“ Do you want us to go to dinner with your family? My fork slips from my hand and scrambled eggs splatter on the plate.
Cal rubs the back of his neck. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to. It’s just that I haven’t seen Declan in a while, and Iris flew here since my birthday is next week…”
Shit. Her birthday!
I completely forgot about that. It’s been so long since I really recognized the day.
“Are you having a birthday dinner here? In the land of dreams? Because?”
“Because my family is nosy and unbearable.” “So just the usual?”
He laughs.
“I don’t know…” I hesitate, my gaze sliding to Cami, who raises her fork in the air like an airplane before stabbing a piece of her pancake. “I understand.” The skin around her eyes tightens. “No worries. My family can be a little overbearing, so I don’t blame you.”
“It’s not that.” He stumbled over his words. “And?”
Yes, Alana, what then?
“Isn’t having dinner with the family a little…serious?”
“Only if you want it to be. I would love for you to come, but I understand if you don’t want to.
He took your son to Dreamland. The least you can do is go to a dinner for him.
I look at Cami. “I can’t leave Cami alone.”
“Of course not. Everyone is excited to meet her.” “Are they?”
He pulls out his phone and shows me a group chat he shares with Zahra and Iris. I stifle my laughter. “Bad and drunk?”
He looks up at the ceiling as if he needs to pray for patience. “It didn’t occur to me.”
“God, I hope not.”
“It’s the conversation the two of you created to get on Declan and Rowan’s nerves after we went to lunch one time.”
“And he does it?”
“Astronomically, that’s the only reason I’d be willing to chat with the two of them. I have notifications muted most of the time.”
I laugh as I check the chat. The first photo is a selfie Cal took of the three of us eating funnel cakes in front of the castle. I’m clearly trying to clean Cami’s face, which is covered in powdered sugar as she devours the fried dough, while Cal smiles. both with an expression that makes my chest pinch. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him so happy, so at peace, before.
Not even in the photo of us on the dock sharing Colombian cholados.
Iris
As it should be.
MY GOD. Funnel cakes? Meet and greet one on one with the princess? A private dinner inside the castle with an exclusive chef? You’re completely messing them up.
Zahra:
*Falls from fainting*
Zahra
I’m jealous that I have to work instead of being with them all day.
Iris
Well, I’m jealous that you already met them!
Maybe you can meet them tomorrow.
Iris
Actually?!?!
Zahra
Yeah!!!
Zahra
Can you imagine me screaming?
I said maybe…
Iris
How can we turn that into a yes?
I haven’t even gotten around to asking him yet.
Iris
Tell her I’ve been dying to meet her for years since you cried for her.
I end up laughing so hard that Cal frowns. “Did you cry for me?” Panting.
He steals his phone from my hand. “I had something in my eye.” “What? A reality check?”
He scratches his eyebrow with his middle finger, making me laugh again. “So what time is dinner?” Asked.
“Because?”
“Because I’m dying to hear all about you from Iris.”
His head falls back with a sigh. “Worst idea ever.”
 |
Cal asks the golf cart driver to stop the cart in front of a row of warehouses. Cami looks up from my phone to take in her surroundings before deeming it much less interesting than the video playing on the screen.
“Where we are?” I shade my eyes from the sun as I look around at the various warehouses with people coming and going through the front doors. “This is where all the magic happens.”
My forehead wrinkles in confusion. “And what does that mean?”
“I’d rather show you instead.” He jumps out of the car and offers me her hand. Cami follows behind us, head down as she continues watching the show on my phone.
“But what about going to the water park?” I look at my outfit of flip flops, a one-piece, and a pair of jean shorts.
“As much as I would love to spend the entire day with you in a bathing suit, that can wait until tomorrow.”
“But Cami-”
He interrupts me. “It’s okay with what I have planned. She herself gave me the go-ahead yesterday. Right, boy?
Cami gives him a thumbs up without looking away from her screen. “See?” Cal raises an eyebrow.
“She was in it the whole time?” My mouth opens. “She Surprise.” Cami looks up with a wide smile.
“She didn’t say anything when I dressed her in her bathing suit this morning.” “Because she gave me money!”
He blinked at Cal. “How much?”
“Can you really put a price on discretion?” “One thousand dollars!” Cami squeals, nearly dropping my phone. “One. Thousand. Dollars?” My tone rises at the end.
“I pressed it right, Mommy.” He extends his fist for me to hit him, something he no doubt learned from the man smiling next to me.
I press my palm against my forehead. “I’m not sure how I’ll survive you two.”
“Come on. We’re late.” She places her hand on the small of my back. “Late for what?”
“You will see.” She leads us to a blue door a little ways from where the golf cart dropped us off. With a tug, it creaks open.
The smell of freshly baked bread and cinnamon rolls hits me all at once. “Oh Lord.” I take a second sniff. “That smells amazing.”
His smile widens as he grabs my hand and pulls me inside. We walk down a semi-lit hallway before it opens to a huge kitchen with all the latest technology.
“Bonjour!” A man dressed in a white chef’s suit waves his knife in the air.
“Tell me he’s not who I think he is.” I pull Cal a step back. “Surprise.” He smiles.
“Are you Alana?” Chef Gabriel asks with a hint of a French accent. He wipes the flour off his hand with a towel before offering it to me to shake. His smile is even brighter in person than on those TV shows he appears on as a guest, making him seem much more approachable than you’d expect from someone who gets paid to yell at bakers and criticize. his abilities.
“Hello,” I squeak as I grab his hand.
Oh Lord. You’re shaking hands with the King of Chocolate.
My hand shakes in his, which he doesn’t comment on. I never thought I’d be the kind of girl who would be starstruck, but here I am, heart pounding in my chest and palm sweating, in front of the man whose career I’ve followed since I was in high school.
Chef lets go of my hand. Cal has told me all about your love of baking.
“Has?” My voice reaches the highest pitch in history.
“Yes. He and I thought it would be fun if we made his birthday cakes together.”
I blink twice. “I’m sorry. Did you say cakes? Plural?” Cal coughs in a poor attempt to hide his laughter.
“Yes. Cakes.” Emphasize the s sound with a smile. “I was supposed to show you one of my recipes, but once I talked to Cal about his favorite sweets, I thought we could swap recipes. I’m told your cake Tres leches is to die for.
I look over my shoulder at Cal. I didn’t know you and Cal knew each other. Cal shrugs. “We produce your program.”
“Of course.” Is anything in the world safe from the Kane Company and its influence?
Who are you to complain? Now you can spend the day with the King of Chocolate!
Chef Gabriel gives me a small smile. “Shall we start? “I have to catch a plane tonight and Cal told me you have a dinner to attend.”
“Of course. Yes!” I take a few hesitant steps towards the metal counter. “Cami and I are going to work on decorating some sugar cookies and cupcakes for Rowan’s team of friends meeting tomorrow. Cal kisses my cheek.
Cami hands me my phone before reaching out and taking Cal’s hand. The two of them walk to the other side of the warehouse, where a few employees stand with trays of cookies, cupcakes, and decor items.
“Are you ready to start?” Chef claps his hands together. “Yes, chef.”
He laughs. “Please call me Gabriel.”
I look down at Cal and my mouth, oh my God . Her smile widens before she turns to Cami, who’s already dipping her fingers into the bowl of frosting. She looks at him with wide eyes and parted lips, only to crack a smile when Cal slides her finger against the side of the bowl as well.
Those two are too similar for my taste.
Liar.
Chef Gabriel begins to recite the steps while talking about the ingredients he is using. He took each thing like a new baker learning how to crack an egg properly for the first time.
Together, Chef and I get to work on Cal’s birthday cake. It’s one thing to see Gabriel’s techniques on TV, but it’s another experience to witness firsthand someone as talented as him. Everything about him is incredible.
The way he turns sugar granules into decorations that rival the best restaurants in Las Vegas.
Its glazing technique, which makes what happens on TV look amateurish.
Him finding the balance between passion and perfectionism. as he turns Cal’s birthday cake into a work of art.
“ Fini.” She spins the cake tray in a circle, showing off her creation.
“Wow.” I look at Cal’s cake from every angle.
The skills Gabriel acquired during his twenty years of baking speak for themselves, and I’m dying to have even a fraction of his experience.
You could if you wanted.
Instead of pushing the thought away like I usually do, I stay with it. A little of the house money could pay for me to receive some formal training. It could help fund some trips around the world so she can learn from chefs of all backgrounds, although those kinds of vacations would have to wait until Cami finishes school for the summer.
An idea begins to form. I can do whatever I want, as long as I’m willing to take the risk.
“What do you think?” He asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.
“That my cake will look like a child made it compared to yours.”
He laughs at himself. “As long as he tastes good, who cares?”
“Says the man who just spent the last hour working on a single sugar flower.”
He laughs at himself. “The chef I worked with in Las Vegas was a bit of a perfectionist.”
“Did you work in Las Vegas? When? “I don’t remember that being part of her introduction on the show.
“Last year at the Dahlia.”
“The Dahlia?” He took a breath. That is one of the most exclusive hotels in all of Las Vegas.
“Oui.”
“Where do you find the time? Don’t you have like ten restaurants to run and a million things to do?
“When I was still a student, I told myself that once I earned enough money, I would spend a month in a different city each year, learning new techniques and skills to improve my craft.”
I lean forward on my elbows. “Wow. What inspired that? “Working for a stubborn chef who never wanted to branch out and experiment beyond what he was good at.”
I get busy clearing the counter of all the dirty bowls and baking tools. “I always wanted to travel and eat all over the world.”
His smile spreads across his face. “You need. Some of the best experiences I’ve had baking are from my time travels.”
“Actually?”
“Oh yeah. It brought life to the food I loved and taught me to appreciate the culture and people behind the recipes.” He clears the station to prepare for my tres leches layer cake, leaving me to consider what he said.
What would it be like to spend your summers traveling the world, learning new recipes while exploring cities and cultures?
You could find out.
Maybe I will.
