Kaye Dacus - Menu for Romance

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Meredith’s words drew him out of his thoughts. “See, this is why I don’t want to deal with owning a dog. I hate cleaning up messes.”

Duke had indeed messed on the protective paper covering the kitchen floor.

“I’ll take care of that if you want to put him outside.” Major tore the paper in a large square around the little pile, pulled the corners up, and carried it out to the Dumpster in the driveway.

Meredith’s attitude about the responsibility of having a puppy niggled him. If she felt so strongly about something as simple as dog poo, how was she ever going to be able to cope with Ma?

“She said it would be seven o’clock before she’d be able to get here.” Ward leaned against the edge of the island.

Major finished emptying the grocery bags. “That’s perfect. She doesn’t suspect anything even with me here filming today?”

“Just that there’s something wrong with the house.” Ward crossed his arms and glared at Nelson. The unflappable cameraman continued placing lights around the freshly painted, stained, and polished kitchen.

Pricilla came in with more equipment cases. “I can see why you wanted to film here, Major. Sorry we had to put it off a day.”

He introduced her to Ward. “He’s the man responsible for all this.” Major turned, his hands held out in front of him. “In fact, one of the caveats Meredith gave for allowing us to film here today was to make sure that Ward gets recognition for creating this kitchen. So I’d like to open with a little bit of me talking to him.”

“Whoa—you never said anything about me being on camera.”

“Think of the free publicity,” Major said in a low voice.

Pricilla shrugged. “No problem. The rest of your script is staying the same though, right?”

If one could call the rough outline of what he was going to say a script. “Yes. Want to go over your notes on it?”

He spent the next fifteen minutes going over the plan for the day’s filming while Charla did his makeup and Nelson tested the lighting. Once they finished those tasks, Major rehearsed the blocking of his movements around the unfamiliar space, using Nelson’s guidance to choose where to place the pans, dishes, utensils, and small appliances he’d brought from home and the executive kitchen.

Major spent the first few minutes of filming talking to Ward about the features of Meredith’s kitchen and things homeowners could do to increase the efficiency of their cooking and food-prep spaces. When they finished, Major shook hands with his former rival and invited him to stay and watch, but Ward excused himself, promising to return later.

Nelson did some close-ups of different areas of the kitchen while Major set out his mise en place, carefully arranging all of the utensils, dishes, and food items he would need in the order he would use them.

“Ready?” Pricilla asked from behind the stationary camera diagonally across the island from him. This would be a little harder than usual, since the stove was over to his right instead of behind him, as in the executive kitchen—or in the island, as at Alaine’s place. But it would work.

“Ready.”

Pricilla gave the take number then pointed at Major to start.

“I’m Chef Major O’Hara, executive chef for Boudreaux-Guidry Enterprises’ catering division. Today we’re going to be making braised beef short ribs; cheesy potato casserole; sautéed broccoli rabe with lemon and garlic; and for dessert, an easy, rich, flourless chocolate cake.”

He got started cooking. Every time he looked into the camera lens, he got a little tickle in his stomach, imagining Meredith on the other side instead of Pricilla. In just a few hours, Meredith would be here, eating the food he was cooking.

At three o’clock, Major designed the presentation plate for Nelson to shoot.

“You were really on a roll today.” Pricilla started wrapping up cords.

“It seems to be getting easier every week.”

“Let the homeowner know that we’re grateful for the chance to film here—and that I’m jealous over this house.”

“I’ll be sure to tell her.” He pitched in and helped break down the equipment and load it in the van. Even though he could use some of what he cooked for the segment, he had quite a bit of work to do before he could run out to see Ma and still get back in time to surprise Meredith.

He grabbed his phone and called Ma’s direct line.

“Yes?”

“It’s me, Ma.”

“Why are you calling? You’re coming tonight, aren’t you?” A tinge of panic laced his mother’s voice.

“I’m coming early for my visit tonight. I should be there around five o’clock.” That should give him enough time to do a quick clean of her room and let her tell him everything that had happened to her since Sunday.

“Oh. Okay. But you’ll have to leave by six, because that’s when we have dinner.”

He’d have plenty of time to get back here and sauté a fresh batch of the broccoli rabe, put last minute touches on everything else, and change clothes before Meredith arrived. “I’ll see you in a little while, Ma. And I’ll be sure to leave by six.”

“’Kay. Bye.” She hung up.

He dialed Ward’s number.

“Is the coast clear?” Ward said by way of greeting.

“Yeah. Did you get the table and chairs?”

“I did. I’m headed that way with them now.”

“Thanks. See you in a few, then.” He closed the phone and turned his attention to the romantic dinner for Meredith. He marveled at the irony that in the short span of two weeks, Ward Breaux had gone from enemy to Major’s greatest ally.

Twenty minutes later, he slid the pan of hash-brown casserole back into the smaller warming oven to reheat. Tires crunched on the gravel drive. After a moment’s panic that Meredith had come early, Major went out to help Ward carry in the table Major had found at a secondhand furniture shop. If she protested his buying it for her, he’d insist it was a housewarming gift, especially since he’d overheard her telling Corie how much she wanted to find a drop-leaf table to put on the newly screened-in back porch.

Major pulled out the tablecloth, candles, and flowers he’d brought. Ward returned with the two chairs.

“You’re sure you don’t mind staying while I run a last-minute errand?” Major placed the matchbook on the table so he could light the candles as soon as Meredith drove up.

“So long as I don’t have to do anything with the food.” Ward glanced nervously over his shoulder at the kitchen.

“Nope. Everything’s either warming or chilling or braising, so it’s good to go until I get back to finish it off. I should only be gone about an hour. Hopefully, she won’t come early.”

The morning’s slight drizzle had turned into a steady rain. He hoped it wouldn’t cause any problems. The last thing he needed was to get stuck in a traffic jam trying to get back before Meredith arrived.

* * *

Meredith groaned when the radio DJ announced that traffic in midtown was still in a snarl because of a major accident at University Avenue and Spring Street—the most direct route to get to the house from the office. She picked up her phone and quick-dialed Ward’s number.

“Hey, pretty girl.”

She laughed at his continued use of the endearment. “Hey, yourself. I’m calling to let you know that it looks like it may be seven fifteen or later before I can get there. Traffic through town is bad, so I’m going to have to go around the long way.”

“Not a problem. Drive carefully.”

“I will. See you in a bit.” She ended the call and set the phone in the closest cup holder. She made a U-turn to head north instead of south out of downtown.

But even the winding country roads that led to the back entrance to Plantation Grove were packed with cars barely crawling along. She breathed a huge sigh of relief when she turned into the subdivision and traffic instantly thinned out.

Tension ebbed from her shoulders at the warm, beckoning light shining through the front windows of her house. Almost thirty minutes late, she hoped whatever it was that Ward needed to show her wouldn’t take very long.

Pulling her jacket over her head, she dashed up the sidewalk to the front porch. The beveled glass in the top of the door glittered and sent glittering rainbows across the porch and floor when it swung open.

The heavenly aroma of food greeted her. She drew in a deep breath and sighed—then laughed. Best not get used to the smell of food cooking in this house. At least, not in the near future. But maybe someday...

She nipped that thought in the bud. Until Major told her everything about himself—about his family—she’d promised herself she wouldn’t let their relationship progress past its current stage.

He was supposed to have finished filming several hours ago—so why did it smell like the food was cooking now?

She followed the scent toward the back of the house—and stopped just inside the dining room door. A table with flowers and unlit candles as a centerpiece, formally set for a meal, sat in the middle of the large room. Her heart jumped. Could this be for her? Or something left over from the TV segment?

A noise in the kitchen motivated her to move. “Hello?”

Ward appeared in the doorway to the kitchen.

Her heart dropped. Had he changed his mind? Was this an attempt to win her back?

“Hi, Meredith.”

“What ... what is all this?” She stopped at the table and gripped the spindle back of a chair.

“Uh ... well, you know that Major was over here today, shooting his TV show. You see, it’s like this: He wanted to surprise you with a romantic dinner, so he asked me to call you to come over tonight.”

“Oh.” Drat the way her voice went all high and squeaky when she was excited. “Is he in the kitchen?” She started around the table.

“No-o-o.” Ward’s forehead became a washboard of frown lines. “Truth is, I don’t know where he is. The only reason I’m here is because he had to run an errand. He said he’d be back around six, but I haven’t heard from him since he left.”

Meredith looked at her watch. “It’s almost a quarter of eight.” She reached for her phone but then remembered it was still in the cup holder in her car.

Ward extended his phone. “Here.”

She dialed Major’s cell phone number from memory. It rang four times; then his voicemail picked up. She dialed it again. It rang twice, then—

A woman’s voice answered. “Hello? Who is this, please?”

Meredith’s heart pounded. “Meredith Guidry. I’m looking for Major O’Hara. Have I dialed the wrong number?”

“No, ma’am. Are you a relative of Mr. O’Hara’s?”

Her knees buckled. Ward grabbed her shoulders to keep her from falling and pulled out the closest chair for her to sit. “I’m...” What was she to him? “I’m his ... his boss.”

“Oh. I’m Alison Rihsab, a nurse in the emergency room at University Hospital. We couldn’t find any emergency contact information on Mr. O’Hara.”

Meredith’s head spun, and she doubled over to keep from passing out. “Emergency room? What happened?”

“He was in a car accident.”

“How bad is it?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t give that information over the phone. Do you have any contact information for an emergency contact for him?”

“I’m his emergency contact, and I’ll be there as soon as I can get there.” She ended the call and tried to jump up from the chair, but Ward wouldn’t let her.

“Slow down. Tell me what happened.”

She repeated what the nurse had told her. “So I have to go. I don’t think he has anyone else to be with him.”

“Fine. But you’re not driving in this condition unless you want to end up in the hospital bed right next to him.” He held out his hand. “Give me your keys. You’re parked behind me, so it’ll be faster to take your truck than mine.”

She dropped her keys into his large palm.

“Now, you just sit here and take some deep breaths while I do something about that food.”

Meredith’s head started spinning again, so she leaned over, arms wrapped around her stomach. “Oh, Lord, let him be okay. Let him be okay. I can’t lose him now.” She repeated the words like a mantra until she started feeling calmer.

After a lot of clanking and clattering, Ward reappeared. “Come on. Let’s go.”

“I think I’m okay to drive.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ll probably be out there most of the night—you know how slow things move in the ER. I don’t want you tied up out there with me when you don’t have to be.”