Page 1 of Madd Love

ONE

Jen

“You’re telling me you think a good dicking could solve all the world’s problems?”

I chuckle, looking up at Evelyn, who purses her lips. She nods before she pops a chicken puff into her mouth, and I smack her hand as she tries to reach for another one.

“Stop it. Those are for the guests.” I turn my attention back to preparing the last batch of puffs.

“That and bread. I also think if you got laid, you’d be less bitchy; that’s all I’m saying.”

If she only knew.

Evelyn grabs a plate of caprese cups and heads out to place them with the other food staged for this party.

“I need someone to put this pan of chicken puffs into the oven, please.” I hold the pan out.

Pete, one of our prep staff, happens to walk by and grabs the pan from my hand, and places it in one of the three ovens in the new kitchen at Christina and Rim’s house. I check my watch to make sure I keep up with the time needed for the puffs to bake.

I look around the gleaming new high-tech kitchen with a touch of envy. Rim spared no expense when it came to building Christina her dream home.

I’d kill for this kitchen.

“Thank you, Pete.” I move on to the next task as we are finally winding down the initial set-up service for this catering party and just in the nick of time.

I couldn’t say no when Christina and Rim asked Evelyn and me to cater this party. Even with just making heavy hors d’oeuvres, we cut this one close. I could hear the guests arriving earlier, and we are carrying out food still. I like to have everything ready when guests arrive. That’s how it should be, but with last-minute notice, we’re doing okay.

My phone sounds with an incoming message. I pull it from the pocket of my chef’s jacket and can’t help but smile when Maddox Case’s name pops up.

Maddox: You look beautiful in your red chef jacket and a little hot. I think you’d feel better naked, though. Let me help you out of it.

Jen: Lucky, guess. How do you know what I’m wearing? ;)

I add a little smirking emoji. He messaged me last night and wanted to come to my house, but I told him no. I had to get up early today and get things going for this event. He’s a trip.

Maddox: Because I’m watching you, baby girl. I’m in Rim’s backyard. Step outside and let me help you out of that jacket. ;)

What?

I spin around but don’t see anything. It’s too dark out, and the large window mirrors the kitchen’s reflection back to me.

I scan the kitchen for Evelyn, but she seems to have vanished.Where the hell is she?I haven’t seen her since she took the caprese phyllo cups out to set them up. That doesn’t take this long. I take another glance around the kitchen because someone needs to be in charge if I sneak out for a second.

Only a second.

Maddox has this ability to catch me off guard and be ready to get down to business, no matter where or the circumstances and with minimal warning. Now, I’m definitely not complaining, but this comes with its own set of complications.

Once, he messaged me when I was at the grocery store with my mom and my sister. I met him in the stockroom of the grocery store, where he went to town on me behind a stack of cookies. I’ll never be able to look at those elven faces the same way. When I made my way back to my mom, of course, she asked where I had gone. I’m not proud of this, but I concocted a story about asking the butcher for an order of hanger steaks to prepare for my mom and dad’s anniversary dinner. When she asked where they were after I returned empty-handed, I told her the butcher said he was keeping the hanger steaks that day for his daughter’s graduation party.

My mother still gives the poor guy the stink eye whenever we’re at the store.

Sorry, Brandon.

Maddox: Waiting on you…

Shit! Everyone around me is busy, and right now is the perfect moment to slip out unnoticed.

But where the hell is Evelyn?

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