Page 42 of Slow Simmer

Chapter Twenty

Carlo was rather surprised when Suzannah came to join him in Jace’s kitchen shortly afterwards wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. He was just sliding the first batch of cookies into the oven.

“Good thing this kitchen’s so well stocked,” he said, “though I had to use ground ginger. I’ll go back toLa Sirèneand make some for her with fresh after, but the poor girl can’t have eaten much in days. No wonder she looks like a breath of wind could blow her away.”

“Oh, no, she’s so stunning,” Suzannah said wistfully. “And did you see the way George looked at her?”

Carlo looked at her strangely as he closed the oven door, and then he straightened up and came over to her. “Like a man hopelessly in love, terrified the woman in his arms might turn out to be just a beautiful dream he can’t hold onto?” he asked.

“Yes,” Suzannah said in surprise. “Yes, exactly like that.”

“Do you realise that’s how I look at you?” His strong, capable hands settled at her waist and he looked earnestly into her eyes. “Cara, to me, you’re far lovelier than any waifish pop princess. You’re a strong, beautiful, confident woman, the most talented chef I’ve ever known, and I’ve been hopelessly in love with you since I was nineteen.”

“Really?” Suzannah’s green eyes went very wide, and Carlo shook his head, laughing softly.

“How do you notknowthis, Suzannah? Have I not made it obvious? I’ve barely noticed another woman since I was a teenager, because none of them could even hold a candle to you. I came here hoping, praying you’d give me a second chance that whatever took you away from me back then was no longer an issue. That I’d grown up to be worthy of you.” Carlo hardly dared to blink as he spoke, baring his soul to her. Praying she wouldn’t reject him again.

“You, not worthy?” She gaped at him. “But it was alwaysme…”

“Only in your own head.” Carlo refused to hear it any more. “This is the twenty-first century. Nobody cares what sort of family you came from or what suburb you grew up in, Suzannah. They respect you for what you’ve made of yourself, and I respect youmoreknowing that you did come from humble beginnings and have ascended to the very top.”

“You do?”

Carlo shook his head, half-laughing, and then he took his hands off her waist and reached up to frame her face with them. “I love you,” he told her, as plain and clear as he could, and then he repeated it in French, Italian and Spanish for good measure.

Suzannah’s beautiful smile dawned as he stumbled through the words in German, and she giggled when he attempted Mandarin. “Stop. Stop! I believe you!”

“Oh good,” Carlo said gratefully. “I was all set to try Japanese and Russian too, but Takeshi said my accent was so bad he didn’t even understand me.”

“You idiot.” She leaned in and pressed her lips to his. “You only needed to say it once. I love you, too.”

“Good.” He kissed her back, lingeringly, and they lost themselves in each other until the oven timer Carlo had the foresight to set began beeping.

“The cookies!” they both cried in unison, and Carlo dived for the oven.

They returned next door with a plate of warm ginger cookies, both uncaring of how they looked, Suzannah’s lips kiss-swollen and her chin and reddened from Carlo’s stubble, his hair standing up every which way from Suzannah running her fingers through it. Myst and George were oblivious, focused on each other, but B-Rex gave them a decidedly amused look.

“Didn’t know ‘baking cookies’ could be so much fun,” he drawled. Suzannah stuffed a cookie in his mouth as she passed, grinning at him. He chuckled and took a hearty bite.

Suzannah was fairly sure George was going to end up eating more of the cookies than Myst, but the diminutive pop star was nibbling on one at least, and colour seemed to be coming back into her cheeks. They’d undertake to keep her supplied with as many as she wanted while she was on the island, and Carlo had already decided he’d be sending a large care packet with her when she left.

Luke arrived shortly afterwards, just in time for them all to be kicked out again so the dinner-serving scene could be filmed at sunset.

“I’d better get back to the restaurant,” Carlo said regretfully. He hadn’t let go of Suzannah’s hand for more than a few seconds since the cookies came out of the oven, and she seemed just as reluctant as he to let go now, pulling closer to him for a few moments and nestling her face into the curve of his neck. He put his arms around her and held on tight.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she promised, before turning her face up to his and smiling. “And Carlo?”

“Yes,cara?” He couldn’t resist stealing a kiss, as close as she was.

“I’m not running out on you this time. Not ever again.” Emerald eyes were bright and very earnest as she gazed on him. “And if you dare run out on me, I’ll chase you down until I catch you.”

“Wild horses couldn’t drag me away,cara.” Carlo knew, for certain, he was in for the long haul. He and Suzannah were going to earn another Michelin star, maybe even two, and he was going to get her in front of a TV camera if it was the last thing he did. Suzannah Monteil was born to be a star, even if she was too modest to realise it.

* * *

Five months later

“Hey, sit down.” Luke rose to greet them as Suzannah and Carlo entered his office. He was smiling broadly, so they knew they hadn’t done anything wrong; it was likely good news he had for them. But the new Michelin guide wasn’t due for a couple of months, so it couldn’t be that. Glancing at each other speculatively, they took the indicated seats in front of Luke’s desk.

---