to have feelings for Wyatt, a man who still didn’t want to get emotionally involved? Always looking over her shoulder, hoping he’d changed his mind?
“There was a lot of secrecy on Duke’s part,” Wyatt said. “Makes you wonder what happened.”
“Unless the man himself comes around and tells us, we’ll never know. But as for Michelle, she’ll be here soon to double-check the inventory for Friday night.”
Wyatt pushed the plastic dome knob on the inside of the door before closing it. “The door seems to be working fine. Come over here so I can show you how to lock it from the outside.”
Jenna placed the invoice on the table and crossed the kitchen, enjoying the cold air lingering around the door of the freezer, along with a whiff of Wyatt’s cologne.
“See this hole in the latch?”
She nodded.
“That’s the lock. The piece that slides into it seems to be missing.” He looked around, reaching toward a small box containing tools on a nearby shelf. He grabbed a screwdriver and held it up. “This will have to do.” He pushed it through the hole. “Once this is in place, the door is locked and the girls can’t get inside. When they aren’t here, just leave it on the shelf.”
“That was easy.”
“The latch needs a little oil. I’ll bring some by next time.”
“In the meantime, can you help me drag these shelving units inside the freezer?”
“I live to do your bidding.”
“Says the man who keeps to himself.”
“Hey, we all have our own idiosyncrasies.”
“Just move the shelves.”
Minutes later, they’d dragged the last piece inside and stationed it against the wall. Jenna placed her hands on her hips. “That was the final thing on my list. I’m ready for anything now.” She headed for the door, pushing the round handle as she went. The door remained closed and Jenna crashed into it. “What the heck?” She whirled around. “I thought you said there was no problem.”
He shot her a sheepish look. “There wasn’t.”
Jenna threw her hands up. “How are we supposed to get out of here?”
Wyatt came up beside her and pressed the handle. The door didn’t budge.
“This can’t be good.”
Jenna shivered, more from Wyatt’s close proximity than the temperature. After his emotional breakthrough the day of his parents’ party, he’d become more open, more relaxed. She still noticed shadows in his eyes from time to time, but for the most part he was taking his new resolution to move ahead with his life in stride. There had been no more kisses, no more unintentional touches, so she assumed the emotional involvement ban was still in place. She’d kept her distance, afraid to make the first move romantically. Now they were thrown together, stuck in an awful mess. Talk about rotten luck.
“Give me a minute,” he groused as he wrestled with the door.
“Wyatt, the longer we stay in here the colder it’s going to get.”
“Chill, Jenna.”
“Funny.”
His eyes lit up. “Yeah, it was funny. Just like this situation.”
Jenna pounded on the door.
“What are you doing?”
“Michelle will be here soon. If she hears us, she’ll let us out.”
“As long as the outside latch works.”
“Wyatt!”
He chuckled and pounded along with her. After five minutes, they stopped. Jenna rubbed her sore hand. “This is crazy.”
“Let’s take a short break from making a racket no one’s there to hear.”
Not wanting to be locked up alone with Wyatt any longer than necessary, she began pounding again. “I’m good.”
He sent her a knowing grin and her stomach dipped. Was she that easy to read?
He followed her lead, despite the fact that no one answered. When their breath vaporized, he stopped. “Tired yet?”
She wasn’t, but stopped her pounding and paced the small confines of the freezer, mostly to stay warm, but also to keep distance from Wyatt. After a few minutes, her teeth began to chatter.
“Come here.”
Wyatt held his arms open. While she longed to snuggle in his warmth, she hesitated.
“I won’t bite.”
Maybe not, but the man knew how to kiss. Finally, the chilly temperature triumphed over her common sense and she walked into his arms. She folded her arms so they were between her chest and his and nestled against the soft fabric of his T-shirt. When he closed his arms around her, she sighed.
“Better?”
“Much.”
They stood this way for a long, drawn-out moment. Jenna closed her eyes and drank in Wyatt’s familiar scent. If they weren’t in danger of freezing to death, she could stay this way forever.
“So,” Wyatt said, his breath warm against her ear. “The other day. At my folks? I wanted to properly thank you for listening to me.”
The air grew heavy and charged and she dropped her head back a fraction to meet his gaze. “Properly?”
“Like this.”
His lips brushed hers. Unhurried, he teased her, tenderly at first, until Jenna circled his waist with her arms. Before long the kiss heated her skin, despite the cold air. He ran his warm fingers up and down her arms and she shivered in response, thrilled and wary at the same time.
Soon she took a shaky step away, gulping in much-needed air. She said the first thing that came to mind. “I thought you didn’t want to get emotionally involved.”
He looked as shaken
by the kiss as she was. “Yes, I said that.”
“Have you changed your mind?”
“I...” He paused. Stared at the ceiling. “When I told you I wanted to properly thank you, I didn’t mean to kiss you. Again. Not that I don’t like kissing you,” he rushed on. “I do know that I want to be with you. All the time.” He moved closer. “But I can’t make promises. Not yet.”
She nodded. His admission, at least a step closer to the romantic relationship she craved, would do. “I can wait.” She took his face in her hands and they locked gazes. Unable to deny his tempting kisses, she stood on her toes. Pressed her lips to his.
This time Wyatt stopped them before they got too carried away. “You’re making it easy to believe in love again, Jenna, but I don’t want to do or say anything to hurt you or the girls.”
“Then don’t.” His words brought a dose of reality. She stepped back, bumping into the door. Lifting her foot, she kicked, hoping Michelle was on the other side.
“But I’m trying.”
She kicked one more time then reached for him. “Keep trying,” she whispered, ready to kiss him again, not worrying about the cost to her heart. She glimpsed the fire in his eyes, felt a soaring rush of heat and moved closer, just as the freezer door jerked open.
“Jenna?”
The vinyl curtain parted. Michelle popped her head inside. “What’re you guys doing in here?”
Jenna jumped away from Wyatt, her face hot as she faced Michelle. Nothing like nearly getting caught making out by your employee. “We were moving the new shelving units inside. The door locked behind us.”
Michelle grinned as her gaze settled on Jenna’s red face before moving to Wyatt. “Good thing I heard noises and decided to check it out, otherwise who knows how long you two would have been stuck in here.” She paused a beat. “Alone.”
“Right. Thank you.”
