It's been just over two weeks since Everett's interview. When I walk into my office Wednesday morning and see the new copy of Charlotte Taste on my desk, I smile and hurry to pick it up.
Unfortunately, instead of being greeted by Everett's smiling face, I see. . . "What the Jeff?"
I sit in my chair hard and hold up the magazine. What is Jeff doing on the cover of OUR issue? This was supposed to be Everett's big break!
Decided to start with the mentioned article, I quickly open to the page where an interview with Jeff Hamilton is written out. Thankfully, the interview was performed by one of the less prominent journalists, so at least we're still ahead of him there. Still. . .
I quickly pull out my phone and dial Mr. Edmundson's number.
"Hello," he answers.
"Hey Mr. Edmundson. This is Lacy Linden from Lovebird Cafe. I was just looking at the newest edition of Charlotte Taste and. . ." I trail off, hoping that he'll jump in.
He sighs before answering my implied question. "Yeah. The editor received a tipoff or something that Mr. Brodbeck and Lovebird Cafe were already becoming yesterday's news and that it would be better to feature someone more up-and-coming."
"Was the editor aware that Jeff Hamilton was originally hired to be the head chef of Lovebird Cafe, but he quit?"
Mr Edmundson's voice brightens as he asks, "Really? That is news to me. Would you be willing to do a short interview about this? The thing is, Mr. Hamilton has a lot of connections in the Charlotte food industry, but. . . there's just something about him I don't like. I was actually asked to do his interview and turned it down."
"Well, I have a story for you then," I answer with a rather self-satisfied smirk. I'm going to teach Jeff that if he wants to walk away from me, that's fine. But if he thinks he's going to keep a hand in my life, controlling me, he is DEAD WRONG!
Mr. Edmundson has a full schedule for the week, so we make plans to meet next Tuesday.
"Thank you, Ms. Linden," he says. "I'm glad my instincts weren't off on this. It will be good to set the record straight."
"Agreed. Thank you."
We say our goodbyes and hang up.
I lean back in my chair and think through my last conversation with Jeff. It feels like he's suddenly pulled me into a game of chess. Every move I make, he's looking to counter. Hopefully this article will put me a few steps ahead of him. I know a lot of his connections were upset that he walked away from Lovebird Cafe, so hopefully revealing him for the two-faced man he is will help keep him out of my business for good.
I'm still revelling in my victory when my phone starts ringing. I look down and find Henry's name on the screen.
"Hey," I answer with a smile.
"Hey Lacy Lou," he replies. "Are we still on for our date tonight?"
Henry has been busy with a few large cases the last couple weeks, so we've only been able to get together a few times. Since he has a break tonight, we made plans to do dinner at my place. It will be my second time leaving the restaurant while it's open, but I feel much less worried than last time. Of course, it helps that it's a weeknight and we won't be quite as busy.
"Yep! My place at 6, right?"
"I'm planning on it. Can't wait. What do you want me to bring?"
"Nothing. I'm cooking for you tonight, remember?"
"How could I forget? I've been looking forward to trying your cooking since I got a whiff of your dinner with Kim the other day."
He came to watch TV late Sunday night after I had fed Kim and was very distracted by the smell of the chicken Cordon Bleu I'd made for her. I promised I would cook something yummy for him.
"I've got something delicious planned. Just bring yourself and your appetite."
After I hang up with Henry, I realize that I need to break the news about his interview to Everett. I head to the kitchen where I thankfully find him alone, prepping for the evening's crowd.
"I've got some bad news and some good news," I say, sliding up next to him.
He looks at me with concern and raises one of those dark eyebrows, silently prompting me to continue.
"Your article got replaced by an article about Jeff."
I pause for a moment and watch the storm clouds gather as his brows furrow and his mouth turns down. He lets go of his knife and clenches his fists. Before he can escalate to anger monster Everett, I quickly add, "But I've got a plan."
He relaxes a little and says gruffly, "What's the plan?"
"I already talked to Mr. Edmundson. He refused to do Jeff's interview because he felt like something was off, and he's agreed to interview me. I'm going to give him the inside scoop about how Jeff was hired to work here, but quit. With that and his interfering with your article, he'll look like a real jerk!"
"He IS a real jerk," Everett growls, picking up his knife and turning back to the vegetables he was chopping. "But I'm glad everyone else will be able to see it."
"Me too. Honestly, it will work out even better, because it will really build anticipation for your article. I'm just hoping it will finally be enough to convince Jeff to back off and stay out of my life."
"I hope so too. Who does he think he is, coming back and trying to mess things up for you after leaving you high and dry? It's not your fault he left and he needs to accept that he made a stupid mistake and it's too late to fix it. And ruining things for you isn't going to make his life any better."
"Right? It's not like he's getting anything out of this. And why does he feel the need to get revenge anyway? He's the one who hurt me!"
Everett shakes his head. "He's a fool. The problem with fools is that they often choose to find scapegoats for their own mistakes. He's not going to accept the blame easily. You may have quite a fight on your hands before he gives up."
"If I can just get his connections in the Charlotte culinary world to cut ties, that will stop him. He has very little to offer for himself, honestly. He's a sub-par chef with average ideas and a bland personality. If he weren't related to so many great chefs, no one would pay him any attention."
"So he's leeching off the success of others?" Everett gives the vegetables in front of him a particularly vigorous chop.
"Yeah. You'd think I would have realized ages ago that he wasn't that great, but I guess I had blinders on when it came to Jeff. I was too in love to really take a look at the man. Now that the blinders have been forced off, I'm realizing that I should really be grateful that he walked away. I really dodged a bullet!"
Everett laughs. "You definitely did. Sounds like life with him would have been miserable for you."
"Yeah." I'm realizing more and more how true that is.
Our conversation is soon interrupted by the arrival of some of the other chefs. I leave them in the kitchen working and return to my desk. I've got some work to do before I can head home and get started on dinner for Henry.
Before I get started on my work, though, I pick up the magazine again and look at Jeff's arrogant smirk. In a fit of happy spite, I grab my pen and add a really nice curly mustache and pointy beard. Then, feeding off my juvenile glee, I throw on a dark, thick unibrow.
Holding my work of art up, I examine it with a laughing eye before tossing it into one of my drawers. Maybe when I'm having a hard time, I'll go through his interview and write in my own commentary.
Jeff, you haven't beaten me yet. Not by a long shot!