“I’m going to have to take your word for his kissing talents, but my heart is breaking, Gertrude. Guess I’m going home to Sylvie again tonight. She’s a good wife. I’ll probably keep her. The kids would probably prefer I did.”
Jack’s grin swung from Andrew to her. “Gertrude?”
Trudy liked him better for not taking Andrew’s flirting to heart. “Yes, my name is Gertrude. It’s a good German name. Chicken or steak?”
Jack re-rolled his sleeves, this time all the way to his elbow. “Steak sounds good to me. I think I can imitate your searing technique.”
“Chef Dozen’s in the mood for steak, Andrew.”
“Yeah, I heard Mr. Pretty Man,” Andrew grumbled. He puttered in his area, then walked over a plate with two marinated steaks and a pile of arugula on it. He made a second trip and brought back some seasonings. “There. Now I have to go cook for actual paying customers. My boss is a tyrant about feeding the people who come in here.”
“It’s okay, Andrew. She’s feeling mellow tonight,” Trudy said.
“Well, that would be a first,” Andrew said, going back to work on the next order.
Her chef and sous chef that evening kept looking at Jack while he cooked for her, some obviously trying to place him. Luckily most hadn’t paid any attention to Andrew’s teasing because they were accustomed to tuning the head chef out. She knew if word got around who Jack was they wouldn't have had a moment of peace, so she did the only thing she could to completely isolate them.
She turned and smiled at her kitchen staff, pointing at Jack. “This man is my official date for the evening. He’s cooking for me and me alone, so don’t get any ideas. Save your sucking up for Andrew,” she said loudly.
“That’s why I love this job. Let the sucking up commence,” Andrew bellowed.
Laughing, she turned back to see Jack staring at her, sizzling skillet hovering over the burner. Shaking his head at her, he went right back to cooking.
While Jack was plating their steaks, Trudy walked over to where several open bottles of red wine were breathing. She picked her favorite Pinot Noir and poured two glasses. By the time she got back, Jack was hanging up his apron and coming around to sit with her.
They ate in comfortable silence, arms occasionally brushing on the counter. They didn’t say much until the food was nearly gone.
Trudy chuckled and set her fork down. “Sorry for the lack of conversation. You cook as well as I do, so my mind was on enjoying my food. I always knew one day you would be at this level. Congratulations, Jack. You’ve managed quite the comeback.”
Jack finished his meal and stacked their plates. He pushed them aside on the counter and sipped his wine. “At the time you kicked me out of your class, I thought you didn’t believe in me. That broke my heart as bad as your rejection did.”
Trudy snorted, but finally nodded. “I can see why you might have thought such a thing, but it was never the case. I just thought you were too arrogant for your own good. The process of being humbled is what turns a good chef into a great one. Anyone can follow a recipe. Creating them is another thing altogether.”
“You humbled me when you kicked me out of your class,” Jack said, “but you weren’t the last. In the end, I became mostly self-taught.”
Trudy smiled. “And look at you now. You’re every bit the arrogant success you always wanted to be. Again, I say… congratulations. I think you’ve met your primary goal in life.”
Jack grunted at her teasing. “I didn’t want you on my show because I didn’t want to fail in front of you again. I haven’t recovered from last time.”
Trudy looked away, uncomfortable with thinking she’d had such power over Jack’s fate. “I didn’t kick you out of my class because you were a bad chef. I also didn’t kick you out because you were the best student I came across and therefore competition to me. The reason I kicked you out wasn’t about cooking at all. It was about the way you kissed me like I was the only woman on earth for you. It was about the way you refused to see that I couldn’t get involved with you. You were too young and too green and I was just starting to get the things I’d worked so hard for. The timing of our attraction was bad.”
“The past is past,” Jack said, irritation in his voice. “How is our timing now?”
Trudy sighed and sipped her wine. “I’m still in a different place than you. I’m slowing down and you’re in the middle of gaining ground. You have what it takes to go national. You could get a network contract, not just be on some local show. That would be real money—book contracts and who knows what else.”
“Yes, I could move on to bigger things,” Jack admitted, nodding at her words. “But cooking ended up not being my entire life the way I once thought it would be. Instead, my son gave me a purpose I could never have anticipated. When I found him, Brandon was living in a boy’s home. It took me a year to get my life situated enough to make him part of it. By the time I managed that, I had gotten attached to the other boys. Brandon ended up staying with them most of the time because they were like friends and brothers to him. So I ended up fostering the entire home.”
“The ten teenagers you mentioned cooking for are boys at the home,” Trudy said, filling in the gap.
Jack nodded. “Yes. At any given time, there are six to twelve. Now and again one gets to go live with a family. Most don’t. I’m going to be forty this year. I don’t have a wife. I don’t own a house. I drive a used car and my apartment is just a place I sleep. I should feel like the least successful person I know, but I don’t. I own the one place where my work will always make a difference. The boy’s home keeps me humble. And my son is the light of my life. He brought all that to me.”
Trudy propped her chin on her fist and looked at him. “You are such a great guy. Did I really break your heart all those years ago?”
Jack propped his chin on his fist and turned to her. “Yes. You really did. But I’m willing to give you a second chance because I know that’s the only way I’m going to get into your bed. Being angry would be foolish when all I really want to do is kiss you until your knees give out. I think we proved that yesterday.”
Trudy closed her eyes. She opened them when she felt her hand being dragged from her face. Jack’s mouth closed over hers, but his lips were gentle this time. There was no knee-bending demand in his kiss, just a soft question.
“I wanted you then and I want you now. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met and the most interesting. The only reason I never chased you down before was that you owned restaurants and had a TV show while I had nothing to offer you but myself. We were far from equals, so I tried to live without you. The best thing that happened to me this year was Luke begging you to come on the show. I’m sorry I was so angry about it. I dreaded opening up my old wounds.”
“Jack, you have a lot more to offer a woman than you realize. The way you kiss should come with a heat stroke warning. All the rest of your noble life’s work is gravy on your damn dry self-rising flour biscuits. You can have it all.”
Jack snorted and shook a finger at her. “I don’t want it all—I want you. And I’m learning that you say the most insulting things when you’re highly stressed, but that you rarely mean them the way they sound. What I’ve also realized these last three weeks of cooking beside you is that the only woman I can be the right man with is you. And don’t start with your ageist arguments about our differences. I’m not going to listen to that anymore. Women date younger men all the time.”
“And the men leave those women they date—all the time,” Trudy countered.
“I’m not proposing anything long term because you’ve reminded me many times that you’re a commitment-phobe. So how about this instead? You don’t have to change your life to date me. Just let me share a few of your days and nights now and again. Let’s see what this is before you kick me to the curb a second time in our lives.”
“A few days and nights is all I’ve ever let any man share. I have a short attention span when i
t comes to romance.”
“So do I, which is why we’re a perfect match,” Jack said. “If you’re that worried about the opinions of others, we can meet secretly. I’ll come to your house. Or you can come to my apartment. As long as you let me kiss you as much as I want, the background is irrelevant. Only the two of us being together matters.”
Trudy laughed, but stopped when she saw how serious he was. “Have you always been this romantic?”
“I’m not sure. Was I being romantic?” Jack frowned. “I thought I was just being honest.”
Her smile was wide. Now she knew who gave Brandon his charm lessons. Jack came by his appeal naturally. “It’s honesty cloaked in poetic speech.”
Jack lifted her chin with a finger. “I hear you mock-complaining about my romantic questions, Trudy Baker, but I have not heard you say no to the kissing part. I also have not heard you say yes to the dating. I would like an answer that does not ‘leave me hanging’—as my son would say.”
“Even if I say no again, aren’t you just going to keep bugging me until I say yes to dating you?” Trudy asked.
Jack shrugged. “I see you’ve figured out my clever strategy. Gee, it only took you fifteen years.”
Trudy giggled at his deadpan teasing. Her heart did a little flip when Jack gave in and grinned. His charm was starting to get to her. That could only mean more trouble.
“I’m going to hate myself for getting involved with you,” she said.
“Hating yourself is acceptable,” Jack said, laughing as he slid off his stool. “But you are forbidden to hate me. I don’t think I could bear it.”
“Too bad. I’m a contrary woman. I’m always going to hate you a little bit,” Trudy said.
Jack sighed and leaned in to lightly kiss her. “I know. I think that’s why I find it so damn hard to keep my lips off yours.”
Trudy knew her eye roll couldn’t get any higher, but her panties could certainly go a lot lower. The man had all but talked them off her.
“Can I have your cell number?” Jack asked, sliding his jacket off her lap. “I’ll walk you back to your car.”
Trudy nodded. “Okay, to both,” she said.
He handed over his phone. “It’s unlocked. Add your number to my contacts.”
“That’s pretty trusting for someone you recently hated. Isn’t there anything on here you don’t want me to see?” Trudy asked.
“Nothing,” Jack said firmly. “There’s no woman in my life but you. There never really was. I always thought the problem was me. Now I see it was you. Other women weren’t you. That’s why they didn’t hold my interest.”
“My mind doesn’t work that way,” Trudy said. “I’m being honest, not doubting the sincerity in your comments.” She handed his phone back. “There have been lots of men in my life, Jack. I’m friends with most of my old lovers. I could be friends with you if you let me.”
“Is that all you want from me? Just a friend willing to give you orgasms?”
Trudy slid off her stool. Her feet hurt in the heels, but Jack’s gaze on her legs made it worth what she was suffering. “My needs have never been complicated.”
“My son tends to ask me deep questions all the time. He’s always a thinker. But now I’m asking you this question because I sincerely want to know the answer. What do you really want out of life?” Jack linked his fingers with hers. He waited patiently as she said goodnight to her staff. When they were outside, he asked the question again.
“What I want is to live an easy life, to enjoy the company of good friends, and have something interesting to do with my time. I’d like to travel more, but I’m a real homebody these days.”
“And love?”
Trudy sighed and kept walking. She tried not to think too hard about how much her feet hurt and how badly she wished Jack would quit asking her questions.
“I’ve never needed a man in my life to make it worthwhile. I’ve always appreciated the attention when I got it, but regular access to male generated pleasure was never a goal for me. I know it is for most women. It’s not that I’m asexual…”
“I know you’re not,” Jack said, interrupting. “You keep busy and that allows you to put it away.”
Trudy shrugged, thought about it, and finally nodded. “Yes. I guess that’s pretty much the truth.”
Jack stopped at her car and turned her to face him. “I did that as well. That’s why I understand. However, I don’t think it will work that way with us. We have a more meaningful connection.”
Trudy smiled. He sounded so much like Brandon when he talked that way. But she couldn’t say that. She wouldn’t betray his son. She lifted a hand to Jack’s jaw which was starting to get a little end of day stubble. “I can’t promise you anything. My friend Jellica is the only one who sees tomorrow clearly. I’m more of a live in the moment person. I am willing to live in some of my moments with you.”
“I can take that for now,” Jack said, bending his head to kiss her hard once. “Leave while you can.”
Trudy unlocked her car and got in while she watched him striding purposefully away from her. She wished she’d just invited him home with her despite the complications she knew Jack Dozen was going to bring to her life.
Chapter Twelve
“Ah… ha!” Trudy yelled, pushing open the door of Luke’s office. “Don’t even think about running away.”
“Running away?” Luke asked, wrinkling his forehead. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Trudy walked inside and closed the door. “You are a dead man walking. You set us both up with that logo apron trick you pulled. The least you can do is own it. You sure were betting a lot on us arguing enough to give you a segue.”
Luke laughed. “It worked, didn’t it? And your arguing wasn’t hard to predict given the way you two have a thing for each other. What I didn’t know is if you’d eventually start to play nice.”
“He doesn’t have a thing for me,” Trudy grunted, hating the idea that she was becoming predictable. “I blamed Jack for what happened at first. You’re lucky I didn’t kill your show’s host.”
“I knew that wouldn’t happen. You told me you liked him.”
“I did not say that.” Trudy narrowed her eyes. “But I do like him now… sort of.”
“Sort of?” Luke asked. Then he laughed long and hard. “What does sort of mean? And why didn’t you didn’t tell me he had a thing for you? It’s obvious to everyone but the two of you.”
Trudy huffed and planted her hands on his desk as she leaned over it. “If you pull that shit on either of us again, I will do everything in my power to see Jack gets a national network contract that isn’t with this station’s affiliate. I have friends in high places and I won’t hesitate to use them.”
Luke scratched his head as he stared at her. “I’m surprised you haven’t done that already. Are you guys dating now? Rumors are flying around here, but I didn’t want to presume too much. Jack’s unpredictable.”
“Jack’s unpredictable?” Trudy heard herself demanding, her voice rising into a near screech. “You used to say that about me. And we’re not doing anything.”
“Yet? Ever? Or just not taking it public?” Luke asked.
Her tormentor laughed, but had the grace to wince at the bad name she called him.
Turning on her heels, Trudy didn’t stick around to defend herself. Or Jack.
Or her plans to give in to him next time he asked to sleep with her.
Jack went to answer the doorbell and found his son outside.
“Forgot my key,” Brandon said, looking over his father’s partially dressed state. “Uh… did I come at a bad time?”
“There’s no woman in my bedroom, if that’s what you’re hinting at,” Jack answered, pulling his son into his apartment. “But I am going out. The shirt I wanted to wear was dirty, so I was debating others.”
Brandon grinned. “Big date?” he asked, playing the game he always played to irritate his father.
Jack frowned. “
Actually, I do have a date.”
“Really?” Brandon questioned, trying hard to constrain his excitement. He walked by his father and headed to the bedroom closet. He looked through the shirts and pulled out a khaki pinstripe. “Tie or no tie?” Brandon asked.
Jack frowned again. “I don’t know. I was thinking about taking her to Luigi’s, but it’s not as good as her own Italian restaurant. Then I thought about the Asian Palace, but they know me too well there and we’d have no privacy.”
Brandon laughed. “So you’re going out with Chef Baker?”
Jack sighed. “Yes, Brandon. I’m going out with Chef Baker.”
Laughing again, Brandon hung up the shirt. “Well, that makes this easier.” He went to his father’s chest of drawers and pulled out a long sleeve henley in dark maroon that showed off his father’s very fit body. Returning to the closet, he pulled a pair of well-worn jeans from the shelf above his dress clothes. He turned and tossed the casual outfit on the queen bed that probably hadn’t hosted a female body in years.
“Take her to see Stanley. She’ll love it. You’ll also be able to take a walk and just talk. Jivika still loves to do that.”
Jack snorted. “Get real. You want me to take a famous chef who owns two restaurants to a hot dog vendor for dinner?”
“Yes. It’s called novelty. You’ll be giving her a memorable evening. Trust me, Dad.”
Chuckling, Jack walked to the bed. He sighed, but pulled the henley over his head. It was one of his favorite shirts. “Since when are you the dating expert? You couldn’t even get a date to your senior prom. You went with your cousin. I’m not sure I should take your advice.”
“You said we’d never speak of that again,” Brandon said flatly, glaring at his father. “And I’m now marrying the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen thanks to Dr. Mariah Bates. My dating game rocks now which makes me more successful with women than you. It’s not my fault you refused to sign up with The Perfect Date. Mariah’s very smart about relationships.”
Never Ever Satisfied (The Perfect Date Book 4) Page 10
