Page 71 of Now That It's You
She blinked. “What?”
“Let me assist you. I’m not the world’s greatest chef, but I can chop things.”
Meg nibbled her lip, considering. She could always ask her mom for help, or get it done by herself with a few extra hours of work.
But a small, traitorous part of her desperately wanted to see Kyle again. To work side by side in the kitchen while he hummed tunelessly and chopped carrots and told her about his day. Wasn’t that the thing she’d missed most in the last two years of silence?
He must’ve sensed an opening in her hesitation. “Come on, Meg. Let me help. Besides, I have something for you.”
Kendall bounced with glee, then pantomimed a few hip-thrusts. Swatting at her friend, Meg tried to steer the phone away so Kyle wouldn’t see. “What do you have?”
“I’m not going to give it away on the phone. You have to see me in person. Besides, I need to see Floyd again. I’m determined to make him like me.”
“By forcing yourself on him?”
“Nah, I have a new strategy,” he said. “What time do you want me?”
Her libido got hung up on the last part of his question, and it took her a moment to answer. “How about five?”
“I can do five.”
“Okay, but you have to let me pay you. And we won’t be at my place, we’ll be at my commercial kitchen.”
“You can pay me with dessert.”
“That hardly seems fair, but I did just make a flourless chocolate cake.”
“Perfect. Are you still working in that culinary space off Oak Street?”
“Yes.”
“Got it. We’ll get the prep work done, and then you can take me back to your place.”
“What?”
Kyle laughed. “To eat cake and pet your cat. Get your mind out of the gutter, Meg.”
“I—”
He was still laughing when he hung up.
“It’s good to finally meet you in person, Meg.”
Nancy Neel picked up her cocktail glass and took a sip of her dirty martini. The drink made Meg wish she’d ordered something more exotic, and Nancy’s manicure gave her the urge to hide her own battered hands under the table.
“I still can’t believe you’re here in Portland,” Meg said. “I didn’t think I’d get to meet my agent in person so soon.”
Hearing the phrase my agent trip off her own tongue gave Meg a tiny thrill, and she picked up her mug of herbal tea and took a sip to hide her giddy smile.
“Yes, well, it wasn’t really any trouble to reroute my trip. Besides, you’re not just any client. The Food You Love is the hottest thing since—well, I was going to say sliced bread, but that’s hardly sexy enough to describe an aphrodisiac cookbook, is it?”
Meg laughed and set her tea down. “I’m drinking chamomile tea and wearing clogs. I can assure you being sexy isn’t a regular part of my repertoire.”
“Hm, actually, I think you’ve got some good raw material to work with.” Nancy eyed her up and down, and Meg wondered if she was supposed to stand up and twirl. “You’ve got great hair and nice curves. The camera tends to add a few pounds, but you can get away with that when you’re a celebrity chef.”
“Camera?”
“Yes, I’ve had a lot of inquiries about television interviews and the like.” Nancy twirled her martini glass in one hand. “You’re adorable, Meg. Everyone’s buzzing about your cute author photo. They all want a piece of you.”
