Page 41 of Hotel Mallois

"I thought you had everything under control, Jodie," Mike says, using the complete trust he now has with her.

"She does," Katherine jumps in, placing a hand on her thigh. Jodie shivers. "But she's a complete perfectionist, and there's nothing we can do about that."

"And here I was thinking that spending the last three weeks tasting dishes would have helped somehow," Mike comments, looking in the rearview mirror to change lanes.

Jodie smiles and runs her fingers through her hair.

"I know everything's fine, but I can't help being nervous. What I don't understand is how you're so calm when the hotel's been open for hours," she says to Katherine.

"I trust the staff I've hired, just like I trust you. You've spent two months organizing the kitchen staff and creating menus, Jodie, relax."

Jodie wishes she had Katherine's confidence, but she can't afford it because she not only wants everything to go well to prove to herself that she hasn't lost her skilled touch in the kitchen, but she also doesn't want to disappoint Katherine Taylor.

When they arrive at the Magnolis hotel, Katherine greets several people before accompanying Jodie to the kitchen.

"Everything will be fine, honey, see you later," she says and kisses her lips.

Jodie turns and crosses the double doors leading to this battlefield she intends to conquer, and Katherine heads tothe lobby just in time to see her family enter, including her sister Rachel, the eldest Taylor.

"Oh my God," Katherine says, emotional as she embraces her sister, "I didn't think you'd come."

"Since you all won't come to me, I have to come to you," Rachel fires back like a shot that pierces everyone present.

"I promise Jodie and I will visit as soon as we get a break. With the inauguration, we haven't had time for anything," Katherine assures her with an apologetic expression.

"And I will too, as soon as I inaugurate the new cruise ship and sort out some business, promise," Caroline adds.

Their father raises his hands as if it doesn't concern him.

"They won't let me travel unless one of you accompanies me, so either your sisters take me, or you come get me."

"That's right, Dad," Rachel says and moves closer to kiss his cheek, "let's see when this little one stops kidnapping you," she adds, pointing to Caroline, "and I come get you to spend a few weeks with Ashley and me."

"You say 'little one' because I don't have wrinkles?" Caroline throws back, making her older sister's expression tighten.

"I don't have wrinkles, they're expression lines," Rachel huffs, running her fingers over the line that's crossed her forehead for some time. "Seriously, Dad, you and Mom could have used protection - see, even at a certain age, you can make silly mistakes."

Katherine considers raising a shield to stop the darts between her sisters, but laughter prevents her. The three sisters get along well, however, the age gap between Caroline and Rachel - almost twenty years since Rachel has turned fifty and Caroline is barely thirty-one - is so noticeable that they sometimes seek each other out like teenagers. At forty-two, Katherine sits in a more neutral range and knows how to handle them both.

"Can we go eat?" Warren Taylor asks, offering his arm to Katherine, "I'm getting the urge to send them to their rooms."

"Of course," Katherine says, hanging onto her father's arm to walk toward the private dining room where the family will eat, "and as for visiting Rachel, Mike can take you whenever you want."

"Everything really turned out great, Katherine, congratulations," Rachel compliments her as they take their seats.

"It sure did," Caroline agrees, "I hope the inauguration of my next cruise ship goes half as well as this."

"I'm sure it will," their father says.

"Well, when am I going to meet Jodie?" Rachel asks.

"Later, when all the food is served. Right now she's on the verge of a heart attack, and I don't want to pull her from the kitchen," Katherine responds.

The family spends the next hour chatting mostly about the small concert hall Rachel is building in her bar, which has been delayed due to construction. They savor each course while drinking, and when they're having their after-dinner drinks, Katherine calls for Jodie, who appears a few minutes later with cheeks flushed from the kitchen heat.

Katherine's heart races at the sight of her as if it were the first day, and she wonders when this sensation that usually leaves her looking foolish will disappear. She stands up and approaches to kiss her and take her hand, then introduces her to Rachel.

"Finally, I get to meet you," the eldest Taylor says, wrapping her in an affectionate hug that Jodie appreciates.

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