Page 32 of Babydaddy To Go

Alyssa laughs.

“You’re just saying that. Look at how you treat Samantha. She’s obviously a better chef than me.”

“That’s not true,” I assure her. “I treat you differently because you’re more talented.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” she sniffles.

I run a frustrated hand through my hair. How can I explain this so it makes sense?

“NYACA is designed to train the best of the best,” I begin. “And in many ways, that’s true. There are a lot of premier chefs who came from NYACA. But there are more duds.”

This gets a small laugh from Alyssa, so I must be making progress.

“So many chefs graduate from the program, open a restaurant, and fail in the first few years. I don’t think that’s going to be you. I think you have the potential to be successful. You don’t get to be where I am without a thick skin, though. That’s why I’m so harsh on you.”

I don’t add that I’m extra harsh on her so the class doesn’t realize I’m insanely attracted to the woman huddled before me.

“Your passion and talent will take you further than most of the other students in class,” I tell her. I rub her back gently. She tilts her body towards me. What a relief. I haven’t lost Alyssa completely.

“Do you really mean that?” she asks me, wiping away tears. “You’re not just saying it because I slept with you?”

“Absolutely not,” I assure her. “I saw your talent that night we made dinner together and it became clearer in class yesterday. I thought you needed a push to be your best. I’m sorry for pushing you too far.”

She sniffles again, but no more tears fall. “Now that I know what you were doing… I won’t say it’s okay, but your heart was in the right place.”

“It was. Let me prove it to you even more. Come with me to my restaurant opening tonight.”

“What?” she gasps. “I can’t do that!”

“Please?” I beg. “I want you to see what it’s like.”

Alyssa gnaws on her lip in contemplation. Finally, she nods. “Okay,” she says. “I’ll come with you.”

“Excellent!” I cheer. I help her into a standing position and we both dust off the grass form our bottoms. “Here, I brought you this.”

I hand over the chef’s jacket I grabbed on my way out of the classroom. “It belongs on you.”

She holds it to her chest and smiles. “Thank you, Nathaniel.”

“Please,” I say. “Call me Nate.”

Her smile widens. Everything feels balanced again with her by my side. I take her hand and lead her out of the park.

I’m so grateful that she’s coming to the opening tonight. I had refused my agent’s pleas for a fake date. He’s going to be thrilled to find out I have a real one.

My biggest hope is that this first real date turns into something more.

With Alyssa, that finally seems possible.

11

Alyssa

Tuesday

Nate’s driver takes us up a long, winding road that ends at a three-story brick-and-stone building.

“You live here?” I manage to sputter. My eyes are wide, staring at the grand palace in front of me.