Page 175 of The Nanny and the Hothead
“She sure drilled it into our heads,” Mitch agreed, gifting the man with an easy grin.
Nearly every facet of his life had changed since the night Charlotte made him the luckiest man on the planet and agreed to marry him. They’d spent two blissful weeks in London. During the day, Charlotte took part in the workshop while he and Oscar took in the sights. Madelyn had kindly allowed them to stay in her luxury flat in Chelsea, which happened to be a short fifteen-minute walk from the Royal College of Art. This fortunate coincidence gave Charlotte the idea to offer up the lodging provided to her by the program to another participant and shack up with him and Oscar.
Everything had fallen into place. He’dwooedthe hell out of his fiancée. And he couldn’t have imagined a more magical city to celebrate their engagement.
With the reruns of his past cooking shows streaming in the UK, he was already a celebrity there. But the Mr. Cheesy Forever proposal, seen by millions around the globe, propelled both himself and Charlotte into the spotlight, and they were treated like royalty.
Tickets to plays, dinner reservations at the hottest restaurants, boat rides on the River Thames, and enough chocolate delights to put Oscar into a sugar coma, London had welcomed them with open arms. They’d even hopped on a train and gotten in a visit with Oscar’s Aunt Amy in Paris.
And there was another perk that couldn’t be downplayed.
He’d figured out how to bring the book to a close.
Giddy with delight, Gwen had been blown away by the Mr. Cheesy Forever ending he’d crafted for the book—an ending that ushered in a new beginning.
But when it was time to return to Denver, they were ready. With new opportunities coming their way daily, sometimes hourly, the three of them were eager to return home and start the next chapter of their lives. A life that revolved around love, laughter, friendship, and plenty of grilled cheese sandwiches.
Yep, you heard that right. He had friends—real friends who cared about him.
Thanks to the efforts of these good people, he’d gotten the girl, and Mr. Cheesy Forever was an overnight success. Charities and organizations across the US and the UK were lining up to partner with them.
And speaking of good friends, after taking excellent care of the Crystal Cricket, Gabe and Monica returned to their restaurant in Langley Park, Kansas. But working at the Crystal Cricket full time was no longer in the cards for him.
With the demands of running Mr. Cheesy Forever, he needed help with the day-to-day operation of his restaurant.
And he didn’t have far to look.
He’d worked out a part-time schedule for himself and put his faith into Seth to run the place by making the man the executive chef of the Crystal Cricket.
They updated the kitchen to accommodate the man’s wheelchair. And truth be told, he’d swear the guy was faster on his wheels than he ever was on his feet. Along with promoting a sous chef to head chef position to help shoulder the workload, while the Crystal Cricket belonged to him on paper, he no longer ruled with an iron fist.
He’d gone back to the beginning and emerged with a new perspective. There are no guarantees in this life. He’d spent far too much time insulating himself from others. He’d expected people to fail him. He wore blinders, looking only for the faults in those around him. And this had kept him from experiencing the love and joy that now permeated his life.
And he sure as hell was done with that hothead.
But that didn’t mean he’d become a pussycat.
Oh no!
He was still a chef at heart. But he inspired with conviction and dedication, not by berating his staff and throwing tantrums over parmesan. He employed a work ethic that didn’t falter, a commitment to his community, and a dogged desire to be the best possible version of himself for Charlotte and Oscar.
But it wasn’t only about him anymore. And that’s why he was cutting out early this evening.
“Is Oscar staying over at Rowen and Penny’s?” Seth asked, following him back to the office.
Sweet anticipation sent a delicious zing through his body. “Yeah, Charlotte’s putting the final touches on everything for her first exhibit at the gallery. I figured I’d stop by and give her this,” he answered, holding up the box.
“I’m sure she’ll love it,” Seth answered. It was good to see the guy back in the kitchen, and it was even better to be cooking alongside him.
“Chef?” one of the newly hired waiters called, stepping into the office. “We’ve got an order for an off-menu item. She says you make her a risotto dish? Her name is—”
“It’s Madelyn Malone,” Mitch answered, a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. He owed the woman a debt of gratitude.
Seth nodded. “I know her order. I’ll be right out.”
“And the pastry chef wanted me to give you this, Chef Elliott,” the waiter continued, then handed him a Crystal Cricket to-go bag.
He thanked the kid, then focused on his best friend. “I’m glad you’re here, Seth.”
