Page 98 of That Prince is Mine
The commercial kitchen space was spotless, brightly lit, and as the name suggested, quite industrial looking with stainless steel appliances and surfaces at every station. But the large black-and-white ceramic tiles on the floor and the wide, open windows managed to keep the kitchen from feeling sterile.
Michel wistfully noted that it would satisfy Emma’s need for order as well as provide a welcoming space for her students. Guilt surged up inside him, knowing he intended to ask her to give all this up for him. But he would do everything in his power to help her realize her dream in Rouleme somehow. He would find a way.
He had arrived a few minutes early with his two cousins and his royal guard, hoping to provide some assistance with party preparations. But Emma unsurprisingly had everything under control—mainly by bossing Jeremy around to set up each station with the requisite ingredients and tools. She had her hair in a neat bun and wore a V-neck sheath dress in black with a crisp white apron tied around her waist. She looked impeccably professional without giving up an inch of her femininity.
“Emma.” He walked up to her and slid his arm around her waist, tugging her close. He inhaled her scent—she smelled like jasmine and orange blossoms—and brushed his lips against her temple. “How can I help?”
She turned to fit her body against his even as she said, “We don’t need any—”
“Yo, Chevalier.” Jeremy jerked his head at Michel, commanding him to his side. “Don’t listen to her. We need help setting out all the vegetable baskets at each station along with the color-coded cutting boards.”
After stealing a quick kiss from Emma, Michel reluctantly left her side to stride up to the master station with the neat stacks of supplies ready to be distributed. “Why do we need multiple cutting boards?”
“Elementary, my dear Watson,” Jeremy said with a smirk. “To prevent cross-contamination.”
Emma rolled her eyes at her godbrother. “Less talking. More working.”
“I came all the way from San Jose to attend a party,” he grumbled, “not to be your kitchen maid.”
“Come now, Jeremy.” It was Michel’s turn to smirk. “I’ll help lighten the load.”
“We’ll help, too,” Gabriel offered from the other side of the kitchen with Sophie by his side. They couldn’t seem to stop smiling at each other.
Emma noticed and caught Michel’s gaze with a happy grin. She raised her eyebrows in question, but he shrugged. He had no idea what was going on, but he was just happy that they seemed happy.
Marion didn’t offer assistance, too busy dragging her finger across the stainless steel counter and glancing around the kitchen with a kind of horrified fascination. At least she wasn’t getting in anyone’s way.
Unfortunately, Marion had gotten in the way plenty of times this past week. She’d walked in on every stolen kiss he shared with Emma with uncanny accuracy and interrupted any chance of a private conversation with a breezy Oh, don’t mind me. Not that he would propose to Emma with Marion in the vicinity, but he had gotten into the habit of carrying his mother’s ring in his pocket at all times in case the perfect opportunity arose.
Jeremy glanced around the kitchen, then froze with a carrot in his hand. He blinked after a moment and said out of the corner of his mouth, “You brought a Greek god to the party?”
“You mean Gabriel?” Michel chuckled. “That’s just my cousin.”
“Just your cousin?” Jeremy snorted. “I’m so glad I didn’t bring Steven. I’d look like an ogre next to that man.”
“Are all Korean ogres so good-looking?” Michel said dryly.
The other man laughed. “You’re growing on me, Chevalier.”
“Enough chitchat.” Emma clapped her hands. “Let’s go.”
Michel and Jeremy jumped into action, laying out the ingredients. Gabriel and Sophie joined in to help. Marion glanced toward them as though considering offering her help. In the end, she meandered off to explore more of the kitchen.
With the preparations complete, Michel rejoined Emma at the master station and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. Her busy hands stilled for a moment as she leaned back to smile up at him.
“Hi, Emma.” Sarah Bae hurried over to them with a wide grin. “Hi, Professor Chevalier.”
“Hello, Sarah.” He dragged his eyes away from Emma and managed to return her smile. “It’s good to see you.”
“I’m so glad you could make it.” Emma stepped out of his arms to give her friend a hug.
“This place is amazing,” Sarah said, but stiffened when Gabriel’s laughter rang out from across the kitchen.
Her eyes widened with shock as though she had never heard him laugh before. It was quite possible the Sphinx did not laugh even though Gabriel did so often. His cousin leaned close to whisper something in Sophie’s ear, who looked more amused than annoyed. That was a good sign.
“I assure you he’ll be on his best behavior tonight,” Michel told Emma’s young friend to soothe her obvious unease.
“He has been unusually considerate to me at school lately, but I’ve never met him in a social setting before.” Sarah grimaced. “Not counting that event at Town and Gown. But that was still a work function.”
