Читать книгу The Essential Ingredient - Love - Tracy Madden - Страница 5

“Excuse me Madam, would you care for dinner this evening?” The flight attendant’s question jolted Chilli back to reality.

“Just a cup of tea would be lovely, thank you.” She gave a slight yawn and briefly stretched. She reached for her handbag and lifted out a small bronze and gold box embossed with the curly signature L. Inside were two mini eclairs filled with coffee cream, from Laurent’s Patisserie.

It had become a habit, that whenever Chilli visited Melbourne, she popped into Laurent’s to pick up a tasty treat for Miranda and her. She wasn’t particularly fond of airline food and always liked to have a little something small with her that she could delight in.

Next to her the gentleman with the green cufflinks was examining the contents of his tray. There was a sound of disapproval.

He looked over. “You don’t happen to have another one of those do you?” he asked, indicating the little eclair.

“I do actually,” she laughed, “But I’m afraid it’s for my daughter-in-law, and I’ll be in big trouble if I give it away.”

He nodded. “Well, it doesn’t look particularly filling anyway. I think I’ll wait until I get home. I’m really not that hungry. Eating seems to break the flight up though doesn’t it?”

“Yes although unless it’s fabulous, there doesn’t seem to be much point.” The amount of pleasure eating good food bought to her was inestimable yet so simple. She flashed a dazzling smile, blotted her red lipstick on a tissue and took the tiniest sip of the hot tea.

The man pointed to her reading material. “I notice you have brochures from Designex. Did you enjoy it?’

Placing her cup back on the tray she nodded. “Mmmm, lots of exciting new and innovative products. Did you go as well?”

“No, not this year, but we did send some of our staff and I hear they got a lot out of it,” he explained. “What is it you do?”

“I assist my husband in his development company, plus I now have a homewares store. What do you do to recognise Designex?”

“I’m an architect.”

“In Brisbane?” she asked.

“Yes,” he nodded.

“Good for you. That’s certainly an interesting field to be in. Are you working on many projects at the moment?”

“Actually yes, it’s a busy time for us. The Ivory at Southbank has just been completed, there’s a couple more about to start in the city, Le Bank in George Street and one in Felix Street, and then there’s The Domain at West End.”

“Really! I’ve read a fair bit about The Ivory. Rather ahead of its time. It’s an amazing looking building.” She paused. “I take it you are one half of Bryson and Buxton?”

“I am,” he nodded smiling. “I must say it’s good to see our PR is working.”

Her curiosity had peaked now. “So are you Mr Bryson or Mr Buxton?”

“I am Mr Bryson.” He offered his hand. “Jeff actually.” His face creased into warm lines that threw a kink across his brow, snatching hold of his wide smile and making it wider.

“Chilli Montgomery,” she said giving his hand a shake. She admired his work and only recently had read a profile on him and his company. His career had certainly etched a powerful presence on the Brisbane skyline.

“Well, Chilli Montgomery, where is your store?”

“It’s at Montgomery’s restaurant in Brunswick St, New Farm. We’ve only been opened for three months.”

Recognition struck. “Yes, I know it. Your son’s the chef, right?”

She nodded.

“You’ve done a great renovation job on that old place. Good on you. I’ve been watching it for a while. You’ve also had some amazing reviews haven’t you? Your son sounds like a very innovative chef for someone so young. I gathered it was a family thing?” It was now his turn to sound interested.

“Yes, the concept was my son’s idea. Sam wanted it to be an experience for our clientele and I think we have created that. He wanted me onboard with my homewares and his wife has a contemporary floristry business there, as well as looking after our marketing. My husband is involved in the business side of things. I feel very lucky that at this stage of my life I am working with my family and loving it,” she explained, the enjoyment showing on her face.

Jeff handed his barely touched food tray back to the flight attendant. “Thank you.” He smiled at Chilli.

“So tell me,” he said sounding intrigued, “Wasn’t there a story about your son getting married at the opening? A surprise or something?”

“Yes, there was, but they were married at the soft opening in front of family and friends, not in front of the media or strangers.”

“He’s only young. Is that right?”

Chilli nodded. “He’s 23. Do you have children?”

“Yes, I have three; a boy and two girls. Trent is 24. He studied architecture, but,” Jeff drew inverted commas in the air, “He’s not sure what he wants to do. He’s working in a bar at the moment. I’m just glad he’s working. Justine is 19, studying interior design and working part time, and our youngest, Coco, is 12 going on 30.”

“Wow, aren’t you lucky. Three is a lot. I only have one and he’s kept me busy. Your wife must have been run off her feet.”

“You could say that.” He paused for a brief second and then continued. “We were a little worried about Trent though. He finished his architecture degree, and then decided that he didn’t know what he wanted to do, so he went overseas for a year and is now doing the bar thing. Justine has always known which direction she wanted to go in. In the past, during the school holidays, she worked in my firm but now she has found her niche with someone else. Little Coco is still at school obviously, and says she will take over my business when I retire.” He laughed and she joined him.

“What a great name.” She glanced at the open magazine on his lap. “I’m probably talking your ear off. Please don’t let me keep you from your work.”

“It wasn’t work.” He held up the boating magazine. “I am the proud owner of a new Riviera.” He turned the page to show her a picture of a 42 foot white Riviera with a flybridge. He caught the look of interest on her face. “I’m heading down to the Gold Coast to the Riviera factory tomorrow to have another look. It’s not quite finished yet.”

“ Lucky you,” her voice was truly envious. “Looks like something your family will enjoy.”

“I’m hoping so. The plan is to have quality time with the kids.”

“That’s great. I’m sure you will. My son would kill for a boat like that. Are you mooring it in Brisbane?”

“I’m just working that out. I’d like to take it up to Hamilton Island and moor it in their harbour for a while. We’ll fly up and go out from there. It’s a fantastic place. Been there at all?”

“Yes, a couple of times, but not on a boat, just to stay on the island. Rob, my husband, has always had an interest in boats. He said in the past that if we got a decent sized one, that’s exactly what we’d do. We’ve got a ski boat at the back door, because Sam loves skiing, but we only got around to using it for a few months before Sam came up with the idea for his restaurant. Since then we’ve been run off our feet. Anyway, the plan is to have more time for that type of thing in the near future.”

“So are you on a canal, or on the Brisbane River?”

“Brisbane River. We bought a parcel of land in Oxlade Drive at New Farm and developed it.”

“It’s not that little enclave with the tennis court out front is it?”

“Yes, well one of the houses and the tennis court is ours,” she told him, surprised that he picked it. “Rob grew up in the area, so we’d been looking to buy for some time. After months scouring the suburb for a site, we finally came across the huge, overgrown block with the old house, and then won a bidding war on it. We then embarked on designing the enclave and a house for us that would embody our ideals.”

“Right,” he said sounding very interested. “You and your husband did a clever job of that. Do you mind if I ask which architect you used?”

“Dennis Nicholls. He was fantastic. We wanted to create something unique and contemporary, something that would convey the sense of a cool, waterfront lifestyle. Dennis really captured that.”

“Dennis is doing great work. I am most impressed. I actually drove past your home recently and admired the job.”

“Well thank you. It is definitely a serene haven in the inner city. When I come down that driveway, I instantly feel good.”

And then, shaking her head in disbelief, she laughingly told him. “I can’t believe you know it. Best not to do anything wrong in Brisbane, it’s too small a place.”

“I’m with you there,” Jeff chuckled. “Actually, we have a project coming up shortly in the area, so I have been familiarising myself with it. There’s a lot more stuff happening inner-city than ever before.”

“I agree. What is your project?”

“We’re designing penthouse-style apartments. There are only seven in the building, one per floor.”

“Sounds exciting, there’s more of that happening now isn’t there?”

“Yes, there is. Just closing the door when you go on holidays sounds rather tempting. I’m a little over maintenance, but I definitely couldn’t live in a shoe box. The beauty of these apartments are that they are in a boutique building, quite large floor plan, no waiting for lifts or trying to get out of the car park with dozens of other people at ten to nine in the morning, plus fairly prestigious location, with beautiful views of the river. I think they’ll be a winner.”

“So your wife is keen to do it as well?” Chilli asked.

He paused. “Probably not, but I’m not designing them for her, I’m designing them for clients.”

“Of course.”

They both sat there for a couple of minutes not saying anything. Chilli wondered if perhaps she had asked more than enough questions.

Jeff broke the silence. “So tell me what happened with your son getting married at the opening. It was a great PR angle you know.”

“It was really nothing like that,” she explained. “We didn’t know a thing about it until minutes before, and I can tell you, it totally blew my husband and me away.”

“Well, I can understand that.”

“I realise why he wanted it that way though. Sam is quite a humble boy. He’s likes to earn his way, which is very much like his father. He really didn’t want any more fuss or money spent on him. I’ve got to say in hindsight, it certainly is a good way of cutting back on all those relatives that you feel you have to invite.” They both laughed at this. “I’m joking. Really, I would have loved to have planned a wedding for him as we didn’t have a big one ourselves, but that is what he wanted. Also, once the restaurant opened, I don’t know when they would have had the time for a wedding much less a honeymoon.”

“So they didn’t go away?”

“Not in the order that you would think. Three months before the restaurant opened my husband sent them to Hawaii for a week’s holiday. That’s when Sam proposed. They told us after the wedding that they considered it their honeymoon.”

He laughed. “It sounds like it’s your husband’s fault for sending them to Hawaii.”

She joined him. “I’ve never thought of it like that. I’ll be sure to tell him tonight.” Chilli felt her face warm with the mention of Rob. “Though I have to say, he is very generous. It’s one of his best traits.”

“Sounds like a good guy. No bad habits at all?” he asked rather cheekily.

Chilli didn’t waste a second answering. “Yes one. Being late! I can’t stand it, but you can’t have everything.” She smiled. “Anyway as I was saying, the wedding was a huge surprise, but they are so right for each other. We were a little stunned when there was a bit of press about it with the launch of the restaurant. Sam wanted them to rave about his food and not focus on the wedding.”

“If I remember correctly, there seemed to be a fair bit of raving about his food in the articles I’ve read. He seems like a very clever chef.”

“He is.” Chilli remembered the latest review she had seen that week in the local paper. It stated, ‘Chef, Sam Montgomery, achieves a balance of flavours, enhancing the individual tastes and textures of ingredients without masking or overpowering them. All of the elements are in place to make Montgomery’s a smash.’

Jeff cut into her thoughts. “So, any other children for you?”

She shook her head. “No, just one divinely perfect one!” she said, laughing. “I wish there were more. I’ve been going through a bit of an adjustment since Sam got married.”

“In what way?”

“Just getting used to not being the most important female influence on him, that’s all. Lucky for me, I have a beautiful daughter-in-law, and I couldn’t love her more if I tried,” she explained. “And she really tries to include me in so many things, how could I possibly complain?”

He raised an eyebrow. “But you still sound hesitant?”

Chilli bit her lip. “No, not at all. I’ve probably noticed that Miranda is now more self-assured. She asked my opinion more often before. So did Sam. But then again, I have raised him to be able to make a decision, and goodness if he was married and had to keep asking my opinion, it would be a bit of a worry. My father tells me that it really is just an adjustment in the tides.”

“Well, you sound very lucky to me,” Jeff said, “You’ve got it all worked out. Lucky you!”

“Thank you.”

There was a pause and then he asked, “One thing I hope you don’t mind me asking.”

“What’s that?” she asked, not sure if she should.

“Were you only five when you had your son?” he asked with mock seriousness.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I was six,” she said, joining him in his laughter, noticing that he seemed as startled and delighted as she was by this sudden flash of candor.

Chilli was used to people asking this question. Her mother and grandmother had all looked young for their age. It definitely was a compliment, but she also loved people to know that she was Sam’s mother. She didn’t want to look like his older sister or friend.

Their laughter was interrupted by the announcement to prepare for landing. It had been a quick trip and Chilli had enjoyed the easy conversation.

As the plane taxied in, she saw Jeff pull his cuff back and check the time. Leaning across she said, “I meant to say that they are great cufflinks. I noticed them because I’m always buying cufflinks for my husband.” She also couldn’t help but notice that they matched his pond green eyes.

“Thank you. And I meant to say,” he said slightly mocking her, “That is a very smart red suit you are wearing. I noticed it at the airport.”

“I think you are making fun of me.”

“No really, I did notice it at the airport.” Again, there was that kink across his brow as his smile widened.

“Well, good luck with your boat.”

“Good luck with your restaurant. Not that I think you need it.”