He walks ahead of me, using the keys I insisted he keep and, for a moment, my heart is so full of happiness that everything has come together so perfectly.
"Will you read it?" he asks.
I take the card out. "The value—"
"No, not aloud. Read it first, and then tell me if I should see it. I don't want to be upset today."
I nod and look at the words printed on the card.
The value of knowing yourself.
I heard of Chef Judson Hale a long time before I had the chance to try his cuisine. Earlier this year, I happened to be in Paris, so I could not pass up the opportunity to visit Chef Hale's restaurant. My review was less than commendable, but while I stand by the words I wrote at the time, I also know when I'm not entirely right in my assessment.
A true good chef knows who he is. He's not just the combination of the skills he's taught at school or in the kitchen. The best chefs I've met all cook from the heart.
I am happy to say I had the chance to have seconds from Chef Hale—pardon the pun—because, much to my delight, Chef Hale has now returned home.
What I tasted at Maple Sky was the essence of Vermont, and if you want to know what that is, I recommend you visit Maple Sky on Church Street in Burlington.
"Baby, I think you'll want to read this," I say.
He comes closer and takes the card from me.
I watch his face as months of self-doubt wash away with every word he reads. Everyone can agree Jud's cooking is the best, but I know this was important to him.
When he finishes, he throws the card up in the air and jumps into my arms.
I catch him and accept his hungry mouth.
"Come on, hotshot, take me to bed. All this stress has made me horny. Oh, let's go via the kitchen."
"I like how you think."
27
Judson
I've decided that the number one advantage of being Skyler West's boyfriend is that he can carry me around everywhere.
Oh shit! I'm Skyler West's boyfriend!
I know after the love declarations and his kiss in front of everybody earlier on, it's obvious we're not just dating. We're actual boyfriends. I mean, I agreed to move in and everything.
Is it possible to feel happier? I don't think so.
I'm sure I'll be pretty ecstatic in a few minutes, but even without that, even if we didn't have such an amazing physical connection, I'd still be the happiest man in the world. Sappy or what?
His hands are on my ass, and I’m most definitely happy for them to stay there, so I grab the bottle of Maple Sky from the counter and then get back to kissing him.
"Shit. Fuck," he shouts. "Just bumped my knee."
"This is why the best means of transportation is getting carried by someone else," I say, and then go back to sucking the skin on his neck because two can play this game.
"You know, for you to be carried, someone else has to do the carrying."
"Yup. Your point?"
He chuckles. "I like this Jud. I’ll take all the versions available of Judson Hale, but I like this teasing carefree one."
