"Yes. Does that sound strange?"
"No....well to tell the truth, maybe. I thought you were seeing Colleen Michaels and if you are, then you shouldn't be calling me."
Wow, Talk about throwing it into my face. "I've only known Colleen for less than a week, I don't see how it could be assumed that we are dating."
"Your picture has been in the newspaper twice with her since your dinner party."
Why am I even talking to her about this. "You know, you're right. Have a good evening." He hung up his phone.
* * * *
Three days later, Jenny's phone rang. "Hello."
"Miss Marshall?" the voice said.
"Yes."
“This is Colleen Michaels and I was calling to confirm the dinner arrangement on Saturday night."
Damn, I don't want to do that dinner if Derek is going to be there. "Yes, I have you down for Saturday night."
"Excellent. Dinner is to be ready by seven. What time will you be arriving?" Colleen asked.
I want to be finished before any guests arrive, she thought. "I will be there by four-thirty. I'll have everything ready and be out of there, so you can serve it to your guests at seven."
"Perfect. You have my address in Cincinnati, right?"
"Yes, ma'am. I do," Jenny said. “And, you will have my check for me when I arrive?"
"I certainly will. Five-hundred dollars."
"Thank you. I know it is a little high, but I think you will agree that the food will be worth it when you taste it."
"I'm looking forward to it. This is a special dinner. Thank you."
"I'll see you then." Jenny hung up her phone and seethed with jealousy. She wished she could sabotage the dinner—put hot pepper in Derek's dessert or something, but she was a better person than that.
In reality, she shouldn't be jealous. Colleen Michaels had much more to offer Derek then she did.
Saturday rolled around sooner than Jenny anticipated and didn't feel ready.
"Becky, if you don't need anything else, I'm going to leave for the day."
"So, what's on the agenda for the weekend?" Becky asked, coming out from the back drying her hands on a towel.
"I have that dinner to cook for a client tonight in Cincy."
"I saw your car was full of stuff. Wait a minute, is this the dinner that Derek will be attending?"
"Yes, but I plan on being finished and gone before he gets there," Jenny said, putting her coat on.
"You're going to let that woman take all the credit for cooking the meal. You must be nuts."
"Derek isn't interested in me. He made that clear the other night on the phone. I'm like an employee to him and that's fine with me." She started toward the kitchen to leave.
"Wait a minute, you talked to him on the phone the other night? Do tell."
"It's a long story and I need to get on the road to Cincinnati. The short of it is that he called me a few nights ago to talk, but it didn't go well and he ended up hanging up."
"If he called you for no specific reason, I'd say he's plenty interested. Don’t give up the ship yet," Becky said.
"I'm afraid that ship has already sailed. See you Monday." Jenny went out the back door to her car.
She arrived at Colleen's at five o'clock sharp and went to the door. After three knocks, Colleen finally answered dressed in a robe. "I'm sorry it took so long to answer, I had just gotten out of the shower. I thought I could get finished before you arrived. Please come in."
Colleen showed her to the kitchen of the old Colonial style home. Jenny put her sack of food down on the counter. "I have a couple more bags to bring in, but if you will show me where all the pots and pans are, I can get started and you can get back to what you were doing.
"Those cabinets on the right have the pots in them and on the left is bakeware. I've already set the table in the dining room through that door, but you may want to take a look to make sure I did everything right," Colleen said.
"I’ll make sure it's perfect," Jenny replied.
"Thank you. If you have any questions or need anything, I'm down that hallway in the last room on the right."
"Thanks."
Colleen left the kitchen and then called back, "There's soda in the frig, if you want something to drink."
Jenny started preparing everything right away. First, she boiled the shrimp for the Shrimp Cocktail and mixed the Cocktail Sauce to go with it. She put the wine in the refrigerator to start cooling, and finally she started on the Chicken Cacciatore.
An hour later, Colleen came back into the kitchen. "Something smells really good."
"Thanks. I just finished the Fettuccini Alfredo and am getting ready to start the dessert," Jenny said, stirring a small pot of melted chocolate on the stove. Colleen looked very nice in a knee-length A-line dress, accessorized by a single strand of pearls with matching earrings. Her fingers were adorned with two simple opal rings, one on each hand. Her hair and makeup were done to perfection. It's no wonder Derek is interested in her.
"Were you able to find the large strawberries?"
"Yes, I found them at a fruit stand over on McAdams. I'll dip them into the chocolate and then put them in the refrigerator to cool. Don't take the platter out until you're ready to serve them."
"Got it. I hope I can do this."
"I brought a warming tray from school and put it on the counter over there. I'll put everything in their serving dishes and then place them on the warming trays. All you'll need to do is carry the dishes to the table. Oh, and make sure you use gloves because the plates could be hot."
"Are you sure, you won't stay to serve?" she asked.
"No, it would be better if I didn't." She wanted to avoid seeing Derek at all cost.
“Derek should be here soon. Is the wine chilled yet?" Colleen asked.
"What? I thought your guests weren't coming for another hour." Jenny's chest tightened.
"That's right, my guests are due in an hour, but Derek isn't so much a guest as my date. He's coming early. Where's the wine?"
"It's in the refrigerator. I'll get it ready and then I have to go." She went to retrieve the wine when she heard a knock at Colleen's front door.
"That's probably Derek," she said, leaving to answer it.
Damn. I need to get out of here. Panic began to set in. Quickly, she got the ice bucket and partially filled it with ice. She got the wine from the refrigerator and wrapped a white towel around it, opened it and placed the bottle into the bucket. Looking around the kitchen, she was satisfied that she could sneak out the back door.
Suddenly, she remembered Colleen hadn't paid her yet. She'd have to wait for her to come back in because the tuition payment was due on Monday.
"....and I'll serve it and no one will know that I didn't cook it." Colleen walked back into the kitchen with Derek following. "Jenny, I believe you know Derek."
"Yes. Hello," she muttered.
"Hello. It's nice to see you again," Derek said.
"I think I have everything ready, if you have my check I'll be on my way," Jenny said to Colleen.
"Of course, I should have already written it for you. Let me go get my checkbook and I'll be right back," Colleen said, leaving Derek and Jenny alone in the kitchen.
The only sound in the room was the oven clicking as it cooled. Derek finally broke the silence.
"I ended our phone call a little abruptly the other night. I'm sorry."
"That's okay. No apology needed." She shuffled her feet anxious to get her money and get out of there.
"I really didn't get to say what I wanted to on that phone call.” He looked down the hallway. Jenny, would you be interested in having dinner with me?"
Her breathing stopped momentarily when he asked that. Frozen in time, she just looked at him, not believing what she'd just heard.
"Jenny, did you hear me?"
"I heard you. Are you asking me out on a date, or to discuss the party I am doing for you?"
He looked down the hallway agai
n and then turned back to Jenny. "I am asking you out on a date," he whispered.
"While you're here in Colleen's home as her date, you're actually asking me out?"
"Here you go," Colleen said, walking back into the room.
"Thank you. I hope you enjoy the meal," Jenny said, and then rushed out the door without giving Derek an answer.
Chocolate Liqueur Candy
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup half-and-half or light cream
1 tablespoon light-colored corn syrup
2 tablespoons Amaretto or coffee liqueur
1 pound dipping chocolate
Butter the sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. In the saucepan combine sugar, water, cream, and light corn syrup. Cook over medium-high heat until boiling while stirring constantly with to dissolve sugar; about 5 to 6 minutes. Then stir occasionally until the thermometer registers 240° F. The mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over the entire surface. Remove saucepan from heat. Cool, without stirring for about 45 minutes or until the mixture reaches 110°F. Add Amaretto or coffee liqueur; beat with a wooden spoon until candy becomes creamy and slightly stiff. This should take about 10 minutes.
Shape candy into 1-inch balls; place balls on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Let the balls stand at room temperature about 20 minutes or until dry.
Melt the dipping chocolate. Carefully dip balls into melted chocolate. Let excess chocolate drip off balls. Place the dipped balls on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper until dry. Store tightly covered in a cool, dry place. Makes about 40 pieces.
Chapter Five
Jenny's class had been cancelled for the morning, so she promised Becky she would be in early to make doughnuts at the bakery. "I don't know how you're able to get up every morning at four-thirty and do this." She looked up at the clock that showed five-thirty now.
"You better get used to it, if you are going to be a baker," Becky said.
"I think I'll go into catering so I will work nights and sleep late in the mornings. Night work seems to be going good for me so far."
"How many parties do you have booked now?"
"I have one almost every Friday and Saturday night from now until Thanksgiving, and a couple Christmas parties already scheduled." She started pouring the glaze over the doughnuts while Becky took a tray to the display case.
"How did the dinner go for Colleen Michaels?" Becky asked when she walked back in.
Jenny didn't answer right away. She put the glaze down and moved the tray to the rack and brought another tray of doughnuts to the table for glazing.
"Jenny? Did something happen?"
She let out a deep breath. "I prepared everything without any problems and hoped to get out of there before Derek arrived, but I didn't make it."
Becky put some doughnuts in the hot oil and walked over to Jenny. "What happened?"
"When Colleen left the room to get my check, Derek asked me out."
"What! Oh, that's wonderful."
"Not so wonderful. He was there as Colleen's date and shouldn't have asked me out. I'm not sure I like that."
"What did you tell him?"
"Colleen came back into the kitchen with my check before I could say anything. I took it and left. I haven't heard from Derek since." She poured glaze over the next tray of doughnuts.
"He hasn't called?" Becky went over to turn the doughnuts in the oil.
"No, he hasn't and that's fine. I would love to have gone out with him, but not while he's dating someone else and certainly not when he asks me out while on a date with another woman."
"I understand, but you do realize you may have missed your chance with him?"
Jenny lifted the tray and put it above the last one on the rack. "I know." She rolled the rack back a little and then went to the restroom.
The closer Thanksgiving got, the busier the bakery became.
"We have ten pies to bake today," Becky said. "Could you start mixing the batter?"
When the bakery opened two hours later, Jenny had finished the pies and folded the boxes to put them in.
"I'm going to unlock the door now," Becky said.
"The first of the pies are almost ready to take out of the oven. What time are they due to be picked up?"
"Most of them will be this afternoon," Becky said, as she headed to the front door.
Jenny heard the bell on the door ring when Becky unlocked it.
"Jenny, could you come out here?" Becky called from the front of the bakery.
"I'll be right there." She put the last pie on a cooling rack and then walked out front.
"Hello, Jenny." Derek stood on the opposite side of the counter.
Stunned, she hesitated for a second. "Hello. Can I help you with something?" she asked. Becky left the room.
"I wanted to apologize about the other night. You were right. It was wrong of me to ask you out while I was with Colleen."
She remained silent.
He cleared his throat, clearly nervous. "I'm here now and I'd like to ask you out to dinner?"
Jenny hesitated. "What about Colleen?"
"She and I never agreed to only date each other."
"But, you are still dating her?"
"I can't believe we're discussing this," he sort of said to himself. "Are you going to go out to dinner with me, or not?"
"I suppose I could, depending on when."
"Setting terms?"
"Not necessarily. I have parties booked every weekend for the next several weeks. If we go to dinner, it will have to be during the week."
"That's not a problem for me. How about tonight?" he suggested.
"Tonight is a little too short notice."
"Okay, how does Wednesday night sound? That's a couple days away."
"That would work. I accept," she said, smiling.
"Wonderful. Where do you want to go?"
"Oh, I don't know. You decide."
"Okay, I'll surprise you then. Is six pm too early to pick you up?"
"That would be fine."
"I'll see you then." He turned to leave, but stopped at the door just before going out. He turned and smiled at her one more time.
Becky rushed out from the back as soon as he left. "You're going out with Derek James! That's fantastic."
"I don't know," she said with some hesitation.
"What do you mean, you don't know?"
"He's gorgeous and all, but we come from two different sides of the tracks. What if our worlds clash?"
"You're two adults that grew up in the same small town, went to the same small school, and now work in that same town. I don't see a problem," Becky said, dusting off the top of the counter with a cloth.
"I don't know. I just have a bad feeling about this date."
Wednesday night rolled around before she knew it. Standing in front of her full-length mirror at home, Jenny surveyed her outfit. She had selected a blue v-neck sweater and black cotton slacks. She had pulled her hair up in a ponytail like she usually wore it, and with just a touch of makeup and a spritz of perfume, she felt ready.
Soon, she heard a car pull into the driveway followed by a knock at her door. One last look in the mirror and a deep breath to calm her nerves, she opened the door.
When Derek stepped in and she saw what he wore, she felt like a locomotive had hit her. He's in a black suit and tie. Oh my gosh, he's so handsome and I am so underdressed for this.
"Good evening. I hope I'm not too early," he said.
"No, not at all. I just need to change clothes and I'll be ready."
"You look fine the way you are," he told her.
"This? Oh no, I have some other clothes laid out to wear. I'll just be a minute." She dashed to the bedroom to figure out what to put on now.
I can't believe this. No, I can believe it. I knew something like this would happen. What am I going to wear? She stood in front of her closet and stared at the clothes on their hangers. Finally, she selected a pink silk blouse and a short
black shirt. With heels, she just might be able to pull this off. After getting dressed, she took one last look in the mirror. Oh, no. This ponytail will never do. She pulled the band out and brushed her hair down onto her shoulders. After putting some dangling earrings on, she again felt ready and walked out to meet him.
"I'm sorry I took so long," she said. Knowing it had only taken a few minutes to dress, to her it felt like an hour.
"It was no inconvenience at all. I spent the time browsing through one of your cooking magazines." He opened it up to a page he had dog-eared. "Could you fix this for my Christmas party?"
She looked at the page he held open. "Yes, that would be easy to make. I can add that to the list that I'll be going over with you before the party."
"Great. Shall be go?" He held out his arm to her, which she took and out the door they went.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"I thought we would drive to Cincinnati to eat at Englert's. It's my favorite restaurant." He opened the car door for her and she got in.
Englert's. That's the same restaurant that he took Colleen to when their picture showed up in the newspaper.
With it being Wednesday night, traffic into the city was light and the trip a quick one. Derek pulled up in front of the restaurant and immediately a valet came out to open the car doors for them. Derek gave the man the keys to take the car then he and Jenny walked into the restaurant.
The Matre'd stood at the entry to the large room waiting for them to approach. "Good evening, sir, madame."
"Good evening. I have a reservation, Derek James."
"Of course, Mr. James. If you will please follow me." The Maitre’d picked up two menus and led them to a table.
The room was more brightly lit than Jenny imagined, with about half of the tables seated with guests. No one seemed to pay any attention to them as they walked through the room.
"Here we are," the Maitre’d said, holding the chair for Jenny to sit. Derek waited until she was seated before sitting down himself.
The Maitre’d handed each of them a menu. "The waiter will be with you shortly. Until then, if you would like a bottle of wine, I will send the wine steward over."
A Kitchen Affair Page 6