Page 101 of The Charmer

I chewed it quickly and didn't even manage to swallow before saying, "This is fantastic."

"But is it the best?" he teased.

"Hmm. I still have to think about it." But something interesting was happening. The more I ate, the more I liked it. "This is addictive."

Julian watched me with a playful smile.

"Why do you look like you know something I don't?"

"It's a common reaction. I think you feel the flavors more intensely after a few mouthfuls. There was a huge debate going on in the family for years about which restaurant served the best jambalaya."

"Oh, because Isabeau and Celine were the chefs at LeBlanc & Broussard."

"Bingo," Julian said.

"And they agreed that this one was the best?"

He burst out laughing. "No chance in hell of that. Isabeau is still convinced hers is the best in New Orleans."

"What’s your opinion?"

"I'll only say it if you promise not to tell a soul."

His voice was playful. God, I liked this side of him.

"I promise. And Isabeau sounds like a hoot."

"I think she's hands down the most stubborn person in the family. This is my favorite."

"So, you lie to your grandmother to her face?" I asked with a grin.

"Not at all. Isabeau always assumes everyone prefers her jambalaya. She doesn't even ask."

Oh, I hoped to be that self-confident one day.

"You were right about not ordering anything else. I'm already full and haven't even finished."

"I told you. It's huge."

"I need a break, though," I said after a few more forkfuls.

"Sure. We're not in a hurry."

"Aren't we?" I said in a very sassy tone. "It seemed different back at the store."

His eyes flashed. "Georgie, don't remind me. Fuck, the way you tasted..." He drew in a deep breath, looking at the table as if it was suddenly ten times more interesting. That I could heat him up that quickly made me happy. It showed me how much Julian was into me. "You know, we've talked about me, but not about you."

"What do you mean?"

"Before Kyle, were you in other long-term relationships?"

"I wouldn't quite call Kyle long term. It was just a few months, but they certainly made a lasting impression. Before that, I mostly dated. My last long-term relationship ended when I took over the store from Mom."

"How come?"

"Because I was working a lot. I'd stupidly assumed that since I'd already been working there for years, it would be more of the same. But being in charge of everything takes up a lot more time. My then-boyfriend didn't really like that."

"What a fucking imbecile. Of course it takes a lot of work to manage a business. I'm sorry for that."

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