“Hello,” she answered.
“Caroline. It's your mother.”
“Hey Mom! You caught me just as I was walking out the door. I've been working with a new pairing menu with the head chef. I'm on my way to a work meeting,” she explained.
“Now? It's nearly seven o'clock! I wish you'd quit working at the bar and get a real job, honey. You finally managed to get your degree and it's just going to waste. You—”
Jesus. Caroline rolled her eyes. She had managed to finally get her degree about six years ago. She was managing a bar. Which, last time she checked, was a business. It seemed like a perfectly appropriate use of her degree in business management. God help her if she said that, though.
“I'm happy where I'm at, Mom.”
Her mother gave a long drawn out sigh and then urged, “Come home. Your father can get you a decent job. You can move out of your tiny little apartment and back in with us until you get on your feet. You can do so much better. You're working for those... people.”
And here it went again. For all that they claimed to be liberal, her parents seemed to have a big problem with the fact that she worked for and with the Transfigured. Caroline couldn't even imagine what her mother would say if she knew that she was dating one of them.
She supposed that she and Magnus were dating. Or, effectively, tonight would be their first date. Sort of. Technically, he had invited her over to his place so they could finish the pairing menu. The fact that he'd invited her over as he was kissing her neck seemed pretty promising though.
“Caroline? Are you even listening to what I'm saying?”
“I'm sorry, Mom. You're cutting out,” Caroline lied smoothly. “Can you repeat?”
Her mother sighed loudly, then enunciated her words very slowly and loudly. “Are you still coming to the party in two weeks? I'm planning a tea party theme. She'll love it!”
No she won't, Caroline thought. She's going to hate the fuss but that never stopped you.
Caroline rolled her eyes. “Yes. I told you I'd be there. It's Nana's birthday.”
“Don't forget. She's not getting any younger.”
“I know, Mom. I said I'd be there. But, I really have to run now. I'm going to be late for my meeting. Give Dad my best.”
Quickly, before her mother could comment further, she hung up. It was small of her, but she really didn't give a damn at this point. She'd been bitched at for her life choices for as long as they'd been hers to make. She never asked for money, or help. She wasn't on drugs and hadn't ever been arrested. She successfully lived on her own and managed to pay her bills. Her parents were just never going to be satisfied.
Caroline shook off her suddenly dark mood and gathered her bag. She wasn't going to invest any more time into feeling like shit about their disappointment in her. Having done it her whole life, it was getting old. So, instead, she gave herself one last look in the mirror, and then locked up. There was no way she was letting anything ruin this night.
Chapter Five
Magnus glanced at the clock as he stirred the raspberry gastrique, then set it aside to cool. He surveyed the kitchen and decided he'd done all of the prep that he could do. Now that he was able to spend an entire evening with Caroline, he didn't want to waste it in the kitchen.
Glancing up at the clock, he cracked the oven to get a look at the venison loin. Perfect. He'd wrapped it in caul fat to keep it juicy during the cooking process. It would be able to rest for a few minutes before they ate. The duck breasts he'd done up were already resting under some tented foil. That left the Croque Monsieur, the palate cleansing orange granita, the osso buco, and the Gorgonzola stuffed figs wrapped in prosciutto.
He wiped down the counter for the third time, and then acknowledged that he was a little bit nervous. He'd definitely done his fair share of dating, but in the past decade it had waned off quite a bit while he focused on his career. The busier he got, the more particular he became about who he wanted to spend his down time with.
Magnus grinned when he heard the knock on his door. Wiping his hands on a towel, he hurried over to open the door. He let his eyes drift over her, taking in the pink dress she wore. It tied around her neck and gave him an enticing view of her legs. Much more than he'd seen before. “Caroline,” he said, his heart pounding. “You look amazing.”
“Thanks.” She studied him for a moment before she continued, “I don't think I've ever seen you this relaxed. It... it looks good on you.”
“Why thank you, love. Sorry. Where are my manners? Can I take that for you? It looks a bit heavy.”
A grateful look on her face, as she passed a large canvas bag over to him. She warned, “It is. Thanks.”
“Come in. Come in,” he said, gesturing to the living room. “What did you bring me? Bricks? A set of encyclopedias?”
As she passed him, he pressed a hand to the lower part of her back, steering her gently. When she leaned into his touch, a part of him wanted to say to hell with dinner and drag her into the bedroom. He could tell by the way that she nervously chewed on her lower lip that she was still uncertain though.
“I could only fit volumes A through F in the bag. Sorry,” she apologized, rolling her eyes. “I brought the fixings for the drinks to accompany whatever you're skillfully preparing in the kitchen. By the way, it smells amazing”
“Of course it does.”