Page 80 of Brooke
Nanine shook their joined hands, the touch filled with power. “You must believe it to be so. In believing it, you will make it so.”
She sounded like Axel in that moment, and Brooke’s heart pulsed warmly in her chest. “You will like him, Nanine. He thinks like that too.”
“A wise man for our Brooke,” Nanine said after a pause. “I have not met him yet, but my heart knows you are a good fit. Your father will see that as well.”
Nanine’s words were oddly prophetic. When Brookeintroduced Axel to her father later that evening, the two men shook hands and sized each other up before her father leaned in and gave Axel a warm hug, saying he couldn’t be happier to see the radiant joy on his daughter’s face.
Nanine slipped her hand into Brooke’s yet again, and together they watched the men they loved become acquainted.
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
“Kyle!” Madison shouted as she pulled open the oven door to check the lamb, steam hitting her already hot face. “Stop hovering in the doorway. We’re good here.”
Hadn’t she told him to stay away today even though she’d known it would drive him crazy? Didn’t she have enough to manage? Her new staff—mostly Nanine’s old staff—were still getting accustomed to the change in leadership. Plus, tonight was a huge night, a pressure cooker, the kind that made some chefs puke out their guts.
Kyle put his hand casually on his hip, looking way too gorgeous for her peace of mind in a blue suit without a tie, the top buttons open on his white shirt. Sexy but casual could bring her to her knees. She hoped he didn’t know it.
“I only thought you’d want to know that Marcel Fournier has arrived.”
Her new line chef dropped a mixing bowl on the floor, the loud clatter halting the rapid cutting and chopping in the kitchen. Madison wanted to curse. Everyone in the kitchen was tense now—even Pierre ruffled his feathers on his perch.
Honestly, she wanted to cheer. With Marcel,atLa Fleur, she’d first tasted the victory of obtaining a Michelin star as his sous chef. He was a culinary god, and she was thrilled he would critique her. She’d purposely not told her staff who would be coming for the special dinner, because she knew what it was to wear their shoes. Her hands would have trembled back in the day if she’d known she was preparing food for three Michelin-starred chefs.
Kyle’s mouth tightened a fraction, and she knew he’d realized his mistake, before he punched up his megawatt smile. “In case you wanted to welcome him. But no worries. I’ll make sure he’s well taken care of.” He nodded casually to the staff. “Everything looks like it’s going great, everyone.”
She waited for him to clap or something.
“Tonight will be your triumph after the past weeks of hard work. I have a few special bottles of Dom set aside for after the dinner. I’ll look forward to toasting your success with you.”
She stalked over to him, only mollified a little by his kindness toward her staff. Of course, they knew him. Many of Nanine’s staff had been with her from the beginning, so she and Kyle had worked with them ten years ago.
But now they both had new titles. Kyle was the de facto general manager of Nanine’s while she was the head chef, which garnered respect. He’d been over from time to time during their so-called reopening training, especially in the first few days, but he’d quickly stepped out of her way. He knew she needed complete control of the kitchen, and for that, she was grateful. But she didn’t run everything by him, which is why he’d just stepped in it.
He leaned down toward her ear when she reached him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”
“I got that,” she quietly said back, reining in her temper. “I understand why you wanted me to welcome Chef, but he will not expect it. He understands what’s at stake. Just go back to your seat and do your thing. Only don’t try and influenceanyone about the food or service. I want brutal honesty tonight.”
He gave a mock bow. “Which you will have.”
“Now get out of my kitchen.” She nudged him toward the door, trying not to touch the muscular body of her fantasies too much. “Your cologne is interfering with the mélange of scents we have going on in our cooking.”
His smile was a wicked flash of humor, the kind he reserved only for her when she was pushing him. “You’re going to kill it, Mad. I’ll see you later.”
She didn’t have time to get all girly, but a part of her knew she’d always remember how he’d looked and smelled in this moment as he gazed at her, his blue eyes filled with warmth. They were more than friends, and they both knew it. But they’d agreed not to act on it. Talk about raining down disaster on their personal and professional spaces.
Brooke and Axel might be trying things out, but she and Kyle had more at stake than work and their hearts. They had their roommates and Nanine. This was their family, and you didn’t screw that up. Still, sometimes one of them couldn’t resist the pull…
Forcing herself to spin around, she stopped short. Her staff was staring at her. Great. Now she’d need to give a speech. “Did you expect me to invite people I met on the street? Nanine and I invited people whose opinions we respect. We all want a Michelin star. You’re not here simply to play with cuisine. We’re here to wow. Tonight we home in on that purpose, and who better to tell us if we’re nearing that goal than friends who have already received the highest honor in our profession?”
A few people’s faces were still tense with worry, so she made herself pull a rare smile, something Pierre seemed to emulate in his station in the kitchen as he rocked back and forth in encouragement.
“Tonight is for Nanine, and for us as much as it is foreveryone who will walk through our doors. All you have to do is what is in front of you with the excellence already inside you. You would not be here if you were not ready.”
God, she sucked at speeches, but a few people nodded with absolute seriousness in response. Pierre gave a friendly squawk, having been warmly welcomed into their midst. He had, after all, worked in a Michelin-starred kitchen himself before.
“Let’s get to work,” her sous chef called out, sending her back a rare smile on his Gallic face.
