Cooking Up A Storm - A Norman Reedus Fanfic Romance

Chapter 39 - Time Fries When You're Having Fun

NORMAN

I gaze down the length of the long table and have a moment of déjà vu.

My colleagues....friends. Who are all talking, laughing, drinking and eating. Serving each other from the huge platters of food. Passing plates to be filled and pinching morsels....having hands smacked.

Ben has truly surpassed herself.

And everyone's thrilled to find some of their favourites from the buffet in New York being served today. She'd asked me a little while ago about that night. What everyone thought about the food. And now I know why.

I watch Angela's face as she takes her first bite of the French-style cutlets. Then her eyes rolled to the heavens and she let out an almost orgasmic....

"Oh, my God!"

I give her the thumbs up. She's mostly a veggie like me and Ben made sure none of us are left out. We've got plenty to keep us happy as does everyone else.

"You're shitting me, right? Nah! This is a veal chop....has to be?"

Jeff is stunned after he snaffled up the piece Ange offered him. Before grabbing a whole one off the platter in front of him. Then another....

The things my Missy can do with some breadcrumbs, mushrooms, cashews, tofu, herbs and spices.

My butt settled itself back in the chair for a bit, having myself a breather before I dive in again. Give a small sigh of thanks when it doesn't collapse underneath me.

I can do anything mechanical until the cows come home. But furniture kits are to me like the fucking alphabet is to dyslexics. Know I should've paid to have them assembled upon delivery, except I wanted to show off to Ben.

Norman....a man of many talents. As my Missy would say?

Pfffft!

How the hell she managed to hold her tongue and screwdriver yesterday morning, I'll never know. It probably would've all been assembled in half an hour. If I'd just handed over my toolbox and offered to peel her veggies instead.

Greg came when I called for help. And my pride wasn't the only thing he rescued.

My head is still spinning from his admission that they all knew about me and Ben. Jeez, that bastard can sure as hell keep a secret! Better than we could that's for sure.

Fuck....most of them knew about it before we even did! Set up a book, profiteered and got a floorshow at our expense. But I gotta admire them....

....cos it's exactly what I would've done 😉

Even though Ben was hugely embarrassed and horrified to find out that all her efforts had been in vain? I felt her relief once Greg told her it was all good. Cos she adores him and Ash. The thought of possibly losing their respect is the thing that ate away at her the most.

"As if that'll ever happen!" Greg told me when we were putting the chairs together yesterday.

Didn't stop her from making him share his winnings with her though. I reckon my girl was a standover guy in a previous life.

*

Missy's giggles broke through these thoughts.

My eyes settled on her as she leaned forward. Listening avidly to Scott as he recounts for her some of our on-set bloopers.

She let slip how she could chill out to his gentle southern voice all day long. Once the Misses got her onto the season where his character 'Hershel' was introduced.