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I bet you didn't see this coming, huh? Look, I'm sorry I was so tight-lipped when I came to New Orleans. Some things were still up in the air then, but we’ve parted ways with Simon. Turns out that he wasn't the chef we thought he was, and without you, his work was subpar.
Hell yeah!I was so happy that I wanted to open a bottle of champagne. Did that make me petty? Sure, but I didn't even care.
I continued reading with a huge grin on my face.
I’m certain that you have a comfortable job in New Orleans, and they clearly value you, but LeBlanc & Broussard's isn't a Michelin-starred restaurant. I'm sure you know how good this would look on your résumé. Besides, you already know everyone here, so there will be no learning curve. Attached is my offer. Let me know how fast you can leave New Orleans. We look forward to welcoming you back.
That was cheeky. Why would he assume that I would just drop my job here in order to go back to Seattle? I was a chef here as well. True, this wasn’t a Michelin-starred restaurant, but it was very highly regarded and far more popular than Starlight.
He was right about one thing, though: I certainly didn't see this coming.
So they finally realized that Simon isn’t who he bragged he was, huh?
Yeah, I was still gloating about that.
I didn't wish him any ill will, but after the way he’d treated me, I couldn’t help but rejoice. I’d worked hard at Starlight for years, hoping for a promotion, but the truth was, I didn't want it anymore. Still, I wasn't going to reply yet. He'd only emailed me this morning, and I wanted him to know that I took my time to consider it. So I put the phone away and went on about my day.
***
The time passed quickly, especially because I stopped working just after lunch. It felt almost bizarre to skip dinner, but Bella's baking competition had priority. I was so giddy to see my girl baking.
She's not your girl, Scarlett, okay?
It felt like she was, though.
Chad had already gone to the school twenty minutes ago, so I was heading there on my own. I changed at top speed, checking myself in the mirror in the employee bathroom before leaving. I'd brought a dress with me today that was black with a V-neck. It was perfectly decent for a baking competition at a school. At least I hoped it was.
I was wearing flat shoes, though. I loved the French Quarter, but wearing heels around here was mighty dangerous.
I ran my hands through my hair a few times, but it was pretty futile after wearing a chef’s bonnet. The best thing I could do would be to pull it up in a cute ponytail, which was exactly what I did.
Then I took out my phone, put the school’s address into Google Maps, and hurried there because I didn't want to be late. The competition didn’t start until 4:00 p.m., but everyone was encouraged to arrive at least fifteen minutes before. According to my phone, I was going to make it just in time.
As I approached the school, I was about to text Chad to ask him where they were, but then I realized that wasn't necessary because half the family was gathered in one side of the courtyard. My heart was full of joy just watching them. Bella would be so happy that everyone showed up for her baking competition. I especially admired Chad's brothers for being here—let's face it, they were single men, and it was Friday afternoon.
Julian noticed me first. "Ah, the woman of the hour. My niece was talking our ears off about you before she darted inside."
My heart nearly exploded.
Isabeau and Celine were looking at me with kind eyes.
"You're so good to our girl," Celine said.
"She's going to win," I insisted. "She's very good and pays attention closely."
"I do wonder why she didn't want either of us to teach her, though," Isabeau wondered.
"In her own words, it was because you don't follow instructions precisely, and she can't keep up," Xander explained.
Zachary stared at him. "Dude, ever heard of not saying everything that comes into your mind?"
"Young man," Isabeau told Xander, "that's not true."
"It kind of is, though," Celine said. "We’re all about precise steps when it comes to mixing perfumes, but we bake by memory. It's not easy for anyone to learn from us, is it?"
Isabeau humphed, giving Xander the side-eye as if this was his fault.
"When's Sarah coming?" Anthony asked.
