Page 100 of Moonlight Hearts

I was at the kitchen island and picking up used glasses to get them to the sink when Chef caught my eye.“Thickheaded like two rhinoceros.”He said the word like it was pronounced in French and rolled his eyes for emphasis.

I nodded.“I guess.”

Soyer was now busy gathering up plates as well and gave me a critical look.“Amory, don’t soak up every bad influence that crosses your path, please.”

“Bad influence?Conneries,” Chef said.

Vico sorted what he could into the already pretty packed dishwasher.“And this, Amory, is why those two are not made for the service industry and we are, isn’t that right?”

Chef snorted.“Dit l’empoisonneur.”

Vico turned to me.“Chef remarks that, especially in his profession, he admires prompt and diligent servers like us.Where do you keep the dishwasher detergent?”

“Under the sink,” Soyer said, putting his pile of plates on the island next to me.“You don’t have to do anything.You can rest, have another glass of Champagne.I know Elias stole yours.”

Vico clicked his tongue.“That is unjust.How about the two of you have the last bit together while we straighten things before heading home?”

Soyer rolled his eyes.“You don’t have to.”

“Yes, yes.”Vico rolled out his maître d’ charm and corralled us toward our breakfast table.“I’ll find you two glasses.It would be sacrilege to let the good bottle go to waste.We got it at this little château in the Champagne region.Lovely family running it, making wine and this.”

Soyer let the two of them rummage around in his kitchen, though he watched somewhat critically.Only when Vico was done pouring the remaining Champagne—two half glasses exactly—and had brought it over did Soyer ignore them and focus on me instead.

“What should we drink to, Amory?”

“Our first Thanksgiving?Well, friends-giving.I have to get used to calling it that.It was the first, so it was also the best, at least for now.Is that good enough?”

He raised his glass.“Perfect.”We clinked them together and drank.After a sip, he looked at his drink.“I mean, this is pretty good, but I’m not sure we should invite those two meddlesome men next year, even if they know their booze.”

Chef muttered something under his breath.Louder, Vico said, “Chef says nothing ever disturbs a skilled chef when he works in the kitchen unless it’s a dull knife.And even those can be sharpened.”

“I like our guests,” I said.“Vico, Chef, thanks for bringing this.And those pies were yummy.”

“Most welcome, Amory,” Vico said, looking up from wiping down the kitchen island.

Soyer’s frown was barely there, but he didn’t say anything, just looked at me in his attentive way, as if he hadn’t seen enough of me all day.

I said, “I liked your pumpkin.I should’ve taken photos of you and Ben taking it out of the oven.”

He took a deep breath.“It’s okay, Amory.I’ll make the same dish next year, and you can take all the pictures you want, hmm?”

My eyes misted over for exactly no reason.“Next year?”

“Sure.”

I felt my skin tingle, almost like the curse-feathers on my back were tickling me.“I can’t wait.”

“It was just a pumpkin, Amory.There’s no reason to get emotional over a big orange fruit.”

“But…you made it.And everyone liked it.Isn’t it funny that the chili was all gone by the end too?You’d think it wouldn’t go well with pumpkin, but different things sometimes shine better because they’re different.”

He sighed.“My heart, do you need to be cut off?”

I shook my head.“I’m fine.”

“Uh-huh.Listen, if you ask me nicely, we can bake real holiday cookies.We can get cookie cutters and everything, and if you askverynicely, I’ll even let you help.”

“Really?”I couldn’t help it.The tears were just there.