Consume Me (Master Chefs #3) Read online

  “Errol,” she whispered as she thought of the wonderful but short time they’d had together. She wanted so much more of life, of her time with him. “I love you, Errol King. I love you.”

  Chapter 18

  A loud knocking sound stirred her from her state of semi consciousness and semi sleep, then male voices shouting at one another brought her to complete wakefulness. Tar scrambled to her feet and carefully made her way to the door.

  “In here!” she shouted. “I’m in here! Please, hurr...” she choked and coughed.

  The pantry had become unbearably hot and it took all her will to remain upright.

  “Help!” was all she could choke out.

  “Tar?” a muffled voice called.

  “Matt! I’m in here. I’m trapped and...” She stopped as a violent fit of coughing took over.

  “Back away from the door, Tar. We’re coming in.”

  She backed up to the window and waited.

  A loud clang reverberated in the room, then another and another. Soon a small opening appeared in the door and a faint stream of fiery light entered the darkened pantry. As the firemen worked their axes through the door, more and more light came in, however an equal amount of smoke came with it.

  Within minutes Tar was blinded by the smoke and simply sat on her boxes and waited with her towel over her mouth. Moments later she heard approaching footsteps.

  “Tar!” Matt said through his mask. He grabbed her, slung her over his shoulder and hurried out of the pantry.

  She forced her eyes open as they passed through the embers that had once been her kitchen. Matt set her down and just as quickly she was swept up into another pair of arms, this time Errol’s.

  “Tar,” he sighed as he pulled her tightly against him. “Tar, are you all right?”

  Matt pulled off his mask and set it over her face, letting her breathe clean air for a few moments. “Why don’t you take her outside? They’ll take a good look at her to make sure everything’s okay,” he suggested to Errol. “I have to go back inside.”

  Taryn gave him back his mask. “Thank you, Matt.”

  He smiled, patted her on the shoulder then slipped the mask back on before returning to the smoking kitchen.

  “Come on,” Errol said. “Let’s get you out of here.”

  Outside, Sam’s cozy family restaurant was bathed in a swirl of red lights coming from the many fire trucks that lined the street. Fortunately the front of the restaurant seemed unharmed by the flames, though she hated to think of the damage the smoke may have caused.

  After the paramedics checked her over and gave her the okay, she walked back to the front of the restaurant with Errol. His face black with soot and ash, he smiled woefully.

  “You sure gave me a scare,” he said softly as he reached out to point at the bandage on her head.

  “It’s just a little cut. More blood than pain.”

  Errol sighed and pulled her into his arms.

  “I don’t understand,” she mumbled into his chest. “ I don’t know what happened. I was taking inventory, just making a list of a few things I needed to pick up and... the door closed.” She looked at him. “I’m so glad you came, Errol. I thought I'd never see you again. I thought you’d arrive to pick me up and I'd be...”

  He kissed her brow and squeezed her against his chest. “I arrived early and saw smoke. Before I even had time to call 911, I heard the sirens.” He pulled back and looked at her. “I tried to call you, but you didn’t answer. I went inside and couldn’t find you. I thought you’d run out. Maybe you’d gone home...”

  “You couldn’t have known I was locked in the pantry.” Running a hand through her tangled hair, she looked into the window of Sam’s. Though the flames were out, smoke from the kitchen still rose into the midnight air. “All of my mother’s hard work. That kitchen...” Tears streamed down her face as she thought of the pain it would cause her mother.

  “The important thing is that you’re okay.”

  Shaking her head, she tried to make sense of it all. “Errol,” she said, unsure she really wanted to voice her suspicions. “This wasn’t an accident. I heard someone out in the kitchen before the door closed.”

  “You think this was deliberate?”

  She turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Matt, his face grim and unhappy, came to her.

  “She’s right. It was deliberate. She was deliberately locked inside the pantry and the fire was deliberately set.”

  “Isn’t it a little too soon to know?”

  “The surveillance tape survived and I pushed the fire inspector to take a quick look at it right away.”

  “You suspect foul play?” Errol said.

  “Not only was the door of the panty closed, it was padlocked. That doesn’t happen by accident. The only question I had was who. Who could have done such a thing?”

  “And? What did you find on the tape?” Tar asked.

  “A tall, statuesque woman wearing spike heels and a slinky dress. Not your usual arsonist attire, but we clearly see her closing the pantry door, putting the lock in and setting the kitchen ablaze. I’m sure she thought she was being smart when she set a shallow pan of oil on the gas burner. As you might expect, the oil bubbled over in no time, spilled over onto the open flame then quickly spread by way of the rolls of paper towels she conveniently placed overhead.”

  “Suzanne,” Errol whispered as the very thought entered Taryn’s mind.

  “A friend of yours?” Matt said with a bitter tone.

  Errol sneered, but said nothing.

  Matt looked at Tar. “Anyway, you’ve got an open and shut case, not only arson, but attempted murder. Fortunately, locking you into the pantry is what saved your life in this devious plan of hers. Those walls are a foot thick and the fire would have taken hours to penetrate. As long as you managed to keep the smoke out, you were okay. And I guess her plans to get away with it didn’t take into account the surveillance system you guys have.”

  “I can’t believe it,” Tar muttered. Although she knew Suzanne was desperate to get her hands on Errol again, she never would have thought her capable of something so horrific.

  Matt glanced at Errol. “The footage is over there in the smaller red truck. Why don’t you go have a look at it to make sure it’s really who you think it is?”

  Errol nodded, but seemed horrified at the prospect. Nonetheless, he left Taryn’s side and headed to the truck.

  “How you holding up?” Matt asked.

  “Okay, I guess. I have to admit, I’m not looking forward to telling my mom about this. It’ll kill her.”

  “Don’t worry. The insurance should take care of everything. The place will be running like new again in a week or so.”

  She smiled and hoped he was right.

  “You know, in light of what’s happened here, I have to say that I may have been wrong about Errol.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The fire at his restaurant. I think this Suzanne person might be responsible for it after all. I didn’t recognize her at first, but now that Errol mentioned it, I do remember seeing her at his restaurant that day. I thought she acted strangely, but didn’t think more of it. I think I was too convinced of Errol’s culpability. Anyway, I can’t confirm anything just yet, but... well, it’s all starting to point to her.” Matt shrugged. “If so, then everything is starting to make sense.”

  Taryn patted his arm. “Thanks, Matt. For everything. You’re a true friend.”

  Matt winced. “Looks like that’s what I’ll forever be for you, Tar. I’m just glad Errol isn’t what I thought he was, otherwise it’d be even harder. But he did find you so I’m grateful he did.”

  Taryn reached out and wrapped her arms around Matt’s thick neck. “You are really amazing, Matt. Someday, you will make some lucky girl really happy.”

  “I wanted that girl to be you,” Matt said softly. “For years…but,” he swallowed. “I know my face wasn’t the face you saw right before you passed out, was
n’t it?”

  Taryn sadly shook her head.

  “Errol?” Matt asked.

  Taryn’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Life is funny, Mattie. As much as I tried to fight it, you can’t help who you fall in love with.”

  “Then I wish you the very best, Tar. You deserve it,” Matt kissed her cheeks and hugged her before walking sadly away.

  Chapter 19

  Tar sat in the dressing room of the bridal shop waiting for her dress to be brought in for a fitting. It had been a few weeks after the fire at Sam’s, but she felt ready. When faced with death, the person she thought of the most, the last person she thought off before saying “good-bye” was Errol. She knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him then. She was certain, despite all her petty fears and insecurities before, that Errol was the man for her.

  “Nervous, honey?” Sam asked as she squeezed her hand. The fire at the restaurant had barely fazed her, and news of the upcoming wedding had had her singing a merry tune for weeks.

  “I just want it to be perfect,” Tar said. “I want Errol to see me walking down the aisle and just go nuts for me.”

  “I think that’s already been taken care of, sweetie.”

  Tar smiled just as the door opened and Hannah, the fitter, brought in her dress.

  “Sorry I made you wait,” Hannah said. “Here it is.” She pulled the plastic wrapper off the pristine white dress and held it up for Tar to look at.

  Frowning, Tar looked at the dress. “It’s a lot whiter than I remember.”

  “The dress you tried on was probably a little yellowed. That happens a lot.”

  “What do you think, Mom,” Tar said, turning to her mother for advice.

  “Why don’t you try it on, and we’ll see?”

  Tar pulled her simple cotton summer dress over her head and, with the aid of Hannah and her mother, squirmed into the form fitting dress.

  The bodice of the simple white chiffon dress was then laced up tight.

  “How’s that feel?” Hannah asked.

  “It could go a little tighter.”

  She pulled a little more. “There. How’s that?”

  Tar nodded and with the dress secure, turned around to face her reflection. She immediately trembled with giddiness and anticipation. “What do you think, Mom?”

  With tears in her eyes, Sam nodded. “You’re radiant, honey. It’s absolutely perfect. Stunning.”

  Tar pulled her hair up atop her head and glanced sidelong at her reflection.

  “You want to try on a veil?” Hannah asked.

  Tar nodded and Hannah left the room.

  Running her hands over the tight strapless bodice, Tar had to agree with her mother. The dress was perfect. Simple in its perfection, the only adornment were the tiny pearls sewn in. The skirt flowed to the floor with a modest train at the back. Twisting from side to side, she made the skirt swirled around her and imagined her first dance with her new husband.

  “You like him, Mom?”

  “Errol?”

  “Yeah. I mean, I’m not rushing into this, am I?” After the fire, Errol had quickly set a date, preferring to marry her sooner rather than later.

  Sam stammered for a moment then smiled. “I may have had my reservations at first, but I think he’s proven just how much he loves you; just how far he’d go to make you happy.”

  Tar nodded. Since Suzanne had been found guilty of setting ablaze Sam’s and La Benicoise, all doubts and questions about Errol’s morals and ethics had been cleared. And even though La Benicoise was far from ready to re-open, Errol had put all his efforts into helping Tar and her mom open Sam’s as quickly as possible. It had taken a week of hard work, but her mother’s pride and joy was back on its feet and better than ever.

  When word got out about the fire, their patrons rallied behind them, ready to come back to make Sam’s the success it deserved to be.

  “He has been wonderful, hasn’t he?”

  “I’ll admit, when I first met him I found him arrogant, a bit cold and self-centered. I didn’t think he had it in him to be so selfless. I think you bring out the best in him.”

  “Funny, he told me that once.”

  “Well then, we agree. You two are meant for one another.”

  Tar met her mother’s gaze. “What about you and Dad?”

  Sam cocked a surprised brow. “What about us?”

  “Have you kept in touch over the years?”

  “Not particularly, but I did run into him a few years ago. I hardly recognized him at first. He’d lost weight and seemed so much older than he should.”

  “You never told us.”

  Sam shook her head. “I didn’t want to get your hopes up. I didn’t want you guys to think he was ready to come back into your lives. Since then I heard he’d gotten his life back on track... he’s sobered up. After he left us, after he lost everything, he ended up in a shelter and stayed there for years. Eventually he decided to get treatment for his alcoholism.”

  “Do you know where I could reach him?”

  Cocking her head to the side, Sam reached out to finger a ringlet of hair that fell to Taryn’s shoulder. “Why would you want to do that, honey?”

  “I know it might not make sense, I mean considering everything that happened when I was little, but... I guess the princess in me has always dreamed of having both my parents at my wedding; of having my father walk me down the aisle, of having him give me away. Do you think it’s something he could handle?”

  “I think he’d be honored. Give me an invitation and I’ll make sure he gets it.”

  True to her promise, Sam managed to find her father and give him the invitation. For a week Tar wondered how he’d respond. Would he ignore the invitation? Would he be angry she’d attempted to contact him after all this time?

  She finally got her answer in the way of a small, but elegant congratulations card. Inside, in scraggly handwriting, she read:

  I am deeply touched by your invitation. I thought you’d forgotten all about me. I would be proud to be at your wedding and honored to give you away.

  Your loving father.

  Chapter 20

  The church bells chimed Taryn’s arrival. Sitting in the backseat of a classic white model-T, Tar clung to her mother’s hand. Her father hadn’t made it to the apartment as they had agreed and she now wondered if he’d show up at all.

  “Why didn’t he come? For once in my life I relied on him and...”

  “Don’t let this upset you, honey. This is your big day.”

  Tar stepped out of the antique car and looked up at the imposing cathedral. It was spectacular. Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought she’d find herself at the steps of something so monumental; not only the cathedral, but the ceremony to come. The many guests in attendance, including Matt, Henri and several professors, took pictures of her before turning to enter the church.

  “Ready?” Sam said.

  In her father’s absence, Sam had agreed to walk her down the aisle.

  As the crowd dissipated and disappeared inside, one man, freshly shaven and wearing a cheap, but clean suit, stood beside Bobby nervously holding a small bouquet of flowers. Though life had clearly been hard on him, the resemblance between father and son was unmistakable.

  “Dad?” Taryn said in a disbelieving hush.

  “Sorry I didn’t meet you at the apartment like we said. I lost the address, but I remembered the church.”

  “The important thing is that you're here now.” She climbed the few steps that brought her face to face with the man who’d been such a horrible father.

  He glanced at her beautiful bouquet then down at his simple one. “I guess you won’t be needing these.”

  He was about to toss them aside when Tar reached out to him. “They’re beautiful.” She handed her bouquet to her mother and took her father’s flowers. “They’re perfect.”

  “You sure turned into a smart and beautiful young lady.”

  “Thanks.”
>
  “No thanks to me.”

  “I guess in your own way you had a hand in who I’ve become.”

  He shifted and chuckled uncomfortably. “I’m so sorry for all I did to you. You deserved better.”

  “I don’t want to live in the past. Today’s a new day, the start of a whole new life for me, and I’m happy you’re here to share it with me.” She hooked her arm into his and turned toward the doors of the cathedral. “I think everyone is waiting for us.”

  Sam and Bobby entered first which cued the bridal march.

  Tar steadied her father’s trembling hand. “I can’t wait for you to meet my husband,” she said with a smile.

  Epilogue

  The sun was high and hot as Tar and Errol strolled hand in hand through the lush fields of Nana’s vineyards. While they could have honeymooned anywhere in the world, Hawaii, New Zealand, Thailand, Greece, they’d both longed for the peace and serenity of the land Errol held so dear. He’d come full circle, finding and losing love until he’d found Tar.

  “So when are we going to start bottling our own wine?” Tar said as she reached out for a plump, juicy grape. “I’ve always wanted my own wine.”

  “You’d have to find a name for it.”

  “How ‘bout, Le Petit Fils,” she said with a smile as she popped the grape in her mouth.

  “Nana would have loved that... The Grandson... sounds nicer in French.”

  “It does have a nice ring to it. Leaning into him, she shot him a teasing glance as she rubbed her belly with her free hand. “And maybe it’s not only wine that we’ll make.”

  He stopped suddenly and looked at her, his eyes narrow in confusion and restrained joy. “Are you saying...?”

  She playfully slapped his arm and laughed, pulling him onward through the vineyard. “Not yet, no, but I’m optimistic. By next year I hope to have a little Tarie or Erroline running around here.”