Heat 1 (Heat: Master Chefs #1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

don’t you think?”
    “Mr.
Cummings,” she said.  “Thank you very much for handing in your recent cooking
experiences.  If you would return to your seat…”  She looked past me and I
turned to see another student heading up to the desk to hand in her list.
    Although
the pretty female student smiled and batted her eyes at me, I stared straight
ahead and walked back to my desk.  I was like a deer caught in the headlights. 
What had just happened?  And when had I turned into Mr. Cummings?
    Mr.
Cummings?  Shit.  That was the worse.
    I
plopped down into my chair and glanced down at the notes I’d taken as she’d
made her initial introduction.  My eyes were riveted to one word: couvent .
    The
girl had been raised in a convent and here I was suggesting we do the nasty in
a date or two.  Shit, I was so damned clumsy.  The girl had probably not even
been kissed before and I… Shit.  I wanted to smack myself over the head. 
Jackass… what a dunce.
    By
the time class let out, I didn’t even dare look her way.  I kicked myself all
the way to the door at the back of the class and continued to kick myself all
the way back to the dorm, but before I could fall into my room to lick my
wounds in private, Errol came around the corner.
    “Can’t
handle the rigors of your first day at the institute?” he said.  “I told you
this would be tougher than you thought.  You thought you’d just sail through,
didn’t you?”
    “It
wasn’t that bad.”  I wasn’t in the mood to talk.  I wanted to hide in my room
and not come out for the rest of the week.
    “Then
what is it that has your face contorted with self-disgust.  Or is that self-pity?”
    “You
don’t really want to know.”
    “Try
me.”
    “I
just put my foot in my mouth.”
    “And
you didn’t like the taste.”
    Was
that his idea of a bad culinary joke?  Well, I wasn’t laughing.  “I tried to
impress a girl and…”
    He
guffawed and set his hand on the wall to steady himself.  “Girl troubles
already?  You don’t waste any time, do you?”
    I
groaned and glared at the ceiling.
    “Well,
look, Bobby, don’t let this get in the way of the real reason you're out here
to begin with.”
    “Yeah,
I know.”
    “You’ll
have plenty of time to take care of the ladies when you get your degree.”
    “Yeah.”
    “But,
for now, you have to keep your grades up if you're going to keep that
scholarship you got.”
    “Yeah,
I know.”
    “And,
exemplary behavior is a must.”
    “I
know.”
    “Whatever
you do, don’t go getting yourself into trouble.”
    Hadn’t
we been through all this before?  “Yeah, I’ll try.”
    He
slapped me hard against the shoulder.  “Good.  Then start trying tonight.”
    “Tonight?” 
He had to be kidding me.
    “There’s
a faculty student meet and greet.  You're going with Taryn and me.”
    “Do
I have to?”
    “Yes,
you have to.  You also have to wear a suit.  For God’s sake, make yourself
presentable.”
    I
looked down at the trendy jeans and crisp shirt that hung over them.  I thought
I looked pretty good, but didn’t argue.
    “Don’t
embarrass your sister, Bobby.  Taryn has worked hard and there’s a possibility
she could get her degree a year early.  If she can finish a year earlier, that
means she’ll be able to accompany me as I travel the world to care for my
restaurants, and for pleasure.”  He winked at me.  “Married life…  It sure
offers a lot of pleasures. It’s beyond my wildest expectations.”
    “Yeah. 
I bet.”
    He
laughed and slapped my shoulder again.  “Don’t become the stain on her good
reputation.”
    “Shit,
maybe I should change my name.”
    “Don’t
change it.  Live up to it.”
    Great,
Errol.  Pile on the pressure.
    “Be
at la Salle de Montigny at seven o’clock.”
    “Right,”
I grunted.
    “Don’t
be late.”
    Anything
else?

 
    Chapter 4
     
    Lilly
     
    “ M iss Cooke,” a light female voice called out to
me.  “Mademoiselle