Chapter 17
Gerry
I look up from my computer when I hear a knock on my office door. “Come in.”
The assistant manager, Joel, peeks his head in. “Someone’s here to see you. Should I let her in?”
Maybe it’s Tina. My stomach twists, and my hands shake. Since when does this happen? I roll my chair back and stand up. “Yes, please.” I pat down my shirt and check if it’s dirty.
“Here she is.”
My chest sinks because it’s not Tina, but I’m happy to see the familiar face anyway. “Barbara! What the hell are you doing here?” I hug her tightly, then raise my hand. “Thanks, Joel. I can take it from here.”
He nods and leaves the room.
She looks me up and down. “Wow, you look great Gerry. America is doing you good.”
“Thanks, I guess.” I motion to a chair and close the office door. “I can’t believe you’re here. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
She pulls on her earlobe. “My assumption was correct. You don’t read my emails. I wrote you saying I’d be in New York this week. The kids have a week off from school, so I convinced Stephan to vacation here.”
“It’s great to see you. Why didn’t you bring the family with you tonight? I would’ve liked to see them. They could’ve had dinner here.”
She chuckles. “Seriously? They eat German food all the time. There are too many restaurants to try out here. They went for pizza at John’s of Times Square.”
“Good. You can’t visit New York without having pizza there. Where are you staying?”
“I rented an apartment through Airbnb. It’s small but near Times Square. You can’t beat the location.”
We catch up on our families and her business back in Hamburg. It’s strange to speak German with her. I speak English ninety-five percent of the time now.
She sits straight up on the edge of the chair and folds her hands nicely on the desk. She’s switched to business mode. I don’t like it.
“Gerry, I’m not in New York just for pleasure. I’m here to discuss business with you. As I’ve said, you don’t respond to my calls or emails most of the time. You haven’t come back to Germany. So this is what I had to do to get your attention.”
I sit back and cross my arms defensively. “Then say what you came here to say.”
“I’ve received several requests for your taste testing. The people requesting are willing to pay whatever you want. I’m talking politicians, the CEO of Mercedes, and a couple of actors.”
“Not interested,” I say flatly.
She squints her eyes with annoyance. “For the millionth time, why?”
I clench my jaw. “You know why.”
“That was over a year ago. The news has moved on to other ridiculous stories. That jerk got what he deserved. He was and still is a liar. You aren’t the only chef he did that to.”
I put my elbows on the desk. “He wasn’t the only one who jeopardized my reputation—I did too. I took a bad day out on him. And what he said after that was a bunch of bullshit.” My heart beat pulses in my ears. “You make it sound so easy to forget what happened. Just remember—it happened to me, not you. Your name wasn’t plastered all over the French and German media.”
“Your fans and fellow chefs know you and know the truth. It’s been a year, and they’re still calling me, questioning when you’re coming back. But you continue to hide behind this restaurant.” She looks around my office like it’s shit. “Pretending it’s what you want to do. I’d understand a bit more if you were the chef here. But you’re not. I’ve known you for years. A part of you aches to get back in the kitchen.”
I grimace. “What’s wrong with what I’m doing now? This restaurant is a huge success. I held a taste testing days ago and I’m catering my cousin’s wedding in a couple of weeks.”
“Are you satisfied with that? Do you still dream of running your own cooking show?”
“That’s about the only thing I’d consider at this point.” I squint my eyes. “Why? Did you hear something?”
“Let’s just say I had a conversation with one of the executive producers from VOX TV network. He wants to meet with you and discuss in detail your ideas for the cooking show you want. I gave him a basic overview of your ideas. He’s interested.”
I let out a deep breath. “I’ve heard it all before from several other channels. You know that. They all end up cutting the cord right before I sign the contract. Giving me bullshit excuses like budget cuts. Look where it got me a year ago.”
“But this time it’s different. I have a good feeling. The least you can do is meet with him. Can you fly home soon?”
I stand up, my hands planted on the desk. “Barbara, my home is here now.”
She leans back as her eyes spring open.
“Sorry. Let me correct myself. A trip to Germany.”
My phone rings on my desk as I sit back down. It’s Tina. I shouldn’t answer, but we haven’t spoken in a couple of days.
“Let me take this call.”
“Should I leave?”
I shake my head.
“Hi, Tina. Can I call you back?” I avoid eye contact with Barbara and make it sound like a business call, even though it’s after work hours. She’ll pick up there’s something going on. “Sounds good. Talk to you soon.”
“So, where were we?” I say as I shuffle papers on my desk.
She closes her eyes and sighs. “You’ve met someone, haven’t you?”
“I’m interested in someone, but we’re not dating.” Yet.
“Is she why you won’t go back to Germany? Will this influence your decision about this opportunity?”
I shrug. “I haven’t really thought about it because we aren’t together.” Liar. “But if there’s a good chance to produce and direct my own show, I’d consider going back. Only if all my conditions were met, which they never have been.”
“If I can set up a meeting with the executive producer, are you in?” She pauses. “I want a yes or no. Maybe doesn’t work here. If you say yes and I set up a meeting, you will show up. Do you understand?”
“If I say yes, I’d never back out. But it has to be mid to late October. I’m too busy here. Also, if I meet with him, I want to meet in Freiburg. Then I can visit with my family for a week.”
A smile grows on her face. “You have a deal. I’ll work on it and get back to you. It might take some time to set a date because he’s busy. After our meeting here, I’m not working. I want to enjoy my vacation with my family.”
We both stand up. “Sorry I haven’t been easy. I appreciate you sticking by me this last year. I won’t ignore your calls or emails anymore.”
“You just agreeing to a meeting makes it all worthwhile. My gut tells me this is what you’ve been waiting for. It’s your big chance to get back into the arena.”
“We’ll see about that,” I say as I lead her to the exit, just as Matt walks through the door.
“Hey, buddy. I wasn’t expecting you.” We shake hands. I introduce Matt and Barbara, who both know about each other.
“Nice to meet you, Matt.” Her phone beeps. “Stephan’s asking if I’m on my way to the pizza place. I need to run before all the pizza’s gone.” She puts her phone in her pocket. “I’ll keep you posted on everything. I’ll try to stop by with the family before we go.”
I hug her, and she’s out the door.
Matt waits for me at the bar, looking exhausted.
“So what’s up? You rarely have the time to come here.”
“Why was your agent here?”
“You answer me first.”
He hands me an envelope. “Here’s the final head count, including vegetarian requests.”
I rest a hip against the bar. “Cool. Let’s sit and have a beer. Do you have time?”
“Sure. I need a break from all this wedding planning. I’ll have a Weißbeer.” He points to the large mugs.
I fill two mugs and hand his to him. “Let’s go to the beer garden. I nee
d some fresh air.”
We find a table in the corner. Unfortunately in the smoking section.
“You could’ve emailed me the numbers. Things stressful with the wedding?”
Matt sits on the bench and lets out a big sigh. “The wedding and the bakery. Our business is booming. More than we anticipated. I was asked to do an interview for Pastry & Baking North America.”
“Wow. That’s huge. Great advertising. Congratulations.” My gut tells me there’s more to his visit. “What else is going on?”
He groans. “On top of working ridiculous hours, Kayla’s also stressed about the little wedding details. She has a massive spreadsheet listing every tiny thing we need to do. How many white rose petals and little bottles of bubbles do we need for the church ceremony and after. Or get this one—for the place cards at the reception, she’s writing each one herself. Every i in someone’s name has to have a red heart instead of a dot. We have over two hundred guests coming. Who would even notice it?”
Tina would.
He shakes his head. “I just want to get married. I’m glad we only have a couple of weeks left. When the time comes for you to get married, elope.” He takes two big swigs. “I didn’t come here to talk about the wedding. How are things going since I saw you all at the bakery? Did you do something with Alexa and Tina?”
“Alexa made up some excuse to go home so Tina and I could do something alone together.”
“Something is pushing you two together. You finally take a day off, and she ends up at the bakery.”
I nod in agreement. “We walked through Central Park. But it wasn’t a date. We’ve decided to stay friends for now.”
His mouth rises up on one side. “How’s that working out for ya? I didn’t know friends hold hands.”
I groan. “It’s the worst, man.”
He pulls out a pack of cigarettes. My mouth flies open. “Since when do you smoke?”
“Since I asked Kayla to marry me. With the constant stress from the wedding and the long hours at the bakery, we’re fighting a lot. There’s no downtime. We fought about the damn seating chart tonight, so that’s why I’m here. I needed a breather. Want one?”
“Not me. I can’t get past the taste. I’m sure Kayla loves it when you smoke.”
He flicks his lighter several times. “Why do you think I’m smoking here? She hates it and despises the way I smell afterwards. I’m not allowed to touch or kiss her. It’s a sure sign of stress when I smoke.”
“I guess there’ll be no make-up sex for you when you get home.”
A regular comes up to me and gives me a high five. That’s what I love about this place. It’s casual, and regulars come and go.
“That’s what a shower and toothpaste are for.” He grins. “I’m assuming Tina still doesn’t know who you are. I think I would’ve heard something from you or James by now. You know I’m going to get in trouble for knowing who Tina is.”
“I know. Thanks for being quiet about it. I haven’t said anything to her, and I’m not sure I will.”
He shakes his head. “No way. You need to tell her. How long are you going to wait? Don’t you want to get it off your chest?” He takes a long drag of his cigarette. The tip glows brightly, like a firefly. He exhales long and slow while the smoke glides behind him like a ghost in the breeze. “It’s really not a big deal.”
I hunch over the table without lifting my head. “Maybe it isn’t a big deal, but my gut tells me it won’t go over well. I don’t want to say anything while we’re working together. It would make things really awkward if this becomes negative. Why does it have to be so complicated?” I yank myself back up. “I can’t let her go this time. We’re meant to be together. She’s mine.”
He bursts out laughing. “She’s yours. What are you, a caveman? Do you have a club at home?”
“I can’t tell you the last time I’ve been this happy. When I’m around her, nothing else matters. We had a blast in Central Park. She makes me laugh. I want to be with her all the time, and we haven’t even kissed yet.”
“It was good to see you took a day off. You need a life outside of work. It was the same in Germany. All work and no play. You’ve been like that since you opened this restaurant. Maybe the change in pace will inspire you again. What happened that one night at your restaurant in Hamburg is long gone. It shouldn’t bother you anymore.”
“What is with you and Barbara tonight?”
“Hey, why was she here anyway?”
“She basically confronted me and said what you just said.” I look over his shoulder to observe how one of the servers is speaking to a customer. By her body language and the scowl on her face, she’s not happy. Something I need to discuss with her.
I return my focus to Matt when he starts talking. “You need to hear it. Don’t you miss cooking? The night at Wine Cellar was excellent except for Tina’s allergy. Kayla said the guests couldn’t stop talking about the delicious food and how fun it was.”
“It felt unbelievable being back in a gourmet kitchen like that. It was fun. That’s what I miss about cooking. The fun part.”
“Are you sure you want to cater the wedding? I’d kill you if you backed out though,” he says with a fake laugh.
“If Kayla didn’t kill me first. But of course I want to do it. You’re crazy if you think otherwise.” I swirl my beer in the glass. “Sure, I miss cooking. I just don’t want to get caught up in the stress again. Life is too short to aim for constant perfection. Why do you think I gave my star back right after the incident?”
“Doesn’t this restaurant take up most of your time?” He stamps out his cigarette in the ashtray.
“Yes, but I’m not the chef, and I call the shots. I have people I can count on when I’m not here. We serve good home-style German food. None of that fancy shit I was caught up in back in Hamburg. Now that I’ve met Tina, I need to live a little.” I finish my beer and think of Tina with her beer mustache. I smile to myself.
“You know how I’ve always dreamed about having my own cooking show.”
He nods.
“That’s why Barbara was here.” I explain what Barbara and I discussed.
“If this works out, are you sure you want to get involved with Tina if there’s ever a possibility of you going back? If you even want to go back.”
“I don’t know. I can’t think so far ahead. Every time I get close to a deal, it never works out. I’m not going to push Tina away for something that most likely won’t happen.”
“Who knows how Tina will react when she finds out who you are. But if you’re meant to be together, things will work out in the end. It just might be a bumpy road to get there.”
He stands up and shoves his cigarettes in his pocket. “Well, I’m here for the next couple of weeks if you need to talk. After the wedding, we’re gone for two whole weeks. I can’t wait to get the hell out of here and fry ourselves in Hawaii, among other things.” He waggles his eyebrows as he pulls money from his wallet.
“Stop bragging, and don’t even try to pay for your beer.”
“Hey, don’t forget about my bachelor party. Kayla and I will meet everyone here for the first drinks and then go our separate ways to party.”
“Don’t worry. It’s already on the books. Several tables have been reserved. I hope I can take that night off.”
“Thanks, man. I owe you one. Talk to you soon.” He turns and walks away.
I sit alone and finish my beer. What if VOX does offer me a deal? I’d need to move back to Germany. Now that Tina’s in my life, I’m not sure that’s an option anymore. What if I asked her to go with me? But we’ve only known each other for a couple of weeks. She wants to explore different countries, not live in them.
I massage my tired eyes. I’m getting way ahead of myself when it comes to Tina.
Chapter 18
Tina
I’m running on zero right now. This day was loaded with nonstop action. Spending time with Gerry has pushed us to a new level of friendship.
We act like goofy teenagers without a worry in our minds.
“I still can’t believe you had these T-shirts made for us.” I bump him with the grocery bag I’m carrying.
He laughs. “Hey, I couldn’t resist. My friend makes T-shirts. I want everyone to know we are just friends, so why not make T-shirts that say it? Now everyone in the city knows I’m not your boyfriend, and we look like two idiots.”
I swerve out of the way before I bang into a guy who’s playing with his phone without paying attention to where he’s going. “How convenient for you that my T-shirt’s a bit snug in the chest.” I glance at him and see that sexy smirk thing he does so well. “At least I can thank you that mine’s purple.” What’s nice for me is his shirt is snug too, but black with purple lettering. I can see the defined curves of his muscles. My hormones skitter into a frenzy when I gawk at him.
After Central Park, we’ve been talking as much as possible. Sometimes it’s for business, but most of the time it’s personal. Did I ever have braces? Does he have any tattoos or piercings? Did I ever smoke? Did he ever skinny-dip or ride a motorcycle? He has skinny-dipped, because his parents have a pool. That wasn’t an easy conversation since it made me think of him naked in a pool. But I don’t want to know who he skinny-dipped with. As for riding a motorcycle, he never answered, because we got distracted by something else. I can just imagine how mouthwatering he would be on a motorcycle.
He always finds something for us to do. He makes it sound so casual and random, but I wonder if he thinks about it beforehand. Today, we went to the Statue of Liberty, walked over the Brooklyn Bridge, and had lunch in Chinatown. Every second I’m with him, the more I want to be with him.
Instead of going to a restaurant for dinner tonight, he offered to cook for me. At his apartment. Since we started this just friends thing, we’ve not spent time in each other’s apartments. I was surprised he asked, since he says he rarely cooks for other people now. Maybe his desire to cook is coming back. We agreed on plain old spaghetti and meatballs.
“I can’t wait to sit down. My dogs are barking.”
“You and your sayings,” he mumbles. He unlocks the apartment door. “I know we did a lot today, but we need to take advantage of this awesome fall weather.”
Dreams Collide: Collide Series Book 2 Page 13