Page 30 of Falling for You
CeCe scrolled through the registration site for the competition, and her breath hitched at the sight of Eric on the screen. She’d have to face him eventually, but even the pixelated Eric made her uneasy.
Time had been good to him. His dark hair had a few flecks of gray, and there were a few fine lines around his eyes. But he was the same cocksure chef he was years ago. His grin was new, or at least the pearly veneers were, smirking at her through the screen. CeCe remembered a random night together, when Eric confided that he hated his crooked smile. She’d traced his jawline and shook her head, promising him that his teeth were perfect and gave him character. Over their time together, she’d quickly learned if there was something Eric wanted, he never hesitated to go after it. Apparently, that mindset was for more than just people. “Nice Chiclets.” CeCe muttered.
Tearing her eyes from Eric, she instead focused on the entry form. Five minutes later, the task was done. There was no backing down. Expecting to feel a zing of apprehension, she was pleasantly surprised when all she felt was excitement over the chance to flex her culinary muscle. Years had gone by since the last time she’d competed in a food competition, and it felt empowering to start again.
There were about two months until the competition. Max and Ginny’s wedding was shortly after, and CeCe was glad she’d only have one more event to focus on. Learning about Evan’s contract for the boutique’s new website was exciting, but she feared he was stretching himself too thin. He was a people pleaser, and she could tell he liked to feel useful and involved.
CeCe closed her laptop and pulled herself to her feet. She had a couple hours until her dinner date with Evan, and she wanted to bring something to his place beyond the recipes to review. Knowing he loved her famous cheesy bites, she rolled up her sleeves and got to work. She fell into the familiar rhythm of grating, measuring, mixing, and baking. During these moments, she let her mind wander. That is, if her foggy brain would allow the time for reflection. From thinking about the diner’s upcoming menu to options for Max and Ginny’s reception to her budding feelings for Evan, her brain ran a marathon.
CeCe hadn’t dated much since she left Eric and Chicago behind. She’d spent some time working at pop-up restaurants on her way to Buckeye Falls, never quite finding the place where she wanted to stay. She had always been a roamer, loving the feeling of not being tied down to anything or anyone. The feeling could have stemmed from her hectic childhood, being ushered back and forth between her parents, but she wasn’t sure. Even before her parent’s divorce, she had a restless energy at her core.
When she’d met Eric, CeCe felt an unexpected shift in her universe. Her days no longer revolved around recipes and restaurants, but her focus was all on Eric. If he said jump, she would spring into action until he was pleased and she was exhausted.
Need a new menu in time for the bigChicago Tribunefood review? Ask CeCe.
The waitstaff uniforms were looking dated? Ask CeCe to order new ones.
Don’t have time to find a plumber for the leaky prep sink? Ask CeCe.
She had been used to being everything to Eric—until she wasn’t.
But the trouble with doing everything for someone was the potential of not getting anything in return. Growing up with ’90s rom-coms, she half expected to find her own Freddie Prinze Jr. to sweep her off her dorky feet, someone to dote on her every waking moment. When Eric, one of the hottest chefs in Chicago, started showing interest in her skills outside the restaurant, she fell—hard.
Eric had this ability to make everyone feel singular, feel seen, but especially CeCe. As they closed up each night, he would slide her a plate of a special meal he’d made just for her. He would walk her to the train station, his arm slung over her shoulders, asking about her day and plans for the weekend. As Saturday night turned into Sunday morning, Eric would be at her place making sourdough bread for breakfast before they had to get into work.
On days when CeCe wasn’t feeling well, Eric would send a container of his famous chicken soup with a note that made her smile. She probably still had that note lying around in a box somewhere, and she hated herself for keeping it. Certain mementos were better suited for the dumpster.
That was the thing with relationships. When they were good, they weregood. You wanted to savor all the memories while they were fresh and ripe, much like a summer strawberry. What was the point of falling in love if you didn’t have proof of the fall? CeCe still treasured these outdated keepsakes, mostly because very few men had treated her so well before.
Now things felt different. Evan felt different. There was something in his young, hopeful gaze that made her truly feel treasured and cared for. No matter what happened, Evan wouldn’t shut her out of his life. He would be there. This notion made her feel better and worse in equal measure.
It was never fair to compare relationships, but it seemed impossible not to. CeCe remembered the day her relationship with Eric fell apart, and it still made her nauseous. Having forgotten something in her locker at the restaurant, she’d doubled back to find Eric in a very delicate situation with a woman CeCe had never seen before. At first, CeCe was speechless. She stood in the doorway with her jaw on the floor and her heart crumbling to dust.
When they broke apart from their embrace, the woman was embarrassed but didn’t seem upset. Eric had introduced CeCe as his sous chef, not his girlfriend. He’d introduced Hilary as his wife, and CeCe felt the earth shift under her feet. The next day she told Eric she was giving her two weeks’ notice. To say Eric handled the news well would be a gross understatement.
He. Went. Ballistic.
CeCe could still hear the sound of her resignation letter being torn to shreds, could see the strips of paper fluttering around his office as he howled with frustration. “You’re not leaving,” he’d said as he stomped around like a toddler who didn’t get dessert.
“How can you expect me to stay? Do you really have nothing you want to say to me?” Her eyes brimmed with tears, and CeCe hated showing her vulnerability, her pain.How had she misread the situation that badly?!
Eric ran his hands through his hair, finally turning to snag her gaze. “You’re not leaving,” he repeated, as if this time she’d change her mind.
“I can’t stay here.” She’d meant every variation of the word. The restaurant, Chicago—it had all lost its luster when she’d found out about Hilary. “Can we please be adults about this?” Perhaps she was still numb from the shock of the truth, but CeCe had never truly been afraid of Eric until that moment.
He’d closed the distance between them in two strides and towered over her in the cramped space. For all the times she’d felt protected by their size difference, then she’d felt cornered like an injured animal. It was a sensation she planned never to repeat again. “We’re not done, CeCe.”
“Oh, I think we are.” She’d been proud that the tremor in her voice was minimal, although she’d run out of space to hide.
Reaching out, Eric held onto her forearms and ground out, “You’re not leaving. We’re not done. Nothing has to change.”
CeCe had been incredulous. “You’re married.” She spat the word out like it’d burned her tongue. “You can’t be serious.”
But Eric was serious. He’d been rude and short with her in the kitchen, putting all the staff on edge. CeCe had applied for jobs all over the city, and Eric was quick to get in her way to make terrible references. He’d insulted everything about her, from her time management to her ability to make professional-level patisserie. All in all, he’d been acting like the victim. It had driven CeCe to the brink.
After several months of getting shut down before she even made it to the interviews, CeCe knew she needed to leave Chicago. She’d miss the hustle and bustle, the constant feeling that everything was happening around her. Until she found Buckeye Falls, CeCe didn’t think she could live a quieter life. But the town had quickly cast a spell on her that couldn’t be ignored.
CeCe was content to avoid relationships in Buckeye Falls. The dating pool was pretty shallow for a small town, so that was her default excuse when Natalie and Max pushed her to date. Only last year did Max even learn about CeCe’s past with Eric. Some things were not worth bringing up.
