Taste of Love

chapter Eight




Madison excused herself from Thomas after getting directions to the powder room. With the door in sight, she thought she heard her name and turned to see who called her. A genuine smile graced her face. "Well hello, Bunny. I haven't seen you all night."

"Hello dear. You look absolutely gorgeous! I bet you've been beating the suitors off with a stick all night," Bunny teased.

"Not quite," Madison laughed. "But I've had a lot of fun."

"Just wait until next week. Nothing compares to a Bunny Rome party," she announced.

"I'm really looking forward to it," she told her. "But if you'll excuse me?" She motioned to the bathroom that was just ahead of her.

"Of course, darling," Bunny told her, and patted her arm as she took her leave.

As she was returning, Madison took a right when she should have taken a left, but luckily found an empty balcony. The view was amazing; it overlooked an impressive garden that was well-lit in all the right places, drawing focus to some amazing rose bushes. There was also a pretty little gazebo with flowered vines growing up the sides. A little further down a path bordered by flowers sat an intricately carved bench with an arched trellis over it. Even though it was dark, she could appreciate the beauty of what was in front of her. Some peace and quiet was exactly what she needed, because the champagne and dancing were really starting to get to her.

"I thought I'd find you out here." Madison turned with a smile at the sound of his voice.

"Hi, Cameron. Having fun?" she asked. "I'm surprised Lynda isn't chasing after you."

"You're not the only one." He rolled his eyes. "If I'd known that you were going to attend, I'd have asked you come with me. I'm sure we'd both be having a lot more fun."

"So I take it that you didn't tell your mom anything about us."

Cameron was quiet. "Remember what I told you the other night? Getting a girl pregnant after a one night stand isn't exactly my mother's idea of proper, especially a girl she holds in such high esteem. I don't know. I've just disappointed her so much, I felt this one would've put her over the edge."

Madison empathized with him. "But what would you have done had I not lost the baby?"

"I'd have told her, but I think that maybe we could have dated for a while first. That's what she really wants, you know," he told her, bumping into her with a flirty wiggle.

She smiled. "I'm aware of that. I think she and Sasha have a bet going."

"I wouldn't put it past her." He looked over at her. "Are you sure you're doing alright?"

"The wound's still fresh, but day by day I'm getting better. Everything happens for a reason, right?"

"So they say." Cameron put his arm around her, and together they stood in silence, each with their own thoughts, looking out into the night.

"There you are!" A masculine voice invaded their solace. "I was wondering where you went to."

Madison and Cameron both jumped and turned towards the intruder. "Thomas! We were just catching up. I needed a breather, so I came out here."

"Mother was looking for you. She and Bunny wanted to introduce you to some of their friends," he said, casting a questioning glare at Cameron as he spoke to Madison.

"I'll be right in," she told him, and after hesitating for a moment, he turned and went back in the house.

"Why do I feel like I'm in high school and we just got caught making out by my dad?" Madison asked Cameron.

"Thomas can be pretty condescending sometimes, especially when it comes to me. Let's just say that thanks to our mothers, we've often competed for the proverbial prize. But I've always been the 'wild one', and he was always the 'straight arrow'," Cameron explained without a small bit of irritation.

"I can see that." Madison smiled at Cameron. "Well, I better get in there," she told him, feeling strangely disappointed. She had enjoyed their moment of solace before the interruption.

Cameron nodded and turned back to the garden as she left, leaning on the balcony railing. He inhaled deeply, then sighed, wishing things could be different for once. It was the first time he wasn't excited about getting out on the road and touring, but it was his job, and it's what had made him so successful.

Madison located Sasha and Bunny when she went back inside, and true to Thomas's word, she was introduced to many friends that had enjoyed her appetizers immensely.

By the end of the night, Madison was tired and tipsy. All she could think about was getting home and crawling between the covers. When Thomas suggested they go somewhere for coffee, she regretfully declined.

"I'm sorry, I'm wiped out. But I do appreciate the offer," she told him, feeling bad, since he had been nice to her all night.

"I understand." He gave her a half smile. "But we're still on for Bunny's party next week, right?"

"You bet." She smiled as he let her off at the door to her apartment. "I had a great time tonight. Thanks for everything." She fished through her evening bag, trying to find her keys. Once she had them in hand, she looked up triumphantly, only to have her lips taken in a soft, chaste kiss.

"Good night sweet Madison," Thomas whispered, then left before she could even respond.



The next day the restaurant was busier than ever and Madison was glad, for it kept her mind off Thomas and Cameron. It was clear that some of the people Sasha and Bunny had introduced the night before had come to the restaurant to try it out. The dining room was at capacity, and had been for hours. People were milling about in the lobby, hoping to get a table before the restaurant closed. It was fabulous for Madison, though she disliked seeing people waiting for so long. She sent a few rounds of appetizers out to the lobby so that people wouldn't get too upset about the wait.

She barely had time to make her hourly rounds of the restaurant before she had to run back in the kitchen and help out. But she felt it was important to get out, and let her customers know she appreciated them.

The kitchen stayed open an hour later than normal, to accommodate all those who were waiting to get a table. Madison hated turning people away, even if it was late. Her staff all understood and agreed.

By the time they finally left the restaurant, they were all exhausted. Madison checked the reservations and saw that the restaurant was fully booked for the next three weeks. Booked absolutely solid. Proud of everything she had accomplished, and thankful for Sasha and Bunny's introductions, she shut off all the lights and locked the doors.

Over the next few days, Madison and Austin realized a few changes were needed. They decided to open up the banquet room to the nightly diners, and not host any large parties there, unless the price was right. That would free up another twenty tables, something they sorely needed.

They also decided to hire five more people to help out in the kitchen, and three more servers. It was a big step for Madison to take, but she realized that if she didn't do it, the staff would start to complain. Another idea in the works was a separate location, just for catering, but that would come sometime down the road. For now, the catering requests that had increased since Sasha's party would be handled through the restaurant.



"Austin, I hate to leave you like this when we've been so busy lately, but I can't disappoint Bunny."

Madison was torn. She stood in the kitchen of her restaurant, wearing the luxurious red ball gown, watching her employees packing up the Shrimp Bruschetta rounds that Bunny had asked for.

"We can handle it. Besides, I'm sure that some of our new customers will be at Bunny's party too, so it might not be as busy tonight," Austin reminded her, rushing around her and packing the food up.

"Remind me tomorrow to talk to you about a big, fat raise," she told him with a huge smile, as she watched him transfer the covered trays of food to the catering van waiting outside the back door. She noted how late it was, and realized she needed to get back home to wait for Thomas.

"I'm not kidding about that raise either!" She yelled, so that Austin heard her. He smiled and told her to have fun, but she had already disappeared around the corner.

She arrived home only a few minutes before Thomas knocked on her door. It was just enough time to touch up her makeup and hair, and not appear out of breath.

When she opened the door Thomas stood there, looking just as handsome as she remembered. He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Sure am. Let's go." She grabbed her evening bag and locked the door to her apartment. She noticed that Thomas didn't ogle her, even though her dress dropped dangerously low, and for that, she was grateful. He never failed to look her in the eyes, and she was glad that he wasn't all about staring at her chest.

As they pulled up to Bunny's house, Madison's breath hitched. She had thought Sasha's house was nice, but it was a shack compared to the miracle that stood before her. She tried not to let her awe show too much, as she didn't want to offend Thomas, but this house was a masterpiece that put Sasha's mansion to shame.

She took his arm as he helped her out of the car, and followed him up the steps to the massive double antique wooden doors. The carvings on the door were so intricate, she could have stood there for hours marveling over them. Instead, the doors were promptly opened by a butler, and she and Thomas were ushered in to the reception area.

Bunny noticed them immediately and went up to give Madison an air kiss on each cheek. "Darling, you look gorgeous! And the appetizers are wonderful. Thank you so much for the extras. I was so surprised!"

Madison laughed. "You're welcome. It was the least I could do after all the help you've given me."

Bunny waved off her thanks, as if it was no trouble at all. "You kids go on into the ballroom and get something to eat and drink."

But before they could walk away, Bunny took Madison's arm and whispered in her ear, "Cameron's in there, and I know he wants to see you." Seeing her eye brows raise and her cheeks blush, Bunny smiled with satisfaction. So there was something going on between Madison and her son! She knew it!

The mere mention of Cameron's name sent a shiver through Madison, but she knew that it was foolish to feel that way. He was a rock star, after all, and women came and went all the time. Besides, now that her restaurant had taken off like a rocket, there was no way she'd have time to date anyway.

If the mention of his name sent a shiver through her, she should have known that seeing him would do something more. The moment she walked into the ballroom, her eyes immediately found his. There was some kind of pull there, something that she couldn't explain.

She felt the hand on her arm tighten, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked to her left and realized that Thomas had caught her staring and was now casting Cameron a look of his own, and there was no infatuation involved there.

"Thomas, how about we head to the bar for some drinks?" Madison asked with a smile, trying to ease the tension that had just appeared.

"Fine," he said, tight-lipped, then headed towards the bar, guiding her with a possessive hand to the small of her back.

"Here's to tonight," she toasted, clinking her champagne glass against Thomas's, and draining the bubbly in one swallow.

Here's to tonight, she thought again, as her eyes found Cameron once more. And what an interesting night it'll be.