Beauty and the Feast Read Online Free PDF Page B

from the previous week and Fridays were clogged with projects that were supposed to have been finished on the previous Monday. At least the website was up and running and he’d been able to show Father Green the results before his friend and mentor headed back to Chicago . The Father’s school for troubled youth would get Gabe’s undivided attention when it came to scholarship applications.
    Gabe heard his cell phone ringing. It took him a moment to locate the sound. He realized he’d left his phone in the pocket of his leather jacket. He reached the chair where he’d tossed it in two strides.
    “Gabriel Abbott.”
    “Gabriel,” purred a female voice. “So there you are. I was hoping to find you at the Curran tonight.”
    Stephanie. Christ. He’d meant to call her earlier to make sure they were still on for tomorrow.
    “No darling, sorry,” he said. “It’s been a long day and it’s looking as if it may not be over for a while yet.”
    “I’d be happy to swing by and help out. Maybe lift your spirits.”
    “That would be nice,” Gabe laughed, catching the obvious double entendre, “and I appreciate the thought, but as I recall, we have plans for tomorrow and I don’t want anything weighing on me, aside from you that is.”
    “I like the sound of that,” came Stephanie’s voice. “What time shall I be ready?”
    “I’ll pick you up around six,” said Gabe.
    “I’m looking forward to it. Goodnight Gabriel.”
    “Goodnight Stephanie.”
    Gabe switched off and hesitated for a moment. He glanced at the time. It was late. He really had been preoccupied this past week. He’d forgotten to talk with his caterer to make certain everything would be ready. Well, Gabe shrugged, it was a Friday night. She was probably still awake. He was paying her well. She could take his call. He scrolled through his address book and found her name, E. Raines . Gabe pressed the key. Five rings later, he heard a click.
    “Mmmmm…hello?”
    God. The woman had obviously been asleep and his call had awakened her. He could tell by the warm, soft, smoky curl of her voice. The temperature in his office abruptly felt as if it had risen a few degrees.
    “Miss Raines, I’m sorry to wake you. This is Gabriel Abbott.”
    “Um-hmm?”
    Gabriel found himself uncharacteristically at a loss for words.
    “I just… I wanted… I was wondering if everything was going well. For the dinner tomorrow. Is there anything you need?”
    The woman was silent for a moment. Gabe could hear her breathing. Finally, she seemed to come fully awake.
    “Oh, Mr. Abbott… I’m sorry, I didn’t realize who you were for a second.”
    “Gabe.”
    “Yes… Gabe, everything is fine. There’s no problem. Everything will be ready and I’ll be gone by six.”
    “Is there anything I should know? Any special instructions?”
    “I’ll leave you written instructions on the island in the kitchen, but it’s really quite simple. Think of your dinner as an engineering project. Your courses will be in the refrigerator, layered from bottom to top, like a pyramid. I suggest you serve one course at a time. Your dessert will be on the top shelf in the very back. Plus you’ll find a few extras in the…well, you’ll see what I mean.”
    Gabe felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. “And the wines?”
    “I think you’ll be pleased with my selections. The wines are yours except for one. That one will be in the, uh, it will be with the extras I plan to provide.”
    Gabe knew she wanted to say—it’s in the bedroom, but she couldn’t bring herself to utter the word. He grinned and closed his eyes and concentrated. He pictured a faceless Eva Raines, in bed, burrowed beneath the covers, warm and snug and satiny, and he felt himself grow hard. He didn’t want to hang up. He tried to think of something else appropriate to discuss.
    He cleared his throat. “Has the house been adequate? The kitchen, I mean?”
    “Oh yes,” she said immediately. “I think