And He Cooks Too (27 page)

Oh, pul-lease! Did Nick really buy that garbage?

“It hasn’t been easy for me either,” Nick shot back. “I put a promising acting career on hold to be your host, despite the fact that I can’t cook.”

She clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from gasping out loud. Nick…couldn’t…cook? He must have been joking. Attempting to throw Leonie off her rant. But Leonie didn’t react like it was a joke. “That’s exactly why we must continue these private rehearsals.”

They were rehearsing? Of course! That’s why no one was allowed to remain late the night before taping. She knew there was more to that silly rule than it being simply one of Leonie’s eccentricities.

More to the point, though, Nick was a fake. How had she missed that? She’d questioned his technique at times but written off her concerns to his simply having a different style than hers. Or Nick had sloughed off or talked his way out of her questions. The rat!

The fact that he had a hidden agenda when he invited her to join the show was bad enough. She hadn’t shared all her plans with him either. But he’d been lying all along about his cooking skills.

What else had he been lying about? Was their relationship a pretense too? Romance the lady chef so she wouldn’t think too much about his odd cooking style?

Her legs wobbled, as if attached to the rest of her body with rubber bands. Her hands shook so much she had to grab hold of the wallboard that ran the length of the hallway to steady herself.

She’d trusted him, shared deep, personal thoughts with him. Been intimate with him. First her father had let her down. Or at least so she thought. Henri had neglected to mention that he had a wife, Louis had gone back on his promise to promote her. And now Nick.

No man did this to Reese Dunbar anymore and got away with it. She had to have this out with Nick, now, before she keeled over from shock. She gobbled air, steeled herself for the confrontation.

She took a few determined strides toward the studio, then abruptly stopped in her tracks. Not now. Too much had already happened today. She needed time to think. Not just react, like she had at
Solange
and almost had earlier in the day with Melinda DuPre. She eased past the open door, continuing to use the side wall for balance, making sure they didn’t see or hear her, and escaped.

The full enormity of the ruse Nick and his aunt were putting over on everyone didn’t hit until, ensconced in a cab, she was almost back at her apartment. Up to that point, she’d been confused, in shock and in denial. Her breath came in gulps and her arms had gone cold, goosebumps dotting them.

She now understood the immediate dislike Leonie had taken to her, fearing she would see through their little scheme. And why Leonie had been so adamant about overlooking the decreasing food inventory on taping day. She and Nick had used it for their private rehearsals. Now that Reese knew the truth, she couldn’t stick around and knowingly participate in this fraud. Despite her vow not to repeat her impulsive exit from
Solange
, walking appeared to be her only option.

Nick was another matter. It was bad enough that he’d put one over on everyone else, but to knowingly lie to her about his cooking skills was inexcusable. Whatever had been growing between them, whether it was real or not, had died on the vine, because the trust wasn’t there anymore. Even if she could stick it out on the show, she could no longer be Nick’s co-host.

Looks like I’ll be starting my own show sooner than I planned.

“Are you okay, lady?” the driver asked from the front seat. “Your breathing don’t sound so good.”

“I’ve, uh, had a bit of a shock. I guess the reaction…is just catching up with me.”

“You want I should take ya to a hospital instead of the address you gave me?”

“No. Uh, thanks. Could you crack a window, though? I need fresh air.”

“Sure thing. I don’t got no water with me, but we can stop at a grocery, if ya want.”

“No need. My breathing is better.”

And it was, although tears now rolled with abandon down her face. She swiped at them, willing herself to stop. They just kept coming. Why? Regret? She really had become quite fond of the show. Anger? At the incredible hoax Nick and Leonie were putting over on everyone? Feeling foolish and used? She’d known Nick Coltrane was trouble all along. Too damned good looking, too self-assured, too much into himself. Worst of all, she now knew, he was dishonest. She could overlook almost everything but that.

Okay. Fine. Her heart had been wrong. He wasn’t the one. She’d just been in need of sex, someone to relieve her body’s pent-up needs. And he’d been conveniently available.

She dragged the back of her hand across her face again, attempting to hold back the tears. By the time the cab pulled up to her building, she’d almost succeeded. She quickly paid the cabbie and dashed inside.

Reese had no sooner deposited her purse on the kitchen table than her cell rang.

“Hey, Sis.” Evan. “I’ve managed to borrow a friend’s video equipment for a couple days. We need you to come home to shoot some demos for your show.”

While she blew her nose, she debated how much to tell him about her decision to leave the show. In the end, she decided it would be better to drop the bomb in person. “As a matter of fact, I was planning a visit this weekend,” she told him, trying to keep her voice normal.

“Terrific!”

“I have some business to attend to first thing in the morning, then I’ll head out.”

“Can’t wait to see ya. Got some great ideas.”

I certainly hope so
. As soon as the rest of the world learned she’d left yet another job, it would add credence to Melinda DuPre’s speculations. Only a really spectacular countermove would help her get past this current fiasco.

****

Early the next morning, Jasper slammed into Leonie’s office, nearly toppling a small statuette on her desktop. “She’s gone!”

“Who? Reese?” Nick shot out of a side chair he’d occupied near his aunt’s desk. This time, the statuette did topple.

Jasper slumped into another chair. “I don’t get it. She was upset yesterday, but not enough to leave.”

“Are you sure she’s gone?” Nick wanted to know.

“Emailed me early this morning. She’d already come in to collect her things and left a letter of resignation in my office.”

“Coward,” Leonie muttered.

Both men twisted around to face the executive producer. “Leonie!”

To Jasper, Nick said, “Do you have it with you? The letter. I’d like to see it.”

Jasper screwed up his face. “Left it in my office. But I can pretty much quote it. ‘Jasper. I can work with overbearing egos, but deception is another matter. Please consider this my resignation. Sorry to dump on you. You’ve been great. Regards, Reese.’”

“Deception?” Nick repeated, staring pointedly at Leonie, a small muscle on his jaw twitching.

Leonie didn’t take the bait, replying instead, “Absolutely no advance notice. Just like her last job.”

“She’d just learned her boss had lied about promoting her,” Nick replied. “She has very high standards about the truth.”

Leonie raised a brow. “Really? According to that Internet article, her standards seem to have slipped a bit.”

“Leonie!” Both men echoed their earlier protest.

She sniffed. “I’m simply interpreting the facts according to
FoodNation
.”

Jasper rubbed his chin, regarded Nick. “Any idea what that reference to deception was about?”

Leonie rolled her eyes. “She was probably referring to her own chicanery. Letting us think she was just ‘taking a break from restaurant work’ when the real reason she was here was that she’d been blacklisted all over the city and couldn’t get a job elsewhere.”

Jasper appeared to give her words some thought. “I don’t think so. She didn’t like that Internet story one bit, but she was determined to put a good face on it.”

Nick’s throat had gone dry at Jasper’s mention of the word
deception
. Was that how Reese interpreted his succession plan? Was that why she’d run off? He thought she was different from other women. But apparently not. With the exception of Leonie, eventually, all women, including Reese, abandoned him.

Leonie waved a dismissive hand. “What difference does it make why she left? She’s gone. I say good riddance. Time to celebrate.”

“Leonie, give it a rest,” Jasper warned.

“That woman was changing the entire image of this show. Stealing the spotlight that rightfully belonged to Nick. And I still think she had something to do with his accident.”

Nick scoffed. “Absolutely not! While those Monfort jokers lost their heads, she kept hers and got me to the hospital.”

Leonie shook her head. “She was probably in league with those Monfort half-wits.”

Shaking a finger at her, Jasper bounded out of his chair. “Enough! We have other things to think about. With Reese’s departure, Nick has to take over full hosting duties.”

Thunking his head, Nick sank back into the chair he’d previously occupied. “Hell! We’re supposed to tape today. How’re we going to do that without Reese?” She’d left them in the lurch.

Leonie folded her hands in front of her, as if preparing to deliver some great edict. “I couldn’t agree with you more, Jasper. We must move on.” She paused. “Which brings me to my own announcement.” She paused long enough to gain their full attention. “The network wants us!”

Nick’s stomach fell, like many of the cakes he’d checked too soon. This was the last thing he needed to hear. “What?”

“There’s a slot opening up on the network next season. I’ve been sending them excerpts of our show for some time. They’re finally ready to consider us.”

Nick glanced at Jasper. Jasper closed his eyes briefly, acknowledging what they’d suspected all along. While they had taken over publicity, Leonie had been off doing her own promotion. Although they hadn’t figured it would be courting the network.

“
Consider us
?” Jasper repeated. “What does that mean, Leonie?”

“It’s part of the negotiation game,” Leonie explained. “They’d never tell us outright that they want us.”

“So, in other words, we don’t have it sewn up,” Nick surmised.

Picking up on Nick’s question, Jasper asked, “What exactly did they tell you, Leonie?”

A cagey smile played at the corners of her mouth. “They like the new format. Especially the repartee. Said no one else is doing anything quite like that.”

Nick stared at Leonie, yet again taken aback by the way she could switch tracks when it suited her. “They liked the
repartee
, huh? Isn’t that interesting…since it’s going to be a little difficult for me to pull that one off as a
solo
act.”

She glanced down briefly at her folded hands and then returned her attention to the two men. “There are other options.”

Nick caught her intent first. “No!”

Leonie sat back and favored them with a “brave me” smile. “It’s time for me to join the action. Conquer my own hesitation to come to the show’s aid.”

Nick and Jasper stared at her, dumbstruck.

Nick felt as if the air had been siphoned from him. All this time, he’d tried to get her in front of the camera. Now, after what he and Reese had accomplished,
now
Leonie wanted in. But then, hadn’t that been his plan all along? But seeing it come to fruition this way struck a hollow chord.

She beamed at both of them. “Well? Say something.”

Since Nick was lost in his own thoughts, Jasper responded. “You actually plan to co-host the show?” His voice rose. “When did you decide this, Leonie? Before or after the network signaled their interest?”

Nick struggled for a response. Time to lay a few cards on the table. “Good idea,” he agreed. He turned to Jasper. “I’ve been pushing her for some time to take over hosting duties, because I want to leave. I thought my accident would pave the way to doing that, but then I started co-hosting with Reese. Until now, that’s been worth sticking around for.”

Leonie grabbed Nick’s hand. “And now that Ms. Dunbar is out of the picture, it will be even better.”

Nick removed his hand from his aunt’s reach. “The plan was for me to leave and you to be sole host.”

“How come I didn’t know any of this?” Jasper asked Leonie. “Nick’s been great for the show, but if he wanted to go, why is he still here?”

Leonie straightened and adjusted her jacket. “Nick was never serious, Jasper. Why disturb you about something that wasn’t going to happen.”

Nick’s eyes widened. Had she ever really listened to him? “Sorry, Jasper. I would have told you sooner, but first I had to convince Leonie I was serious. When Reese joined us, I hoped we’d eventually put her on camera, which we did.” He described his succession plan.

“Is that why you…”

Realization must have dawned on Jasper. Nick knew the other man was referring to the circumstances of Reese’s hire. Nick’s part in it. And the promise Nick had extracted from Jasper not to tell Leonie about it. He was grateful the supervising producer hadn’t finished his question.

“We are going to be quite the team, Nick.” Leonie rose, floated to the window and twirled around to face them. “Isn’t this just the best of all possible worlds? We get rid of that liability of a chef just as the network comes calling.”

“Uh, but—” Jasper apparently still wasn’t buying. “Does the network know Reese is gone?”

She spun around to the window again, lifted the slats on the blinds as if surveying her kingdom below.

“Leonie? You’re not answering,” Nick pushed.

She spun around. “That doesn’t matter. It’s the concept that appeals to the network. The twosome.”

“The twosome was Nick and Reese, Leonie,” Jasper reminded her. “As soon as they discover she’s no longer part of the deal, they’ll back off.”

“Let’s not think about that now. We have a bona fide nibble and we’re going to hook that fish.”

His aunt’s posturing filled him with foreboding. She looked so triumphant, living in her dream world. She had absolutely no idea that it had been the chemistry between Reese and himself—on screen and off—that had made their duo work. Leonie wasn’t cut out to be anyone’s partner. Maybe that’s what her fiancé had figured out years ago.