“I know that gesture anywhere, he’s telling the story of his ancestor who founded all this, isn’t he?” Barbra asked, approaching the table with a plate of sweets in each hand.
“Mother have you eaten anything yet?” Remy asked.
“Yes dear, I ate with Auntie Fran and Uncle George. But I thought I might join you all for dessert.” She said taking a seat next to her husband.
They spent the next hour, talking about nothing of great importance, just enjoying each other’s company. As night fell, Remy and his father left to go fill in the barbeque pit, leaving Kendra alone with Remy’s mother once again.
“Thank you for inviting me. I had a wonderful time, it’s nice to spend time with family. I miss mine a lot.” Kendra said.
“I honestly didn’t know what to expect when Remy said he was bringing you today. He’s been different since he got back, and I can see his taste in women has improved dramatically.” Barbra said, giving Kendra a broad smile.
“Thank you.”
“Will you be able to go back and see your family soon?” Barbra asked.
“Well, I work a lot but my mother and brother might be able to make a visit this winter. My brother is still in college, since he’s had to work to help pay for it, but he’s got a break for the holidays, so they are going to try to come then.” Kendra explained.
“We would love to have them stay with us when they are here. This huge house has so many rooms and they are always empty. The cost of running the place used to make sense when we had guests all the time but more and more it’s just Remy’s father and myself rattling around the place. It would be nice to put all that space to good use.” Barbra said, looking a little sad.
“Oh, that so generous, I’m sure they would love it.” Kendra said, meaning the words.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, each lost in her own thoughts. Then Barbra asked Kendra if she had other dreams besides being a chef. Although it was a question, Kendra sensed that Barbra wasn’t really looking for an answer.
“When I was young like you, my life was full, between my family and my career I was fulfilled. But now I find myself with too much time on my hands. There’s little housework to be done, as big as this place is we still have to pay staff to care for it. I love my job but I know my limits, my hands are tied in so many ways at the agency.” She said.
Kendra could sense that Barbra was speaking of dreams and plans and just made encouraging noises to keep her talking.
“There is so much space in that old house that we just can’t use. It’s expensive to heat all those rooms not to mention keeping them clean. Normally, we only keep one wing open, the rest just sits there closed up. The days when a single family can afford to keep a house this size are quickly fading, besides people want more modern conveniences than a house like this can provide.” Barbra explained.
“I would be happy to help you any way I can. What about turning it into a bed and breakfast?” Kendra said.
“Martin is still hoping we can find a way to hold on, but I know the time is coming that something will have to be done.” She said with a sigh. “I’m working on a way to use the property to help some of those kids I see each day, you know, the ones that just need a little help to succeed.”
“I know only too well, how much difference a little help can make.” Kendra said, putting her hand over Barbra’s. “If I hadn’t won that cooking contest when I was a kid, there would never had been enough money for me to go to culinary school.”
“Oh, I didn’t know about that, but you understand don’t you. Well, it’s just a dream of mine. The house is such a part of the family that it’s just not possible now, but I don’t know how we’re going to continue to pay for the upkeep, it’s getting really expensive.” She said, looking toward the house, which was ablaze with lights.
“I can imagine.” Kendra said, thinking about what must go into maintaining a house this size. All the breath left her lungs when she realized that if she married Remy this would eventually be her problem as well. She promised herself that she would learn as much as she could from Remy’s mother so that when the time came she could show this house the respect it deserved.
As these thoughts were circling in her head she heard the first boom, signaling the beginning of the fireworks that had become the traditional end of the families’ week long celebration. As the first colors burst into the sky, casting colorful light across the lawn and grounds, Kendra wondered where Remy was.
Just then he materialized out of the dark, approached her chair and took her by the hand. “If we hurry I know the best spot to watch the show. The first one is just a warning, we have a few minutes.”
They ran through the woods, Kendra following blindly, up a slope and onto an outcropping of rocks. From their perch they could not only see the fireworks but the lights of Paris off in the distance. Remy spread a blanket out on the rock and Kendra snuggled into Remy’s arms, Kendra felt more content than she had in a long time.
They watched the fireworks in silence, just enjoying being with one another. It had been a good day for both of them. Kendra was happy, she loved his family and many of her reservations about their relationship had started to fade. Remy was happy because he realized that he was in love with Kendra.
It had happened quickly, but he knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He thought that she might feel the same way but wasn’t sure. He was more than willing to give her more time to adjust to all that their being together meant. At some point in the future his life would change when he became head of the family and Kendra would have a major role in that life.
When the fireworks were over, they both agreed that they should go back to the house but neither wanted to move. Remy had brought a thick blanket for them to sit on and the rock was still warm from the day’s heat. Laying back, Remy pulled Kendra with him, then propped himself up on one elbow.
Stroking his finger gently over her lips, he leaned down and whispered in her ear. “Have you ever made love in the woods?”
Slightly breathless with the thought of being naked out in the open with Remy, she said, “I’m afraid I’ve never been much for sex in the woods, there aren’t many woods in the city.”
“Well, it’s never too late to learn to appreciate a new experience.” He said, reaching down and running his hand up her thigh to the waist band of her panties and giving them a gentle tug.
Kendra started to protest but as his finger found her most sensitive spot, all thought left her head, as Remy created fireworks of his own.
Chapter 6
The next day at work, Kendra couldn’t concentrate, last night making love in the wilderness of Remy’s land, had changed everything for Kendra. Remy had been incredible, he seemed only to care about her pleasure. She blushed just thinking about the things he had done to her, the things she had let him do, even now she wanted him to do them again.
She had been falling in love with him, but last night had pushed her over the edge. Meeting his family, had finally allowed her to put aside her fears about their differences and embrace what was good about them together. At some point during their lovemaking, Kendra had felt their connection deepen, felt their souls connect.
All she could think about was getting off work and seeing Remy. They would have a late dinner on the balcony, then make love until the early morning hours. She felt like she was floating on a cloud of love and desire. Nothing mattered but Remy.
Remy too, only wanted to spend time with Kendra. She was his first thought in the morning and the last thought at night. Every minute he spent away from her was pure agony. They were completely wrapped up in one another, oblivious to the world around them.
The world allowed them to spin in their world of desire uninterrupted for weeks on end, but finally they couldn’t ignore it any longer. Remy’s dad had been pushing him to spend more time learning the business, he wanted to send him to one of their branch offices down the coast. Remy was reluctant to leave Ken
dra and convinced her to take time off of work to join him.
She readily agreed, she hadn’t seen much of the county and thought she deserved a vacation. She didn’t have any paid vacation but Remy paid her bills, so she could go. They spent a wonderful week on the coast, eating wonderful food, drinking some of best wine she had ever had, and making love in the deluxe suite they had rented for the week.
When they returned from their trip, Kendra found that she had lost the passion for cooking she used to feel. She started showing up late, leaving early, or just not coming in at all. She only wanted to spend time with Remy. As summer turned to fall, his father sent him on numerous business trips and Kendra just couldn’t stand to be left at home.
She trusted Remy but she still didn’t want to be left behind. The truth was the only time she felt complete was when she was with him. He made her feel alive in a way that no other man had. She knew that it was just the first blush of love but even that knowledge couldn’t stop her from behaving like a school girl with her first crush.
Remy was just as badly infatuated as she was. He had never truly given his heart to a women before. Bridget, he now realized, had only been a crush. His love for Kendra was beyond anything he had every felt. He wanted her with him always, perfectly happy to pay her bills when she missed work for him.
They took frequent trips to ports where his family had offices, overseeing the preparations of their fleet of ships for the winter. While Remy worked, Kendra created delicious meals from whatever she could find in the local market. It was almost as if they were on a grand tour for their honey moon.
*****
As September turned to October, Kendra found herself growing tired of her leisurely lifestyle. It had been fun to live in the lap of luxury for a while, but she was getting bored. She was also aware that things at the restaurant were going badly. Her constant absences had been remarked upon several times the last time she had worked. The restaurant was suffering with her prolonged absences.
Plus, Michelin ratings would be coming out after the New Year and her continued employment depended upon her keeping the rating. She was no fool, the restaurant was not what it had once been. While it was still difficult to get a table, the wait was no longer what it once was.
Her feelings for Remy hadn’t changed, she was still deeply in love with him. Maybe more now than ever, but she also knew that the life they had been living was too empty for her. She needed to use her skills, her body was craving that high you get after completing a difficult dinner service.
If she and Remy were going to spend their lives together, she had to find a balance between the Kendra she was with him and the Kendra she needed to be for herself. A phone call from her mother drove that point home as clearly as anything else could.
Naturally, she had kept her mother informed of all her travels and experiences. She was anxious to meet Remy, the man who was making her daughter so happy. But being a mother, she had decided it was time to bring her daughter back down to Earth. During their next phone call she broached the subject.
“So I’ve been hearing so much about Remy and his family, but nothing about the restaurant. How are things going there?” She asked.
“Oh, things are fine.” Kendra said, not wanting to tell her mother the truth.
“Well, it just seemed to me that you’ve been spending a lot of time away. I’ve never known you to leave your cooking for so long. You must really be in love.” Her mom said.
“Oh, mom, he’s just the best, but you’re right. I need to get my focus back where it should be.” Kendra said, never able to hide anything from her mother.
“Oh, young love, I still remember what that was like. When I met your father, I was in a fog for months. I almost lost my job because I couldn’t keep my mind on my work, so don’t worry it’s happened to all of us.” She said.
“Well, that does make me feel better. I’ve been so consumed with him that I haven’t been doing a good job at the restaurant. Too much time away has caused some problems, I’m going to have to deal with them soon or my ratings are going to go down.” Kendra said, with worry in her voice.
After a motherly pep talk that left Kendra feeling much better. Kendra was able to put some perspective on her relationship with Remy and her professional life. Her mother had explained that this need to be with Remy constantly would pass, and some sense of normalcy would return.
Kendra told her that she was in fact beginning to miss some of the parts of her life that didn’t include Remy. Her passion for cooking had been satisfied for a while with the sporadic shifts at the restaurant plus the experimentation she had been doing as they had toured the coast. But now she was itching to get back in the kitchen and use her new knowledge.
“I know I’m going to have to tell Remy how I’m feeling but I don’t know how he’s going to react.” Kendra said.
“Well, you know what I’m going to say. If he loves you he’ll understand that you need your career to be happy. It’s who you are. A chef with your passion is going to always have to be creating food for other people. Right or wrong, you crave that feeling you get when people love your food.” Her mom said.
“I know and I’ll talk to him. I’ve just got to spend more time at the restaurant. Our last trip is scheduled for next week, then it’s back to full time at work for me. No more trips, days off, or coming in late.” Kendra said, trying to convince herself as much as her mother.
It had become way too easy to let Remy take care of her. It was time to take care of herself again and the first step was getting back to the restaurant. She hung up from the call feeling both better and worse.
She dreaded the conversation with Remy, but knew that it was important to her emotional well being to stand on her own again. She would wait until they returned from their last trip of the fall, then she could devote herself to the restaurant. The holidays were just around the corner and it would be a busy season.
They enjoyed the last trip of the year, Kendra knew how lucky she had been to get to see so much of the real France. She had learned a great deal about how the people used what was available locally to create wonderful food, so the time had not been a complete loss as far as her cooking skills were concerned.
If Remy noticed that she was distracted during the trip, he ignored it and acted as if nothing was wrong. But on the way home, he finally asked Kendra what was wrong. She tried to explain how she was feeling but found she wasn’t getting it right.
“So you’re saying that the time we’ve spent together had been a waste of your time.” Remy was immediately defensive.
“That’s not what I’m saying at all. I’ve loved every minute we’ve spent together. I would have never been able to see as much of France as I have if you hadn’t taken me along with you. But cooking is my career. I need to do what makes me happy and cooking is one of those things.” She explained.
“So suddenly I don’t make you happy anymore? What happened, just last week you told me you had never been happier. Was this just some game to you? A way to get a free vacation.” Remy challenged her.
“Now you’re just being ridiculous. I love you just as much as I always have, but I need my career too.” Kendra said, desperate to make him understand.
“I have plenty of money to support us, you don’t really need that job.” Remy said.
“It’s not about the money, cooking makes me happy.” She said, hoping that he could understand.
“You can cook for me, we can have all the dinner parties you want. If fact, when I take over for my father, we will have to do lots of entertaining. Let’s talk to my mother, I bet you could get started right away. There’s always some business dinner or another going on.” Remy said, thinking he had found the solution.
This suggestion was so similar to what Mark had wanted that Kendra couldn’t breathe for a minute. She felt a moment of panic before she realized that Remy was only making this suggestion because he wanted his way.
“First, just let
me say that I am not a caterer. I am a chef capable of running a five start restaurant anywhere in the world. I know you are just trying to help but that is not how I want to spend my life.”
“So you want to work 60 hours a week, making food for other people. How are you ever going to have a husband, a family? No man wants to play second fiddle to your career. Face it.” Remy said, getting angrier by the second.
“Just take me home to my apartment. I don’t want to discuss this any longer. I love you but I’m beginning to think that you don’t really know me, if you could say something like that.” Kendra said, fighting tears. She would not cry in front of Remy no matter how upset she was.
“Fine.” He said, then was silent for the rest of the drive, pouting Kendra assumed.
Kendra and Remy spoke little over the next few weeks. Kendra threw herself back into her job, trying to make up for all the time she had been gone. There were quite a few people who were less than happy with her and she knew only her time and hard work could repair the damage.
Once word got out that Kendra was back in the kitchen, the restaurant began to flourish again. Kendra began to regain some of her equilibrium, as her love of cooking was reignited. She missed Remy but knew that if they were going to have a life together, he had to appreciate her choice of career. She would never be happy following him around and cooking for his family and business.
As the standoff between Remy and Kendra continued, Remy’s mother called her to arrange a lunch meeting. Kendra was more than happy to have lunch with Barbra, she had missed her. Once they had placed their order, Barbra got right to the point.
“What happened between you and Remy?” she asked.
“It’s just a lovers spat, I hope.” Kendra replied.
“What has he done now? Let me guess, he wanted something his way and didn’t get it, is that it?” She said.
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