Exquisite

by Ella Frank

  Seated at the back of the bustling kitchen, Lena was absolutely amazed at the frenzied madness that was going on all around her. The same three men whom she’d seen on her first disastrous date stood at the back of the kitchen in front of several huge ovens screaming out orders to everyone. They were flipping scallops in fry pans, baking chicken in another, and searing duck on the back burner. At the stainless steel prep table was a lady madly plating salads and vegetables and then off to the very far left-hand side, Lena saw Rachel bent over a pastry adding powdered sugar to the top. All in all, it was organized chaos. Her mother was watching fascinated as Mason stood at the head of the ship, by the pass, checking over each plate and adding garnishes to every dish. He would smile at the waiter or waitress coming to collect, then hand them the plate. Then he’d move to the next, and each one of his staff smiled at him as though he was the best boss in the world, and as far as Lena could tell, he was.

  Mason could feel her eyes on him as he worked. He hadn’t brought Lena back to the restaurant since the night they had played their little game of Twenty Questions. It seemed as though every time they were there, somehow, some way, something would go wrong. However, he figured having her mother there as a buffer would help him out and he had to admit he really liked Alannah. She was sweet and genuine and he couldn’t help but wonder how she managed to be so warm and accepting after such a tremendous loss. It was obvious to him that any guilt or self-loathing Lena harbored was her own doing, because it was clear to him that her mother just wanted her to be happy and it shocked him even further to realize that she seemed grateful to him for making her that way. Stopping for a moment, he glanced over his shoulder and caught Lena’s eye. He tilted his head toward her, motioning for her to come to him. She smiled at her mom squeezing her hand and Alannah smiled and then nodded toward her daughter as he watched the capable doctor stand gracefully and make her way over to him.

  “Having fun?” he asked when she stopped by him.

  “Yes, actually. I love watching chaos unfold.”

  Laughing, he nodded once. “Yeah, I guess to most onlookers it does seem slightly chaotic, but I assure you, every single person here has a purpose and a job.”

  He noticed she was watching him closely as he garnished and wiped a plate and then set it upon the pass.

  “Oh, I believe you. It reminds me of my internship in the ER. Hectic.”

  “When you’re here with me I almost forget how brilliant you really are.”

  She tilted her head to the side and looked at him with a small smile. “Brilliant, huh?”

  Grinning, he showed her his teeth and went back to the plate in front of him. “Well, that may be slightly overstating the matter.”

  “Well, too bad, you already said it.” He caught her poking her tongue out at him and raised a brow.

  “Watch, it Lena. That tongue has much better uses than being sassy.”

  “I hear lots of threats, but see little follow through,” she chimed back. He stopped what he was doing and moved to stand behind her. She stilled as he leaned down and whispered into her ear, “Your mother is sitting over there watching us very closely, so behave yourself, young lady, and stop torturing me.”

  One of his chefs brought forward a plate and it landed in front of her. She took in a deep breath as Mason continued, “As much as I’d love to take you into my back office and show you what we could do with that tongue, how about we stick to garnishing some plates so I remain one of your mother’s favorite people.”

  Laughing, she looked over her shoulder at him. Their noses were close and she had to raise her eyes a little to meet his. “You think you’re a favorite of hers, huh?”

  “I sure do.”

  “Oh? And why’s that?”

  Leaning in, he kissed her nose quickly. “Because I’m your favorite and I make you happy.”

  Her eyes twinkled at his and she smirked. “You’re cocky, Langley.”

  “Hmm, I’m right. Now turn around so we can garnish this plate before I forget everything and just say fuck it and take you right here.”

  He watched her tongue come out as she licked her lips and he groaned softly, thinking she’d eventually be the death of him.

  The following Monday, Lena had been invited to go to Catherine’s for the usual Monday night family dinner. She’d thought about it a million times and then decided, why not. It wasn’t as though she didn’t know everybody going—well, except for Wendy, Mason’s manager, but the rest of the family she’d already been introduced to.

  So that was where she currently found herself, standing on a little porch that wrapped around the most charming cottage she’d ever seen. Lena had known Catherine’s place would have lovely flowers due to the nature of her work, but her home was so cheerful and warm as she walked up the path to the front door, she couldn’t help but smile. The house was yellow, and although it should’ve looked wrong, it didn’t. It was pastel and faded but nonetheless yellow. It was exactly as she would picture a cottage. It peaked into a triangular-style roof and the porch was framed by a wraparound white banister. The two huge rectangular windows were framed in white trim and the pebbled path leading up to the front steps was lined in tulips that were so bright you couldn’t help but want to stop, bend down, and touch them. On the front porch was a swing that was secured to the ceiling and it looked well used. There were plants, flowers, and trees everywhere. It reminded Lena of an enchanted forest and she was absolutely mesmerized. As she came to a stop on the front porch, the front door swung open and Catherine stood just inside the screen door. Smiling at the lady she’d grown to love over the years, she watched as Catherine unlatched the door and then pushed it open, coming to stand out in front of her.

  “Lena! I’m so glad you could make it.”

  Automatically, Lena felt a smile slide onto her mouth and she reached out to take Catherine’s hands. “Thank you for inviting me.”

  “Don’t be silly! I’ve wanted to invite you for years. I just knew your answer would’ve been a no. I’m just so glad that somehow you were led to my Mason and we get to have you here now.” She paused and tilted her head up to look at Lena thoughtfully. “Maybe someone was guiding you to him, like it was meant to be.”

  Sucking in a deep breath, Lena thought of Carly, then Mason’s father, and then dismissed the notion, reminding herself that was ridiculous and she was a logical, rational person who did not believe in things like that. However, with Catherine smiling up at her with such hope in her eyes Lena mumbled, “Perhaps.”

  “Well, don’t just stand out there, come in. Come in. The clan’s out in the back of the house in the living room and Mason’s in his favorite place.”

  Lena smiled, handing her the coat. “The kitchen?”

  “You got it. It’s just down that hall there. You should go and let him know you’re here.”

  Nodding once, Lena turned and slowly made her way down the narrow hall. On the walls were photos of a young Mason and Rachel through different stages of their lives. There were school pictures and holiday pictures by the Christmas tree, as well as graduation photos with their parents standing by their sides. Then Lena noticed one of a small boy with dark hair, a little too long, flopping down in front of his face as he held up a fish in one hand and had a pole in the other with a smile as bright as the sun. Behind him was a man who had the exact same smile and his hand resting on the boy’s shoulder as though he was the proudest father in the world.

  “That was my first fish.”

  Lena spun around to see Mason standing in the doorway leaning a shoulder up against the frame. He took her breath away. That same black hair was pushed back, as though he’d run his long fingers through it. He had a light blue, long-sleeved, buttoned-down shirt that was hidden under a bright red apron that read “Warning: Complaints to the cook may be hazardous to your mouth.”

  After reading that warning, she looked up to see him grinning at her. “You looked very proud of yourself,” she told him with a smile.
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br />   Pushing off the frame, he moved closer and she noticed under the apron he had on a pair of jeans and she hated the fact that she couldn’t wait for him to turn around and walk away just so she could see his ass. He stopped when he reached her. He cupped her face in his hands and then bent down to place a gentle kiss on her mouth. Then smiling and looking over her shoulder at the picture, he nodded. “I was very proud of myself. He was, too.”

  Lena turned back to the picture. “He was very handsome. You look just like him.”

  She felt him squeeze her shoulders and then say softly in her ear, “Are you trying to tell me I’m handsome, Lena?”

  Looking back up at him, their mouths were close, and she smirked. “We were discussing catching fish, Langley, not fishing for compliments.”

  “I think you find me handsome, Lena O’Donnell.”

  “I think you need to go and finish making dinner,” she replied, trying to keep her eyes on his but finding them slipping to watch his mouth.

  “Hmm, admit it. You think I’m sexy.”

  Laughing a little, she turned fully so she was now looking up into those laughing blue eyes. She reached out and gripped the sides of his apron pulling him down so she could whisper against his mouth. “I think you’re real pretty, Langley.”

  He frowned down at her. “Pretty? That’s a girly way to describe me. I’m not pretty.”

  Biting her bottom lip, she smirked at him. “You’re right, but now you’re pouting, which just makes you look cute and petulant.”

  Taking a step away from her, he crossed his arms over his chest and Lena thought she would melt on the spot with the look he gave her. “Cute? Pretty? Lena, are you trying to emasculate me?”

  “No, it’s just with the apron and—” She didn’t even get the rest out before he was pushing her back up against the wall.

  “And what? You don’t think a man can wear an apron and still be a man?”

  She raised her hands, fingered the WARNING sign across his chest, and then raised hot eyes to his. “No, I don’t think that. I just think this apron should read WARNING, smoking hot chef. May be detrimental to women’s panties.”

  His eyes turned smoldering quickly as he leaned down and whispered against her mouth. “Oh, yeah? And how are your panties, Lena?”

  She was about to tell him they were perilously close to melting, when she heard a cough from behind them. Mason straightened and Lena looked over his shoulder at his sister who was staring at them with a huge grin on her face and her own bright pink apron that read “Cutie Pie” on it.

  “If you’re done macking on the pantsuit, your timer is going off.”

  Shaking his head, he watched her flounce back into the kitchen. Turning back to Lena, he smiled down at her and she asked softly, “Saved by the bell?”

  Kissing her quickly, he nodded and then moved back, reaching out to take her hand. He tugged her with him into the kitchen and she heard him say softly, “For the moment.”

  Dinner was amazing. Mason had cooked lasagna and it was so appetizing, it almost melted the second it hit Lena’s tongue. The bread had been made from scratch and the wine was so delicious Lena felt as though she were sitting at one of the best Italian restaurants in the city. They were all seated around a huge dining room table. Catherine sat at the head and to her left was Wendy, a petite blonde lady who had a quick smile and a sharp wit and almost reminded Lena a little of herself. This was the woman responsible for running Exquisite. Her husband was next to her. He was an average sized man with brown hair and laughing green eyes. They seemed to fit into the group like family and in a way Lena supposed they were. At the other end of the table sat Mason and she tried really hard not to keep looking at him, but it was difficult because every time he laughed or smiled she found her eyes drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

  He was just so amazing to look at. Just so relaxed and free with his smiles it was hard to imagine a time when she hadn’t been anything but absolutely charmed by him. Every now and then his eyes would find hers, she’d be caught staring, and his grin would kick up an extra inch. Right next to her sat Rachel, who Lena had decided was slightly ADD but extremely amusing. The woman had pink-tipped hair tonight, up in a high ponytail, and her right ear was lined with earrings. Like her brother, she smiled and laughed easily, but unlike her brother, she seemed less focused on the serious side of life. She seemed more willing to be free of any kind of responsibility and just be in the background of the restaurant that they both ran together. After what Mason had gone through lately, partly because of her, Lena couldn’t say she blamed her for wanting to stay in the background and out of the public’s view. Next to Rachel sat Charlie—Rachel’s boyfriend, she’d been informed. He was a man of very few words but had unique facial expressions. In fact, several times she’d caught Mason almost laughing at the look on Charlie’s face, and she had to admit she was close behind him. It was almost as though his face was made from rubber and his eyebrows could fly right off his head. Lena started to suspect some of the things Mason would say were to get him to pull a certain face and that made it even harder for Lena not to laugh.

  “So, Lena?” Catherine asked from the head of the table. Lena turned her gaze toward the direction her name had been called and smiled. “I heard you went down to the restaurant the other night with your mother. I would’ve loved to meet her. Maybe we could have a family dinner sometime with your parents.”

  “Mother, stop meddling.” Lena heard Mason say softly.

  “Oh, I’m not meddling, love. I just think it’d be nice to meet them since I’ve known their daughter for so long.”

  “And now that she’s boinking your son,” Rachel added.

  “Rachel!” Catherine admonished and Lena could feel her face turning ten shades of red. Mason started to laugh and Lena whipped her head around to glare at him, and that seemed only to make him laugh harder. Then she was mortified to hear Catherine cough a little and say, “Well, yes, and there is that now, too.”

  “Oh, my God,” Lena groaned, putting her hands over her face. “This isn’t happening.”

  “I assure you it is,” she heard Mason whisper right beside her ear. She peeked at him from behind her hand.

  “I’m going to kill your sister.”

  He grinned and tapped her nose. “Oh, I don’t know. You look good this shade of red.”

  “Mason, stop harassing the girl. Lena, it’s fine. Rachel likes to embarrass us all.”

  “Yeah, and she embarrasses herself the most with those hair choices,” Mason added with a huge smile in his sister’s direction.

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

  “Honestly,” Wendy spoke up looking toward Lena, “She does this to us all. She announced to everyone in the kitchen one night that I was suffering a bad back due to the hot sex I’d had the night before, which I’d mentioned in confidence.”

  “Well, in my defense,” Rachel spoke up, “I figured it was only fair to warn the staff that although you were bitchy and too proud to ask for help, you needed it.”

  Lena couldn’t help it then. She turned to face Mason and burst out laughing. “Your family is crazy.”

  He nodded and took her hand, squeezing it tightly. “Yep, and I wouldn’t have them any other way. Welcome to the circus.”

  Half an hour later, Lena walked into the kitchen and found Catherine by the sink. She came up beside her, took a towel from the oven, and started to dry the dishes.

  “This is my part of the night. The kids cook and I clean,” Catherine told her, smiling widely.

  “You’re lucky. If I remember right, my mom used to cook and clean.” Lena paused and then looked out the window to the back porch where the rest of the group had retired and was now sitting, laughing, and smiling. She watched as Mason leaned over and punched his sister lightly on the arm and for a moment, she truly envied him. His ease with his family, the fact that he could joke around with his sister and then this woman, his mother, who stood beside her watching her kids with a wa
rm smile.

  “You really care about him, don’t you?” Catherine asked her softly.

  Lena turned to face Catherine and nodded slowly. “More than I ever expected, if I’m being honest.”

  “Well, he is easy to love.” She looked at Lena and grinned. “But I may be biased.”

  Laughing softly, Lena picked up a plate and ran a towel over it. “You may be biased, but you’re right. He’s a good man. I don’t know how we ended up here. He just wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  “Ahh, yes. Stubborn and persistent, just like his father.”

  Lena put the plate aside and then asked softly. “Have you told them about your heart?”

  Not taking her eyes from the window, she watched as Catherine shook her head slowly and responded in a soft voice. “No. They don’t need to know that. They’ll just worry unnecessarily.”

  Lena took a deep breath and pushed a little further. “Don’t you think they’d want to know? So they could help you in some way. Prepare for . . .” Catherine looked at her with questioning eyes as she cut her off.

  “Prepare for what? Me to die? We don’t know it’ll happen for certain and we sure don’t know when.”

  “But,” Lena tried.

  “There are no buts here, Lena. I watched them lose their father that way and knowing was agony. I don’t want to do that to them.” She smiled fondly out the window. “Plus, I could be here in five years watching Mason with your baby telling you, I told you they didn’t need to know.”

  Lena picked up another plate feeling that Catherine no longer wished to discuss the issue and looked out the window. She felt her eyes tear up at even the thought of something happening to this wonderful lady. Lena was truly amazed, however, to find that out of that whole statement, the most monumentally disturbing part wasn’t the thought of having Mason’s child, but the thought of Catherine not being there to see them.

  Mason watched his mother and Lena come out of the kitchen. He thought his mother looked a little tense and wondered why. Looking at Lena, he didn’t sense she was upset; she just seemed quieter than she’d been earlier. He would have to remember to ask her about it later. She came over and sat down beside him on one of the outdoor loveseats. Reaching over, he took her hand, smiling at her when she turned to him.