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I glanced at the head table. Alphonse was chatting with Yvette, who looked like she’d rather drink poison than sit next to him. But Lorelei's seat was empty, as was mine and Sylvia’s. I sent Yvette an apologetic nod and replied to the waiter.“Go ahead and serve it. And have one of your crew add an extra chair next to where my niece is sitting. I’ll be dining at that table tonight.”
“At the children’s table?” I heard him mutter as he raced to follow my instructions.
I circled the room, greeting a few of the people I knew from other social events and business dealings. When I neared the table, the waiter had already placed a chair directly between Sylvia and Soleil. Sylvia was wriggling on her seat like a puppy, and I raised one eyebrow. “Ants in your pants, Silly?”
“Uncle G,” she hissed, her gaze darting to a dark-haired teenage boy sitting diagonally to her.
“Who the hell is that?” I sent the young man a look that promised a long, slow, painful death if he so much as—
“That’s a child,” Soleil muttered, her lips hardly moving, though she kept her smile pasted on. “He’s very sweet, and Sylvia has a little crush. It’s harmless.”
“He’ll be even more harmless at the bottom of the ocean,” I said, placing my napkin on my lap.
She leaned forward to fiddle with her silverware. “Why are you sitting here?”
“My yacht,” I replied stiffly. “I can sit where I like. Though I am almost certain I gave you very clear instructions to stay in your room, Sunshine.” I leaned down to her ear. “You’ve earned a punishment.”
She chewed at her lip, her cheeks even more pink, but then the food arrived, and she burst into laughter. “Oysters! Twice in one week. How lucky.”
“Ew.” Sylvia wrinkled her nose. “Do you like them? You can have mine.” She shoved her plate closer to Soleil, and the other children at the table all offered theirs as well.
“Do you really like oysters?” I murmured.
“I detest them,” she said. “But possibly not as much as a seven-year-old child. Wish me luck.” She lifted one up to her mouth, mumbling something that sounded like “At least they’re not hot jizz shots,” and swallowed it down, only shuddering slightly.
I sighed heavily and waved the waiter over. “I’m afraid Miss Fairweather may end up eating a hundred oysters at this point. Can you ask Chef Juliette to prepare something slightly more… kid-friendly?” The waiter bustled away, and I realized the entire table was staring at me.
“Oh, dear,” Soleil said. “Children? Hide your knives.”
Instantly, every one of the young diners did exactly that. Sylvia tucked mine under the edge of the tablecloth, then grabbed my jacket sleeve.“Uncle G, I just want you to know, you’ve always been my favorite uncle.”
“I’m your only uncle, Syl. Why is everyone acting like I just stepped in a pile of shi—shipwreck?” I corrected myself.
Under the table, Soleil’s hand squeezed my leg. “Good boy,” she whispered, still smiling.
My cock perked up like she’d patted him.
The answer to my question came in the next thirty seconds. Chef Juliette, ominously carrying a meat cleaver, emerged from the kitchen and arrowed across the dining room. “Did someone complain about the food?”
I opened my mouth to explain, but Soleil cleared her throat. “It was me. I’m afraid I had a rather traumatizing oyster experience recently. Even the scent… I’ll need to dine alone in my room tonight, Juliette. I’m so sorry.”
“Clear them away,” the chef demanded, her face softening as she shook her head at Soleil. “Traumatizing oyster experience. I suppose some scents are just too much for delicate constitutions.” She patted Soleil’s blushing cheek, ordered fruit sorbets for the table from the head waiter, then glared at me and vanished.
The kids at the table burst into giggles and whispers after she was gone. I listened to their conversations, and realized they were all terrified about rumors they’d heard of my chef.
“Is it true?” Soleil murmured. “Did Juliette really stab her last employer?”
“He needed stabbing,” I muttered back, eating the coconut sorbet and wondering how much coconut was safe to eat. I’d already started drinking coconut water and adding coconut milk to my coffee. Next thing I knew, I’d be jacking off with coconut oil… Actually, that thought had some merit.
I set down my spoon, feeling Soleil’s attention on me, warming me from head to toe. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as the main course arrived: filet mignon with portobello reduction, gratin Dauphinois, and seared broccolini in a lemon-sherry sauce.
Soleil whispered into my ear, her breath sending shivers up my spine, “Tell me what really happened with Juliette, if you’re allowed. And if it wouldn’t upset her for me to know.”
I almost smiled. “I’m allowed. And she would tell you herself. It wasn’t reported widely in the press, since I had my people expunge most of the news articles after I hired her. Her previous employer was doing more than tasting the soup. He was sexually harassing Juliette, who had no interest in him. Or any man, as far as I know. He got drunk and took it too far one afternoon when I was at his chateau for his annual garden party.”
“He did need stabbing,” Soleil agreed, and I liked the bloodthirsty glint that accompanied her tight smile.
I turned to Sylvia to change the subject, and also because the proximity to Soleil was wreaking havoc on my composure. “So, Sylvia, you didn’t want Soleil on your volleyball team today. Is she terrible at sports?”
