Tall, Dark & Hungry(58)

As Bastien left, Terri raised her eyebrows and turned back to Vincent. "A problem?"

"Bastien found cooking more of a challenge than he expected," Vincent explained and gestured to the sink.

Terri crossed the room and whistled as she peered down at the mess there. A large black chunk, with several smaller black chunks, lay discarded in a pan.

"So, what are you going to order? Chinese? Or pizza?" the actor asked.

Terri shook her head and grinned. "With all the food in this place? I'll whip up something myself and have it done by the time Bastien gets back."

"That a girl! Make him feel inferior," Vincent said lightly. They both laughed, only to pause and glance around in surprise as the elevator buzzer sounded.

Terri followed Bastien's cousin curiously to a kitchen wall panel that was an exact replica of the one in the living room.

"Hmm. Do you know who that is?" he asked, pushing the button to bring up an image of the interior of the elevator.

Terri leaned closer for a better look at the man standing by a covered trolley. She started to shake her head, then paused. "Oh, wait! It's probably one of the caterers. I'd forgotten Meredith had arranged for them to bring samples of the wedding menu for us to try."

Vincent nodded and pushed a button. "Yes?" he asked.

"Katelyn's Catering. I have a delivery."

"This is your lucky day, Terri." Vincent pushed the button to release the elevator, then flipped off the monitor. "You don't have to cook after all. It's being delivered."

Terri chuckled, but said, "I hardly think they'll be bringing anything that in any way resembles a meal. They'll just be samples—hors d'oeuvres, and bits off the menu. Nothing substantial."

Despite her comment, curiosity made Terri follow him out to await the caterer. The moment the elevator doors slid open, the deliveryman smiled at them cheerfully and wheeled out his little trolley. Stopping before them, he lifted a clipboard with a work order and read: "Terri Simpson or Bastien Argeneau?"

"I'm Terri Simpson." She stepped forward and accepted the clipboard and pen.

"Just sign on the bottom, miss," he instructed. "Where do you want this?"

"The kitchen, please." She pointed the way. "First door on the right."

Terri did a quick read-through of the paper he wanted her to sign as the men moved away up the hall, Vincent accompanying the deliveryman. Assured that it merely stated she had accepted the delivery, she signed and dated it, finishing as the men came back up the hall.

"Thanks," the delivery man said as he took his pen and clipboard back. Then he ripped off a pink copy, handed it to her, and moved back into the elevator. "Just phone the office when you've made up your mind and are ready to have the trolley taken away. Someone will come by to pick up everything."

"All right. Thanks," Terri called as the elevator doors closed. "Well." Glancing over the invoice copy she'd been given, she turned and headed to the kitchen. She was curious to see what had been sent. She expected a couple of sample dishes that were on the menu, but you never knew. "Did you look when he brought it in?" she asked Vincent as he followed her.

"No. I just watched him roll it in, then followed him out," he said. They paused by the trolley that had been left next to the small dinette set.

"Hmm." Terri glanced over the trolley. It looked rather like a chrome chest on wheels, or a chrome-colored barbecue. The top was a square lid with rounded edges and a handle. Terri grasped the handle and lifted upward, inhaling the steam released into the room.

"God," she breathed, and she gaped at half a dozen china plates of food. The caterer hadn't sent samples of different things, they'd sent two samples of everything.

"He said the desserts were in the lower drawer," Vincent spoke up.

Terri hesitated, then stepped back, only then noticing that there was a lower drawer on the trolley. Grasping its handle, she pulled it out and sighed as several delicacies rolled into view. There were two of each of those, too.

"Well, as I said, you don't have to cook."

Before Terri could respond, the elevator buzzer sounded again. The actor moved to the wall panel and pushed buttons, as Terri closed the drawer and then the chest top to keep everything at the correct temperature until Bastien came back.

"Another caterer," Vincent announced. "You'll need to sign for this too, probably."

Nodding, Terri followed him back into the entry. They arrived just before the doors opened to reveal another trolley-pushing deliveryman.

"Terri Simpson?" he asked, glancing at her.

"Yes." She held her hand out for the clipboard and pen.