Grey Skies - A Military Romance (Complete)

Grey Skies: Chapter 11

Although she'd been friends with Emily and Mary for over a decade, Sophie still felt one step out of place in the living room stuffed with Montgomery's and Wainwright's. On the sofa beside her, Mary leaned against her husband Simon, who sat squished into the other corner, acting like a man-sized pillow for his wife.

She nudged Sophie's shoulder. "The military has arrived. Are you disappointed he isn't in uniform?"

Sophie glared at her friend. For two weeks, Mary found every opportunity to bring up Max in casual conversation. Or not so casual. Like right now. They'd been discussing Etienne's new job, and she steered the conversation back to that safe topic. "As I was saying, Etienne says, if any roles become available, I'm his first phone call."

"To be his assistant." Mary pursed her lips. "Don't you want your own kitchen? A menu you create instead of following other's orders?"

"Sure. That's the dream." Sophie caught Simon's eye. She still found the concept of Mary and Simon as a couple hard to grasp. She hardly knew the man, even though Mary had apparently kept in touch with him for almost ten years. According to Mary, he'd stayed in the tiny resort town of Bridgetown to be close to her and, after one summer together, their relationship rekindled. Or more like flew into a raging fire resulting in their elopement a month ago.

Simon and Mary seemed like oil and water. He was small town; she was big city. He was quiet, in understated blue jeans and a plain white shirt, where Mary was in head-to-toe petal pink. Even her cheeks glowed today. Mary had always insisted she'd end up in the white house and now she lived in a log cabin on the other side of the lake in the middle of nowhere. Yet, somehow, his steady, calm demeanor evened out Mary's flamboyant outbursts. Then there was the way he looked at Mary, like the world revolved around her. To be fair, Mary had never seemed happier. Also, more relaxed. Maybe she had found herself out here in the wilderness.

Something about Simon made Mary content. There was no other word for it. Maybe it was his food. He owned a few local businesses, including The Waterfront Cafe, a bakery and a new venture, Wainwright Winery. Sophie met his eye now. "Your husband gets it. The restaurant business is fickle."

Mary shifted in her seat and Simon moved with her in unison, their joined hands coming to land on her stomach. "Can I ask her?" Behind her, Simon's lips formed a thin line. Mary turned to her husband and traced his cheek with her nose. "Please."

The man's features softened, and Sophie had to turn away at the devotion rolling off of him in waves. A lifetime ago, Thomas had looked at her that way. She pulled on the cuff of her lace dress. No overheating in the kitchen today in this outfit. If the built-in bra also happened to give the illusion of her chest size increasing to a full A cup, that was only a coincidence.

Simon cleared his throat. "I suppose Mary told you I've taken over the winery in Closter. My long-term goal is to turn the business into more than a winery. More of a destination. I'm converting one of the barns to a conference center and down the road might build some cottages for overnight guests. Part of those plans includes transforming the existing tearoom into a permanent restaurant." Sophie's eyes snapped back to him. "I want to focus on local products but elevate the cuisine, maybe try for a Michelin star."

She sucked in a breath. "That's a lot of work. It could take years to get to that level."

"I have some potential investors from Europe interested in helping me get to the next level. They're visiting in January." His jaw hardened, and Mary squeezed his hand. "I need a chef who can put together a sample menu and wow these people with a meal to demonstrate the value of investing."

The rare opportunity dangled in front of Sophie like a bobble on a Christmas tree. To be there at the beginning stages of a new endeavour like this could take her career to a new level. "Do you want me to ask Etienne to help?"