He reached for the letter that had arrived last week. The offer could make or break his
dream. He knew little about the magazine Good Eatin’ other than a spread was
eagerly sought by the nation’s restaurants. As his silent partner, his mother
had a voice in whether they should chance a bad review.
“What was so important you asked me to cancel my lunch date?”
She smiled. “Please tell me you’ve found a weekend hostess.”
He shook his head. “The job is yours until you say you’ve had
enough.”
“Might be soon.”
He arched a brow. “Something serious happening in our life.”
She laughed. “You’ll be the first to know. What about you?
Have you met the woman of your dreams and the one who will make me happy?”
“When do I have time?”
“Make time. Several of the sous chefs are young and
attractive. Ask one of them out.”
He held up a hand. “Not going there. They’re taken and I only
poach eggs and a few other foods.”
She sat on the chair beside his desk. “So what’s the news
you’re bursting to tell?”
He handed her the letter. “This arrived the other day. The
offer could be a sweet opportunity”
As she read he studied her face. Her expression changed like
the weather. His mother’s beauty always made him smile. He’d always wondered
why she hadn’t married again. Had she mourned her father for fifteen years? He
recalled the nights when he’d been awakened by their angry voices raised in
accusations.
She touched the silver streak in her dark hair. She scowled.
“You will not let those
people near Five Cuisines. I won’t have them here.”
The venom in her voice surprised him.
“Why not? I hear a feature in Good Eatin’ will place us among the top
restaurants in the country.”
“I won’t let him use his magazine to
destroy you the way he ruined your father’s dreams.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Peter Blakely, editor of Good Eatin’ of the Good Magazine
Group, deliberately used his wife’s magazine to destroy Le Provencal.”
Greg rose and went to her side. He’d been sixteen when the
tragedy had occurred. His father’s suicide had brought drastic changes in their
lives. “Why would this Blakefield do that?”
She stared at her hands. “Your father told me his family and
Peter’s had been at odds since they arrived in this country during the colonial
days. Your father and Peter became rivals in high school. I met Peter in
college. We fell in love and were engaged but we had a fight. I broke the
engagement. Peter wanted no part of my parents’ restaurant. Victor heard about
the break-up and comforted me. He went to work for my parents and we were
married. Peter was furious. He threatened to destroy Victor. He waited for
years until he found the right time and he succeeded.”
“How?” Greg met her gaze.
“He wrote dreadful articles about the food and the ambience.
Victor had made changes in the décor and the menu. People stopped coming. The
shame caused your father to take his life. Victor had always been mercurial and
volatile. When he drank depression brought him low.”
“Do you have copies of these articles?”
“Your father wouldn’t let me read them. He burned them.
Promise you won’t let these people near Five Cuisines.”
Greg looked away. Her comments disappointed him. Until he
learned more about this feud he would hold off sending a letter of regret. “Are
you sure this is the right decision?”
MY PLACES
4 comments:
Forbidden love and food. Love it!
Blurb sounds great. Fun story.
Sounds tasty!
Interesting. Have to put your fantasies on my to be read list.
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