Catering to Three

by Kalissa Alexander

  “So Mr. Barnes recommended us,” Julie said before she was silenced by the spoonful of batter. She nodded her approval. “That’s cool. I liked him the first time I met him. He’s made his exercise club number one in the area, and I heard he’s opening another one across town. More business for us.”

  “He’s definitely not hard on the eyes either,” Kelly said with a wink. “I heard the same thing about his business expanding. Word of mouth is our best marketing tool. He loves our new healthy menu.”

  That was good news. When Julie had wanted to incorporate her own recipes that catered to those who wanted to eat healthy, Kelly had liked the idea immediately, and an exercise club was the perfect place to try them out.

  She had to admit, she had been a little surprised by how quickly The Barn’s clients had taken to her egg-white soufflé and muffins that were less than half the calories of the regular ones and she thought were just as tasty. She had also worked in oatmeal and fruit with a variety of shakes that were not only low-calorie energy boosters but scrumptious, too. She had made sure to label each one with the main ingredients and calorie count.

  They now offered the healthy breakfast to all their clients. Some still liked the traditional high-calorie fare, but even they were now giving their guests choices. The one thing she had insisted with the healthier menu was that it not be more expensive. She hated that some caterers felt the need to charge more for food that was better health-wise. Kelly had been skeptical at first until she had proven to her that it didn’t need to cost more if one knew how to shop.

  When Julie walked into The Barn later that morning, she was surprised to see Keith Barnes waiting for her instead of a member of his staff. Pamela smiled shyly at the handsome man and began setting up. Julie watched Pamela falling all over herself and knew she needed to keep a close eye on the girl, who could become flustered easily. She was a part-time college student Kelly had hired who also happened to be the daughter of a friend. She was a bit spacey at times, but she never missed her shifts, and she was pleasant to their clients. Julie smiled widely and walked over to where Keith Barnes stood waiting for her.

  “Hello, Mr. Barnes.”

  “Hello, Julie. I thought I told you to call me Keith.”

  He had, but for some reason she felt more comfortable calling him Mr. Barnes. Possibly because she liked to keep her clients in their “client mode” and not become overly familiar since she did work for them, but if she were honest, it was more than just that. He was a very attractive man who wasn’t that much older than herself. His eyes were a startling cobalt blue that complemented his dark hair and warm skin tones. He also wore shirts and shorts that showed off his perfect body and rippling muscles. She knew it was his business to look good, but it was a little disconcerting to say the least. She couldn’t blame Pamela for lighting up at the sight of him, since her own heart had skipped a beat, too.

  “I know you told me to call you Keith, but you are a client and I want to be sure my employees always treat you with the respect you deserve. Calling you Mr. Barnes makes it easier to adhere to that philosophy. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “I understand, but if we should meet on the street, just the two of us, promise me you’ll call me Keith. You make me feel aged.”

  “Promise,” Julie said with a smile.

  He gave her a lazy smile that told her he thought she was being silly, but his eyes were telling her so much more as he looked her up and down appreciatively. She swallowed. With the kind of sex appeal he exuded, she wasn’t surprised that the majority of his clients were women. His eyes were magnetic. She looked around for Pamela. She needed to find a way out of this conversation. He was, she now realized, a bit of a flirt, and she wasn’t about to reciprocate with a client no matter how good looking he might be.

  “Well, I better go and make sure everything is set up properly. We also added a few extras that are on us, that we hope you all enjoy.”

  “Some new recipes that you came up with?”

  “Kelly and I came up with them together.”

  Julie turned, but, he reached out and touched her arm to stop her. She looked back at him expectantly, trying to quell the tiny shivers that ran up and down her spine.

  “Just wondering if you had heard from Noah Jamison? I told him to give you a call.”

  Relieved, she said, “As a matter of fact, his assistant called. Kelly told me you had recommended us. I should have mentioned it. I can’t thank you enough.”

  “I told him you were the best. I know you won’t disappoint him,” he said silkily.

  She knew what he had just said was innocent enough, but the tone of his voice made her blink. She had the distinct impression there was a double meaning behind his words.

  “We won’t. I can assure you that Kelly and I will take good care of him.”

  “I did tell him that you would be the one handling the party. I hope his assistant made that clear.”

  “Kelly took the call, but she did hand the event over to me.” Julie was surprised that Kelly hadn’t told her that she had been asked for specifically.

  “He’s a friend of mine as well as a client. We’ve known each other for years. I know he can be a bit of a perfectionist, but he’s a good man. You’ll like him.”

  “I’m sure I will. I look forward to meeting him.”

  “He’s looking forward to meeting you, too.”

  Again Julie felt as if Keith Barnes were speaking to her on a personal level more than a professional one. And again, she told herself to stop reading something into nothing. She was sure flirting just came naturally to a man like him. That aside, she liked his easygoing and likable nature—all of which reinforced why it was always best to keep a client from becoming too familiar. It would be all too easy to fall under the spell of those beautiful blue eyes that continued to look into hers with what she thought was more than a casual interest.

  She hoped she hadn’t made a mistake by joining The Barn as a member. It hadn’t occurred to her that she could possibly be putting herself in an awkward situation. She had thought it would be good for business as well as keeping her from slipping back into old habits she had worked so hard to overcome before she moved to San Francisco. She never wanted to wake up and look in the mirror to see the woman she had been. She liked being more energetic and, especially now, having the owner of an exercise club as a client, she liked that her body, although still curvy, was as lean as it had ever been.

  Whenever she caught of glimpse of Keith, when she was exercising before or after work, he always smiled and waved to her. He never interrupted her workouts to talk to her, although she wouldn’t have minded if he had. Until today, she hadn’t realized that she subconsciously looked for him. Embarrassed, she realized she had developed a little crush on him. She had no doubt that her fantasy would go no further than her own mind for more reasons than one. Although she had never seen him wearing a wedding ring, she was sure he had more than his share of girlfriends. A man who looked that good wouldn’t have any trouble attracting the opposite sex.

  Pamela completed the setup under Julie’s watchful eye. She was confident everything was at it should be before she glanced around to see if Keith were still in the area. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be seen. Hiding her disappointment, she walked over to the front desk and told the girl on duty she was leaving and to call if they needed anything else.

  Within a half hour she was back in Kelly’s kitchen, where Kelly was preparing sandwiches for the boxed lunches.

  “Glad to see you’re back. I could use some help. The orders need to be on the van before eleven thirty.”

  “I’ll mix up the tuna fish.” Julie had customized the recipe with her homemade relish. It gave it a creative kick along with a sprinkling of cranberries. Their customers now requested it more than the chicken salad that had always been a favorite.

  “How’d everything go?”

  “It went well. I spoke with Keith Barnes, and he mentioned my meeting this afternoon w
ith Noah Jamison.”

  “Did he? Glad we put in a few extras.”

  “Me, too. I got the impression this could be a real big deal.” Julie was baffled that Kelly had still not mentioned Noah Jamison wanted her to be the point person for his party. It wasn’t like Kelly to keep that kind of information to herself, especially since Julie had told her she felt she wasn’t bringing in new clients as fast as she thought she should. “Are you sure you don’t want to handle this one or at least come along?”

  “No. You’re more than capable, and I’ve got a lot to do this afternoon including meeting with the contractor. I really can’t wait for the store to be done. Although I love my kitchen, we need more room desperately. I’m going to see if there’s any way they can be done a few weeks early.”

  “Good luck with that.”

  Julie watched Kelly wash her hands before she began making the wraps along with Pamela. They had three other employees who would be arriving in the next few minutes. With so many orders to fill, she knew they would be bumping into one another. Kelly was right to want the new store to be completed sooner than later.

  Kelly had a lot on her mind with the new store and keeping up with their clients that were a direct result of Kelly’s contacts. Julie was being too sensitive. When Kelly thought of it, she was sure she would tell her that Noah Jamison’s assistant had asked for her.

  The next couple hours went by quickly with little time for talking as they worked as a team to prepare the boxed lunches. When the van was finally loaded, she breathed a sigh of relief. She wanted to do a little Internet research on Noah Jamison. She also wanted to change into something more elegant than her normal uniform of black pants with a lavender golf shirt. Before the meeting, she stopped by her apartment and found a dark-blue dress that hugged her figure but was professional and not too revealing. She slipped into a pair of matching heels and let her hair down, giving it a fluff. With a spritz of perfume and some cherry lip gloss, she felt she was ready to sell the business to what she hoped would be their new client.

  Although Noah Jamison was the client, she doubted he would be at this meeting. It was his assistant, Jackie, after all, who had called. She was sure meetings like this were handled by his staff, but Keith had said Noah Jamison was looking forward to meeting her. She felt a sudden rush of nerves. It was important to represent herself and her company in the most positive way possible. If she failed to get the job, it could mean that Keith Barnes might not continue be so impressed with her either.

  Chapter Three

  Julie slowed down in front of the private gate to the address she had been given for Noah Jamison’s house and pushed the speaker button. A camera moved in her direction.

  “Julie Larson for Jackie Winston.”

  The gates opened magically, and she drove her car up the driveway of the Pacific Heights address until she came to a magnificent four-story sandstone mansion that overlooked San Francisco Bay. It was enough to take her breath away. From an art history course she had taken in college, she recognized the dramatic architecture as Italian Renaissance. There was even a fountain in the middle of the semicircular driveway leading up to the front doors that were flanked by tall, intricately designed pillars. She couldn’t help but speculate that the Internet publishing business must be doing very well. She was more than just a little impressed by the opulence of the man’s home.

  She left her car in the driveway and walked up to the steps to the arched doorway where she rang the doorbell. Almost immediately, an older woman, dressed casually in white lightweight flowing pants and a sleeveless lavender tunic, opened the door. Julie knew immediately she had made the right decision to change clothes.

  “You must be Miss Larson. Please come in. I’m Jackie Winston, Mr. Jamison’s personal assistant.”

  Julie took the woman’s extended hand and then walked into a high-ceilinged foyer with a large chandelier at its center. The floor was Italian marble and the furniture French provincial. It was pretty much what she expected. Noah Jamison was filthy rich.

  “Come with me, please.” Jackie walked ahead of her past a large staircase and down a hallway. She stopped before an ornately decorated wooden door that was closed Jackie knocked and then opened it, holding it for Julie.

  “Mr. Jamison, Miss Larson is here.”

  “Thank you, Jackie.”

  Jackie shut the door quietly, leaving Julie standing just inside. Her eyes were drawn to the overwhelming amount of books that decorated the floor-to-ceiling bookcases before her gaze came to rest on the man sitting behind an old-fashioned desk that held several computer screens. She felt her knees go weak. Noah Jamison reminded her of a young Robert Redford. Thick, blond, wavy hair cut long topped a face that stopped her in her tracks. Light-blue eyes, framed with long dark lashes any woman would have given her soul for, looked up into hers.

  She continued to stare at the perfection of the man. A Grecian nose with flaring nostrils led to a mouth that was now smiling at her, revealing even white teeth. His skin wasn’t pale, but he wasn’t overly tanned like many men and women who lived in the area. Startled, she realized he was speaking to her.

  “Miss Larson.” He rose to his feet. “I believe Keith told me your first name is Julie. Is it okay if I call you Julie?”

  “Of course,” Julie said, forcing herself to stop staring and at least walk toward him with her hand extended. “You work from home. How nice.”

  He walked around his desk and took her hand in his. “Not normally, unless like today I have a meeting here. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard a lot of good things about you.”

  “Thank you,” she breathed. “It’s always good when a client recommends us. I’ve enjoyed working with Mr. Barnes.”

  “And he you.” He smiled. “Please, before we sit down to discuss the particulars of the party, I would like to show you the house and the grounds so you have an idea of what you’ll be working with.”

  Julie was anxious to see the house. Did this mean she was already hired? If that were the case, Keith Barnes must have given their company a glowing recommendation.

  Noah Jamison walked toward the door she had just entered and opened it for her. Once they were in the hallway, he lightly cupped her elbow to guide her down the hall into the kitchen. It was huge. Kelly would be so jealous. It was even bigger than the one in their new store. She couldn’t believe how it sparkled like it had never been used before. An abundance of gray granite counters and large stainless steel appliances, including two stoves and a huge double-wide refrigerator, made her head reel. This was a caterer’s dream come true. There was nothing she couldn’t do in a kitchen like this.

  “You like it?”

  “Like it, it’s fabulous,” she gushed. “I mean, who wouldn’t love a kitchen like this? It will be easy to work in here.”

  “I’m glad it meets with your approval. I’m hardly ever in here.” He laughed before he said, “You probably won’t find the rest of the house nearly as impressive.”

  “I doubt that, but since the nature of my business keeps me in the kitchen, I can see why you might think that.” She found herself laughing, too. He was very easy to talk to when she wasn’t being overwhelmed by his good looks.

  The tour continued through the house until they reached the formal dining room. It, too, was impressive. However, it was the ballroom with a wall of windowed French doors that made her head spin. It was larger and more elegant than what she had seen in most hotels. When he opened the doors, she was greeted by a beautiful garden and a spectacular view of the San Francisco Bay.

  They walked down a path through the garden leading to an Olympic-size pool. He held out a wrought-iron chair for her. He sat down across from her, laying his suit jacket over a nearby chair. He loosened his tie. Julie watched his every move, mesmerized. She caught herself, hoping her mouth hadn’t been gaping. Slightly embarrassed, she looked out toward the Bay.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Yes,” she said, shieldin
g her eyes from the sun. “It’s beautiful.”

  “I like beautiful things, and luckily I’m in a position to be able to acquire them.”

  When she looked back at Noah Jamison, she thought for a moment he was staring at her like she in line to be one of those possessions. However, in the next breath, he was all business.

  “This is going to be more than just a dinner, Julie. It’s really an all-day conference beginning with breakfast. I’m going to be holding workshops throughout the day. Dinner will be here in the garden and afterward there will be dancing. We’ll also have drinks beforehand. So, I’m going to need your services from early morning until the wee hours of the next morning. I hope that won’t be a problem for you since I expect that you’ll be here to supervise every detail.”

  “Goodness, no,” Julie said quickly. “I would imagine you’ll have breaks during the workshops that you’ll want catered, too.”

  “Absolutely. The people I’m inviting are agents and writers for the most part. I want this to be an event they’ll remember. I can handle the business side, but I’m counting on you to cater to their palates with sophisticated but delicious food that will have them begging for more.”

  “Exactly the type of event that we excel at,” Julie lied. She had never catered an event like this, and she was pretty sure that Kelly hadn’t either. However, she didn’t want Noah Jamison to know that. If she pulled this off, and she would pull it off, it would take their business to a whole new level. Boxed lunches and breakfasts would be child’s play.

  “That’s what I want to hear. Now let’s go back inside. It’s a little warm out here. I just wanted you to have a chance to enjoy the view. I’m anxious to hear what you have in store for my guests.”

  Julie’s mind was working so fast, she didn’t realize he had stopped in front of his study door. Her body, still moving forward, bumped into his hard chest. She backed up, embarrassed and a little shaken. “So sorry.”

  He smiled. “Your mind is elsewhere. As long as you’re thinking about me, it’s not a problem.”