Page 75 of Challenged By You
Despite Karlson waving his hands frantically in the air to warn me off, I decide to plow ahead with the plan. “I want to change the article and have you give your people all the food I hate for the night I review the restaurant.”
There’s a moment of silence where I faintly hear something that sounds like a Gregorian chant in the background. Then Mia bursts into laughter. “What happened? Did you finally encounter something you can’t resist?”
With complete seriousness, I answer, “Yes.”
Immediately she says, “Hold on.”
There’s an excruciating silence over the phone and in Julian’s office until Mia gets back on the line. “Sorry, I had to check to make sure Cam was going to be home next week to watch the kids because if you think there’s a chance in hell I’m going to miss watching you go down to the biggest challenge ever to my chefs, you’re crazy. Now—” Her voice changes to a purr that catches me off guard. “Tell me how Paxton got under your guard.”
Julian leaps into the air, fist pumping it. Karlson flops back into his chair, sighing heavily. I swallow hard. “How do you know it’s Chef Paxton?”
“Because ever since I booted Chef Spencer out, I’ve had Sterling keeping a close eye on the back of the house. Your comings and goings have been noted, Jonas. I just didn’t realize I’d get to have this much fun watching you take the fall.” Even as I process her reply, we all jump when she yells, “Emily, do not put your fingers up Scoot’s… I’ve got to go Jonas. Otherwise my brother’s cat is never going to be the same. I’ll call you back for your list of ‘hates’ when I get to the restaurant.” The phone abruptly disconnects.
“Well—” Karlson slaps the arm of the chair as he stands. “—no time toloafaround. Better get to work on that list. Otherwise, I think that woman might carve you up and serve you to yourself.” He makes to leave.
“Wait, Karlson.” Shoving myself from the chair, I walk around the desk and plant myself right in front of him. “Once we see where this thing goes, I really want you to meet Trina and her kids.”
He swallows so hard, I can see his Adam’s apple bob up and down. “I’d love that.”
“Good. And one more thing?” I lean forward awkwardly and give him an one-arm hug. “Thank you for being the kind of man who took in two rambunctious kids, who taught them everything, and loved them through their snotty stages.” Pulling back, I apologize. “I’m sorry mine just ended recently. I just want to say thank you for everything. I’m proud to be a member of this family.”
My uncle can’t speak. Flapping his hand, he leaves the room. Julian comes up next to me. Breaking the tension in only the way he can, he asks, “Can I help make the list of crap you have to eat?”
I elbow him and call him a short, pithy expletive before saying, “Yes.”
Then we set down to get to work.
It takes a while to come up with the perfect list for Mia, but I’m adamant about the ingredient for the dessert dish.
It has to be apples.
I just can’t let myself think about what Trina’s reaction’s going to be when she’s told the news.
Chapter 28
Trina
We’re all crowded in Chef Sterling’s office when the call from Mia Palazzo comes through. Remembering the conversation Jonas and I had where he took me into his confidence about why he hates apples, I’m about to pass out in front of my colleagues.
Apples. The decree from the mothership just came down. My signature dessert has to include the food Jonas associates with his mother dying. My mind is swimming with the implications to what this means not only to Jonas and me but to Seduction.
“Is this some kind of joke,” I finally manage.
Andre, our head appetizer chef, chokes out, “I only wish it was. Did you read the way he ripped into the last restaurant for serving him poorly prepared food with jelly on top?”
“I can only imagine.” Knowing Jonas’s wicked way with words, he must have done a number after a particularly awful disaster. “Why does it have to be these foods?” I demand.
There’s a general consensus around the room. “Why, Chef Paxton, how good of you to ask.” Mia Palazzo’s voice floats through the speaker. “You’re being given this challenge because I demand the best from each of you, regardless of the circumstances. It doesn’t matter who your audience is, you don’t cook for them. You cook for yourselves, and for this restaurant, from your heart. If you can’t do that, well, Chef Sterling will show you the door. We grew Seduction not because we went with the trend—we set the trend. Let me make something clear: this is how the team at Seduction New York will perform from this point forward. If I send menu changes to Chef Sterling tomorrow, I expect them to be implemented immediately. Am I understood?”
“Yes, Chef,” we all respond immediately, including Sterling.
“You have your assignments and one week to transform these ingredients. But let me encourage you to not hide them. Highlight them—shove it down Jonas Rice’s throat that the chefs at Seduction are better than anywhere else in New York. Do you understand?”
Murmurs of agreement intermingle with ideas of recipes being bounced back and forth. I hear the word matcha and give a shudder. That’s when I hear my name being called from the box on Chef Sterling’s desk. “Yes, Chef Palazzo?”
“The article Jonas Rice was going to write about you? It should come out the same day as the review.”
“What do you mean?” Jonas has only been to the restaurant a handful of times. More often than not, our conversations ended up with us talking about who we are personally.
