The Winemaker's Dinner: Dessert (The Winemaker's Feast) (18 page)

Jaden wanted to shop, have a mani and a pedi, and eat something other than cold Chinese noodles. Tasha wanted a rundown on the latest details of her best friend’s doomed romantic life: from the alley to the beach. A trip to Lincoln Road was in order.

The girls shopped and chatted as they walked the length of the outdoor mall from Washington Avenue to Alton Road and halfway back again. Jaden was amazed that she actually felt human. It felt good to see the sun.

“I’m hungry. Are you hungry?” Tasha stopped in front of Serendipity 3 and began reading the menu board. “I hear they have a great happy hour.”

“And a sundae the size of my head,” Jaden said with a laugh. No matter how tempting a chocolate sundae the size of her head might have been, after her cruddy MSG-laced diet of the last few days, she needed real, fresh food. “I’m past that stage of mourning, but thanks.”

“Damn,” Tasha cursed. “I was willing to blow my diet in your time of need, girl.”

Jaden looked over the top of her sunglasses and smiled. “Nice to know your sacrifice has no limits.”

“That’s the kind of friend I am.” Tasha looped her arm through Jaden’s and pushed them forward down the mall.

They finally picked a healthier restaurant and snagged an outside table under blue umbrellas that provided the best people-watching views. While they waited for their salads and wine, Tasha launched into a colorful commentary about the passersby. This girls’ day out was exactly what Jaden needed to pull herself out of her funk.

About halfway through the meal, her phone rang. 818. The area code had become synonymous with the career she’d thought she wanted and her life’s romantic destruction. Without much enthusiasm, Jaden took the call.

“Hello?”

“Jaden, darling, how are you?”

Kevin’s voice was almost too much for her. “I’m doing all right. Thank you.” She kept her voice pleasant, her answers brief.

“Fabulous. I wanted to call you personally with some great news. They’re filming a new movie in Miami starting next week, and I’ve been contacted to see if you would plan and cook a private dinner for the directors, producers, and stars of the movie at your beloved Bianca.”

She opened her mouth to formulate a response, but Kevin forged ahead. What was it with men not letting her talk?

“Of course I said yes!” he continued. “I knew you’d understand the importance of such an event. This could be a huge opportunity for you—a chance to be introduced to some A-listers and maybe garner some connections beyond television, and beyond food, for that matter.”

The news and the rush of adrenaline that accompanied it placed a genuine smile on her face for the first time in days. “Wow, Kevin. What a fantastic honor. I’m thrilled!”

“What is it?” Tasha whispered from across the table.

Jaden held up a finger and mouthed
one second
. “Do you have the details?” she asked Kevin. “Who’s in the movie? Who’s producing it? When do they want to have the dinner?”

The line was silent for an extra few seconds. “I’m not rock solid on all the details yet, but I do know it’s an excellent opportunity and one you should really get behind. Lionsgate is the company, and I know a few people there.”

“Okay,” she said. Quite frankly she didn’t know what else to say. “Oh! Does Geoff know? Is Bianca in the loop on this?”

“Yes, they know the dinner will be hosted there and that you’ve been asked to cook it. I believe Geoff is the contact and is awaiting your response. I also believe you know him rather well?”

Jaden laughed. “Yes, I’d say we know each other rather well.”

“Now, listen,” he added, his tone turning serious—almost paternal. “I hope you can appreciate what an opportunity it is to be in front of these producers, executives, and directors. The celebrities are really trivial since they’re not the ones making decisions. Don’t get caught up in the names on the guest list, but fair warning, there’s probably some real star power. Just focus on the potential to be the center of attention in a crowd of button pushers.”

“Ahhh, okay…” she said, slightly confused. “Is there a name for the movie yet? And you
really
don’t know who’s involved? Or are you just not telling me?”

“Uh, nope. Not yet. But whoever they are, if you impress them you may have a whole new future in front of you. Lose your focus and I’m afraid you’ll be stuck with me for another ten seasons.”

“Okay, okay. I get it,” she conceded. “Well, let me know the date, and I’m there. I’ll get in touch with Geoff shortly.”

Jaden looked over to find Tasha about to explode. She suppressed a giggle.

“Excellent,” Kevin said. “Oh! And think
seduction
when you plan your menu—sexy foods, aphrodisiacs on steroids, nectar of the gods, that kind of thing. And I think that’s all the detail I can give you at this point.”

“A seduction menu. Gotcha.” Jaden smiled wide and offered Tasha an exaggerated shrug.

“I’ll be in touch again soon with more information, and please know this is a great career opportunity—in the kitchen and out. Don’t get bogged down in the—”

“Jesus, Kevin! I get it. I will. I’m all business,” she assured him.

“Okay, thank you,” he replied. “I’ll call you soon.”

“Bye.”

Jaden clicked her phone off and looked at Tasha, puzzled.

“Oh, you better start talking
now!”
Tasha announced, looking like she might leap across the table.

“Well, apparently some bigwigs want me to cook a private dinner for the cast and crew of a movie that starts shooting here next week.” She watched Tasha’s face light up. “The best part is the dinner’s at Bianca!”

The girls squealed in unison, earning them dirty looks from the adjacent tables.

“Who’s gonna be there? What celebs?”

“Well, he didn’t say. He was all about the fact that it was a networking possibility for me with the directors and execs, but he danced around the other details. I don’t care, really. It’s exciting!”

“You aren’t even a little bit curious?”

“Well, of course I am, but I have to cook regardless. So that’s going to be my focus.”

“So serious!” Tasha rolled her eyes. “Can’t we squeal again?”

Jaden indulged her with a particularly over-the-top shriek, and their squeals turned to giggles just as their overpriced salads arrived.

“Well, I’m sure you will rock star them, girl. See? Now don’t you feel better?” Tasha speared some chicken and lettuce and gestured with her fork. “I told you. You get
your
shit together, get your mojo all shined up, and this clusterfuck with Ivan is going to just fall away. Where better to get your confidence back than in the kitchen
at Bianca?
That place is your home turf.”

“You’re right,” she conceded, though she reflected for a moment on the state of her and Ivan’s non-union. “But I just miss him. I can’t help that. We’ve texted back and forth a bit for the past couple days, but it’s such a diluted, stiff exchange.” Jaden waved her hands uselessly.

“Is he being mean?” Tasha asked. “Because you can’t—”

“No, he’s pleasant enough, but there’s no personality, no affection, no depth. I don’t think he’s ever going to have a conversation of substance with me again. He’s walled himself off. It just seems like the precursor to a dying friendship, and since the rest of the relationship is already gone, I don’t see the point of delaying the inevitable. Perhaps a clean separation is better…”

“Well, I know that sucks, but you might be right. If he’s not open to putting things back together, you can’t repair it on your own.” Tasha was quiet for a moment, then smiled brightly. “You’ll just have to focus on kicking ass!”

“I know you’re right.” Jaden sighed. “It’s just going to take some time. Right now I really miss the sweet nothings he used to send me.”

She held her wrist up to examine the fading yellow of one of the last remaining marks on her body, a bittersweet memento from her night with Ivan. She’d cataloged all these little marks on her body since then and cherished them. This small, barely there yellow thumbprint on her wrist and one small spot on her left hip were all that remained. When Ivan’s mark on her body was gone, she’d have nothing left of him.
He’d
be gone. Her skin would be healed but her heart would be scarred forever.

“But he has let me go,” she continued after a moment. “I promised myself I’d try until he told me no, and the other day at the beach, he did. Sooo…The worst part is I know he still loves me, loves what we had together, but he’s too afraid to move forward. He’d rather have nothing than be hurt again, and I hate that—I hate that I caused it.” She shuffled the mixture of greens, cheese, nuts, and salmon around on her plate with her fork. “But there’s nothing I can do. He won’t let me.”

Tasha patted her hand, but remained silent.

“I’m just tired of feeling so lonely,” Jaden added. “I’m tired of waking up to utter despair. So it’s time to move forward, and let’s start with this kick-ass movie dinner, right?”

“Now you’re talking!” Tasha practically cheered. “Look out for this bitch!”

Jaden laughed and felt a teensy bit better. Who knows, maybe sometime soon she might catch a glimpse of the girl she’d been before insecurity took her out at the knees.

Chapter 24

“Father and Son”

“
MATTHEW
, W
HAT
I
S
T
HIS
?”

Ivan turned to find his mother holding up the box of condoms he kept in his bathroom. And she’d used his first name, so he knew he needed to think fast. They’d sprung this trip on him rather suddenly and refused to take no for an answer, so he hadn’t had time for as much “tidying” around his apartment as he might normally do.

“Mom, what do I specialize in? Sexual health. What do I promote? Sexual health. So what do you think I provide to my patients? Sexual health products.” He gestured toward the box with a flourish. “I just happen to have some at home.”

She raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“Aw, crap!” his father cut in. “You found my stash. I was hoping to surprise you later.”

She gasped and rolled her eyes at her husband. “Don’t you start getting goofy on me now. You get like this every time we go on vacation.”

“Yes, but it has worked for the past thirty-eight years, so something about it must be right.” His dad chuckled, but Ivan caught his
you owe me
look clear as day.

“Sometimes I wonder,” she muttered as she turned back toward the bathroom with the white box.

His dad disappeared into the kitchen while Ivan schlepped the rest of their bags to the guest room.

“So how are you?” his mother asked as she followed him down the hallway.

“Good! Business couldn’t be better. We’re already looking to expand to Monaco or Casa de Campo at the end of the year maybe and then—”

“No, I mean how are
you?
Personally.”

Her voice softened, and her meaning was apparent. How was he since he and Jaden broke up? He had no idea how to answer.

Though he felt terrible about it, he’d avoided all talk of Jaden with his parents since it happened. Maybe he was embarrassed by how it ended, or maybe talking through it with them would make it all too real. Keeping it to himself allowed him to cling to the hope that perhaps someday they’d reunite. If he exposed even the slightest hint of her failed infidelity, it might change his family’s view of her. Above all, he was so thankful he hadn’t shared his plans to ask her to marry him. Explaining that night to his family would have brought him to his knees.

It had been bad enough as it was. Ivan still remembered the day he’d told his mother Jaden was not a part of his life any more. Her silence and broken voice over the phone had conveyed her sorrow perfectly. He knew she’d loved Jaden as her own, even after just a short time. When she asked what happened, the only response he could offer that wouldn’t break her heart was, “we just couldn’t make it work.”

He put down the bags and arranged them at the foot of the bed. “Mom, I’m good.”

She crossed her arms and looked at him with kind eyes. “Really?”

Ivan leaned against the door jamb, crossed his arms, and crossed one foot over the other. “Really. Work keeps me focused on the future. There’s all sorts of potential. Yesterdays are to be looked at over your shoulder. If you keep them in front of your face you may miss what the future holds. A smart lady once told me that,” he said with a wink.

“Work is great, but someone once told me money is worthless when compared to life’s pricelessness.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned forward at the waist. “Yes, and the man who said that is telling you he is okay now.”

“Well, I just can’t help feeling you haven’t been yourself,” she said, still evidently not satisfied. “The last few months you scared me and your—”