"How are you going to tell him?" Reese asked excitedly.
Samara grinned. "I have something special in mind, but I'm going to need everyone's help."
"Absolutely," her friends said enthusiastically. "Just say the word and we got you."
Samara beamed. God, she loved these women!
They were still gushing over her baby news when Michael made his way over to their table.
"Ladies," he drawled charmingly. "How were your meals?"
"Gooood," they cooed appreciatively.
He grinned. "Glad to hear it."
"My compliments to the chef," Reese purred with a suggestive wink.
Michael's grin turned downright wicked.
As everyone watched, he sank to a crouch beside his wife and leaned close to whisper something in her ear. She started smiling, her eyes sparkling with naughty mischief.
When Michael stood and sauntered away whistling, Reese daintily wiped her mouth with her linen napkin, dropped it onto the table and rose to her feet.
"Excuse me, ladies. I'll be right back."
They gave her knowing looks. "Where are you going?"
"To taste test my husband's new recipe," she said innocently.
The others exchanged lascivious grins. "Taste test, huh? Is that what you guys are calling it now?"
Reese tsk-tsked, wagging her finger at them. "Shame on you girls. My husband runs a perfectly respectable establishment. Do you honestly believe we would risk compromising his reputation by having some tawdry quickie in his restaurant?"
The others were grinning. "We do. And you have."
Reese pressed her lips together, holding back her laughter. "You heffas need to get your minds out of the gutter and repent." Ignoring their snickers, she tossed her hair back and thrust her nose in the air. "Now if y'all would excuse me, I'm off to do some taste testing."
As she sashayed off toward the kitchen, the others burst out laughing.
10
Later that afternoon, Samara joined her mother in the executive conference room for a Skype interview with Reid Holden and his fiancée, Nadia Warner.
Just days after the couple's televised engagement went viral, Mason had approached Asha about designing Nadia's wedding gown as a favor to his good friend. Asha had graciously agreed to do the honors. The next day, after rewatching the romantic engagement video, she'd requested a meeting with Reid and Nadia via Skype.
When Samara entered the conference room, Asha was already seated at the long glass table. She was on the phone, her head tipped back in laughter.
The conference room was large and plush with an executive décor and two flat-panel televisions mounted on the wall at the front. One entire side of the room was a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking downtown Atlanta. The high-backed chairs arranged around the table were upholstered in Italian leather, and the richly gleaming floors were made of Brazilian walnut.
Samara rounded the conference table and sat down next to her mother, who winked at her. She winked back and helped herself to a chocolate éclair from a plate of French pastries. She took a bite and sighed as pure bliss exploded on her tongue. The éclair tasted almost as heavenly as the ones made by Pâtisserie Henri in Paris. If Gabby ever decided to move here and open another bakery, Samara's waistline would be in serious trouble.
After a few minutes, Asha ended her phone call and smiled warmly at Samara. "Mrs. Obama sends her love."
Samara beamed. "Is that who you were talking to? The First Lady?"
"Oui. She called to thank me for making her look fabulous for the Italian state dinner. I told her she doesn't need my help to look fabulous, but it's always an honor to dress a woman of such distinction and grace."
Samara grinned. "I saw the photos in People magazine. She looked absolutely stunning."
"She did indeed." Asha sighed. "I'm truly going to miss the Obamas' presence in the White House. They are the personification of elegance and refinement. We won't see the likes of them again for a very long time."
"Probably not," Samara agreed, taking another bite of her éclair. "But at least we would have had them for eight years."
Asha sighed again. "C'est vrai."
"Is Pierre coming to your New Year's Eve ball?" Samara asked, referring to her mother's former personal assistant. Several years ago, Pierre Jacques had been promoted to director of international sales at House of Dubois's headquarters in Paris. Every time Samara traveled there on business, Pierre took her out to dinner and then whisked her around the city like it was her very first visit. She could never keep up with him.
Asha chuckled. "Of course he'll be at the ball. You know Pierre loves a good party, and he wouldn't dream of missing one of my masquerade galas. He lives for them." She smiled indulgently, watching Samara devour the éclair. "I knew you'd appreciate some decadence this afternoon. Having any cravings yet?"
"I'm craving everything," Samara mumbled around a mouthful of vanilla cream. "If it's edible, I'm wolfing it down."
Asha laughed and reached for a croissant amande. She pulled the sugared, flaky pastry apart and handed one half to Samara. They grinned at each other and quietly munched away while Asha's senior assistant, Charvi, set up the Skype call by connecting a computer to the large digital projector suspended above the conference table.
"All set," she announced, grinning at Asha and Samara. "Ready?"
"Just a second." Asha and Samara quickly dabbed powdered sugar from each other's mouths and giggled before nodding to Charvi. "Ready."
A few seconds later, Reid Holden and Nadia Warner appeared on the massive projection screen. The young couple sat close together in what appeared to be a gorgeously furnished living room. In the background, a glowing fire crackled in the fireplace and swirling flakes of snow were falling outside the huge picture window. It looked very cozy and very romantic.
"Bonjour, lovebirds," Asha greeted them.
"Hello, Ms. Dubois and Mrs. Wolf," Reid and Nadia chorused. "It's a pleasure to meet both of you."
"The pleasure's ours," mother and daughter said sincerely.
While Nadia seemed a little shy and nervous, Reid was the picture of lazy contentment, leaning back in his seat with one arm draped along the back of Nadia's chair. He was ridiculously good-looking. Thick dark hair, ruggedly masculine features, square jaw covered with stubble. His eyes were an electrifying shade of blue, and he oozed so much testosterone it was palpable through the screen.
Wowsa, Samara mused, smiling at the young couple. "Congratulations on your engagement."
"Thank you," they chorused, exchanging happy grins.
"That was quite a proposal," Asha said appreciatively. "Very romantic and memorable."
"Yes, it was." Nadia gave Reid a glowing smile. "He took my breath away."
"Just returning the favor," Reid murmured, lifting her hand to his mouth for a tender kiss that practically sent her into a dreamy swoon.
Asha was smiling from ear to ear. Love and marriage had turned her into a serious romantic. But then, she was the descendant of an Afro-French composer and had been born in Paris, the City of Love. So romance was in her blood.
"Our Mason speaks very highly of you, Reid."
"Yeah?" he said, prying his gaze from Nadia to smile at Asha. "Mason's good people."
"He says the same thing about you. He really values your friendship."
Reid's smile warmed. "The feeling's mutual."
Asha looked pleased. "Where are you and Nadia? Is that your house?"
"Yes, ma'am," Reid answered.
"You have a very lovely home."
"Thank you, Ms. Dubois."
Asha smiled. "I understand you and Nadia will be spending the holidays in Canada. What part?"
"We're staying at a cabin near Toronto."
"Oh, how romantic," Asha said, delighted. "Your first Christmas together."
"Yes, ma'am," Reid said, grinning broadly. "We're looking forward to it."
"Definitely." Nadia was staring at Asha with awestruck eyes. "It just hit me that I'm talking to the Asha Dubois. I can't believe it. I'm a huge fan of your work, Ms. Dubois. You've been such an inspiration to so many black women and girls. Thank you so much for agreeing to design my wedding dress. It's such an honor and a privilege."
Asha smiled softly. Though no stranger to flattery and fawning attention, she seemed genuinely touched by Nadia's heartfelt words.
"Merci beaucoup, chére. Thank you for entrusting me to create the most important gown you will ever wear in your life. It's going to be absolutely fabulous, I promise."
Nadia beamed with pleasure and excitement, all but floating out of her chair. "Thank you so much," she gushed. "I can't wait to see it."
Reid grinned. "Neither can I."
"Ah, but not until your wedding day," Asha admonished him, a warm glint in her eyes. "There's nothing like that moment when you see your beautiful bride wafting down the aisle in her wedding gown. It's priceless, darling, and so worth the wait."