Christmas in Paris (A Master Chefs Series Standalone Novel) Read online

  Christmas in

  Paris

  Master Chef Standalone Novel

  Kailin Gow

  Christmas in Paris (A Master Chefs Standalone Novel)

  Published by Sparklesoup.com

  Copyright © 2015 Kailin Gow

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the publisher except in case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. This is a work of fiction base on true events.

  For information, please contact:

  Kailingowbooks(at)aol(dot)com.

  First Edition.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  DEDICATION

  To the people of France whose strength, pride, and spirit of independence inspires and amazes me.

  May you continue to shine through with your brightness and light, spreading love and hope to all.

  Prologue

  Leopold Lee

  Hollywood, CA USA

  “Sorry your girlfriend couldn’t make it to the wrap party,” Marty said as he grabbed a spicy shrimp off the buffet table. The big man who’d worked on movie sets for over twenty years looked at Leo.

  Leo forced a grin. “That’s life. What can you do?”

  “Sure thing. Shame though. She was sure a looker. What was her name again?”

  The last thing Leo wanted to do was talk about Zara. She’d yet to return any of his calls or texts, and he’d had to finally conclude that she was really serious about the break-up. And to think he’d suggested it just to get the paparazzi off his back and calm the angered fans who didn’t appreciate his relationship with her. Had he known that his foray into the Hollywood lifestyle would cause him so much trouble, he might have reconsidered taking the offer to make another movie. Zara meant more to him than all the fame in the world.

  “Zara,” he finally said to the waiting man who’d already picked up another shrimp.

  “Yeah, right,” Marty said as he waved the shrimp at him. “Cool chic; not one of those hangers-on. You better hang on to that one. She’s a real winner.” And with that he gave Leo a sound slap on the shoulder and walked away, but not before grabbing a few more shrimp.

  Hang onto her, Leo thought. If I knew where she was, I certainly would hold onto her.

  Adding to the painful burn of the break-up was knowing she’d already started seeing someone new… and Oliver Klimpton of all people. Not that he had anything against the guy, except that he didn’t fully trust him. But the guy obviously had something that attracted Zara.

  Money? He doubted it. As heir to the Lee Holdings fortune, he’d always treated Zara like a princess, a butt kicking, hard as nails princess.

  “I just hope you know what you’re doing,” he muttered as he thought of the last hectic weeks with her. Though a highly trained police officer who was more than capable of taking care of herself, dealing with everything that came with dating a celebrity proved too much.

  He shook his head. If at least she would have giving him the consideration of waiting a few weeks… even just a few days, but she essentially went straight from his bed to Oliver’s. He didn’t get it. He just didn’t get it. Never would he have thought that she went for that type. What had he done to make her want to end it all and turn to Klimpton? He knew there had to be more than just his celebrity status. The question kept coming back to him time and again.

  He wanted to believe what she’d said about finding Clara, but it all seemed so absurd.

  Truth was, there was no clear and precise answer to any of his questions. He hadn’t a clue what had really gone wrong.

  He looked around at the festive celebration. Dozens of people who’d worked so hard over the past weeks told stories about difficult shoots, beautiful locations and arrogant actors. Some laughed as they remembered ridiculous bloopers while others raged at scenes that simply refused to come together.

  Shrugging, he downed his glass of icy mineral water, set the glass down on the table and slipped out the door before anyone else could come question him. He hated the thought of leaving the party so early. After all, he was the star of the movie. So many had put in a lot of time to plan the party, but his heart just wasn’t in it. In fact, his heart hadn’t been in much of anything lately.

  Food had no taste, music had no melody and fun was just something other people enjoyed. As far as he was concerned, life was just an abysmal drudge.

  With the blare of jazz music fading into the distance, Leo made his way to his now familiar parking spot on the studio lot and got in his red sports car. Sitting in the luxury vehicle immediately brought back memories of Zara. It always did. Her fragrance still lingered and he couldn’t help but take in a big, deep sniff. He’d considered taking the dark sedan that morning; Zara had never gotten into that car, but he’d opted for the scented sports car.

  “Guess that makes me something of a masochist,” he muttered. Holding the steering wheel he simply sat there for a long moment. “If only you could let me know you were all right,” he said to the phantom odor.

  He started the car and headed home to get his things. It was time to go back home; back to Hong Kong, back to Lee Holdings. He’d had enough of the Hollywood life. The paparazzi and fans had cost him enough and he needed to find himself again.

  Feeling grumpy, he walked through the big luxurious home, seeing signs of Zara everywhere. The dining room where they’d shared meals, the entertainment room where they’d relaxed and watched movies, and finally, the bedroom.

  “Damn it, Zara, why can’t I get over you?” He snorted. Another good reason to hurry up and get out of there. The sooner he could put her behind him, the better off he’d be.

  The bulk of his things had already been packed and sent to his private jet. All that remained were a few items. He grabbed the last of his things, shoved them into a bag then called his flight crew to tell them he was on his way. It was a few days sooner than he’d originally planned, but he was ready to go. After a quick last look around the posh Beverly Hills home, he brought his bags to his car and drove off.

  It seemed every street taunted him, every boulevard teased him and every avenue reminded him; he was leaving the woman he loved behind. He was closing that chapter of his life and moving forward.

  He merged into traffic and headed to the airport where he directed his car to the private hangar where his personal jet awaited him.

  “Ready to go?” his pilot said with a cheery grin and an energetic skip in his step.

  “Ready as I’ll ever be.” Feeling glum and unable to hide it, he boarded the plane.

  “Everything all right, sir. You don’t seem quite yourself.”

  “Tired. Sick and tired actually. People think being a celebrity is all fun and glamour, but let me tell you… it can suck big time.”

  “Sorry to hear that, sir. Is there anything I can do to lighten the load?”

  Leo turned to look at the man who’d brought him around the world. For years he’d trusted this man and had counted on him. “You know what? I think there is something you can do. I’ve been so tired lately, I thought all I needed was to go home, but, now that I think of it, I’m not really ready to go home after all. I think I really need a complete change of scene.” After all, Hong Kong held even more memories of Zara than Los Angeles did. It was where he’d first met her, where she’d first come to work undercover in order to protect him. It was also where he’d fallen head over heels in lo
ve with her. “How about we fly to Paris instead?”

  “Sounds wonderful, sir.”

  “I think I need a little vacation before heading home. My friend Errol will be there too. I’ll get lost in his world of delectable cuisine and fine dining. No more film set food and strict dieting for the film. I’ll hang out with Errol and enjoy being his taste tester for new recipes. That’s what friends are for, isn’t it? Yes, Paris would be perfect. Every day is beautiful in Paris. Errol comes closest to the family so I’ll spend the Holidays with him and his family. His wife Taryn is about ready to give birth. It’ll be great to see my Godchild if she gives birth while I’m there. It’s the city of love, the city of lights, the city of liberty. And I hear the weather is beautiful this time of year.”

  “It certainly is. I’ll make the necessary changes and we’ll be on our way.”

  “Good. Thank you.” He boarded the plane and sat silently contemplating the turn of events until the plane finally taxied down the runway and prepared to take off. Soon they were in the air, and his heart ached as he thought of leaving Zara for good. Looking out over the glitz and glamour that was Hollywood, he kissed his fingertips and tapped the window.

  “Goodbye.”

  He fell asleep thinking of her and was riddled with dreams that aroused him then troubled him. Her hands were warm as she stroked him, and her kisses warmer still, but then she turned to Oliver, kissing him with such passion it turned Leo’s gut. He woke up with his heart pounding then he heard the sound of his pilot’s voice over the speakers.

  “Just to let you know, we’re be redirected, sir.”

  Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Leo rose and headed to the cockpit. “What do you mean, we’re being redirected? To where?”

  “Few flights are being permitted to land at Charles de Gaulle tonight.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “The information I’ve received is still a little sketchy. Something about a terrorist attack, sir?”

  “You’re kidding me, right?”

  “Paris is on high alert following a number of shootings and possibly a bomb threat. Most flights in and out of Paris have been cancelled. That’s all I know for now.”

  “I see.” He suddenly questioned the wisdom of changing his plans. Maybe he should have stuck to his original idea of heading home.

  “But don’t worry, sir. I know a small, private strip where we can securely land. You’ll have a slightly longer drive into the city, however.”

  “That’s fine.” It wasn’t fine and he quickly considered the possibility of changing his plans once again.

  He heard his phone ring back at his seat where he’d left it. “I’ll be right back.” He rushed to his seat and grabbed his phone with the desperate hope it was Zara. His heart pounded at the thought of hearing her voice, but instead he saw the name of his culinary partner and friend, Errol King, on his screen.

  “Leo,” Errol said.

  “Hey, bro,” he managed to say with a light tone. “What’s up? Having trouble with your vichyssoise?” While Errol had been instrumental in helping Leo set up his restaurant, Oyster House, back in Hong Kong, and his culinary genius was known across the world, Leo never tired of teasing his old friend.

  “It’s Taryn,” Errol said breathlessly.

  Great, Leo thought. Don’t tell me Errol was having girl problems too. “The beautiful Taryn. How’s she doing?”

  “I don’t know. I can’t find her.”

  “What do you mean, you can’t find her?”

  “Things are going crazy here in Paris. I don’t know what to think. I barely recognize my city. For the first time in my life I feel lost and helpless. I know you’ve been busy, but… if you can give me a hand, I’d appreciate having someone I can trust at my side…”

  Leo couldn’t help but smile at the coincidence. “I’ll be right there.”

  “When?”

  “Give me half an hour.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  Leo laughed. “You know, the funny thing is that I was supposed to head to Hong Kong, but decided at the last minute to redirect the flight to Paris… and I had no real idea why,” Leo said. “Now I know the real reason I changed my mind. I’ll be in Paris as soon as I can, and help track her down.”

  “You’re a real mind reader. I’ll owe you one.”

  Leo ended the call with mixed emotions. While he wanted to be at his friend’s side at this difficult time, he was a little reluctant to enter a besieged city. It was crazy; his girl was off with some billionaire playboy, and Errol’s girl had disappeared while the city of lights was under attack. It wasn’t a good weekend to be in love, he thought with a wry grin. But Zara obviously wanted to be away from him while Errol needed his help so going to Paris became his top priority.

  As the plane landed, he placed a call to Errol, hoping to find out more about the crisis that gripped Paris, but there was no answer. It was unlike Errol not to answer. Leo grabbed his duffle bag and headed out to his waiting limo then tried again. Still no answer.

  Something was up.

  Chapter 1

  November 13, 2015

  Errol King

  An hour earlier from his call to Leopold Lee

  After a long flight from Hong Kong, Errol King looked forward to seeing his wife, to holding her, making love to her. He’d been away from Taryn for weeks and he had the evening all planned out; he would surprise his expectant wife with a dozen red roses and a bottle of her favorite non-alcoholic champagne then he’d give her the sexy lingerie he’d bought her only to then enjoy tearing it off her.

  Though her belly had been growing bigger and bigger with their awaited first child, he’d never found her more attractive now and had been hungering for her. The last few weeks had been hectic and exhausting. He’d been in Hong Kong helping his partner and dear friend Leo, open his restaurant, and when the young billionaire heir had been called to Hollywood to film his latest action movie, Errol had stayed on to help train the new staff and make sure the Oyster House ran smoothly.

  Now, he was in desperate need of a few intimate moments with the woman he loved, the woman he hungered for.

  But as he pulled into the parking garage of his luxurious Parisian penthouse, and parked the car, he suddenly remembered that his mother-in-law had come into town to be at Taryn’s side during the last month of her pregnancy.

  “Damn,” he hissed.

  With her daughter soon to give birth, Samantha had insisted she fly in from New York to help bring her first grandchild into the world, and while Errol had certainly appreciated knowing she was there during his absence, he now hoped she was off on some shopping spree or having dinner with new friends she might have made in Paris. It was a wonderfully beautiful evening to be out.

  While he held a grain of hope, the thought of his mother-in-law still doused Errol’s ardor somewhat, Well, he thought, if she was there, he’d have to be content with just squeezing his wife in his arms and holding off any more amorous endeavors until a little later.

  Grinning and crossing his fingers, he grabbed the red roses and champagne and boarded his private elevator. On the ride up, he tried to calm his arousal for Taryn. He wanted Taryn now, all her warmth and sensuality, all her kisses and caresses. His body missed hers, and had a mind of its own.

  “Behave yourself,” he muttered to himself as he arrived at his penthouse. The doors opened. “Mon amour,” he called out. “I’m home.”

  “Errol,” Sam said as she rushed to him. “For heaven’s sake, I’ve been trying to reach you.”

  Not quite the welcome he’d been expecting. Sam’s panic was effective in completely cooling his arousal. His gut turned, but he remained calm. “What’s going on? Where’s Taryn?”

  “Errol, I’ve been going crazy. The police can’t seem to help. And you know how awful my French is. Maybe they just don’t understand when I try to talk to them, and I don’t understand them in return, but I’m going out of my mind with worry.”

 
“Sam, please, calm down. Where did Taryn go? Why bring the police into this?”

  “Yesterday she couldn’t stop talking about how she wanted a last hoorah. She wanted to go out and have a good time before the baby came. She mentioned dinner at a posh restaurant and a night on the town… as much as a nearly nine month pregnant woman can go on the town. This afternoon she said she was going out with a friend, someone from the institute…a Harry or Henri something, but with everything that’s happened… I don’t know what to think. With all the shootings and…”

  “Sam. Sam. Calm down. You’re not making any sense. She’s meeting a friend? And what are you talking about with shootings?”

  “Didn’t you hear, Errol? Paris is under attack. Dozens are dead at the Bataclan, some were shot while dining in a restaurant and bombs went off at the Stade de France. It’s awful. Just awful.”

  He went numb and his gut threatened to evacuate its content. His pilot had mentioned a shooting and tight security at the airport, but nothing more. So eager to simply see Taryn, he’d neglected to ask for more information. Even as he’d noticed the eerie silence on some Paris streets, his mind had been solely on seeing Taryn.

  “Who did she leave with?”

  He rang Taryn’s phone, but she didn’t answer. In frustration, he tossed his phone on the sofa, feeling increasingly sick.

  Wringing her hands, Sam looked up in the air, searching her memory. “I don’t know. I don’t remember. Someone from the institute, but I don’t remember the name exactly. Harry, Henry,… or maybe Perry.”

  “Someone from the institute,” he muttered to himself as he paced the room. But who? Errol grabbed his phone and called the police, but with the city in chaos, he couldn’t even get through. Overcome with fear, he sat down and put his head in his hands. “This is nuts. What do I do? What do I do?”

  “As afraid as I am for her, Errol, I know that you have to be strong, for all of us. We can’t all collapse under the fear. Taryn’s a smart woman. She won’t put herself in harm’s way.”