A Madaris Bride for Christmas. Brenda Jackson

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ I think so. You ever heard of fate?”

      Lee smiled. “Only Justin’s version.”

      Justin Madaris was one of Lee’s older cousins. After Justin’s wife died, Justin believed one day he would find someone else to love—a woman who would be his fate. Miraculously, it had happened just the way Justin had predicted. He had met Lorren and the two had been married for quite a few years now.

      “Well, I guess I’m like Justin and believe in such a thing,” Angelo said. “That’s one of the reasons I didn’t give up on Peyton when she didn’t want to have anything to do with me.”

      Lee remembered that time. “But things did work out.”

      “Yes,” Angelo said as a huge smile spread across his lips. “Things did work out. Like I said. Fate. Might be the same for you.”

      Lee shook his head. “I doubt it. The woman in question checked out of the hotel today and chances are I’ll never see her again.”

      Saying the words made Lee realize just what a downer that was. He finished off the rest of his beer before placing the bottle on the counter. “I’m off to the gym. Want to join me?”

      Angelo stood. “No. When you’re married you come up with other ways to burn off calories.”

      Lee shook his head and grinned. “Again, man, that’s too much information.”

      * * *

      “Isn’t that exciting?”

      Carly smiled over at her coworker, a chef assistant by the name of Jodie Wrangler. Jodie, who’d begun working at the hotel a week before Carly, had just finished explaining that Peyton’s Place would be closed tonight for a private party. It was rumored that the two owners of the hotel had invited important guests they were trying to impress. There was even a rumor that Oscar-winning actress Diamond Swain was included in the group.

      She’d missed the head chef’s announcement while she’d been off work for her birthday, and Carly had wondered what the flurry was about when she’d returned to work today. The kitchen seemed busier than usual and everyone was bustling about with enthusiasm.

      “Yes, that’s exciting,” Carly said to Jodie, but in her mind she didn’t truly think it was. She had worked in restaurants where they’d closed their doors for private parties. In most cases, the kitchen staff was reduced since everyone wouldn’t be needed. That meant less pay in somebody’s paycheck.

      “Chef Blanchard wants to see you. He’s probably going to tell you about the party tonight, so act surprised.”

      Carly put down the cake pan to head over to Chef Blanchard’s office. Chances were, since she was one of the newest chefs, she would be one of those sent home for the evening. She knocked on the closed door.

      “Come in.”

      She entered the office that resembled a mini-kitchen with a desk in the center. Pots lined the wall, along with numerous trophies and plaques. Dr. Blanchard was a renowned chef, and she’d heard his name a number of times in culinary school both in the States and in France.

      “I understand you wanted to see me, Chef Blanchard.”

      “Yes, yes,” he said, smiling. “Come on in and have a seat.”

      “Thanks,” she said, taking a chair in front of his desk. The man was totally different from Chef Renaldo in both looks and temperament. Chef Renaldo had been short, stocky and had a mean attitude most of the time, where Chef Blanchard was tall, thin and had a pleasing personality.

      “I have good news for you, Carly.”

      She wondered if he thought informing her that she had another day off was good news. “And what is the good news?”

      He leaned back in his chair with a huge smile on his lips. “I’m sure you’ve heard by now that our two owners, Mr. Madaris and Mr. Di Meglio, have important guests here at the hotel, and they have requested a private party. That means the restaurant will be closing to anyone except the group of thirteen who will be dining here tonight.”

      She’d never met the two owners but had heard several whispered comments around the kitchen by the women who had. Both Mr. Madaris and Mr. Di Meglio were rumored to be eye candy of the most serious kind.

      “I see.”

      “I’m putting you in charge of desserts.”

      Carly blinked, certain she had heard wrong. “You’re putting me in charge of desserts?”

      “Yes. That dish you made during your interview will be perfect. Two of the gentlemen are from the Middle East and I know they will love your Pi-Sky as much as I did.”

      Carly was speechless. Seldom did a head chef deviate from a restaurant’s menu.

      “Thank you, sir. For the vote of confidence,” she said, beginning to feel that excitement Jodie had alluded to earlier.

      “You’re welcome. I believe you’ll find all the ingredients in the hotel’s kitchen store, including King Arthur flour.”

      Because of the number of restaurants and cafés in the hotel, each one used the same kitchen supplies. To keep things simple, the hotel hired a shopper whose job was to make sure any and every item the cooks needed was on the premises.

      “That’s great. Thanks again.”

      “Don’t mention it. These guests are important and we all want to make a good impression.”

      “Yes, sir. We will.” She left the chef’s office smiling.

      * * *

      Lee glanced around Peyton’s Place, the only rotating restaurant on the Strip. It was the most popular of all the hotel’s restaurants and always in demand. It seemed everyone was fascinated by the slow rotation offering a breathtaking view of the Strip and the Mojave Desert.

      There would be no business discussions tonight. They had done enough of that during the day. Now it was time to eat and unwind. All five men had invited their wives to join them, and Angelo had invited Peyton as well. All seemed to be in a festive mood, and Lee was glad of that. It was a good way to end such a busy day.

      He couldn’t help noticing that all six men were married to what he considered to be smart and beautiful women. Over dinner, he had discovered Sheikh Yasir’s wife, Delaney, was the sister of motorcycle builder and racer Thorn Westmoreland and also the sister of bestselling author Rock Mason, aka Stone Westmoreland.

      Johari Valdemon, who was married to Sheikh Valdemon and was Sheikh Yasir’s sister, enlightened everyone over dinner with the story of how she and her husband had been promised to each other at birth and yet she hadn’t set eyes on him until she was twenty-four. They’d met here in the States. While in college, Johari had intentionally gone missing, not ready to return to her country, do her duty and marry. Rasheed had gone looking for her and had found his intended bride dancing on the tables of some club in New York. That tale got a lot of rousing laughter from everyone.

      Jake joked about Kyle and Kimara’s six offspring and how, for СКАЧАТЬ