Page 6 (1/1)

Chapter One

Curtis Jackson

“Where the fuck is she?” I shout, slaotta getcake fro in the substance thatI can think of since I don’t nor a specific one is weird to oes silent The line cooks juht are fro side by side with rew up in and this is just one way that I do that, but now isn’t the tiet into all that I have scrimped and saved to open ot it My dream kitchen La reine Jambalaya has been ht me how to make it when I was five or six years old Since then, I’ve been to culinary schools all over the world, thanks to the Coast Guard, where I cooked for the conitaries on the regular but now that I am just a reservist, I came home and reestablished my roots One weekend a month and teeks in the su As a culinary specialist, I learned everything I needed to know and that translated toan executive chef in the two restaurants I worked when I got home

Nothing, and I ht here in the Big Easy New Orleans has always been home, and it alill be We are twenty minutes into dinner service and the desert still hasn’t shown up I’ more pissed by the second

I never should have listened to my sisters, who also happen to my business partners when they said they knew a pastry chef who could cover until I hire a replaceht after French pastry chef who up and quit last week for a job in Washington, DC baking at the White House Can’t say that I blaest a replacement

This little o with thecakes, pies, and cookies you’ve ever tasted, but she’s late as hell I’ve never actually met the woman before but if she bakes like that who knohat I’ll do when I do, which is why I aone by now, but I want to meet her

“Hoould we know that Curt? She hasn’t called,” Audrey,her apron

“Do you want ain?” Nao a sauce on the stove

“That’d be good,” I say, relass object at the wall

Suddenly, the back-door crashes open with a loud bang, and a tower of trays comes into the room

“Shit Sorry I’m here, I’m here,” a sexy, raspy voice says It’s her The miracle worker

I move forward to take the trays from her I turn and set them on the table beside s leaves my body in an audible woosh

“You’re late,” I say gruffly when I remember to speak, and I don’t knohy She’s no older than Audrey for sure, which makes sense since they are friends but that doesn’t stopto life

“I know I’ot into an accident I’m so sorry I lost one of the cakes like it’s inwhen she looks up at me Both of her eyes are blackened and there is a small cut on her forehead Despite that, she’s still the ht brown skin is alluring

“Don’t worry about that Have a seat Have you been to the hospital? You don’t look so good,” I say helping her to a stool that’s on the edge of the wall

“That’s just what every girl wants to hear, sir,” she says chuckling but then she winces

“Hospital Did you go? Were you seen at the scene?” I ask my questions, rapid-fire, but she just ss holy that my heart squeezed in my chest One look and I am hooked We don’t know each other, but it doesn’t irl is mine I clenchout and tucking her wild hair behind her ear Fuck, I just want to touch her, devour her Make her coue and she doesn’t even know my name None of that h