The Hotshot Chef: A Billionaire Holiday Romance (International Bad Boys Set Book 3)

by JA Low

  “Hey, we are going to be announcing the line-up soon,” Lettie lets me know. “You’ve got this,” she tells me before disappearing into the sea of people again.

  “Almost there.” Sebastien stands behind me as we face the stage while Lettie and the other executives start introducing the Fall line-up.

  “Next, we would like to welcome to the Fall line-up, the revamped Farmhouse Reno team, and their new show, Texas Farmhouse,” the MC announces through the speaker.

  Here is the moment.

  The moment I’ve been dreading all night.

  I feel Sebastien behind me, his hand reaches down and laces his fingers with mine, silently giving me the strength to get through this traumatic time. The crowd cheers wildly as Chad and Zara walk up and onto the stage. She looks gorgeous dressed in a white evening dress showing off her insane body, her silky, brunette hair pulled up into a high ponytail, her skin is a perfect sun-kissed tan color. Then there’s Chad showing off his megawatt smile to the crowd. He’s dressed in a navy suit, a tighter cut than he’d normally go for, and he’s lost his trademark cowboy boots. He’s shaved and looks more city banker than a ranching Reno king.

  “Thank you all so very much. Zara and I are looking forward to showing you the best that Texas has to offer.”

  The announcer explains how their show will be about planning a wedding while running a farm and a busy renovation business. Sebastien’s hand tightens in mine as we listen to them go on and on about how excited the network is for the launch of this new show. Thank goodness Sebastien is here beside me giving me strength because there’s no way in hell I would have been able to listen to this shit by myself.

  Half an hour later, and it’s our turn.

  “We are incredibly excited about this collaboration between the networks two favorite stars, Sebastien Sanchez and Quinn Miller, in the new series Under the Spanish Sun,” Lettie introduces.

  The crowd goes wild as Sebastien takes my hand again, and we navigate our way onto the stage. He helps me up the stage stairs to join Lettie.

  “We are so excited to follow you both on your Mediterranean adventure where we will watch you renovate ancient villas and travel Spain sampling local produce, all under the Spanish sunshine.”

  Wow! Lettie makes the show sound amazing.

  “We are excited for a great mixture of travel, food, and design in your series.”

  The crowd goes crazy.

  Lettie pushes Sebastien and me to the front to say a few words.

  I look out into the sea of unfamiliar faces, my legs begin to shake, my throat is now parched. Then I feel Sebastien’s hand squeeze mine again, and somehow, he’s anchoring me.

  We step up to the microphone together, neither one of us letting go of the other.

  Sebastien starts, “I am looking forward to sharing my home with you all, but especially with Quinn.” He looks down at me with those molten brown eyes, giving me a wide smile.

  “This show is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me to get out of my comfort zone. I’m looking forward to experiencing new things, especially under the gorgeous Spanish sun, and who knows what might happen.” Looking up at Sebastien, the crowd goes crazy again. That’s when I catch Chad standing in the corner glaring, his arms crossed over his chest. His blue eyes look hard and are focused directly on me.

  “Oh my God… they are salivating over the two of you,” Lettie squeals. “The way you both flirted with the whole will-they-won’t-they scenario. I know the executives were lapping it up. You have them practically eating out of your hands. Keep up that sexual tension, and you will have rating gold.”

  “No. That wasn’t what we were doing,” I tell her.

  Lettie just shakes her head as if she doesn’t believe me. “Well, whatever it is, keep it up. The execs want more of that flirtation between you.”

  “Lettie. We were not flirting,” Sebastien tries to explain.

  She gives him an exaggerated wink as if she’s in on our little secret.

  Then, she’s gone again.

  “Well, that didn’t work out the way we thought, did it?” I spin around to Sebastien.

  “We did what we had to do to get through it.” He takes a sip of his fresh glass of champagne. This is true. We fed off each other up there.

  “We may have given them too much. You saw the way they were salivating over us.” Concern crawls over my skin. “I don’t want to give them the wrong idea.”

  “We created a buzz around our show. That’s our job. As long as you and I understand where we stand, then it doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks now, does it?” Sebastien questions.

  That sounds incredibly logical. Maybe he’s right.

  “Unless you don’t want a certain someone to think that you and I are something?” Sebastien raises a brow at me.

  “What, no.” My voice rises as I answer a little too quickly.

  Sebastien doesn’t look convinced.

  “No, I could care less about him.” Sebastien’s eyes narrow on me. “I mean it,” I continue, trying to convince him. “It was weird seeing him up there with her, though. Not going to lie about that. It hurts, but I’ll be all right.” Giving him my biggest smile, I touch his arm.

  “Who are you trying to convince, blondie? Me or yourself?” Sebastien gives me a look as if he’s daring me to disagree.

  “I want my own life. But I also don’t want my success to be because of a man,” I confess.

  “I get that.” Sebastien grins. “You were part of a power couple, and now people are pushing you into another one.”

  “Are you saying we could be a power couple?” His notion makes me chuckle.

  “They lapped up that little performance up on stage earlier. We could be the power couple of the network.” He grins. “If we want to be.”

  “Lucky we don’t want to be, hey.” My eyes narrow on him, but he just grins. “I need the restroom.” I’m over this conversation, we aren’t getting anywhere.

  Sebastien follows me. “I’ll be just out here,” he tells me like some kind of sexy bodyguard.

  Stop thinking like that.

  I do my business, check myself in the mirror, and that’s when I realize I don’t recognize the image staring back at me. That woman looks like she has her shit together. Shaking that crazy thought out of my mind, I leave the restroom area and step back out into the crowded ballroom.

  “Like the hair.”

  That voice.

  My stomach sinks upon hearing it.

  Slowly, I turn around and see a smirking Chad. I thought being this close to him would be hard, that the love I once had for him would overwhelm me.

  The last emotion I thought I would feel was nothing.

  Not a thing!

  I’m staring at someone I shared a large chunk of my adult life with, and it feels like I’m looking at a stranger.

  “Thanks. Needed a change,” I add.

  “It suits you.” The bastard has the gall to compliment me which I ignore. “And that dress.” He gives a low whistle as he takes me in.

  Ew. I screw up my nose.

  “Not something I ever thought I’d see you in. It’s…” His blue eyes run over my body hungrily, but all it does is make my stomach turn.

  “It’s what?” I wait for him to tell me how overdressed I look or that I’m trying too hard, some of the many comments he used to give me while we were together.

  “Sexy.” His eyes meet mine.

  No.

  Absolutely not!

  He doesn’t get to look at me like that and especially not after he destroyed my life.

  “Which isn’t really you, is it?”

  Ah, and there it is. The comment that in the past used to cripple my confidence, but I’m not his, and his words do not get to hurt me anymore.

  “Or maybe you never really knew me.” Standing straighter, he bursts out laughing while I’m seconds away from punching him.

  “Or maybe you’re just trying too hard to be something you are not
. It’s obvious you need a man to keep you in line, but no man would ever let his woman step out dressed like that.” His words are like salt poured into an already open wound.

  He’s stunned me silent.

  My throat closes over as I try and not give him the satisfaction of knowing he’s just broken me.

  9

  Sebastien

  I watched Quinn walk out of the bathroom looking happy and confident. I wasn’t expecting her to look so good tonight. I mean, she’s a beautiful girl, but tonight, wow! And that haircut, who knew losing a million inches of hair would change a person from wholesome to a downright goddess.

  She had done so well tonight, played to the audience, ignored the mention of her ex, but I could see how exhausted she was from putting on that mask like I told her too. I knew Chad would need to have a moment with her. He seems like the kind of guy who’s used to being the center of attention and being the top guy in any situation. But to me, he seems like your typical jock douche.

  I’ve watched a couple of their shows for research purposes, and I’m surprised that people like him. In the few shows I did watch, it appeared to me like he was always putting Quinn down. Snarky comments from the sidelines, overbearing decision-making, and Quinn took it all in her stride.

  He was a dark cloud hiding Quinn’s sunshine because he could see she was the real star of the show.

  The moment he whispered in Quinn’s ear, I wanted to intervene, but like she said earlier, she was sick of being associated with a man. Now, I understand why. Chad Bailey’s an overbearing douchebag.

  Honestly, he has done Quinn the world’s biggest favor letting her go because, in the end, his true personality is going to shine through, you can only hide that shit for so long.

  I move closer to where they’re speaking, in case she needs me, keeping to the dark edges of the ballroom like a creeper. The longer he speaks to Quinn, the more I’m seconds away from punching him in the face.

  Where the hell does this guy get off speaking to her like that?

  I notice her shoulders begin to deflate each minute she spends with him.

  Then I hear his words to her.

  “Or maybe you’re just trying too hard to be something you are not. It’s obvious you need a man to keep you in line, but no man would ever let his woman step out dressed like that.”

  That fucker! My legs are moving before my brain can catch up with what they’re doing. Chad sees me barreling toward them, and he doesn’t look happy.

  “There you are.” Reaching out for Quinn, I pull her hard against my chest as I look down into her doe-like eyes. “I’ve been looking for you.”

  “You have?” Quinn asks unsteadily.

  “Yeah, I needed to give you something.” Cupping her cheek with my hand, I give her one of my trademark smiles.

  “You do?” Her long lashes blink slowly as she stares up at me.

  “Yeah, this.” Pulling her lips to mine, I give her a slow kiss, putting on a show for Chad. His anger is radiating behind us, so much so I can feel it from here. But then Quinn kisses me back, and I forget all about Chad and the reason why I’m kissing her. Feeling the first swipe of her tongue against my own, she tastes like champagne and sunshine, and I want to drown in them both. Her hand grips the front of my shirt as the kiss intensifies.

  Then the next thing I know, she’s putting distance between us.

  What, no.

  I need more.

  I need…

  No, Sebastien, you don’t need anything from your co-star.

  A small smile falls across her swollen lips. “Thanks for that,” she whispers, then taps my chest with her palm.

  Spinning around to face Chad, he looks like he’s seconds away from launching himself at me.

  “I guess I have found a man who does appreciate the way I dress.”

  Chad’s eyes narrow on Quinn. “Once the novelty has worn off, you will be just like all the other women before you. A notch on his well-worn belt.”

  I take a step toward him, but Quinn holds me back.

  “And maybe, I just don’t care.” She shrugs. “You don’t have a say in my life anymore, Chad.” She says his name with emphasis. “What or who I do is none of your business.” She crosses her arms in front of herself as she stands up to the asshole.

  “Good luck with your new show… you’re going to need it. Because you’re soon going to realize you’re nothing without me,” he spits at us both.

  “Maybe you’re going to realize I don’t give a shit,” Quinn fires back.

  And with that last barb, Chad turns on his heels and angrily stalks back into the crowd.

  “Oh… my… God… I can’t believe I just did that.” Quinn jumps into my arms and squeals.

  “I’m so proud of you, blondie.” Twirling her around a couple of times, I place her back to the floor.

  “Thank you. I couldn’t have stood up to him if it weren’t for you.”

  Shaking my head, I announce, “That was all you.”

  “Sorry for taking the kiss further than you would have wanted. I just…”

  Now, it’s me who’s shaking my head as I reach out and run a thumb down her cheek. “You never have to apologize for kissing me. I didn’t know how else to shut that fucker up.”

  She giggles at my words. “Well, it certainly did.” She grins, now giddy with confidence.

  “Did he always talk to you like that?”

  Quinn’s face falls at my question. “I thought it was because he was conservative, a traditional Southern boy, but now…” she looks up at me, “… I realize he was just a controlling ass.”

  I let my thumb caress her cheek again. “You know you didn’t deserve that. You can dress however you want, and it’s no one’s choice but your own,” I try and reassure her.

  She nods slowly. “I’m understanding that more and more. Thank you.”

  “I didn’t do a thing… this was all you.” Losing myself in her doe eyes like I seem to be frequently doing, she pushes up on her tiptoes and places a kiss on my cheek.

  “You’re a good man, Sebastien.”

  “You wouldn’t be saying that if you could see the thoughts swirling around in my mind right now.”

  Quinn’s eyes widen. Shit! I shouldn’t have said that out loud. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “Like what?” she asks as her teeth sink into her bottom lip.

  “Quinn,” I warn.

  “Tell me,” she pushes.

  “All I can think about is—”

  “Am I interrupting something?” Lettie asks.

  Both of us quickly break away from each other.

  Her dark brown eyes look between the two of us.

  “Sebastien just saved me from a horrid encounter with Chad,” Quinn explains.

  “Wait! What? Chad came over to you?” Lettie asks with concern lacing her tone.

  “He’s a dick,” I add. “He said some shit to Quinn. I was going to step in, but she had it.”

  “We both had it,” she adds.

  “Wow! He’s got some balls,” Lettie muses. “So, you ready to get out of here. My feet are killing me. I’m sick of smiling. I want to go home and get into my pajamas.”

  “Sounds good,” Quinn agrees. “You going to be okay?”

  “Fine,” I tell her through gritted teeth because I’m anything but fine.

  “Don’t worry about him,” Lettie jokes. “I doubt he’s going to be going home alone tonight.” Lettie gives me an overexaggerated wink.

  Quinn looks away, and I want to tell her that in all honesty, the only woman I want to take home tonight is her.

  “Okay, have fun.” Lettie gives me a wave as she grabs Quinn’s hand and pulls her from the party.

  Quinn gives me a look over her shoulder before they disappear into the crowd.

  10

  Quinn

  “I didn’t interrupt anything between you and Sebastien tonight, did I?” Lettie asks as we get ready for bed.

  “No. He was g
iving me a pep talk,” I reply while grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

  “It looked a little more intense than that,” she pushes.

  “Do you think Chad was emotionally controlling?”

  Lettie is caught off guard by my question. I can see in her eyes that she’s confused.

  “It was something he said that kind of triggered me. I’m starting to realize maybe what Chad and I had wasn’t actually a healthy relationship.”

  I can read her face. She agrees with me.

  “It’s easy to see from the outside, not so easy when you’re on the inside.” Lettie gives me a sad smile.

  “Tonight sucked seeing him but especially seeing him with her. However, what I’ve come to terms with tonight is that I’m glad it’s not me anymore.”

  Lettie pulls me into her arms as relief floods me. “I’m so proud of you.” Lettie tightens her arms around me.

  “I’m excited about my future,” I mumble into her shoulder.

  “Does that include an intense, hot Spanish chef?” Pulling myself out of Lettie’s arms, she bursts out laughing.

  “Stop it, will you? Nothing is going on.”

  Lettie holds up her hands in surrender. “Wouldn’t care if there was.” She grins. “Goodnight.” She sashays out of the kitchen, laughing.

  I jump into bed and pick up my cell to run through my socials, but I notice a message on my phone.

  Sebastien: Hope you made it home safely.

  Oh, that’s sweet of him to inquire.

  Quinn: Sure did. Just in bed now.

  Whoops, that sounded flirtier then I meant it to.

  Sebastien: What are you wearing?

  I stare at the blinking cursor on the screen.

  Quinn: Nothing sexy that’s for sure. Just a T-shirt.

  Sebastien: Show me.

  What?

  Quinn: No. What are you wearing?

  Sebastien: Nothing.

  Is it getting a little hot in here?

  Quinn: Of course, you are. Did you pick up?

  He’s naked all right, but not for me for some random girl.

  Sebastien: Home alone. Unable to stop thinking about a certain blonde.