Love Simmers

Chapter 14

The place was at full capacity for opening night, the bookings having been made weeks ago. There's nothing the people of Chester loved more than a new restaurant opening. Sails had been the most talked about event for the last few months. Not much happened in Chester. And everybody loved Nate and Ollie. As a result of recent events the media was present. The boys couldn't ask for more.

"The food is ridiculous!" Maddie said from across the table.

My mum smiled beside her, her face radiant as she enjoyed her son's big night.

"Both my children can cook. I have no idea where they got it from," she wondered as she bit into a piece of lamb.

"Ollie and I watched a lot of Food Network while you were at work," I sighed in appreciation as I put a piece of the bread we'd made together in my mouth. It was as good as when I made it.

"I wish I could cook like this," Maddie joked.

"I know someone willing to teach you," I said as I ate a piece of smoked salmon. This was the best meal of my life. I'm big enough to admit Ollie was a better chef than me. I just wasn't big enough to admit that to him.

"There's Lawrence. I should say hi." My mum left the table to mingle. The woman was a social butterfly on an epic level. There wasn't a club, group or event in town that my mother was not part of, including the gardening society. She didn't know the difference between a flower and a weed.

"How's everything?" Nate asked as he walked over to our table, the suit he wore doing spectacular things to his tall body. I let him catch me eyeing him up. He winked at me and I almost swooned. This was getting bad.

"Amazing, Nate. This whole place is," Maddie gave him a hug, her praise making him uncomfortable I could tell.

"And you," he looked at me expectantly, waiting for my praise.

"I'd like to complain to the manager," I flirted with him, ignoring Maddie roll her eyes.

"About anything in particular?" He played along, kneeling down so that he was at eye level with me.

"I think someone has stolen my recipe." I gestured to the sauce that came with my salmon, knowing it was a recipe from my book.

"Well, you stole my story so I'd say we're square." He gave me a kiss and subtly whispered what he was going to do to me later that evening. I was shifting in my seat by the time he left our table a little while later.

"Don't say a word!" I gave Maddie a stern look. She sat back quietly in her chair with a smug look on her face.

My phone ringing stopped Maddie before she could air her thoughts on the little love fest she'd seen. She gestured for me to answer my call.

"Hello," I whispered quietly, standing up and heading for the deck outside. I didn't want to disrupt anyone's beautiful meal.

"Logan, it's Sarah," my agent's voice was an unwelcome reminder of what Nate and I faced in two days. I had to get back to work. "You got the job!" She screamed into the phone. I had to pull it away from my ear before she deafened me.

"The job? What job?" It wasn't dawning on me what job my agent was talking about.

"The job! You got the Japanese cooking contest!"

I froze, my heart plummeting to the ground.

"They want you to be the judge. They've sent over a contract. They're offering $1 million!" I could imagine my agent bouncing up and down in joy. Part of that $1 million would be hers if I took the job.

"How long would shooting be?" I asked, no enthusiasm in my voice. Nate had agreed to a city a couple of hours away by plane not one on the other side of the world.

"Nine months and then two months of publicity touring," her excitement was beginning to cool as she realised I wasn't jumping for joy with her.

"I'll think about it," I said slowly, hanging up the phone before she could start trying to push me into accepting. I knew I needed a little distance from her to think things through. I needed to talk about this with Nate.

I headed back to the table. My mum was still off doing the rounds, talking to everyone she knew, leaving me alone with Maddie. I told her about the offer.

"It's a huge offer. You're career will explode," she said and I groaned, wishing I had never auditioned for the job.

"I know." I shook my head, wondering what I was going to say to Nate. I wanted to at least get his opinion on it. I trusted him.

After Sails had closed its doors after an incredibly successful opening night, Ollie, Nate, Maddie and I raised our glasses of champagne in celebration. Ollie and Nate both looked exhausted from the stress of the last few weeks.

"Ollie, I haven't been this proud to call you my brother since you set off the fire alarm when we were fourteen to get out of a math test." I hugged him, aware that his eyes never strayed too far from Maddie.

"Thank you for coming to help me. I can always count on you," he said.

"I'm your twin. If you can't count on me then who can you count on?" We laughed as Maddie walked over towards Ollie. I left them alone to stare longingly and awkwardly at each other.

"What's up?" Nate said, knowing something wasn't right with me.

"Can I tell you tomorrow? I don't want to ruin the night." I knew the moment those words left my mouth I would now have to tell him. Otherwise he would spend all night trying to figure out what I was going to say imagining far worse situations than the real one.

"Just tell me now," he insisted. I led him out to the quiet deck where hours before I had received the phone call. I looked up at the stars before I spoke, admiring their beauty before I told him the news.

"I got a huge job offer to film a show...in Japan. I would be gone almost a year and the pay is $1 million," I risked looking at him, watching the emotions flash through his eyes, anger, hurt, disappointment. I looked away.

"What did you say?" His voice was guarded, like he was afraid to express a view.

"That I'd think about it," I continued, "I wanted to talk to you about it before making any decisions."

He laughed sarcastically. I reached out to hold his hand but he pulled it away.

"Talk to me? You mean tell me your decision. I know you well enough to know that you've already made up your mind," he turned to go back inside.

"I wanted your opinion because that's what people do in relationships I think. They talk big life decisions through together."

"It's for offers like this one that you left home. You wanted to make it, to make money, to travel. This is everything you want. I'm not going to hold you back," his voice was harsh, the words difficult to say.

"Nate -." I started but he stopped me.

"Don't you dare ask me to go with you! My home, my business is here. I was willing to spend half my time in a city for you. You won't even stay in the same country for me."

He walked away, stopping for split second when he heard my cries before moving again faster than before. That wasn't even what I had been about to say.