Page 24 of Chef's Kiss

CHAPTER 16

Charlotte

Work? I can’t go back to either of them because I don’t work at either anymore.

Home? If I go there Christian will just track me down, and he’s the last person I want to see right now.

What do I do?

I take the final ten dollars to my name and go to my safe place. I just need to sit, to blend in like someone like me is supposed to, and think. Whatever gave me the right to think I could stand out in life? To be somebody? To actually enjoy myself with an amazing man?

But his true colors came through this morning alright. He’s not a real man. He’s a chickenshit coward, and I’m better off without him.

I feel like everything is closing in on me as I slide into the farthest booth in the place. I wish I could just take that helicopter of his and fly far, far away where there aren’t any people. I knew it was a mistake coming out of my shell, opening up to someone, and meeting my celebrity crush.

And oh we met alright, and just like the old saying goes, “It’s better to keep your idols at a distance, else you find out what they’re really like.”

His true colors sure shined bright this morning, just like the sunrise.

Well, if today’s going to be my self-inflicted pity party then I might as well go all in and enjoy it. One last hurrah. After I finish up here it’s time to pull up my bootstraps and do what I do best.

Survive.

Forget the idea of thriving, I wasn’t put here on this earth for that, and I don’t want it anymore. I don’t want to be hurt, I just want my book boyfriends and some comfort food. The last thing I need is a real boyfriend and gourmet cuisine.

I’m a simple girl…always have been and always will be, just like one other factor in my life…being alone.

It’s just the hand I was dealt, and I’m okay with it. At least I won’t ever have to feel like this again.

What a jerk!

CHAPTER 17

Christian

I’m racking my brain as I pace the floor of my house.

“Where could she be?”

I continue walking, stop and bust out ten pushups. I need all the blood I can get circulating to my brain so it can work as efficiently as possible. Apparently it wasn’t working this morning so I need to get it firing now to find her and make up for lost time…and make things right.

Of course I went by her house and nothing. She must have known I’d be coming. I squeeze my fists tight thinking that whatever I did caused her to get so angry at me that she couldn’t even go to her own home. I practically want to harakiri myself in the Japanese tradition, just slide a sword right into me and take my own life, for messing up hers.

I feel honorless, even though I don’t know what for. But the bigger picture here is she showed me what life is all about, and I can’t go back to just sustaining, like I was before I met her. I need her by my side, as my equal, and not just because I care about my stupid TV show. The only reason it’s important anymore is because we can do it, together. And it can make us all the money we’ll ever need to grow and support a family, together.

Together…that word just thumps in-between my ears every time I think of her.

And suddenly the most important idea I’ve had yet hits me. I grab my phone and call my rep.

“Hey Christian. You sure were off today.”

“Jack, I don’t have time. Does Starbucks still want to do a deal?”

“You know they’ve been trying for years. They’re just waiting on you to say yes.”

“I need to talk to their guy…not their rep, their agency, none of that. I need to talk to someone high up the chain over there. Hell, get me Howard Schultz if you can.”

“I read that he’s on vacation right—“

“Jack! Just get me someone from Starbucks. Now!”

“Hold one second, Christian.”

My pacing hits a fever pitch as Jack puts me on hold and makes the call on another line.

I hit my forehead with the base of my palm for being so dumb. I should have thought of this earlier. Charlotte loves Starbucks. It’s her safe place, her sanctuary, and with so many Starbucks in Southern California there’s no way I could find her.

She thinks.

But I’m resourceful, and I’ll do anything when it comes to getting my woman back.

“Christian, Jeff from Starbucks. Jeff, this is the man you’ve been trying to land.”

“Jeff, you want to sponsor the show?” I ask, not wasting a single second.

“Hello Christian, and you know we—“

“Great! I need you to find someone for me.”

“Find someone?”

“There’s a woman in one of your locations right now, somewhere here in the Hollywood or Southern California area.”

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