Page 20 of Training Maisy

Chapter 13

“Why are you smiling like that?” Chloe asked Maisy as they took their seats in a restaurant. It was late in the evening, and they had just gone shopping together. Maisy had spent her money on some new outfits, noticing that some of her clothes were feeling loose enough that she needed new ones. To say that she was ecstatic about her new transformation would be an understatement. She hadn’t yet gotten to her target, but she was feeling confident, and it showed. She knew much of it was thanks to Carter. Actually, all of it was thanks to him. Everything he did led to her burning calories; some things more than others. It had been three weeks since they started having sex — hot, steamy, kinky sex — and sometimes Maisy almost still couldn’t believe how much she enjoyed getting spanked, being dominated, and the way he leaned in close to her ear and made something as innocuous as telling her to go really low during pushups sound really, really dirty.

“Something tells me I’m the only one sitting at this table,” Chloe’s voice broke into her thoughts, and Maisy looked up with a guilty look on her face.

“Sorry, got a lot on my mind.”

“Yeah, I noticed. And from the smile on your face, whatever it is you’re thinking about must be really good. But I know it’s not a guy because I haven’t seen anyone at your place. You aren’t seeing anyone, are you?”

Maisy looked quite astounded at how fast Chloe had gone from what she was thinking to questions about her love life. Smiling a little, although she was still not sure where Chloe was going with it, Maisy said, “No,” then without knowing why, added, “had a nasty breakup a few months back. But I’m doing fine now.”

“Good, because I want to hook you up with Aiden.”

“No, no, no. No hooking up with anybody. Besides, I just told you I recently had a bad breakup. Relationships are the last thing I want to get into now.”

“Come on, just hear me out first.” Chloe held out her hand. “Your breakup was months ago, right? And you’re perfectly over that now. And I think you and Aiden would be perfect for each other.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s hot,” Chloe said with a wink, and Maisy nearly scoffed at that, thinking to herself there was no way he was as hot as Carter. A quick picture of her tongue trailing across Carter’s rock-hard abs just two nights ago as she went down to wrap her lips around his cock flitted through her mind, and she smiled along with Chloe.

“Sorry, but no can do. I’m kinda loving my life as a single woman and not ready to muddy my feet in the relationship pool just yet.” Maisy smiled mischievously as she took a sip of her iced tea.

“Okay, I guess,” Chloe said, taking a sip of her own tea, realizing Maisy wasn’t budging on the subject. “So, what’s in that thing you brought with you? I already told you the food here is great, and you liked it just fine the last time we ate here.”

Maisy looked down at the small cooler beside her and drew it closer to herself. “No, the food is great. But I noticed that they don’t really have many options on the dessert menu. So, I made some things I want to show the owner of the place. Was actually planning on showing him before we sat down, but I’m kinda nervous now.”

“Why? Don’t worry. I’ve known Ralph since high school. Well, since I was in high school. He’s been here since, like, forever. Come on, let’s go in and see him.”

“You sure?” Maisy asked nervously, wondering if maybe it would have been better to call first instead.

“Yeah, I’ll just tell Gina to hold our table for us.”

Maisy followed Chloe as they went to the back of the restaurant and into the kitchen, stopping on the way to tell Gina that they would soon be back. Immediately, Maisy was transported to when she worked in the kitchen in Chicago. The noise, the sound of pans and pots banging together, people yelling out orders and instructions to each other. She suddenly realized that, while she missed it all, she wasn’t ready to return to it.

“Hey, Ralph,” Chloe greeted an elderly man who appeared to be the head chef.

“Chloe,” he exclaimed, clearly happy to see her. “It’s been a while since you came out back to see me. How are your folks doing?”

“Fine; even got a call from Ben last week.”

“He called me, too. Told me he was having problems fitting in at that school of his. I told him to calm down and take it easy. He’s already great at the basics; the only things those guys can teach him is how to fancy it up.”

“Thanks, Ralph.” Then to Maisy, “Ben is my brother. He used to work here before he got into a big culinary school in Chicago.”

“Yeah, he was our pastry chef,” Ralph said.

Maisy looked at Chloe, shock written all over her face. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”

Chloe just shrugged and smiled. “Didn’t see a need to.” Then before Maisy could interject, she said to Ralph, “So, this is my friend Maisy. She’s a pastry chef and wants to show you some samples.”

“I know who she is” Ralph replied, shocking Chloe and Maisy.

“How do you know her?”

“Read her book,” he simply said. Then to Maisy, “Loved it. Even tried some of your ideas here in the restaurant.”

“Well, I don’t really know how to respond to that,” Maisy gushed, feeling shy and almost not believing that someone here had actually read her book. “I’m flattered, I guess, and suddenly nervous.”

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