He glanced at Lena, the gold statue in his hand, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. She couldn’t stop smiling and she gazed up at him proudly as he leaned into the microphone. Shine baby, shine. “This award means so much to the both of us. As you know Lena started Cibo Buono from the side streets of Kings Cross and when we got married, I managed to convince her to expand and move, making the restaurant what it is today.” The crowd cheered and Lena snuggled in against him. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me, to us I mean.” He laughed and Lena forgave him the slip, putting it down to the excitement of the moment. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
She stepped forward to thank the judges, but Cole handed her the trophy and pushed her from the stage. Together they made their way back to their table, accepting the congratulations and hugs from those around them.
Her parents stood up and wrapped their arms around her. She laughed and wiped away the tears as her they hugged her. Ben reached out and shook Cole’s hand. “I can’t tell you how proud this makes me.”
Cole accepted the handshake and congratulation calls coming from their table from fellow chefs and friends. “I just do my best, Ben. Bet you never thought your daughter would leave that little backwater town and make it this far.” She saw her father frown seconds before she noticed photographers coming their way. Cole grabbed hold of her arm, pulling her from her mother’s embrace. “Put on your happy face, here come the big guns.”
Her father frowned. “Mudgee isn’t a little backwater; it’s a thriving small country town within easy distance of Sydney. Just ask Lena how busy it gets on the weekends with all the city folk driving up for a break.”
He’s teasing you, Papa, I’m sure of it.
Cole appeared to listen half-heartedly but didn’t seem to pay it any mind, his attention firmly on the press zeroing in on them. He wrapped his arm around her and held up the statue, posing them for the best shots. “Look like you’re having the time of your life, Lena. I know I am.”
Chapter 1
She opened her eyes and blinked, the bright morning light shocking her alcohol-induced sensitive pupils. Why oh why? What a big mistake that was. Lena raised a hand to her head and groaned. Too much champagne and too little food had done her over in the worst way possible. How many years had it been since she’d had a hangover? Far too many to remember. Add to that the lack of sleep after a particularly wild round of celebration sex and the last thing she wanted to do was wake up. Didn’t see that one coming, no pun intended.
Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth no matter how much she swallowed trying to build up a drop or two of saliva. Foolish girl, and there’s work today. Lena looked sideways at her bedside table and groaned when the water glass she normally took with her at night was missing. Flashes of their early morning romp came back to her and it wasn’t pretty. Being pushed through the bedroom door while her clothes were ripped from her body was almost comical when she looked back on it. They’d acted like horny teenagers let free for the night and some of the positions Cole had her in had her skin heating in embarrassment. And that was how it used to be. Once upon a time anyway.
The proof of their drunken sex rampage after months of avoiding any close contact, let alone the act, came back as soon as she tried to roll out of bed. Her lower regions burned and she vaguely remembered Cole wanting her one more time and against her protests, he’d had his way. Whisker burn between one’s thighs was not going to be comfortable when she had so much to do today. Fool. Sucked in by the thrill of the moment.
Snores came from his side of the bed and she resisted the urge to throw a pillow over his head to still the sound. It was tempting pay him back for what was going to be an uncomfortable day because of his short trendy beard. “But it looked good. Makes me more interesting and hip.” Yeah, sure. Lena grabbed a wrap and pulled it on as she walked out to the open kitchen lounge area.
The trophy was sitting in pride of place on the dining room table, shining with shafts of morning sunlight hitting the crystal facets and throwing rainbows over the walls and ceiling. It is beautiful. Who would have thought? Lena ran her finger over where the trophy had been engraved with the name of the winning restaurant and the year. Cibo Buono, Winner Best Restaurant of the year, 2015 People’s Choice.
Never in her wildest dreams when she started cooking out of tiny flat with a child under her feet and nobody to help her, did she imagine she would one day hold the most prestigious restaurant award in hands. She couldn’t wait to show Kyle when he got back from his sleepover. It was going to blow his little mind.
“I want that down in the restaurant where everyone can see it.” Cole stood at the door watching her with a shuttered look on his face. Some days he was so hard to read and Lena had given up trying. That was why last night was such a shock to her system. If she hadn’t had so much
