The Winemaker's Dinner: Appetizers (The Winemaker's Feast) Page 4

  Rolling over, Jaden noticed their suitcases beside the door, packed and ready to go. The clock on the night table flashed 11:29. Tasha was out with Michael—or Micky, as she seemed to be calling him—and there was still an hour and a half before checkout. Summoning the energy to get up, Jaden stood and pulled her suitcase up onto the bed, unzipping and rummaging through it for a change of clothes. She ignored the pounding in her head and shuffled clumsily toward the bathroom. Maybe a nice, hot shower would ease the massive hangover wreaking havoc on her body and clear the jumbled thoughts from her mind.

  Jaden turned on the faucet before slipping out of her dress and tossing it aside. Pulling back the shower curtain, she stepped in and let the heat seep into her pores. Hot water flowed over her, washing away some of her tension and taking with it the faint, spicy scent of Ivan that clung to every inch of her body—a scent forever embedded in her memory.

  The sound of the hotel room door opening brought Jaden back to her senses. Turning off the water, she wrapped a towel tightly around herself. A chorus of laughter echoed into the bathroom, and for a brief second, Jaden was jealous of her best friend. After slipping on her jeans and T-shirt, she towel-dried her hair and pulled it into a ponytail, then opened the bathroom door.

  Tasha and Michael lay in a heap in the center of the other bed, kissing and groping each other, though they were thankfully still fully dressed. Jaden cleared her throat to alert them to her presence but still had to avert her eyes when Michael rolled over, revealing plainly visible evidence of his arousal.

  “Oh, wow!” Tasha blurted and moved to untangle herself. “This is awkward.”

  “Sorry,” Jaden replied, and turned toward the door. “I’ll give you two some privacy.”

  “Hey, wait a minute!” Tasha jumped up and stopped Jaden before she could leave the room. “Is everything okay?” she asked quietly. “You look kind of…upset.”

  “I’m fine,” Jaden lied. “I just need some coffee.”

  “Let me get my purse, and we’ll come with you.”

  Jaden glanced over to where Michael lay on the bed, covering himself with a pillow and grinning from ear to ear. “There’s only an hour left until checkout, and I think your new friend wants to say goodbye. Why don’t I go down and get a coffee, and you can meet me in the lobby when you’re ready to go?”

  “Are you sure?” Tasha asked, her eyes already drifting back to the bed. “I mean, I’ll come with you if you want.”

  “Please, you can’t leave the poor man hanging like that,” Jaden said with forced enthusiasm.

  Tasha grabbed Jaden and hugged her. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I owe you one.”

  “Yeah, you do.”

  Jaden could hear the giggling commence as the door shut behind her. The elevator ride to the lobby was punctuated by gaudy music from the overhead speakers, which intensified her already throbbing headache. Making her way through the people lined up to check out, Jaden entered the restaurant and found a small booth by the front with a clear view of the elevators. Thankfully the hour passed quickly, because her mind once again began churning through the images of a night she needed to forget. Yet somehow she knew they’d already burned themselves into her memory. Jaden was working on her second cup of coffee when Tasha and Michael emerged from the elevator, Tasha beaming and Michael laden with their luggage. Flagging down the waitress, she ordered three coffees to go before joining them at the front desk to check out.

  “Feeling better?” Tasha asked as she approached.

  “A bit.” Jaden juggled the Styrofoam cups as she carefully handed one to each of them.

  Checkout was swift, and Jaden was glad to see her SUV at the end of the parking lot. The sooner they left Sarasota, the better. Digging the keys out of her purse, she unlocked the door and slipped into the driver’s seat, giving Tasha and Michael a few more minutes of privacy to say their goodbyes. She watched through the rearview mirror, envious that they looked like a committed couple after having shared only one night together.

  “So now do you want to tell me what the hell’s going on?” Tasha demanded the minute she slipped into the passenger seat. “You cannot be sad after spending the night with a fine gentleman like Mr. Oh So Sexy.”

  “Can we please talk about something else?” Jaden grumbled as she put the car in reverse and backed out of the parking spot. “What gives with you and Micky? The two of you looked awful cozy together. I’m sensing this is more than a one-night deal.”

  Tasha flushed and looked away. “I don’t know. I hope it’s more than a one-night thing.”

  “Start talking,” Jaden said. “I want all the juicy details.”

  Tasha returned her smile and launched into a full account of her night. She prattled on for a few minutes, but then grew quiet before announcing, “And OMG he’s hung like a bull. I swear the guy has it going on. And his tongue…good Lord, the man knows how to use it. He must’ve been down there an hour—or at least it felt like it.”

  At this point Jaden expected Tasha to turn red, but her grin just widened as she carried on with her far-too-detailed description.

  “At first he tried to stop me from returning the favor, but no way was I letting him get away without a taste, so then I—”

  Jaden burst out laughing. The happiness that lit up Tasha’s face was enough to sweep Ivan out of Jaden’s thoughts. “When are you going to see him again?”

  “He lives in Fort Lauderdale, and he has to work next weekend, but probably the weekend after that. He mentioned something about having tickets to a basketball game, or maybe it was baseball.” She shrugged and sighed. “I hope you don’t mind, I said he could crash at our place,” Tasha added after a moment. “I mean, if you don’t want him there, we can always get a room or something.”

  “Are you kidding me? Why would I care if he comes over for the weekend? Last time I checked, both our names were on the lease.”

  Tasha fell silent, and she shifted in the seat to face Jaden. “So are you ready to talk yet?”

  “What’s there to talk about?” Jaden asked. “We spent the night together, it was great, and now it’s over.”

  “That’s it? You’re never going to see him again?”

  “That’s it.” Jaden shrugged.

  “You’re joking, right? You’re going to let a guy like that walk away?” Tasha bellowed, her voice echoing loudly in the car. “Are you out of your freaking mind?”

  “What else is there to do?” Jaden replied sharply, her tone harsher than she’d intended. She realized that not once during their entire evening together had Ivan asked her name. Feeling used and dejected, she forced back a fresh wave of tears. “The guy only dates celebrities and models, and I certainly do not fall into either of those categories.”

  “What did Ivan say when you told him this? I doubt he’d just let you leave without talking this over.”

  “I told you already, there’s nothing to talk about. I’m sure he was relieved to wake up to an empty bed. Based on all those articles you sent me, I’d say ‘no strings attached’ is his favorite mantra.”

  “You didn’t even talk to him before you left?” Tasha asked, dumbfounded. “After all he went through last night to get your attention? The least you could’ve done was let him know you were leaving.”

  “What do you mean, after all he went through? What are you talking about?” Jaden glanced over at Tasha, almost veering into the oncoming lane. After swerving to the right, she pulled the SUV over and turned to face Tasha. “What exactly did he do to get my attention? He didn’t even know my name!”

  “That’s not true. Last night while Michael and I were dancing, Ivan found me and asked if he could cut in, which, might I add, Michael was none too happy about. As we danced he asked me all these questions about you. I told him your name, that you were single, and that you’d just accepted the head chef position at Bianca in Miami. By the time we finished talking, you’d disappeared somewhere, and he took off after you like a bat out of hell. That
’s why I sent that text message. I kind of figured I wouldn’t be seeing you again until this morning.”

  “Oh.” Jaden sighed and stared blankly out the window. How could such a brief interlude with a man she didn’t even know evoke such strong feelings of regret? Unable to hold back the tears any longer, she buried her face in her hands. “Oh, God, what have I done? I blew it!”

  “You sure did! That guy was seriously into you.” Then Tasha spoke again, her voice soothing. “You know, you could always Google him and probably find his number, or at the very least his email address.”

  “I can’t do that. He probably hates me by now.” Rummaging in the cubby between the seats, Jaden found a napkin and wiped her face. “Look at me! I don’t even know the guy, and I’m crying over him. How pathetic is that?”

  “It’s only pathetic if you sit on your ass and don’t do anything,” Tasha said. “It’s obvious he has a thing for you. Find his number and give him a call. If you don’t, you’ll only have yourself to blame for letting him get away.”

  Jaden said nothing but took a deep breath, signaled, and pulled back onto the highway. Turning up the volume on the stereo, she soon lost herself in thoughts of work. She was determined to erase all traces of Ivan from her mind, even if it meant she’d be absolutely miserable.

  Chapter 6

  “Run”

  IVAN’S EYES BEGAN TO BURN as he stared at the computer monitor, his finger poised directly above the enter key, as it had been for the past five minutes.

  Jaden had made her choice when she left him high and dry, alone in the suite that they’d shared for one monumental night, he told himself. And even though her friend had given him the name of the restaurant where Jaden was head chef, after her abrupt departure he’d been determined to push it from his mind. Yet here he sat, behind his glass desk with a stack of patient folders waiting for his attention—each representing someone who hoped he’d help them defeat Mother Nature—and all Ivan could think about was Jaden. Despite the picturesque view of the water from his office window, Ivan could only focus on one thing: seeing her again. Hastily, he typed “Bianca” into the search bar, and his finger trembled above the enter key. Finally, summoning his nerve and following his heart, Ivan tapped the button.

  The first link on the page of search results led to the restaurant’s website. Taking another deep breath, he clicked. Jaden’s picture flashed across the home page, along with a brief bio of their new chef. She looked just as stunning as he remembered: long obsidian locks cascaded down her shoulders, and her emerald green eyes sparkled at him from the screen, her mouth curved into a smile.

  The sight of her ignited the same feelings it had several nights ago—when for one brief moment in time she’d been his. He needed to see her, to put this demon to rest. But how could he just walk into the restaurant? He needed a reason to be there, to confront the woman who’d stolen his breath on a warm September evening.

  Forming an idea, Ivan logged into his email account and began composing a strategic message, addressed to several of the people who’d attended the Winemaker’s Dinner with him. His fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard as he typed.

  Hey, guys!

  Wanted to say it was fantastic to see each of you at the dinner last weekend. Sorry I left in a hurry, but I’m sure everyone had a good time. It’s been brought to my attention that a fantastic new chef has recently taken over at Bianca, and I was wondering if you’d like to check it out, for business reasons, of course. Ha ha! It would be a pleasure if you’d join me for lunch this Friday at 12:30—it’s on me! Let me know if you can make it.

  Cheers,

  Ivan

  His invitation was accepted. The RSVPs rolled in, and the week seemed to fly by. Before he was certain he was ready, Ivan found himself approaching the door to Bianca. A mounting ball of tension, anticipation, lingering anger, and even a touch of fear weighed heavily on his shoulders. A part of him was still pissed that Jaden had left without so much as a note, but he also wanted to understand how she must have felt. He needed to let her know he wanted more than just a one-night stand, and with any luck, this would be his chance to do that. He smiled as the chattering voices behind him reminded him he wouldn’t have to face this alone. Opening the door, he stepped aside and allowed his associates to enter.

  The wait staff moved efficiently throughout the dining room as guests chortled and made small talk over their meals. Classical music filtered through the dimly lit room, creating an ambiance of elegance. The smell of truffles and tarragon tantalized as the group followed the hostess to their table, passing a large framed portrait of the restaurant’s new executive chef. Ivan paused briefly to admire the picture, and the sight of Jaden, looking so beautiful and demure, caught him off guard. A wave of queasiness washed over him, and he waited for it to pass before following the group.

  By the time Ivan reached the table, everyone had taken their seats, leaving only one: the head of the table. As he sat, a slender, redheaded waitress approached and handed each of them a menu.

  “Good afternoon, and welcome to Bianca. My name is Susan, and I’ll be your server today. You’ve picked a good day to join us. The chef has just added many new selections to the menu, including a grilled ahi tuna prepared with fresh lime and mint.”

  Stunned, Ivan snatched the menu off the table and scanned the page. Sure enough, the menu offered the tuna served at the Winemaker’s Dinner, although it appeared from the ingredients that Jaden had put her own twist on the dish. He grinned. Nice work, Jaden.

  After taking their drink orders, the waitress turned to leave, but Ivan tapped her lightly on the arm. “Excuse me, but is Chef Thorne preparing lunch?” he asked quietly.

  “Yes, she is today,” the waitress replied.

  “Good, would you please ensure that she’s the one who prepares our meals personally? My associates work in the industry and have been looking forward to trying her dishes.”

  The waitress glanced around the table and nodded. “Yes, sir, of course.”

  Ivan watched as she hurried toward the kitchen and disappeared behind the double doors. This was it. The stage was set, and he would soon have answers to the questions that had plagued him for the past week. He had to know if there was even the slightest possibility for him and Jaden to have a future.

  As they settled in at the table, Dirk, a tall Latino playboy dressed to the nines, glanced casually around the restaurant. “So, is this place gonna make it?”

  “Sure. Great location, interesting name…” chirped Jay, a magazine executive with a brown, scruffy beard, “and as long as they keep hiring waitresses like that.” He tilted his head toward a busty blonde as she disappeared behind the kitchen door.

  “We shall see,” Stephen, a food critic, interjected. “The food better be damn good. You can’t eat the waitresses.”

  “I bet you wouldn’t mind taking a bite out of that,” the equally busty blonde sitting beside Ivan jibed. He grinned, shaking his head at their one-track minds, but a moment later their waitress returned, and Ivan felt another rush of nervousness. Why was she making him so nervous? It’s not like this girl had any idea who he was, and there was no way Jaden could know he was sitting less than twenty yards away from her in the dining room. But still, his stomach fluttered.

  “May I take your orders?” she inquired politely.

  One by one each of Ivan’s guests placed their orders, and Ivan knew exactly what he wanted. “I’ll have the tuna, my dear,” he said with a smile and added a wink for good measure.

  The waitress nodded and once again disappeared behind the doors to the kitchen. The friendly banter between his lunch companions grew livelier as they discussed the merits of having a sommelier on staff.

  “Every great establishment should have one available,” said Stacey on his right. “Don’t you think, Ivan?”

  “Hmm?” Ivan hummed. His thoughts remained focused on his impending liaison with Jaden.

  “I was saying, do you not agree t
hat every great restaurant should have a sommelier on staff?” she repeated with a smartass giggle.

  Ivan sat upright, forcing himself to pay attention to the conversation. He was, after all, the one who’d invited them to lunch. “I do agree. Sommeliers are a crutch that the rich—and by that I mean the drunk with too much money—use to hide their lack of knowledge about wine. Why not have someone on staff to capitalize on such ignorance?” he said, grinning. “Isn’t that why you like them so much?” His lunch companions roared.

  “You ass,” Stacey snapped back as she laughed with the others.

  Dirk now turned to stare at the picture of Jaden in the entrance to the restaurant. “So about this chef…What did they do? Dress up some model and put a spatula in her hand? I mean, come on, chefs don’t look like that. I’ve seen Emeril sweat out five pounds during a show—ten if he has to do any retakes.”

  Ivan sat back and listened, laughing silently to himself. He wasn’t the only one who found Jaden more than stunning.

  “She must be able to turn off a stove if she landed herself the head chef position,” Stephen added from across the table. “I’ve heard good things, but I must say, if the food is substandard she’ll sink like the Titanic.”

  Ivan felt a knot tighten in his stomach. Maybe he shouldn’t have brought everyone. What if she wasn’t such a great chef? He really had no idea. Oh, Jesus. How embarrassing would that be? These people were professionals, and if they discovered he’d brought them here on a romantic whim, they’d crucify him. Maybe he shouldn’t have told them he’d tried the food and she was the best new chef in town. Grabbing his glass from the table, Ivan took a long sip of his wine. Where was his faith? She’ll do great, he reassured himself.