Page 36 of Babydaddy To Go

Alyssa

Tuesday

Since Nate told me his part in the opening was a surprise, I didn’t expect to see paparazzi outside the new restaurant.

“How did they know you’d be here?” I ask.

“They didn’t,” he grunts. “My team sent out press releases that this was a new celebrity restaurant, so that the press would turn out. I’d guess there are celebrities and other important people inside. They don’t care who it is opening the restaurant, they just care about the exposure.”

This is the part of the industry I’m not sure I want to be a part of. If I did become a celebrity chef, could I get used to the cameras? Nate doesn’t seem to care.

We step out of Nate’s sports car to a fury of flashes and questions. “Nathaniel! Nathaniel!”

He smiles politely for the cameras and urges me to pose with him. This is crazy!

“Who are you with, Nathaniel?” some of the paparazzi scream. “Is she a model?”

I bite back a laugh. There’s no way these guys are mistakingmefor a model. Either they’re being nice or they’re being jerks. I can’t tell which it is.

Nate doesn’t answer their questions. He places a large, calloused hand on my lower back and guides me into the glass-front restaurant. It looks a lot like his other New York City location from the outside, but the inside is homier. The lighting is dim, the tables less fancy. It still looks high-end, but not as intimidating as the restaurant I stood outside a few days ago.

Have I really only been in New York for a few days? It feels like a lifetime. More has happened in my three days here than my entire twenty years in Maine.

A tall, handsome man meets us just inside the restaurant doors.

“Nathaniel!” he calls out. “It’s about time you arrived. Fashionably late to your own opening.”

Nate laughs. “You know me.” He gestures to me. “This is Alyssa. Alyssa, this is my financial manager and friend, David. He makes all of this possible.”

David’s cheeks color. “He’s being modest. If it weren’t for his food, we wouldn’t have restaurants to open.”

I admire the easiness between the two men. Even though David is technically Nate’s employee, they’re clearly close friends. I envy their familiarity.

“Anyway, everything is set up. The crews came in through the back so that no one would see them. The guests are still unaware of who this party is for, but everyone signed the waivers to be on TV.”

“TV?” I gasp. Sure enough, there is a crew holding cameras and sound sticks in the back corner of the restaurant. They’re different than the people outside. These cameras are meant for video, not still photos.

“If I warned you, you wouldn’t have come,” Nate says. “We’re filming the opening for my reality show. Some of the bites will be on the cooking shows, too.”

My heart races. I can’t be seen on TV with Nate! Everyone is going to know that I’m here as his date. No wonder he put me in this beautiful dress!

“Don’t be mad!” he begs.

The look in his eyes stops my anger. He told me earlier that he’s feeling unsure about this new opening. I’m not here just for arm candy, I’m here for moral support. I can do that.

“It’s okay,” I assure him. “I’ve never been on TV before. This is kinda cool.”

My nerves dissipate when Nate kisses me tenderly. “Thank you,” he whispers.

He takes my hand and gives me the grand tour. It’s less intimate than it seems. The crew from his show follow us around. There are still twenty minutes until the restaurant opens officially, so the cameras have an opportunity to get some shots of the place without hundreds of people vying for screen time.

“I wanted the dining room to be different than the other restaurants,” Nate explains to his audience. “We’re still serving high quality food, but in a setting that feels more like your home dining room than a restaurant in New York City. I designed this place to be calm and relaxing. A sort of quiet in the storm kind of thing.”

I nod along with his explanation, although it’s clearly meant more for the TV crew than for me. No fear or hesitation creeps into his voice as he speaks. Nate is in his element now.

“Our bar is fully stocked with the finest wines, beers, and spirits. We even have a house beer created just for us, and an exclusive wine option. It’s all a part of how we’re making this restaurant stand out in a city full of great food options.”

The cameramen drop their equipment to their sides.