A Recipe for Rivalry

by Olivia Quint

  “Are you all right, Chloe? You’ve been in here for a while,” he asked.

  “Yes, I am,” I replied, turning around to sit on his bed. Michael walked to the bookcase and pushed in a book I hadn’t noticed was out of place. How can he always be so organized? He then came over to sit beside me.

  “What is it? You’re staring,” I teased him, but I hoped he wouldn’t stop.

  “I’m not staring, I’m simply admiring what I consider beautiful... What I think is a true work of art.” His hand moved to caress my hair, and I met his lips half-way. The act was so much more intimate than our first kiss that night in the street. It felt like we could finally take our time with one another. He broke the kiss to admire me again, but once more, my mouth covered the distance between us.

  In one swift motion, I was wrapped up in his arms. He lifted me over so that my legs could straddle him. He pulled me by the hips into another hot kiss, and I responded eagerly by biting his lip.

  It was clear he wanted me as much as I did him. He swiftly took off my sports shirt and turned me on my back. Both our tongues fought for dominance, but his won out in the end. He then made his way to my neck, earning a gasp from me as he laid gentle bites all over my skin. His mouth traveled lower to meet his hands, already busy with my naked breasts. As he showed me how dexterous his fingers were on my hard nipples, I could feel myself becoming weak under him.

  His frame descended even lower, removing the obstruction posed by my shorts and panties. As soon as his lips made contact with my lower ones, I gasped and held on to this head, directing him to the places where I needed him the most.

  As I felt waves of pleasure enveloping my body, I knew I couldn’t take much more, so I motioned him to stand. I unzipped his jeans’ fly to reveal what was beneath. Stroking his girthy member up and down made it rock-hard. My lips then closed around its head as I kept caressing the shaft in a gentle, twisting motion, drawing long moans from Michael’s lips.

  “Oh... my... God!” he uttered between grunts of pleasure. I took him back into my hands just in time to see his face contorted in pure ecstasy. I relished the effect I had on him!

  “What do you want, love?” he asked as he pinned me flat on my back again with his strong hands. My body sank into the sheets, his lips mere inches from mine.

  “What do you think?” I whispered, but he heard me nonetheless. Better yet, he obliged.

  With a powerful thrust, I felt myself being filled wholly. Michael’s lips covered mine, and I moaned deeply into them. He let go of my hands, and they immediately went around him, my nails digging into the small of his muscly back. This only caused him to thrust harder and harder, every push bringing me closer to the edge. Then, with the skill and speed of years of practice, he turned me flat on my belly.

  I could hear him breathing heavily, but his movements never stopped. My mouth could only form two words.

  “Don’t... stop!”

  His thrusts became much faster still. I could feel the ecstasy coursing up my spine, taking me over. He grew even larger inside me, and I realized he must be close. Suddenly, one of his hands made its way around my hip, gently teasing my exposed clit.

  My mind shut down as I felt myself explode, my back arching dangerously, my legs going completely numb. Michael’s hands held me pressed against his waist as he came hard too, deep inside my core. He then collapsed next to me on the bed, completely and utterly spent.

  Listening to his exhausted breathing, I smiled to myself and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

  ***

  The following afternoon, Danielle picked me up from Michael’s and drove us back to our place.

  “So, tomorrow is the final day! Do you think you’re in the lead?” Danielle asked, her energy never expiring.

  “Thank you for reminding me what I’m most worried about,” I replied as I crashed on the living room sofa. She shot me a sorry look, so I continued. “I don’t know how it will all turn out. From what I’ve seen, Michael and I are neck-at-neck, and tomorrow’s customers will decide who gets the prize. I’m so nervous...”

  “What will you do if things go south?” she pressed on, taking a seat next to me.

  “I just don’t know...” I replied honestly. “But I won’t abandon my dream, no matter what happens.”

  That Sunday night, I could barely fall asleep. Thoughts of Michael and all he meant to me plagued my mind. I was going against the man I fell for, and he was going against me. I knew we’d both be happy if the other won, but deep down, we’d also be devastated for losing what felt like the opportunity of a lifetime.

  Night turned into day eventually, and before I knew it, I was opening up my stall one last time, to serve the people who were already waiting. There was only one problem, though – Michael was nowhere to be found! He never came in late, but if he didn’t show up that final day, there was no chance he’d win against me.

  Why the heck isn’t he here?!

  Chapter Nine

  Michael

  I knew I had to do something for her on her special day.

  Caroline wasn’t the one who answered the doorbell, though. It was a well-built man, sharply dressed in a grey suit. He looked very business-like and even a bit intimidating.

  “Can I help you?” he asked nonplussed.

  “Uhm... hi!” I replied, holding up the package I’d brought with me. “I’m looking for Caroline. This is a gift for her birthday.” His features gradually softening, the man moved aside and motioned me to enter. Caroline met me inside their hallway, and she looked a lot happier than the last time I’d seen her.

  “Michael, it’s so nice to see you again! I’m so happy you remembered my birthday. I thought I’d be alone the entire day, but my son here decided to surprise me with a visit!” She motioned to the man in the suit, who introduced himself with a smile.

  “Nice to meet you, Michael, I’m Jacque Bisset.”

  As I shook his hand, I couldn’t remember where I’d heard his name before. “My mother has already told me much about you, but may I ask what you’ve brought that has her this excited?”

  I unwrapped the tarte Tatin I’d freshly baked earlier that morning, and set it on the kitchen table. “I’m terribly sorry, but I actually have to go now. Today is the last day of the cooking competition I’m in! I’m probably too late to win it by now, but I just had to make sure your lovely mother had at least one gift on her birthday.”

  I shook the man’s hand again, then hugged Caroline as she said her goodbyes, all smiling. On my way out, the clock mounted in the Bissets’ hallway showed me it was already close to noon. There was no way I could catch up to Chloe, not anymore.

  It’s too late now...

  Chloe

  “Why didn’t you show up at all yesterday, Michael?! You could’ve easily won this, you know!” I was angry at him for throwing away his best chance at seeing his dream fulfilled. He could’ve won, should’ve won, but just then that chance was next to nothing.

  Michael just sat there in front of me, hands crossed on his chest. It took me a moment to realize he was waiting for me to calm down. “Why?” I asked again in a lower voice. I was still nervously pacing inside the Génie, waiting for Chef Didier to come and give us his final verdict.

  “Listen, love, there was this woman... a customer of mine, who lives all by herself. All she has is her son, who isn’t even around very often due to his job. I know what it’s like to want your family around you... Yesterday was her birthday, so I had to make her something – something I knew she would love having. As it turns out, she really appreciated my gesture!”

  It took him gingerly lifting my jaw back in place for me to realize that my mouth had been left open. He’d thrown his life-long dream away for someone else’s momentary joy! I didn’t think I’d ever be capable of quite that level of selflessness.

  Chef Didier suddenly walked in on us from his office at the back of the restaurant, excited to tell us who’d make it into Le Cordon Bleu.

&nb
sp; Michael

  “Chloe,” the Chef started, facing her. “You’ve grown so much in these last few months. Not just that, but you’ve shown me you’re going to make a worthy chef, and without any help from your parents, no less. You’ve struggled for a chance, and you’ve amply proven that you deserve it. Never let anyone tell you otherwise!”

  He then turned his attention toward me. I fully expected a look of disappointment – I’d abandoned the competition, right at the end. Steeling myself for a stern lecture, I was completely thrown off by Chef Didier grinning widely at me.

  “Michael,” he began. I was shocked – he’d never called me by my first name before! “I’m so proud of you, too! You’ve finally realized what it means to actually be a chef. I’ve waited for the day you’d be true to yourself, and I’m happy to say that day has come at last. You’ve always been – and will always be – my favorite student of all.” He approached and shook my hand. “When I saw your account, I wondered what had happened! You have a huge blank for yesterday, but it was all explained to me earlier.”

  Without another word, he brought out from his apron a neatly stenciled recommendation letter and handed it straight to Chloe. She jumped up with a squeal, and I caught her in a hug to congratulate her. After all that happened, I was extremely happy for her. She fully deserved the opportunity, just for having turned me into a better person throughout our competition. She’d shown me the meaning of genuine compassion. “I love you,” I whispered into her ear as I kept her close to me.

  “I love you, too,” she whispered back, and those words alone meant more to me than any worldly prize.

  Chef Didier watched us with a beaming fatherly smile. When we broke the hug, he placed a firm hand on my shoulder.

  “Je suis désolé, my dear boy... I’m sorry I couldn’t be the one to recommend you today. It would’ve been a great honor for me, but alas, that privilege belongs to a dear friend of mine. A man who’s had his eyes on you for a while, actually! Your deeds from yesterday alone proved to him that you’re worthy of becoming a certified chef too.”

  True enough, another man suddenly walked into our view from the direction of the back office – a proudly smiling man. It was Caroline’s son, Jacques!

  “I’m pleased to see you again, Michael! My mother and Chef Didier both recommended you to me. They couldn’t bear separating you two in such a way, so we decided to seek an alternative. While I was skeptical at first, the many acts of kindness you’ve shown to my mother made me realize you fully deserve this chance to follow Chloe, doing what you both love. Thus, I shall submit your name to Le Cordon Bleu as my own recommendation for this year! You’re both destined for great careers, I can already tell.”

  As Chef Bisset shook my hand too, unbidden tears started blurring my sight. I’d never felt this happy in my life – everything was falling into place at last!

  I tried looking back at Chloe, the girl who’d changed my fate forever. Who’d made me both a better chef and an even better man. I owed her everything I’d become, and we’d also be staying together after all. It was her turn then to hug me like no one ever did before.

  “We’ve done it, Michael... both of us!” she whispered to me joyfully.

  Epilogue

  Chloe

  The moment the chilly breeze whipped across my skin, and the scent of freshly-baked baguettes greeted my nostrils, I knew I was home again at last. I’d missed Paris with a passion while we were away!

  Michael and I’d been gone for almost six years by then, but to me, it felt more like an eternity. We’d both graduated Le Cordon Bleu after three years, being awarded its prestigious Le Grand Diplôme in both Cuisine and Pâttiserie. Not just that, but we’d also been granted separate funds to start our very own restaurants.

  Against my many protests, Michael decided to use his share for sponsoring our travels around the world for the next three years. That way, he’d argued, we could continue to learn more about exotic food cultures and acquire new recipes for our future clientele. While I was against it at first, he ultimately made me see his point, and it quickly became the start of the best years of my life.

  Just then, though, we’d left Charles de Gaulle airport behind and were on our way to Michael’s place to drop off our bags. After that, we were due to meet everyone back at the Génie.

  “I’ve missed this city so much...” Michael mused, his hand on mine while he absorbed Paris streaming by the taxi’s backseat window.

  The car finally came to a halt, and Michael rushed to help me out of it. I laughed seeing his joy at being back, and even our driver smiled while he handed us our bags.

  “Chloe!” I heard a familiar voice shout before we even got to the building. Out of nowhere, Danielle made a beeline toward us and engulfed me in the biggest hug her small frame could manage. For the first time in as long as I could remember, Danielle wasn’t late for a meeting.

  “I’ve missed you so, mon amie!” Her hair was cut shorter than before, but still framed her doll-like face perfectly.

  “I’ve missed you too, DD...” I didn’t think she’d heard me, though, since her attention immediately turned to Michael.

  “How’ve you been, Danielle?” he asked, ruffling her neatly coiffed hair, much to her protest and my amusement.

  “Hey! Don’t treat me like a child just because you’re a married man now!” she pouted.

  It was true, after all – Michael and I had been married for a year by then, and he’d slipped into the role effortlessly. He’d become a lot more mature and an even more responsible man, something I didn’t even think was possible.

  It didn’t take us long to stow our luggage in Michael’s apartment, and soon enough, we were on our way out again, headed toward the Génie. That time, my husband drove Danielle’s car, while she and I moved to the backseat to chat. She craved to know everything, so I took my time to get her up to speed on our globetrotting adventures. There was one part I deliberately left out, but I was saving it for when we’d all be together again at the restaurant.

  When Michael pulled over in front of the Génie, I thought it was as inviting as ever! Its homey feel and fantastic aromas made my mouth water all over again. Chef Didier was seated inside already, cracking a joke that seemed funnier to him than it did to the Bissets. He was also the first to spot us coming in.

  “Ah! Bonjour, please sit, we’ve been expecting you!” he was barely done speaking before he disappeared into the kitchen. Danielle laughed at her father’s antics and went over to help him, while Michael made his way around the table to greet the Bissets with me in tow.

  Our “homecoming” meals were brought to us in record time and presented with a bottle of expensive champagne. A toast was in order, and Chef Didier was the man to give it.

  “We’re all back together now as a family, and it’s to you that I first wish to announce my retirement. I’ve served my craft for many years, but it’s high time I passed on my legacy and my pride, Le Génie de Cramoisi. And I’ve picked the worthiest successor in you, Chloe Fletcher!”

  It took everyone cheering and clapping for me to realize who the Chef was talking about. It was the greatest gift I could’ve ever received! I ran over and hugged him without hesitation.

  “Santé!” shouted Danielle. She was also the one who keenly noticed that I didn’t have a glass of my own to toast with. “Oh, mon Dieu... Chloe, are you pregnant?!” There goes my big announcement...

  “Yes, I am, DD! For about two months now, actually. That was something Michael and I wanted to announce to you all today!” Our extraordinarily happy news drew even more cheering from the party. As I looked around the table, I realized my dream had truly been fulfilled. That was how things were always meant to be.

  Family, food and happiness!

  ***

  Thank you for coming this far, dear Reader!

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  Olivia

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  About the Author

  Olivia Quint is a passionate romance author hailing from the picturesque city of York, in chilly Northern England, UK.

  Her short stories touch the heart, excite the senses and leave readers convinced that one’s true love can be found in the most unexpected circumstances.

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