Free Love Simmers by Jules Deplume Page B

as she bit into a piece of lamb.
    “ Ollie and I
watched a lot of Food Network while you were at work,” I sighed in
appreciation as I put a piece of the bread we’d made together in my
mouth. It was as good as when I made it.
    “ I wish I could
cook like this,” Maddie joked.
    “ I know someone
willing to teach you,” I said as I ate a piece of smoked salmon.
This was the best meal of my life. I’m big enough to admit Ollie
was a better chef than me. I just wasn’t big enough to admit that
to him.
    “ There’s
Lawrence. I should say hi.” My mum left the table to mingle. The
woman was a social butterfly on an epic level. There wasn’t a club,
group or event in town that my mother was not part of, including
the gardening society. She didn’t know the difference between a
flower and a weed.
    “ How’s
everything?” Nate asked as he walked over to our table, the suit he
wore doing spectacular things to his tall body. I let him catch me
eyeing him up. He winked at me and I almost swooned. This was
getting bad.
    “ Amazing, Nate.
This whole place is,” Maddie gave him a hug, her praise making him
uncomfortable I could tell.
    “ And you,” he
looked at me expectantly, waiting for my praise.
    “ I’d like to
complain to the manager,” I flirted with him, ignoring Maddie roll
her eyes.
    “ About anything
in particular?” He played along, kneeling down so that he was at
eye level with me.
    “ I think
someone has stolen my recipe.” I gestured to the sauce that came
with my salmon, knowing it was a recipe from my book.
    “ Well, you
stole my story so I’d say we’re square.” He gave me a kiss and
subtly whispered what he was going to do to me later that evening.
I was shifting in my seat by the time he left our table a little
while later.
    “ Don’t say a
word!” I gave Maddie a stern look. She sat back quietly in her
chair with a smug look on her face.
    My phone ringing stopped Maddie
before she could air her thoughts on the little love fest she’d
seen. She gestured for me to answer my call.
    “ Hello,” I
whispered quietly, standing up and heading for the deck outside. I
didn’t want to disrupt anyone’s beautiful meal.
    “ Logan, it’s
Sarah,” my agent’s voice was an unwelcome reminder of what Nate and
I faced in two days. I had to get back to work. “You got the job!”
She screamed into the phone. I had to pull it away from my ear
before she deafened me.
    “ The job? What
job?” It wasn’t dawning on me what job my agent was talking
about.
    “ The job! You
got the Japanese cooking contest!”
    I froze, my heart plummeting to
the ground.
    “ They want you
to be the judge. They’ve sent over a contract. They’re offering $1
million!” I could imagine my agent bouncing up and down in joy.
Part of that $1 million would be hers if I took the job.
    “ How long would
shooting be?” I asked, no enthusiasm in my voice. Nate had agreed
to a city a couple of hours away by plane not one on the other side
of the world.
    “ Nine months
and then two months of publicity touring,” her excitement was
beginning to cool as she realised I wasn’t jumping for joy with
her.
    “ I’ll think
about it,” I said slowly, hanging up the phone before she could
start trying to push me into accepting. I knew I needed a little
distance from her to think things through. I needed to talk about
this with Nate.
    I headed back to the table. My
mum was still off doing the rounds, talking to everyone she knew,
leaving me alone with Maddie. I told her about the offer.
    “ It’s a huge
offer. You’re career will explode,” she said and I groaned, wishing
I had never auditioned for the job.
    “ I know.” I
shook my head, wondering what I was going to say to Nate. I wanted
to at least get his opinion on it. I trusted him.
    After Sails had closed its
doors after an incredibly successful opening night, Ollie, Nate,
Maddie and I raised our glasses of champagne in celebration. Ollie
and Nate both looked