Page 53 of Unexpected Pickle
“Yes, you agree?”
She nods again.
“Yes, you’ll stay with me wherever they take us?”
Another nod.
“Good.” I stroke her silky hair. “And when we get hot water, I’m totally taking you in the shower.”
She laughs. “Okay.”
We meet up with several of the other chefs, who are all holed up in a hotel on the outskirts of Montreal, one owned by the same company as the Hotel Menagerie. It’s fun, taking over the kitchen after the restaurant closes down, making food.
Well, they do. I know better than to turn on a single burner.
Moreau isn’t with us. He found the hotel beneath him and left for a more upscale location. Good riddance. Without him around, Jeannie is much more relaxed. She makes me eggs with truffles and after one bite, I’m wishing I hadn’t passed up the one I could have cooked with on the first day.
When it’s time to fly home, I buy her a ticket in first class with me. She seems nervous about outing who we are back home, so I have her join a call with Max when we land in LAX.
“You made it out alive!” Max shouts into the speakerphone. “Is Jeannie with you?”
She leans in. “I’m right here.”
“Did Hex make a mess of everything?”
“He set my lunch on fire.” She grins at me.
“Oh, shit!”
We walk to a quieter spot at an unused terminal.
“So we have some news.” I hold Jeannie’s gaze, waiting for her approval.
She nods.
“Jeannie and I are giving this couple thing a try,” I say. “I’m probably not good enough for her.” I pause to laugh when she slugs my arm. “But so far, so good.”
Max clears his throat. “I see. Well, you’re definitely not good enough for her, but thanks for the heads-up. Jeannie, are you going to allow him in your kitchen?”
“Hell, no,” she says so quickly that Max and I both burst out laughing.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” I tell him. “And thanks, Max. I owe you.”
I end the call.
“Thanks for what?” Jeannie asks.
“He’s the one who got me into the retreat.” We head toward baggage claim, my hand pressed low on Jeannie’s back.
“So he was your wingman for this whole thing?”
“Pretty much.”
“Huh.” We pause to let a family pass by. “Do you think he’ll let me take off to go to Vegas for your next big fight?”
She wants to come? My heart soars. “You could always quit.”
“Quit the deli?”
