Page 31 of The Billionaire's Fortunate Accident
He’d been researching like a champ. “Stone, I’ve got to say that you seem to be on the way to being not only a great chef but an amazing nutritionist.” I picked up one of the egg rolls and bit into it, finding it mildly spicy with flavors that burst to life inside my mouth. “Wow!”
His blue eyes lit up. “You like it?”
“I love it.” There was such an array of wonderful tastes that it blew my mind. “Avocado?” I had to ask. “In an egg roll?”
“It works, though, right?” he asked.
“Creamily so.” I couldn’t get enough of it and took another bite. “The wrapper tastes a little different than what I’m used to. But I like it. There’s a hint of…” I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.
“Coconut,” he offered. “The wrapper is made from coconut flour. It makes it way healthier. And these were also deep fried in coconut oil. It might seem like a decadent treat, but it’s really not. It’s healthy in many ways.”
Dipping it into the sauce, I took another bite and moaned with the amazing taste. “Yum!”
“I used store-bought Mexican crema, but I found a recipe for it, so I’m going to start making it myself. It’s funny because I’ve always made my own crème fraiche. You can’t find that in any regular grocery store anyway — I learned how to make it in culinary school. All you have to do to make Mexican crema is add the juice of one lime and some kosher salt to crème fraiche.”
“You can make that stuff yourself?” I was impressed. “Stone, that’s amazing. I thought those things were like cheese. You know — you need to have machines to make them or something like that.”
“Nope. You can make them at home using nothing more than heavy whipping cream and buttermilk. It’s a snap, really.” The smile wouldn’t leave his handsome face. “You can make your own cheese at home too, but you do need some special equipment for some of them. The soft cheeses are much easier to make on your own.”
Seeing him so happy made me feel even worse for how I’d treated him the night before. “Stone, I really feel awful for the things I said yesterday.”
“Yeah, you’ve apologized. We’re good, Jessa.” He acted as if the night before hadn’t even happened. “I’m just so excited about this thing that I can’t think of much else. I’ve got recipes floating through my mind as we speak. I’ve got ideas about the size of the place I want to open too. And I’m still working on what it should be called. A restaurant is too big for what I’m going for.”
“Whatareyou going for?” I wasn’t sure I understood much about what he was planning.”
“Okay, so I want to be able to make foods really quickly. I want things fresh. And I want there to be some places where people can sit down. But I don’t want to waste time on hiring wait-staff. I want a walk-up type of thing where you walk up and see the menu on a board behind the counter. Maybe the specials will be written on a chalkboard at the door or in front of the cash register.”
“I think you’re talking about something along the lines of a bistro.” I’d been to hundreds of them. “I like that atmosphere. Some soft music playing in the background, making everyone happy. I like instrumentals while I’m eating. The lights, not too bright, not too dim.”
“Yeah.” He reached out, taking my hands into his. “Help me, Jessa. Help me by telling me what is good and what’s not. Help me with the ideas that would make this a place where lots of people would like to eat. I know you don’t want my money, but I would love to pay you for consulting with me over this.”
There was no way I could take his money. “I’ll tell you what, Stone, you don’t have to pay me in money since you’re already feeding me. I think we’re even. You give me free food — I give you my free opinion about it.”
Cocking his head to one side, he seemed to be thinking about it. “For now.”
“Sure, for now.” It would be like that for as long as he needed my criticism of his food. But there wasn’t any reason to argue over it. I was tired of arguing. I was tired of trying to fight whatever this thing between us was. I looked at the tray and realized that I’d devoured the food. All but the little packet. “Wow, I’ve finished.” I held up the snack. “I’m going to keep this in my pocket to snack on throughout the day.”
“Exactly what I wanted you to do with it.” He was all smiles. “I’m going to look for biodegradable serving containers too. I want this thing to be as planet-friendly as it is good for people.”
“I’ve got to tell you that I think you’re doing something wonderful here.” A sense of being on the edge of something big came over me. “I’m actually glad you’ve got money behind you to make this happen, Stone.” If he hadn’t had any, I would’ve definitely invested in his idea.
Shrugging, he looked a little modest. “I just hope I’m not reaching too far.”
“You can’t ever reach too far. Even if you only manage to grasp a part of your dream, more will come when it’s time.” I had some wise words for him, the same words that one of my first teachers in medical school had told our class. “Rome wasn’t built in a day. But that doesn’t mean Rome was unlivable the entire time it was being built. People still lived there when the construction was going on. Your business can still get going well before you’re at the peak of this thing.”
“You’re saying that I should start small and not wait until I’ve hammered out every little detail, aren’t you?”
“Iamsaying that.” I had to get back to work. And for once, I was excited about going to see the babies in the nursery. At least, that little one who seemed to like only me. “I’ve gotta get going. And I’m off tonight, so I won’t see you. But I’ll be back here tomorrow if you care to come and see me. You don’t always have to bring me food either.”
“I know.” He got up, taking the tray and throwing it away for me. “Iwantto bring you something to eat.” He wrapped one arm around my shoulders, then pulled me to his side, his lips pressed against my temple. “I like the idea of you eating healthy.”
“Well then, I look forward to eating what you come up with. Today’s meal was off the charts delicious. And I don’t feel the way I usually do when I leave this cafeteria or after I eat at Hamburger Hut. I feel great and not hungry in the least.”
“I’ve got to figure out how to make this stuff at an affordable price, though. And that’s gonna be the hardest part.” Although faced with a daunting task, he still smiled.
As we got to where we had to part ways, I kissed his cheek. “See you tomorrow then, master chef.”
Chuckling, he let me go. “See you tomorrow, future doctor.”
