Comfort Food (39 page)

“Oh, shut up,” Aimee said, though her tone was gentle. “You’re finally sticking with something, in your own weird way. If Billy’s okay with it, then so am I.”

“And now someone’s got to go down and say something to our guests,” said Gus. “Not to mention our viewers.”

“I’m a big girl,” said Sabrina. “I can make my own announcement.”

Billy put his arm around her. “I’ll stand with you, too.”

The day had been a roller coaster and Troy was exhausted, physically and emotionally. He would have expected to feel relieved about how things had unfolded, but he didn’t. Troy was hardly surprised, and more than a little concerned for Sabrina, but he wasn’t about to make another bid for her. He had really and truly moved forward.

The show had been frenzied but fun, and the guests seemed to bounce back rapidly from their initial shock. Cushioned, no doubt, by the sense that Sabrina and Billy were merely postponing their big day, and by all the sumptuousdelights that Carmen had produced for them to enjoy. Personally, he’d eaten much more than his fair share, and he didn’t regret it one bit.

He was ready to call it a night, though he needed to be polite and thank his host before leaving. He might also, if he could find her, say goodbye to Hannah.

Out on the dance floor, Hannah was doing the Twist with Priya’s youngest,Kiran.

"... and it goes like this,” she was singing to the little boy, her red hair flying with each shake of her hips, as Kiran copied her moves. She looked absolutely ridiculous, thought Troy, and completely oblivious.

He strode onto the dance floor as the music was dying down and tapped Kiran on the shoulder.

“May I cut in?” he asked.

“I dunno,” said Kiran. “What’s that mean?”

“I want to dance with Hannah,” said Troy.

“Yeah, okay,” she said, her stomach jumping.

The band started up a quick beat.

“No wait,” Troy said, apparently changing his mind. “I want our first dance to be a slow one.”

The cameras had long been turned off and several guests had left when Alan strolled up to the microphone to make a special announcementabout Carmen’s new show and the renewal of
Eat Drink and Be
. Such news wouldn’t have been appropriate at a wedding reception, of course, but seeing as how the marriage didn’t take place . . . Gus thought it was fine. She rather enjoyed Alan’s effusive praise of her years on the CookingChanneland his excitement about the program.

“Gus, would you like to say a few words?” asked Alan.

She jumped up the few steps to the dais.

“Thank you for coming,” she said. “It’s been such a pleasure. But I’m afraid Alan’s wrong about one thing tonight, and that is the fact that I’m not going to be returning for another season of
Eat Drink and Be
. As much as I have loved working with all of you.”

She caught Carmen’s eye. “With
all
of you,” she repeated. “But it’s time for me to go.”

In the weeks following Alan’s offer of renewal, Gus initially felt as though she’d received exactly what she had wanted and she was relieved.But another idea nibbled at her, as well—the feeling that, with Sabrina and Aimee successfully living their own lives, she was suddenlyunburdened by the responsibilities she’d so long carried. And that’s when she knew: now was her opportunity to recapture and reinvent herself.

“And I’m not only leaving the CookingChannel, which has been my home for twelve years,” Gus said, “but I am also leaving Rye and New York and this house, which has been such a special place. I’m hitting the road and touring the world.”

Aimee and Sabrina looked at each other in shock; Hannah was dumbfounded,freezing in position with a shrimp halfway to her mouth.

It was as though Gus had become a different person.

“I didn’t say I’m disappearing,” Gus said, speaking directly to them even as she addressed everyone in the tent. “You’ll all be seeing more than enough of me, and getting a lot of calls and emails. But it’s time for some new adventuresin my life. It’s time to explore.”

She stepped off the dais and was immediately surrounded by a mix of well-wishers and stunned CookingChannel colleagues. Within seconds, she felt Oliver’s hand on her arm, pulling her out of the crowd.

“Gus,” he said. “What the hell? What am I? A little summer fun?”

“Don’t demean yourself, Oliver,” Gus said emphatically. “You’ve made a huge difference in my life.”

“That’s all well and good,” he said. “But I thought our relationship meant . . . something.”

Oliver held his hand to his forehead as he tried to collect his thoughts.

“I’ve been circling around for a long time,” she said. “And I feel as though I’ve finally figured out where I want to land.”

“Look,” he said, his voice cracking just a little. “I know well enough that we’ve all got to follow our dreams. If this is what you want, I support you.”

“Thank you, Oliver,” said Gus, feeling very relieved. “That means everythingto me.”

“But don’t think I’m just going to wait around.” He picked up his tuxedo jacket off a nearby chair as if to go.

“Yes, about that,” Gus said, lightly placing her hand on his arm to stop him. “You see, I was very much hoping that you’d be coming with me.”

the icing on the cake

32

APRIL 2008

It came in the mail: a formal invitation to one of Gus Simpson’s world-famousparties. What was surprising was the location—a private loft overlookingthe Union Square farmer’s market—and the occasion. Gus Simpson was coming back to television in a new show produced by her very own production company, 50/50 Ventures, and she was throwing a huge party to launch the first episode.

She and Oliver had been away from New York for almost a year, travelingto twenty countries to research and film
Local Food Far Away
, a program dedicated to showcasing great places, great foods, and great crafts, and makingthose items (all fair trade, naturally) available for purchase by Americanviewers. Gus had finally found a way to unify the altruism of her youth with her professional success and her belief in the importance of fresh local ingredients. She’d had to sell the house for capital, of course, though she felt it was worth it. The house and its nineteen rooms had been precisely what she’d needed at a previous point in her life but she had been ready to move on.

Hannah was through the door of the loft before anyone else had appeared, eager to reconnect with her old friend since the last time they’d emailed, and to tell her all about the latest developments in the Hannah Joy Levine Love Yourself tennis program, designed to help at-risk youth boost their physical fitness and self-esteem. And although she had rather enjoyed her time on television with Gus, she ultimately turned down the Hollywood producers who approached the once-scandalized sports star to host
Take That Back
, a catty exploration of celebrities’ most embarrassing moments caught on tape. Instead, she’d kept up with her health writing, taken on a few clients for private tennis lessons (Priya, wanting to shed a few pounds, was her first customer), and finally passed her driving test, with Troy proudly waiting at the DMV to celebrate.

Troy had been busy, as well, having gone national with the FarmFresh healthy vending machines in all fifty states, then sending his equipment into Canadian schools and ultimately hooking up with
Naked Chef
Jamie Oliver to take them across the Atlantic to the United Kingdom. FarmFresh apples were available in airports, train stations, shopping malls, and, most important, in schools. Apples from his parents’ orchard were even available in the local elementary school in Hood River, and his father made a special trip some days simply to watch with pride as the students punched a button to select the Park family produce.

Fresh food was on Carmen’s mind, too. Her bilingual show was popularon both the Spanish language network and the CookingChannel, and she worked closely with Porter, who was run ragged with his new position and loving it. But most important to Carmen was that she had managed to secure funding—thanks to Oliver calling a few friends—to open her very own restaurant,
Pulpo
. And she chose a stylish up-and-coming designer to keep the look of her
cocina
fresh, fun, and, above all, bright.

Because Carmen’s designer, Sabrina, had gotten past her aversion to making over kitchens—finding a way to integrate her mother’s history with her ability to decorate. Sabrina’s business was growing. She and Billy were still happily dating, thinking every so often about making things more permanent,but in no rush to do so. He was the one to finally figure out how to get the girl: he waited.

FBI Agent Jeremy Brewer had gotten his Aimee, too, as well as solvingthe case of the year. He’d discovered money manager David Fazio movingfunds to Europe when Fazio sought treatment for a social disease he’d acquired while partying with other people’s money.

All in all, it was a festive atmosphere, with many friends and an abundanceof delicious nibbles. Everyone milled about, chatting with Oliver, but not so secretly keeping a lookout for Gus. Problem was, she was nowhere to be found.

Not until the strains of music started and Gus appeared in the doorway in a cream linen pantsuit, holding a single rose in her hand, did the assembledguests have any clue that the launch party was about starting much more than just a new show.

Aimee and Sabrina, in on the secret, stood on either side of their mother and walked her toward Oliver, who was standing patiently by the window through which the lights of the city sparkled.

It was a perfect moment.

Gus Simpson adored wedding cake.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Recently, a reader told me that the acknowledgments are her favorite part of any book. (What does that say about the rest of the pages? I wondered.) Well, believe me when I tell you I had a lot of support—a great deal of comfort,if you will—as I wrote this novel. It was deeply appreciated during what has been a hectic and tumultuous year.

Many thanks to everyone at Putnam, especially Ivan Held, the ever cheery and always helpful Eve Adler and Rachel Holtzman, and above all to Rachel Kahan, the smartest and most understanding editor in New York. Equally patient were Sue Fletcher and Swati Gamble in London. And I’m very grateful for the attention that this book has received from everyone in sales, marketing, publicity, editorial, production, and design.

Deserving of her very own paragraph is my insightful and caring agent, Dorian Karchmar, of the William Morris Agency. I leave every conversation with Dorian having laughed and learned, and few things reassure a writer more than having an agent in her corner who is also such a steadfast friend. Thank you.

I’m indebted to my parents and siblings for their constant encouragement and willingness to listen, and to my dear friends who read early chapters that often arrived late at night: Rhonda Hilario-Cagiuat, Kim Jacobs, Shawneen Jacobs, Tina Kaiser, Alissa MacMillan, Robin Moore, Sara-Lynne Levine, and Christine Tyson. A special mention goes to my mother and sister, with whom I enjoyed many hours reminiscing about favorite family foods, such as the smell of my grandmother’s homemade buns and her fragrant chicken soup with fresh noodles.

In particular, I’d like to recognize Althea Saldanha and Tamara MacMillan,who opened windows into Indian and Spanish food and culture, and Sandra Lee, who shared tales from culinary school and restaurant kitchens. I appreciate your insights tremendously. And thanks to Kevin MacMillan and David Berger for their steady and wise counsel; to Dorian’s great assistant,Adam Schear, who is always on top of things; and to all of the wonderfulreaders who have emailed me over the past few months to say they were eager for my next book! It’s always a delight to hear from you.

Finally, I want to recognize the home team. To my dog, Baxter, who loves a good tennis ball and was always eager to play fetch when I wanted to step away from the computer (and even when I didn’t). And to my husband, JonathanBieley, who alarmed me with a bit of a health scare and then bounced back good as new, ready to stay awake late, get up early, make (order!) dinner,reorganize our home office, and proofread every chapter. Thanks for being such a comfort.