Page 1 of Triplet Babies for Pucking Christmas

Prologue

Savannah

I stare at the email on my phone, and holy shit, I’m not dreaming. This is real.

“Savannah Brooks, we’re thrilled to offer you the chance to cater our wedding! We loved your restaurant, Lemons, and can’t wait for you to work your magic at our Christmas wedding.”

“Fuck.” My voice comes out louder than expected, and I look around to see if anyone in the café heard me.

No one’s paying attention.

I grin and quickly reread the message. My restaurant is finally getting noticed. Not just noticed, butloved. I’ve been working my ass off for this, and it’s happening. My name is about to be everywhere.

I think about Mom, and my smile falters. It’s been almost a year since she passed. There were days I wasn’t sure I’d makeit through. But I did. I’m still here, still standing, and now…I’m killing it. She’d be proud, right? Hell, I hope she’s watching.

I can hear her now, telling me not to get a big head. That makes me smile.

The phone rings, and I snatch it off the table. It’s Layla, my business partner and best friend. She is also my sous chef. “Did you see the email?”

“I did,” I say, barely containing my excitement. “We got our first booking!”

“You’re famous, babe. Lemons is about to be the place everyone’s dying to get a table at,” she says. There’s a clattering sound on her end of the call. She’s probably still at the restaurant, bossing the kitchen staff around. “You realize this is huge, right?”

“Oh, I know.I know. Celebrity wedding? This isthegig.”

“And you deserve it. You’ve been working non-stop. You didn’t even take a break after…you know.”

I sigh, pushing thoughts of Mom aside. “Yeah, well. No time for breaks in this business.”

“Have you talked to your dad yet?” she asks.

Layla, more than anyone, understands how complicated my relationship is with my father. He decided long ago that his career as a sports agent for the football team, the New York Bears, was way more important than my mom and me. He even missed her funeral for a big game. Granted, they had been divorced for three years before she died, but still.

Who chooses a career over family?

“Not really. Last I heard, he was in LA.”

Layla sighs. “What a jerk! Still, don’t burn out before you actually cater this wedding, okay? We’re trying to get investors now. Don’t fuck it up.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Layla.”

“You know what I mean.” She pauses. “But really, you’re doing amazing. Your mom would’ve been so proud.”

There it is. The thing I was avoiding. I swallow, my throat tight. “I hope so.”

“She would. Sheis.”

I nod, even though she can’t see me. “Okay, enough of this sad shit.Foodie Weeklyis still coming by for the interview tomorrow, right?”

“Are you excited?” she screams. “You are officially on the list forBest Chefs in New York.”

“I’m excited but also a little nervous.”

“Don’t be, and I’ll be there in case you need someone to bounce ideas off of. You’ve got this.”

“Thanks, babe.Now, this wedding. Let’s talk about the menu. We need Christmas things on the menu. Oh! We can make mulled wine!”

Layla whispers something to someone on her end before answering me. “Right. You know this couple’s super bougie. They’re gonna want all the fancy stuff. I’m thinking we up the ante with the appetizers. We definitely need to order more gold leaf for decoration when we plate this stuff up.”

---