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Chapter One

Elle Tho redient list for the JDC event She’d becoo Since then, her workload had nearly doubled, but she wouldn’t trade a minute of it She loved the fast pace and constant attention to detail that it required

Her friend Sara had started the catering business a few years back and Elle had gone to work for her as a receptionist As the business grew, she’d started doing so , and so About that time, Sara had met Deacon

Well, Elle ht word Sara had rediscovered hied Soon after, Sara had broached the subject ofher partner Elle had been shocked, but she’d jumped at the opportunity

She’d gotten to learn so much about the food side of the business in the past few months It had been a little buave the lists one last review and decided that she was as prepared as she possibly could be Still, she was a little apprehensive about this particular event JDC was their biggest client

Looking at the clock now, she realized it was 6:30 p her chair back, she h her wavy, blond hair She adjusted her jeweled barrettes and left her office She walked into the kitchen, grabbed an apron from the hook on the wall, then said, “Sara I’m free now What do you need?”

Sara glanced up froh the pasta sheet attachhy fist pump

“Yes! Can youof shallots too”

Elle griarlic and onion Do they not realize this is a wedding?”

“I warned them, but they said they wanted authentic,” Sara said with a shrug

Continuing to gri a chef’s knife fro the shallots Twentyhaze when she heard Sara call her name

“Huh? Sorry I was in the zone What’s up?” she asked, looking over at Sara

“I asked,” Sara said, “if you’re ready for JDC?”

“Oh, oh Yeah I think so Too over early to check the food in and start prep Toht?” Elle asked

“Absolutely Excited to see Jim?” Sara

teased

Elle felt her face flush at the mention of his name, but she still rolled her eyes dismissively

“Between you and Deacon and Chris and Chloe, e all hang out, he feels like a fifth wheel too That’s the only reason he pays attention to irls that look likedoard to her body

Sara put the pasta dough she orking on down on the counter and said, “Don’t make me come over there! Why the hell would he not be interested in you? You’re beautiful You’re sot curves So what? Not all ure He’d be lucky to have you Nocrap”

Elle let out a surprised laugh and said, “Easy, tiger He just strikes me as the type that would want his women to be fit like he is”

Scraping the last of the shallots into a container, she continued on, saying, “I think he’s just a flirt We’ve been going back and forth forto make a move, he probably would have already”

Laughing, Sara said, “You didn’t see the way he was staring at you when you took off your cover up at the beach last weekend”

“I think he had already taken his shirt off by that point I was trying not to stare at hi

“His chest is unbelievable,” Sara said, in agreeh, please”

Elle laughed as she sarlic with the flat of the knife blade “Who’d have thought Deacon would have a jealous streak?”