Baby, It's Cold Outside by Heidi Rice, Kate Hardy, Aimee Carson, Amy Andrews Read Free Book Online

“And I mean a lot. My family hates it, so I only put it on the menu at work because it’s traditional and people expect it as an option.”
    “So what would a pastry chef suggest for dessert at Christmas?”
    “Something traditional with a twist. Say, an Eton mess made with cranberries instead of strawberries, or spiced oranges with chantilly cream, or a cinnamon crème brûlée.” She smiled. “Though I’m afraid I can’t do anything like that for you tomorrow. Because I was going to visit Betty, I planned to have Christmas dinner from the hospital cafeteria. So you’re just going to have to hope I have a few things in the freezer.”
    “That’s fine by me. Are you looking for a sous chef?”
    She laughed. “You don’t just walk into a sous chef job, you know. You start as a prep chef—in fact, before that, you start as a pot-washer.”
    “Hey. I’ve already been a stand-in Santa. I can do anything. And I know my way around a kitchen. I’ll prove it to you if you like. Give me a knife and a chopping board,” he said, “and I’ll do the onions for the pasta sauce. In fact, I’ll make the sauce.”
    “You’re on. And I’ll get you an apron. You get that suit messy, you’re going to be back to the bath towel,” she teased.
    As they worked together to make dinner, they kept accidentally brushing against each other. Even though the Santa suit was shapeless and totally unsexy, Ellie knew exactly what the body under it looked like. What it felt like. How it had made her feel.
    That, together with those tingling brushes against her skin, made her temperature spike. Just as well that dinner was something they could make fast, she thought. Or she’d be very tempted to suggest that they skip it completely and go back to her bed with a tub of ice cream.
    Mitch surprised her with his efficiency in making the sauce. So he’d been telling the truth about knowing his way around a kitchen. Given that he seemed cagey on the subject of his family, she wondered where he’d learned to cook.
    Finally, dinner was ready, and they carried their plates through to the dining room.
    …
    Mitch poured the wine they’d found, then lifted his glass to toast her. “Merry Christmas.”
    “Merry Christmas.” She tasted the pasta and he watched her, wondering whether she’d nitpick and tell him what she would’ve done differently.
    “I like it,” she said with a smile. “It has a wonderful texture and a good blend of flavors.”
    “So you’d offer me a job if you opened a new restaurant?”
    “Maybe. Though I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do yet.” For a moment, her eyes were filled with sadness. “One of the reasons I came here, as well as to help Betty out, was to take a break from London. So I’d have somewhere different to get my head together and think about what to do next.”
    “You said your partner bought you out of the restaurant?”
    She nodded. “Jeff wasn’t just my business partner. We met at catering college, and got married a couple of years before we bought the restaurant. I thought it was what we both wanted. But.” She sipped her wine. “I guess it was the seven-year itch.”
    “The seven-year itch?” Mitch asked softly.
    “He fell out of love with me and in love with one of our clients.”
    Ellie’s voice was neutral, but her eyes gave her away. She’d clearly been devastated by the split. “That must’ve been rough on you,” he said.
    She nodded. “But it was six months ago now, and I’ve had enough of the pity party. Jeff didn’t mean to hurt me. He couldn’t help falling in love with Miranda, and she couldn’t help falling in love with him.” She shrugged. “The divorce is through now. And I wish them both well.”
    “That’s very mature of you.”
    She took another sip of wine. “It’s the only way to think. Yes, it hurt when it happened, but it’s pointless being bitter about the situation. It’s not going to change anything. To be honest, Jeff and I were