A Sweet and Spicy Kind Of Love (6 page)

Valeria’s parents had made The Daffodil Inn a landmark over the years, and when Molly had applied for the position of cook, she was surprised and elated to get the job. Although Valeria had shown no loss of love towards her, Daisy Trenton was quite another matter. In the interview she had been stern but fair in her assessment. Her eyes had skimmed over Molly’s resume and reflected approval “Not bad Molly Makepeace. Not bad at all. Now let’s talk business. I have gotten to know a little of your mother since you’ve been away and I found myself pleasantly surprised by her personality. And since your return I have gotten to know a bit about you as well. I need a good cook for the Daffodil Inn and I know you left for the city to go to that chef school, and they tell me you were the best student. That is what I need. The best. So I am inviting you for a small trial so you can show me what you’ve got. And if all goes well, you can continue here indefinitely. After all, I would prefer a local instead of hiring outside help.”

Molly’s eyes lit up as her smile stretched wide. She was overjoyed to be given the chance. After living in the city for two years she had returned to Sunnyvale with a heavy heart and a sense of defeat. It was her hope that the work in the city would provide enough funds to help her mother with the expenses, but city life was not for her. The rat race coupled with unfriendly people and neighbors caused her prompt return, after only two years to the sanctuary that was home.

However Molly agreed that she had fond memories of her city sojourn. She had studied with a French Chef, Rene D’ Cotillion, at an affordable school that had given her talented skills in the cooking arena. She was pleased to know that when she left, her badge of ‘Extraordinary Chef’ was well deserved. And her teacher inspired her when he would say ‘Molly you could take a lumpy piece of meat and turn it into filet mignon… just by looking at it!’ That comment still brought a smile to her face.

Upon her return, Belinda could not stop hugging and kissing her for days. It made Molly feel a little guilty that her mother had missed her so. Because of that and her fear of city life, Molly resolved to find some sort of work nearer to home. But nothing suited her taste or skills in the town of Sunnyvale. The various hotels served horrendous food which gave mostly indigestion and the few large homes already had dedicated cooks of their own. When the Trenton family decided to take their little Inn to the next level, Molly was the first to apply for the position of Chef in hopes that opportunity had at last come her way.

After three years on the job, she was glad she had taken the step despite’s qualms over Valeria’s animosity. And she was pleased to know that she gave an exclusive, gastronomic blend that couldn’t be found anywhere else in Sunnyvale. The Daffodil Inn’s restaurant was continually jammed pack with eager customers, ready for a taste of “Molly’s Masterpiece.” Molly took it all in stride but with a healthy taste of pride in her work.  Although Valeria remained a constant thorn in Molly’s side, the kitchen was off limits courtesy of Daisy Trenton and for that Molly was grateful.

After the cleaning was done, Molly closed up for the day. With a heavy sigh of weariness, she made her way home.  As she walked, the lingering scent of perfumed roses along the way tickled her senses and made her smile with delight. A light wind descended from the upper valley, softly caressing the tendrils of her hair and the stars above shone brightly. The beauty of the surroundings was like a balm to her weary soul and she felt better. She was so intent on her surroundings that the sound of the approaching vehicle did not register, until it stopped beside her.  When the driver rolled down the window and flashed a bright smile, Molly gasped. She couldn’t believe it. It was him!

“Molly isn’t it? Long time no see.”

Julian Chambers in the flesh. Molly had so many feelings clamoring inside that she couldn’t decide which emotion to feel first. After a few seconds which seemed like an eternity, she found her voice “Hello there Julian. It is nice…I mean it is swell to, wonderful to….and to know…um, well you know…”

Julian did not comment on her haltering words, but pointed to the passenger seat “Hop in and I’ll take you home.”

Molly shifted slightly and bit the inside of her cheek. She really didn’t know what to think of his offer but there was no better time to find out. With a shuddered breath, she got inside and closed the door.

After making sure her seatbelt was fastened, Julian pulled away. “Were you planning to walk all the way home?”

Molly nodded “I love to walk and it is safe here at night. And my home is only about fifteen minutes away, so not too far.”

“That sounds nice, but why don’t you drive?”

Molly smiled to herself. Not everyone had money to buy a car, but she would not mention the obvious. “Well I like the walk, so I do not mind.”

His words were full of amusement as he replied “I see. Well then walk your poor legs to dust… unless you get a bicycle and then you can ride them to dust instead.”

Molly laughed out loud, suddenly at ease. She could not believe how much more approachable he had become. “Well that is a great idea. My mother would love it too. That way she wouldn’t be scared that I will wrap my bumper around a tree.”

It was Julian’s turn to laugh. “Oh there is no road rage going on here, so there’s no danger of that. The most you would do is run over poor farmer Fenton’s pigs or crash into Ms. Maguillicody’s chickens. Either one would put you in the dog house for years, but at least they won’t put you in jail.”

“No at least that won’t happen. So how are you? What have you been doing away all these years?”

When silence greeted her questions, Molly cleared her throat nervously and glance at the man at her side. His face was inscrutable and she lost the courage to question him any further. Angry at herself she raged within. Why did she have to ask something like that? What was wrong with keeping things light? Of course he would not want to talk about his personal life. So much for being approachable.

The rest of the drive was made in complete silence and when he left her at the doorstep without a word of goodbye, Molly’s eyes filled with unshed tears. For just a moment things were going well and then she put her foot in it. With a frustrated sigh she went inside and tried to put Julian Chambers out of her thoughts.
Again.

Chapter 6

Valeria’s steps were determined as she made her way to the kitchen. The morning rush for breakfast would soon be started and she wanted to deal with the situation before then. Her lips were a thin line of displeasure and a frown was between her brows. After all those years of waiting she did not understand how things were not going as smoothly as she had hoped.

When she got to the kitchen, Molly was decorating a cake. It was a beautiful, curved, three tiered cake in black and white, with white roses and pearls adorning each petal. As she watched Molly use wax paper with some kind of pattern to make designs around the sides of the cake, Valeria was intrigued despite her anger. The red head really seemed to know what she was doing, which was a pity since she would not do it anymore. “Molly Makepeace, turn around and look at me.”

Molly was startled and almost ruined the design on the uppermost layer of the cake. She had not realized that Valeria was standing there and felt slightly annoyed at the interruption. The wedding was only two days away and she had a lot of work to do. It was not fair for Valeria to interrupt at such an important time. With a sigh she placed the decorating instruments aside and waited patiently for her unwanted visitor to get to the point. It didn’t take long.

“How dare you allow Julian to take you home? It is inconceivable that you would do such a thing. He is mine do you hear? Not yours and I want to know that you will never do such a thing like that again.”

Molly’s reaction was as unexpected to her visitor as it was to herself. As she burst out laughing until her eyes moistened with tears, Valeria’s eyes narrowed and her lips thinned all the more. Her anger did not faze a cheerful Molly. Putting her hands over her face and feeling the unexpected release of negative energy caused her to laugh even harder. When she finally stopped laughing and removed her hands from her face, Valeria was nowhere to be seen.

Molly sat down on shaky legs and wiped the edges of her eyes as she sighed deeply. She had not laugh like that in ages and it felt incredibly good. No doubt Valeria would return but for the moment she was gone. With a new found spring in her step, Molly returned to her work. She felt so happy and contented that she started to hum a tune as she reflected on the reason for Valeria’s visit. Who would have known that such a beautiful butterfly would be jealous of someone like Molly? It was such a ridiculous notion that she felt the threat of laughter coming on again. Life was certainly full of surprises.

~~~

Julian was seated at the breakfast table reading the newspaper “The Sunnyvale times”. Lionel’s frown was more pronounced than ever as he glared at his son, but Julian was blissfully oblivious. He did not care about his father’s black mood for the moment because something in the paper had caught his attention. “Father did you notice that they are hosting the annual, chili competition here in Sunnyvale? They have never done that before. I think it would bring some new faces to the town and if someone from here actually won the competition that would be a nice bit of promotion for the area. Perhaps we should sponsor it. What do you think?”

Lionel’s fist crashed into the table as he bellowed “What the devil do I care about a chili competition? That means nothing to me, not one little bit. What I care about is your plans to marry that girl. What are you waiting on huh? An invitation? You already have it so it seems to me that you are procrastinating and I do not like it.”

Julian folded the paper slowly and leaned back. With a sigh he looked at his father and noted the deep grooves in his cheek and the white pinch around his mouth. His father’s imposing nature seemed more pronounced than before, but perhaps it was time to air their differences to some extent. “Father, do you really want me to marry Valeria?”

Lionel’s brows rose in disbelief “I would have thought that was obvious. Of course I want you to marry her. She will bear many children and make your home complete.”

 “Valeria, bear many children?” It was Julian’s turn to look surprised “I do not think you know her as well as you think you do. Anyway, that is a topic for another day. Tell me truthfully, did you love my mother?”

Lionel’s demeanor changed instantly. It was as though all the fight went out and he wilted right before his son’s gaze. Without replying he got up and left the table and Julian watched his retreat with mixed feelings. Sometimes he wished his father could fall in love again. Perhaps he would be a nicer person if someone would brighten his life instead of making Julian’s as miserable as his own.

~~~

Molly’s wedding preparations were complete. With a sigh of contentment she reviewed the menu list carefully. ‘Sweet potato soup with grilled chicken strips and slices of carrots, Italian glazed chicken breast spiced with Oregano and basil leaves, sea bass marinated in a white vinegar blend with a dash of garlic, steamed vegetables with a topping of cilantro leaves and fruit punch with a blend of oranges, grapefruits and fruit cocktail.’ As she glanced at the three tiered cake, a smile lit her face. It was the most perfect cake she had ever made to date. Being inspired certainly helped.
Thank you Valeria for your inspiration.

With deft movements Molly prepared the containers to hold the various dishes. Hopefully she would have it all delivered before lunch so she would have a moment to relax.

~~~

The Daffodil Inn was decorated in warm earth tones. The tables and chairs were made of rose wood with carved legs and backrests, the corner lamps of bamboo and the ceiling fans were shaped like leaves, with frosted light fixtures. The tablecloths were pristine, white with a crochet doily and delicate, floral arrangement in each center and the windows were arched, looking out beyond the restaurant to the valley below. It was a peaceful setting and Julian liked it very much, although his companion did not seem to feel the same way.