And He Cooks Too

by Barbara Barrett

  Her mother nodded. “I’m so proud of you.”

  Without realizing she was going to do it, Reese high-fived her mother.

  Her mother stared at her hand. “I thought only the boys did that.”

  “Seemed right. Thanks, Mom. You knocked apart the logjam that was keeping me from seeing what I was really about. You helped me find me.”

  “Stop! You’ve already made me go misty. I don’t need to break down entirely.”

  She sat back, drank more of her beverage, and felt the muscles behind her neck down into her shoulders relax. “I think I can face the media now.”

  “Good! Now, let’s really talk. What’s going on between you and your co-host?”

  “Honestly, Mom, I’m not sure.”

  “Why is that?”

  Normally, she would avoid discussing the men in her life at all costs. Her mother had the wedding planner on speed dial. But her mother had been such a big help with this media thing, some small nugget of information should be shared. “We like each other. A lot. He’s been to my place and I’ve visited his a couple times. But it’s a little complicated for work associates to see each other socially.”

  Her mother eyed her. “Complicated?”

  “I can deal with his aunt, the executive producer who hates me. As much as she tries to make my life miserable on set, I haven’t totally dismissed pursuing an off-set partnership in her catering business. That will just take time. It’s Nick I don’t know about. He’s the one who encouraged me to come on the show to get television experience, but he seems to have taken to the idea of our co-hosting like he wants it to be permanent thing.”

  “Uh-huh?”

  “I like him, Mom. I mean, I care for him. I don’t want to disappoint him when I eventually strike out on my own, which I still intend to do.”

  “If he cares for you, won’t he be happy to see you doing what you want to do?”

  She rubbed her thumb against the moist surface of her almost empty glass. “Ye-es. I suppose so. Do you really want me to spell it out?”

  Her mother nodded.

  “We had great sex, Mom. That’s what I meant to him.”

  Her mother had the grace to blink, but she didn’t blush. “What are you going to do about it?”

  “Enjoy it while it lasts, I guess.”

  “That’s all?”

  “I’m in the midst of reinventing my life. That’s all I can handle for now.”

  “All?”

  “Okay, okay. I can’t stop thinking about him. My knees go weak at his mere touch. And being with him is—” She stopped, letting her mother imagine the rest. “But this relationship is only temporary. He’s not one for settling down. Knowing that, I have to keep up my guard. I don’t want to get hurt again. Like I did with Henri. “

  Her mother squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you told me.”

  Reese looked away, concentrated briefly on what appeared to be the mating dance of two bees as they flitted from flower to flower. Unsure how to shift topics, she tried humor. “Don’t subscribe to Bride’s Magazine just yet.”

  Her mother leaned over and put an arm around her shoulders. “I’ll keep that in mind. Even though I don’t want you to get hurt, don’t dismiss possibilities just because you’re afraid to risk your feelings.”

  That was what worried Reese. She’d already crossed that line.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Several days later, as Reese studied a bunch of newspaper clippings fanned out before her, Jasper burst into her dressing room wearing a triumphant grin. “Nice going, Reese! You had those media types eating out of your hand.”

  Their most recent interview thirty minutes earlier, this one with a nationally syndicated entertainment news show, had gone off without a hitch. Thanks to her mom’s coaching, she’d felt confident enough to adapt her philosophy to whatever format and strategy each new meet and greet demanded. “Out of my hand, huh? I’d rather it be from one of my dishes, but thanks. This is turning out to be a lot of fun.”

  “It’s a hoot to be your straight man,” Nick added, having followed behind Jasper. These days, he was getting around under his own power on crutches.

  “Straight man, my eye!” she shot back. “You don’t let any chance to set me up go by.”

  She sent Nick a knowing look meant just for him. He shrugged. “And as a result, who’s garnering all the headlines?”

  “True,” she admitted. She liked the publicity. And the on-camera jousting matches with Nick. Despite what she’d told her mother, her guard kept slipping where Nick was concerned. He was rapidly working his way into her heart. The realization scared and warmed her at the same time. With so much else happening in her life at the moment, she tried to shove those feelings aside but without much success.

  Nick flipped through a few of the articles. “It really jazzes me to hand Deborah stuff like this to pass along to Leonie.” He flopped on the day bed, his usual place when he visited her dressing room, which was becoming more and more frequent.

  “Does Deborah know why you’re being so helpful?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “And she’s still on our side?” Jasper asked.

  Nick scooped up one of the chocolate corduroy throw pillows scattered across the day bed and began tossing them in the air. “Leonie’s been on her case again. Called her a ‘brainless twit.’”

  Kiddingly, Reese said, “And you couldn’t resist yet another opportunity to come to the lady’s defense.”

  “I know she needs more than her share of handholding, but she’s the one who catches the brunt of Leonie’s wrath. We owe her. Plus, we need her on our side.”

  Though she could have argued that she suffered more than Deborah from Leonie’s barbs, she changed topics instead. No point in putting Deborah down. “Is the good press enough to keep your aunt from interfering?”

  Nick spun the pillow. “Leonie stop interfering? I doubt that will ever change. But she can’t argue with the huge response the new format has received.”

  “Enough for it to continue?” Reese asked hopefully.

  “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Both of you,” Jasper said.

  Nick sat up on the bed, realization hitting. “Hot damn! We’re going to make the change permanent.”

  “I prefer to use the phrase ‘indefinite continuation’ when it comes to our new format,” Jasper replied.

  Worked for her. Extending her co-hosting responsibilities would allow her time to become more familiar with television production without having to commit to anything longer term just yet.

  A sharp rap on the door interrupted their celebration. Closest to the door, Jasper went to open it.

  “Oh. Sorry, Jasper.” Trudy slipped past him. “I didn’t know you were here. I just stopped by to uh, I wanted to ask Reese something. I’ll come back later.”

  “That won’t be necessary, Trudy,” Jasper told her. “I was just leaving. Coming, Nick?”

  Nick glanced from Reese to Trudy, as if reluctant to abandon Reese to Trudy’s girl talk. Eventually, though, he pitched the pillow and hobbled out. “I’ll be back later.”

  Reese watched Nick go, irritated with Trudy’s timing. Had the PA caught on to their relationship and was deliberately trying to keep them apart? She tended to show up mostly at the times when Nick was around.

  “Uh, Reese?”

  Reese came out of her thoughts to find Trudy studying her. “Sorry. What did you want to talk about?”

  Trudy pulled her eyes away from Reese and began to examine the room’s few furnishings. Finally, in a speculative tone, she asked, “How did today’s interview go?”

  The interview? Had Trudy been listening in? Heard the line Reese had fed the reporter when he’d inadvertently asked the one question she wanted to avoid: did she want her own show someday? She’d tap-danced around that one, trying to find something truthful to say without telling the reporter her real thoughts.

  “Reese?” Trudy now stood a few feet in front of her.
Though her brow was wrinkled in concern, something else flashed in the eyes behind the blue specs. Impatience?

  She swung away from Trudy and grabbed the brush from her dressing table, pulling it through her hair. “The interview…went fine. That’s what Jasper, Nick and I were just dissecting.”

  “Did you get a chance to mention the rest of the crew? Like we talked about?”

  Reese drew a blank. “I, uh—” She’d totally forgotten about Trudy.

  “You didn’t, did you?” Trudy’s question was an accusation.

  There was no easy way around this. “It didn’t come up, and we got off on other topics, and—”

  “And you forgot about us. The little people. The very same people who took you under their wing not so long ago and showed you the ropes so you’d look good enough to go before the camera when your big chance came along.”

  Not exactly how she would describe the support she’d received from Trudy, but the venom in Trudy’s voice concerned her more. “I’m sorry. I haven’t learned enough about giving interviews to steer them around to—”

  “Never mind.” Trudy spun around and slammed the door behind her.

  Trudy’s words continued to bother her. Was she so blinded by her sudden stardom that she’d deliberately sidestepped recognizing Trudy and the rest of the crew? Was this the kind of success she’d set as her life goal?

  ****

  Reese didn’t like the way things had ended with Trudy, and she was unable to shake the feeling that there was more behind Trudy’s words than just her need for acknowledgement. Trudy hadn’t exactly threatened her, but there’d been this undertone of potential retribution if she continued to overlook “the little people.”

  In her restaurant experience, Reese had learned that you didn’t let small flare-ups fester long, or they could grow into larger problems. She didn’t need Trudy’s penchant for gossip undermining her. Especially since Trudy had found Nick in her dressing room several times in the last few weeks.

  She attempted to dismiss her concerns while she prepared for her next interview, scheduled for the following day. FoodNation would be the first Internet blog she’d talked to. Fortunately, it was to be an in-person interview. She wasn’t sure she was up to responding online to questions yet.

  But thoughts of Trudy kept interfering with her train of thought. Finally, she went in search of the other production assistant. Trudy wasn’t at her desk—surprise—nor was she anywhere in the studio. She finally caught up with Trudy in what served as the break room. To her surprise, Leonie was also there, Leonie who rarely showed herself anywhere other than her own office or the studio. Even more surprising, Leonie had joined Trudy at a small table, and they were deep in conversation.

  As soon as both women spotted her, they broke apart, appearing somewhat embarrassed.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.” Reese approached their table. “Trudy, we have some unfinished business. I’d like to talk to you as soon as,” she glanced at Leonie, “you and Leonie are finished.”

  Leonie rose and through a faux smile, said, “We’re done. For now.” She glanced at Trudy. “I’ll catch up with you later, dear.”

  “Uh, okay.”

  She listened to the other woman’s footfalls as they gradually disappeared down the back hallway, waiting for her to be completely out of earshot. She turned back to Trudy. “I want to apologize for earlier.”

  “Forgetting to mention my name to the reporter?”

  “That too, but mainly the way I told you about it. My mind was on something else at the time, which is no excuse, but it came out sounding like the oversight was no big deal.”

  “Oh.”

  “I was so engrossed in responding to their questions in the best light for the show, I lost track of my intent to mention the rest of the crew.”

  “I see.”

  “Are we okay?”

  Trudy shrugged but didn’t really look at her. “Yeah, I guess. But you’ll try to mention me next time?”

  “I’m, uh, supposed to meet with this woman from an Internet blog tomorrow. FoodNation. Ever heard of it?”

  “No. Should I?”

  “I hadn’t when I got the request. So I looked it up on the Internet and apparently it’s getting quite a bit of buzz.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’ll make it a point to bring up you and the rest of the crew.”

  “Really?”

  “These folks don’t always print exactly what you want. So I can only try.”

  “That’s all I ask.”

  Reese pivoted to leave.

  “Wait!” Trudy’s expression had changed into expectation. “We, uh, haven’t had much time for my cooking lessons the last few weeks. Could we get back to those? Today?”

  She sounded so hopeful, Reese almost gave in before she remembered the long list of items she and Nick still had to discuss for the next episode. “I can’t today. Or tomorrow either. I’ve got that interview then. Maybe the next day?” Just two days’ wait. Surely that would pacify Trudy?

  “Uh, sure,” Trudy said in a low voice. “Whenever you can work me in.”

  As Reese hurried back to her dressing room, Trudy’s words, more her tone, stayed with her. She’d really tried to make amends with Trudy, but she couldn’t afford to cater to the younger woman’s whims. She had that interview to prepare for. Their plan to solidify her as co-host by boosting the show’s profile was working, but they hadn’t succeeded yet.

  Intent on fleshing out what she’d say to the editor of the widely-read blog, she didn’t see Nick waiting for her outside her dressing room until the last minute. He swooped her up in his arms, crutches and all, and immediately began nibbling her neck.

  “Nick!” she whispered, her body immediately coming alive at his touch. “Not out here. Anyone could see us.”

  “Like most of the crew doesn’t already suspect what’s going on.”

  She leaned out of his embrace long enough to grab for the door handle. Putting a finger to her lips, she said, “Shh. Let’s take this inside.”

  He raised a wicked brow. “Good idea. We’ve got a lot to discuss.”

  She giggled, her, for Pete’s sake, knowing full well their discussion would be conducted horizontally. The thought of making love with Nick still knocked the breath from her. Fretting about the interview could wait. Discussions with Nick took precedence.

  ****

  The next day, Trudy knocked once on Nick’s dressing room door and immediately entered. God, she was getting presumptuous. He made a mental note to lock the door every time he and Reese snuck in a few minutes alone.

  “Your aunt wants to see you.”

  “Yeah? You now her personal assistant? I thought Deborah got that honor.”

  The PA appeared to stiffen slightly. “I was visiting with your aunt, and when we finished, she asked if I’d stop by here. That’s all.”

  Since when did Trudy visit with Leonie?

  “Thanks. I’ll pop by her office in a little while.”

  “Uh, she said right away.”

  Of course she did. Leonie’s clock was the world’s clock. “Fine.”

  He took his time getting to Leonie’s office. “I received your summons. What’s up?”

  She glanced up from her antique Georgian desk and motioned for him to take a seat. She tapped her forefinger against her chin. “What’s up? From what I’ve observed, I’d say it’s your libido.”

  Damn. Had the rumors about him and Reese already gotten to her? They’d really tried to be discreet. But then, Leonie had spies everywhere. That probably explained Trudy’s involvement. “Remember my ankle? With our strenuous taping schedule, I don’t have energy for much else. Including sparring sessions with you.”

  “Sparring? I hardly think so, dear. I saw you and that…woman having at it in the hall. Where anyone could have seen you.”

  Damn. Reese had warned him.

  “Your attraction to the ladies is no secret, Nick. I’ve put up with your da
bbling because it’s part of your charm. You can’t help yourself when a good-looking new woman shows up, not that I’d ascribe such a description to that Dunbar woman.”

  “Chef Dunbar, you mean.” He couldn’t stop himself from stirring the pot.

  “Whatever. This time, you’re playing with fire. For the indefinite future, a short one, I hope, she is your co-host. You cannot afford to mix business with pleasure with this one.”

  A few weeks back, he would’ve agreed, then done exactly the opposite to spite her. But that onion had already been peeled. And even though there was no use denying the charge, since Leonie had seen them, he didn’t want to give her any more ammunition against Reese.

  “Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”

  Had she forgotten he was a grown man? She was treating him like the young boy she used to discipline. He wasn’t going to let her get to him as he returned an extravagant shrug. “Thanks for the warning?”

  She drew in her breath. “That flippant attitude is going to get not just you but all of us in trouble.”

  “C’mon, Leonie. The melodrama is a little much.”

  “Not if some interviewer gets wind of it.”

  “So, you have been following the media’s coverage of the show. Might have been nice if you’d congratulated us for the recognition.”

  “I didn’t say I was impressed. How long before some enterprising reporter digs a little deeper into Dunbar’s career? After all, why would a supposedly up and coming chef become a production assistant on a cooking show, albeit an excellent boutique offering.”

  Was she telling him something? Did she know that Reese had quit her restaurant job because she’d been beaten out of a promotion? “She told me she thought television experience would make her more marketable.”

  “Is that why she’s handling her own publicity? That’s usually my job, you know.”

  “How many interviews have you set up for us since we adopted the new format?”