Uh oh I wasn’t even paying attention to what he was saying. “I am sorry Fred but could you repeat that?” “Sir, I was thinking instead of keeping four different entrances les keep three. It minimizes security risk and plus we need to have emergency exits so if we keep four main entrances it would be a bit too much.” I nodded and said, “What do you suggest?” he beamed at me and started talking eagerly, he reminded me of my eagerness as an intern.
“One entrance that would lead in from the parking lot, one front entrance and one back entrance”
“Well that makes sense as they aren’t building a huge mall”
“Exactly my point sir” Fred said looking at his peers smugly.
“Ok well Fred get on it I need to see the basement’s layout plan tomorrow ok?”
Fred nodded happily and went out of my cabin. I loved my office; it had a beautiful view of a garden that surrounded the building premises. I decided to call for lunch and buzzed for my secretary.
“Yes Mr. Smith?”
“Rosaline call me Jude, Mr. Smith is my dad” I said smiling.
“Oh right. Did you want something Mr. Jude?”
“Yes, ask someone to get me corned beef sandwich and a can of Pepsi please”
“Sure, would you like anything else?”
“Nope that’s about it for now”
“Very well” she said and walked out.
I looked at the pile of papers that needed my attention but all I could think of what Natasha must’ve said to Wade. Damn it! I wished I had heard her reply before she hung up on me. I mean I had been so excited to tell her about my day and she just hung up on me! I sighed and picked up my phone.
“Hey Steph”
“Jude! This is a surprise.”
“Yeah what are you doing?”
“Nothing”
“What’s wrong? You sound low.”
“I er I broke up with Nick”
“What? Oh wow, how did this happen?”
“Nothing, I couldn’t take his cheating ways anymore”
Seriously? She was acting all righteous about cheating? Then I chided myself, I was going to give her chance and if she left Nick because he cheated it meant that she was mending her ways wasn’t she?
“Jude, are you going to really go ahead and marry Natasha? I mean I need to know that I am not living in false hopes”
I sighed and said, “Meet me tomorrow for lunch and I’ll explain it to you”
“How about tonight for dinner?”
I thought over it. That wasn’t half a bad idea, I could get her to meet Natasha at home and we could explain things in the privacy of my home. I couldn’t marry Stephanie my father would disown me. Hell after all that she had put our family through, after that horrifying period where I was drinking and sleeping around; if I chose to marry the girl who was the reason for my downfall once they’d kill me. Nope I had to make it look like I tried to make it work with Natasha and it didn’t and that Stephanie and I were soul mates. Yep, it was a brilliant plan or so I thought.
“Ok meet me at 8 at my place”
“Will do”
I hung and thought, ‘she broke up with that scumbag! I was so happy, finally everything was falling into place’
Natasha’s P. O. V
I stared at the awkwardly chopped onions and garlic. The poor things looked like they had been butchered and Wade stood over them proud of himself and sniffling into a napkin because the onions were really pungent.
“Er Wade what have you tried to do?”
“What? They are beautifully chopped”
“I couldn’t care less! I needed them to be finely chopped!”
“Well you could’ve said something!” I smacked my forehead with the palm of my hand and said, “Sorry my bad”
“Its ok” he said sniffing prudently.
I grabbed a wooden spatula and smacked his butt. “Hey!” he said rubbing where I had hit him, “I know you can’t resist me but hands off my derriere please!”
“Oh you are so full of yourself” I said giggling helplessly.
“Ok” he said rubbing his hands, “What else can I do?”
“Er you can watch while I cook”
“Oh but I want to help” I sighed as I contemplated, if I let him help me it as going to be a disaster so I decided to give him small things to do like pass me the salt fro example.
“Ok wait back and the moment I say pass something pass t without
asking questions ok?”
“Pass, no questions, ok” he replied robotically.
I got to salvaging the onions and garlic that Wade had ‘chopped.’ I put a pan on the gas and sautéed the onions and garlic in butter, I then added the diced mushrooms, a pinch of salt and let it simmer. I chopped the garlic in fine pieces, took some butter out and let the butter melt. I then mixed the chopped garlic and butter and left it aside. I would toast the bread when Jude would come and serve it fresh with the garlic butter. I then took another shallow pan out and again fried onions till they were brown, added the tomato puree to it and a little ginger garlic paste. I let this paste cook well and then added coconut milk. I then put the chicken in the mix added a cup or two of water, salt to taste and a little red chilly powder and let it simmer. I decided to make herb rice and got started on it as well. By now the garlic mushrooms were done, I tasted it, it was perfect! Wade tried putting his hand in the dish but I slapped it away.
“OW! I was just tasting!”
“Well wait till diner is served”
“Hey I helped to cook that”
“Yeah by passing me the salt, oil, butter, chillies etc”
“Hey! I kept them back as well”
“Oops, how could I forget that important detail?”
He growled at me and I laughed. “Hold on, you will be eating it soon enough!” By now the curry and rice was ready too. Everything was done except for the chocolate mousse. I glanced at the watch. I had spent three hours in the kitchen! Wow, time flew when I was with Wade. I started melting the chocolate for the mousse. Jude would be here in 30 minutes. He had told me he would be coming early. By now Wade sneaked up on me and dipped his hand in the molten chocolate.
“Wade!”
“What?” he asked licking his fingers and wiggling his eyebrows at me.
“Would you quit putting your hands into every dish?”
“oh my God” he said licking the chocolate off his fingers, ‘you have to try eating chocolate like this. Its way yummier” I stuck my tongue out at him. I was about to mix the fresh cream with the chocolate when he yelled, “Wait!” I almost dropped the dish.
‘What’s wrong?” I asked, my heart was still thumping wildly.
‘Remove some chocolate aside for later”
I rolled my eyes and dumped some molten chocolate in a small bowl, though I had to agree with Wade licking off molten chocolate somehow made the chocolate taste even yummier!
Finally it was done. I put the mousse in the fridge to set while Wade sat on the counter licking chocolate from the bowl. I quickly set the dinner table and sat down exhausted.
Suddenly Wade perked up and said, “Natasha come here”
“What happened?”
“Ask no questions, come here!”
I went to where he was sitting on the kitchen counter and put my hands on my hips and asked “What?”
“Taste this” he held out his pointer finger covered in chocolate.
“What?”
“Come on”
“Oh this feels wrong in so many ways”
He rolled his eyes and said, “Quick!”
I dipped my hand in the bowl and was about to lick my fingers when Wade pulled my hand and licked my fingers at the same time I heard the front door open. I tried pulling my finger back but Wade wouldn’t let go.
“Hmmmmmmmmmmm you’re right tasha. It does taste yummier” my eyes widened as I realized what he was doing. I shook my head frantically but he just smiled back mischievously. “hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm” he made the sound again.
And then THUD. We turned to see Jude standing near the kitchen looking furious. I did a little victory dance in my mind. I looked down to see what he had dropped and it seemed like he had dropped takeaway food.
“Oh Jude!” I said in mock surprise, while Wade shook with suppressed laughter. Jude glanced down to where Wade had his arm around my waist and I saw his jaw clench. Then he took a deep breath and said, “Yep its me oh hi Wade” he said as if only just noticing Wade was here too.
“Hi” said Stephanie stepping into the room. I looked at her in shock then at Jude and then at Wade. Wade seemed as lost as I was feeling. He stared at Stephanie open mouthed. Then suddenly as if he had just realized he could talk he said, “What is she doing here?”
“I invited her for dinner but I only got dinner for 3” Jude said looking pointedly at Wade.
“Well it doesn’t matter” I spoke up, “because Wade and I cooked”
“Wade cooked?” Jude asked disbelievingly.
“Hey! I helped” Wade said indignantly.
“Yes he did” I smiled. I quickly got out all the food and laid it on the table. I toasted a few slices of bread and put garlic butter on it. Soon we were all sitting at the dining table. Stephanie had only been staring around and not looking at anyone at all. I caught her exchange a few looks with Jude but that was all. Just as we were about to begin eating, Jude said, “I have something important to say” I looked at Wade nervously and licked my lips, my heart was thudding so loudly I was sure they could hear it. Was he going to cal off our engagement now? Was he going to call off the wedding? I felt close to tears and felt like a fool for even thinking that Jude had been jealous. It seemed like whenever I took a step forward at the end of the day I ended up two steps back