The Chocolatier (Man Card Holiday Short Story) Read online

  The Chocolatier

  Man Card Holiday Short Story

  Terra Kelly

  Table of Contents

  Synopsis

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  Dear Reader

  Steamy Sensations Holiday Shorts

  Join TK’s Newsletter!

  About the Author

  Also by Terra Kelly

  Books by T.M. Kelly

  Acknowledgments

  Synopsis

  My best friend’s sister was off limits; until the day she sauntered into my classroom.

  She’s looking to perfect her candy making skills.

  I’m looking to teach her all the best ways to use chocolate, none of which include how to properly line a candy mold.

  She’ll discover what it really means to temper chocolate when I stir her up and light her body on fire.

  She’s doesn’t know it, but she was mine the moment she set foot in my kitchen.

  One

  Rylee

  “You said you wanted to learn how to make chocolate.” Ally handed me a flyer with the word chocolate in bold print across the top. “Here’s your chance.”

  After looking at it, I flipped the paper over to look for the fine print that says it’s a joke. “How is this even possible?”

  “How is what possible?” Ally leaned in closer, looking over my shoulder at the flyer.

  “This class is being taught by a James Beard award winner.”

  “Yeah, so?”

  “So–” I dropped the paper back in her hand and started walking again. The last day of organic chemistry was about to start. As I approached the room I thought about what we were discussing. It all seemed too good to be true. “The class is being held at the mall. That—" I pointed at the paper. “—has to be a joke.”

  “Maybe Chef Jake is making a special one-time only appearance.”

  I stopped and she plowed into my back. “Special appearance? Really, Ally?”

  “Yes, Rylee. You never know.” She shoved at my back to push me into the classroom.

  I quickly find a seat. “The chef wants to make a special appearance to teach us how to make Easter candy. Yeah, I’m not buying it,” I whisper and pull my books out. Chef Jake is one the best chocolatiers in the world. People go on a waiting list at the school he teaches at in Paris just to learn from him. A mall tour didn’t fit his persona.

  “Then I guess you’re signing up,” Ally teases and hands me a pen.

  “No, I never said that.”

  “Well, you’ve always wanted to learn how to make fancy chocolate. Find out if it is Chef Jake and learn how to make all the candy.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Two birds. One stone.”

  She’s right I did want to learn how to make chocolates. What if the chance to meet Chef Jake never happened again in my lifetime?

  I had spent countless hours trying to recreate chocolate truffles from YouTube video tutorials. The amount of baking supplies I wasted when a recipe failed was ridiculous. Maybe Ally was right, signing up for the class could help me. Hell, if I had to waste another pound of chocolate, I was going to strangle the person in the video.

  As soon as the Organic Chemistry teacher wrapped up I closed my book and made my way back to where the flyers were located. “Change your mind?” Ally was fast on my heels.

  “I don’t know.” There were still a stack of the flyers sitting on a small table. “The thought of learning from a master is intriguing.”

  She nudged my shoulder. “Plus, then you can stare at him all night and think about every naughty act you would love to do to him.”

  “Only you would say that.” I glanced down at Chef Jake’s picture and an image ran through my mind. Weston. Weston Gray. It had been years since his name even made an appearance in my thoughts. The last time I had talked to him he was leaving for Paris to start culinary school.

  “What’s wrong?” She grabbed my bicep. “You have that look.”

  “I don’t have any look.”

  She turned so her body was directly in front of me. Then she actually leaned in and pretended to scan my face. “Yup,” she said and pointed to my eyes. “They have this glossy look. Who’s on your mind?”

  “No one.” I pushed her out of the way. “You’re so weird.”

  “Someone has you looking really perplexed.”

  “Oh my God, Ally, will you shut it.” I rubbed my fingers over my temple and pulled my car keys out of the front pouch of my bag. “I need to go.”

  “Rylee.” Ally was standing by my car staring down at me. “Don’t forget to sign up.”

  “If you’re so interested, why don’t you sign up with me?”

  “Because I don’t make chocolates. I eat them.” She blew me a kiss and turned to head to her car that was parked about three yards away. “I loved those raspberry truffles you made last month,” she yelled with her back still turned toward me.

  “Yeah, I bet you did.” They were delicious. I’d placed a fresh raspberry in the center of the truffle. It was a little surprise when you bit down on the gooey chocolate. What they lacked in aesthetics they made up for in flavor. Just thinking about them now is making me want to make some more.

  When I sat down in my car, I had thrown all my stuff in the passenger seat. The flyer was sitting under my bag and already getting destroyed by my carelessness. I tried not to rip it anymore as I pulled it out. Chef Jake was staring back at me again on the eight and a half by eleven piece of paper. I had a feeling he was yelling at me to sign up.

  So I did.

  Two

  Weston

  “Where’s chef?” I stepped into the small kitchen. Chef Jake made special appearances at only a handful of malls around America. It was a way to show off his skills. Actually, the chef had a huge ego and needed to fuel it up every so often. The small classes did just the trick.

  “He’s sick.” Devon, a chef who started his internship around the same time as I did, said and handed me a notepad.

  “What’s this?” I looked down and noticed the chef’s to-do list. “Why are you giving this to me?” I started working with chef almost four years ago. I was his apprentice while studying in Paris. Then when he got an amazing opportunity in America, he asked me to join him. Well, he asked his top two chocolatiers to join him.

  “You’re better in a group setting.” Devon pushed the notepad against my chest.

  “Did chef approve this?” With chef’s ego, I was afraid to step up. “The moment I say yes, will my job be on the line?”

  “No,” Devon said and rolled his eyes. “He has the flu. It’s up to us.”

  “The next class starts tomorrow and runs for three days.”

  He patted my arm. “So you better start practicing.”

  I looked down and actually groaned. How was this even happening? I had never prepared candy in front of customers. My job was to prep the items for each candy Chef Jake made. My prep work made his time in front of the people run smoothly.

  At the top of the list, a chocolate bunny. “Of course,” I muttered to myself. Everyone requested a bunny and then they would get frustrated when it didn’t come out of the mold correctly.

  It was easy to think of all the reasons why this was a very bad idea. Then I thought about the visibility it would provide. What if this was the shot I needed? I had worked under chef for so long, it was time to look at ways to
make a name for myself.

  My understanding of chocolate was extensive.

  Working with people was a different story.

  “Do you know how many are attending the class tonight?” I stepped up beside Carol who organized all the events for chef.

  “Ten I believe.” She grabbed a sheet of paper. “I lied. Eight.”

  “Even better,” I tapped my fingers on the desk. The idea of teaching had me wound up in knots.

  “You’re going to do great,” she said and patted my hand. “Chef called this morning checking up on you.”

  “Did you tell him I’m a failure?” I don’t know why I was getting all worked up over this simple class. Over the next three days I would teach eight students how to make three separate types of chocolate candy. Three chocolates I was very familiar with, too. It was going to be easy.

  “Wes, relax. Go meditate or something.” She placed her earbuds back in her ears and turned her attention to the computer screen.

  “Meditate,” I said and headed back into the kitchen. “Like that shit even works.”

  “Who are you talking to?” Devon said and handed me a small spoon. “Keep yourself busy by helping me with this batch of coconut clusters.”

  “Why are we making these?” Normally the candy we made had gold flecks adorning the top.

  “Special order.”

  I felt like since I arrived back in America, the candy I had to make was more run-of-the-mill. In Paris we created beautiful candy that had drizzles on each piece and unusual flavor combinations.

  Here, everyone wanted the basics.

  I was ready for a challenge.

  Three

  Rylee

  “You said you would go.” I grabbed my keys and tried not to sound upset. “Why are you still in your pajamas?” We had agreed we would attend the class together. I actually found myself looking forward to going.

  “I need to study for the last final.” She sat up. “Go make some kick-ass chocolates and bring me home the scraps.”

  “Screw that, I’m eating all the scraps.” There was no way I would save her any.

  I was closing the front door when Ally yelled. “Tell the hottie chef hi from me.”

  That was Chef Jake’s new nickname. Hopefully I didn’t call him that to his face. The mall was only about two miles from my house. When I arrived at the kitchen supply store where the class was being held, there were a few other people standing outside the store waiting.

  One woman was holding a book Chef Jake had written called, The Art of Chocolate Making. The look on her face was priceless. It was obvious she was going to be star struck for the whole class.

  A woman with short, red hair stepped up in the center of the group. “Welcome. The class is being held in the back room where there is a small kitchen area. We’ve had a few changes to the line-up, but I think you are all going to have a lovely time.”

  What did she mean about changes to the line-up? Does that mean we’re going to be making something different than what was listed on the flyer?

  I was the last person to enter the room. There were four tables and seven people. I noticed the table in the front had only one woman at it, so I made my way over to share the space with her. It was the woman with the Chef Jake book. “Oh my goodness. Are you as excited as I am?” She brought the book out in front of her chest, hugged it and sighed.

  “Um.” I didn’t want to disappoint her with my answer, but I had a feeling I was not nearly as excited. “Sure.”

  “I have followed Chef Jake since he started his career.” She sighed and finally sat her book on the table.

  “Wow, that’s a long time.” I was starting to question my choice in tables.

  My head was down looking over the paperwork that was sitting by the burner. I heard a click and some footsteps but I continued reading the last of the information. Finally, I lifted my head. What the fuck?

  “Hi everyone.” It was him. Weston Gray. “Chef Jake is unfortunately under the weather and will not be able to teach the class.”

  The woman across from me actually gasped. This had to be devastating for her. I covered my mouth to hide my laugh. It was hard not to react, but the woman was so over the top about her love for a man she had never met.

  Weston’s attention moved to my table when the woman next me made the loud sound. Right as he was about to say something his eyes locked onto mine. I wondered if he would recognize me. It had only been five years. I haven’t changed that much. My hair was longer and I’d probably put on a few pounds.

  Weston was still staring right at me. It was like he couldn’t look away. I couldn’t either.

  “Chef Jake won’t be attending any of the three classes?” The woman asked, still hung-up on that piece of news.

  It was difficult for Weston to pull his attention away from me. He cleared his throat and shook his head. “Um, no. He has the flu.”

  “I’m out. That’s the only reason I came today.” The woman grabbed her book, stomped out of the room not turning back once.

  We all watched as she quickly left. “Does anyone else want to cancel?” Weston said and glanced at the tables to my right. Then slowly his eyes made their way toward me again silently asking me the same question. Something about the look he was giving me caused goosebumps to form all over my body. “We’re good then? Okay.” He clapped his hands together and stepped around a table that had every utensil and kitchen toy available. Sitting on the front of the table were prepared chocolates. He leaned over and grabbed one of the small rectangular candies with what looked like a gold flower print on top. “Today we’re going to make truffles.”

  I watched as he took a bite. Oh sweet heavens to Betsy. Did he just do that on purpose? He did. He totally did. My eyes were locked onto his mouth as he bit down. His tongue swiped across his bottom lip and then quickly disappeared. I needed to look away, but I was finding the movement difficult.

  Finally, I closed my eyes and regrouped. It was just Weston. My brother’s best friend and the boy I’d loved since second grade. No big deal.

  “When melting the chocolate,” Weston was saying as he walked around to look at our double boilers, “If there’s too much water in the bottom pan, you can easily burn the chocolate.” He stopped by my station. “A little water goes a long way.” My hands were shaking as I continuously stirred the chocolate. Why did he have to stare like that? It was so damn distracting. He started to walk behind me and I thought he was making his way over to the next table. Instead, he stopped and moved his head close to my ear. “Rylee Nelson.” His voice was low and husky. It was like music to my ears. “How did I get so lucky?”

  “Um.” I felt goose bumps start to form all over my body. It had been way too long since I had Weston Gray this close to me. “I don’t know. Did you find a four-leaf clover last month?”

  “Still sassy and sexy, too.”

  I tipped my head up to look at his face. “Maybe.”

  He moved in closer which seemed impossible at this point. His lips were almost touching mine. “Don’t forget to stir.”

  “Yeah, I–” My body jumped at his words. “Shit.” I quickly looked down and noticed the chocolate sticking to the sides of the pan. I stirred the chocolate hoping I could salvage it. Once I had happy chocolate again, I glanced up to see Weston with his arms crossed over his chest and leaning against the front table. He had bulked up since the last time I saw him. I had this urge to wrap my hands around his biceps and a few other places, too.

  I shook my head. What was wrong with me? He left five years ago and never looked back. The night before he left, we snuck out together. That’s the night I lost my virginity. I have been with other men since, but there was still something about Weston that no one else could compare to. He knew exactly how to light my body on fire.

  Back then my brother made it clear I was off limits.

  Today, my brother wasn’t here and I wasn’t off limits anymore.

  Four

  Weston

/>   There was a light knock on the office door. “Yeah, come in.” I was trying to finish some notes for the class. Chef was a bit OCD and liked to have everything documented.

  I thought it was Devon bothering me for the millionth time. Then my nose grabbed the scent of chocolate and sweet basil. “You have a few minutes?” Rylee asked and opened the door a few inches to peek around the wooden surface.

  “Rylee. Please. Come in.” There was barely room for two chairs and a small table for the computer. “Sorry, let me move that for you.” I grabbed the stack of books off the unoccupied chair.

  “If this is a bad time, I can chat tomorrow.”

  “No, please.” I pointed to the chair. “Sorry I didn’t talk to you after class. Devon, the other chef was freaking out over nothing.”

  “Are things a bit chaotic without Chef Jake here?” I noticed how she was fidgeting with her thumbs. Something I used to love. Back in high school when we were in a room together with her brother, I would find her fidgeting each thumb back and forth.

  “Pretty much. I don’t teach. Ever.”

  She smiled. “You did a good job today.”

  “You’re just saying that,” I winked and turned my body to face her. “So you never moved, eh?”

  “I like it here.”

  There was something about the Carolinas. It always felt like home here. “What are you doing now?”