Dining with Joy (39 page)

“No, I didn't.” Courage. “I drove all this way to tell you . . . Luke . . .” Her feelings for Luke surfaced, producing tears in her eyes, “I love you. I drove a thousand miles to look into your eyes and tell you I love you.”

He shrunk back, watching her for a moment. Her heartbeat spiked at his unexpected reaction. She envisioned cheering and kissing, a response of “I love you too.”

Instead, Luke slid out of the booth and disappeared around the dining room corner. She exhaled, batting the sting of tears from her eyes.
Luke?

Her server set a single glass of wine in front of her. “Compliments of the house, ma'am.”

“Thank you.” Joy glanced back for Luke again. She drove a thousand miles for this? She pushed the wine aside, gathered her jacket and handbag, and slid out of the booth. So much for faith and courage and taking chances.

Luke emerged in a blue button-down, creased jeans, and a shiny pair of boots. “Were you leaving?” He grabbed her hand, leading her to the front door. “Put on your jacket. It's cold outside.”

Outside, down the walk, he covered the sidewalk in long, heelthumping strides until he came to a park bench under a bare-branch tree.

“Luke?”

“Sit, please.”

Joy obeyed.

The evening was a misty wash of sea spray, starlight, and amber street lamps. Joy cupped her hands in her lap, gathering the silky material of her skirt with her fingers. Luke knelt in front of her, the soft Atlantic waves crashing against the ocean wall behind him.

“Luke?”

“Joy Ballard, now that you're here, I'm not letting you go. I love you. Very much. Please, do me the honor of marrying me.” Luke offered her a small velvet box. “It was my mother's and before that my great-great grandmother's. It's a coal miner's cut. I had it reset for you in a platinum band.” His fingers fumbled as he tried to release the ring from the velvet slit.

“You already had it set for me?” The stone caught the amber light and reflected the colors of the rainbow on her hand. “Luke, it's beautiful.”

“I fell in love with you the first night we met in the café.” He still held out the ring, offering. “But I didn't have it set until you made the banana bread.”

“Banana bread.” Joy laughed through her tears, brushing her hand along his jaw. “Who knew, huh? I don't know when I fell in love with you, but when I cooked dinner for myself for the very first time, I realized I could feed myself. I could choose love.”

“You cooked dinner?”

“Didn't you get my text?”

“I haven't looked at my phone in a week, babe. I'm sorry.”

“Well, I did. I sat down to country fried rice and chicken, took half a dozen bites, and I knew. It's like I've lived under this mist and I never knew it. Once it cleared away, I realized . . . I love you, Luke. I. Love. You.”

“I'm putting country fried rice on the Roth House menu tomorrow.” Luke jerked her into his arms, lifted her off her feet, and whirled her around. “I love this woman and she loves me.”

Head back, arms around his neck, Joy joined in the song. “I love Luke Redmond.” So this was the sensation of freedom.

Their voices echoed over the water, resounding, enlarging, bouncing back over them. When Luke set her feet on the ground, kissing her, he offered her the ring box again. “So, are you going to be my wife?”

“Yes, Luke, I'll be your wife.” Her skin tingled as he slipped the ring on her finger.

“Come on. Let's celebrate.” Luke ran with her back inside the restaurant, taking her to the center of the room. Joy gazed around, breathless, folding her ring hand against her side. “Ladies and gentlemen, please indulge me. This amazing woman has agreed to be my wife tonight.” Luke cradled her against him. “The beautiful and talented Joy Ballard. She can't cook.”

An affectionate laughter rose from the tables.

“I'm not sure she can sing or sew. But she's brilliant, clever, and funny. She pitches the meanest fastball I've ever seen, and she's taught me a thousand lessons on loving others. She's the most courageous woman I know, and I am the luckiest man on Earth.”

The servers quickly moved among the tables, setting down tall flutes of golden bubbly.

“I'm the lucky one.” This was Joy's season for tears. “This man displayed more kindness and patience than I deserved. He coaxed and prodded and exhorted me out of my fears and off my couch of comfort.” She peered into his eyes. “He's seen me at my absolute worst, and when I tried to hide, he found me.”

His hungry kiss met her heart. The air never stirred. The hush of the room rested, listening. Whispers, the clinking glasses faded. Joy and Luke were the only two in the room.

This kiss was for real. Not for show. Not inspired by the heat of the moment, but by love and trust. It was better than the kiss that inspired Allison Wild and stunned Bette Hudson and her audience. Finer than the kiss viewed by millions on YouTube.

It was the first kiss of forever. Meant only for two. Joy and Luke.

Luke captured Joy in his arms again and swung her around. The Roth House patrons applauded as if they enjoyed being a part of this moment.

God was good. God was love.

“So, Chef, when are you getting married?” The maître d' prompted the patrons to raise their glasses in toast.

“Tomorrow if she's willing, or the day after.” His fiery gaze meshed with Joy's heart. “One thing I know, I'm spending the rest of my life dining with Joy.”

Epilogue

Portland, Maine.
Former cooking show host Joy Ballard, who was exposed two years ago during a disastrous cook-off on The Bette Hudson Show, announced the release of her first book this fall, a memoire entitled The Banana Bread Diaries: My Life and Food.

Ballard, now Joy Ballard Redmond, also a former NCAA All-Star, married Portland executive chef and instructor Luke Redmond last spring in Beaufort, South Carolina.

The two make their home in Portland and are expecting their first child.

New York, New York.
TruReality announced its fall cancellations.
Among them, the promising but disappointing Dining with Divine.

Recipes

Charles Ballard's Banana Bread

From Connie Spangler

cups flour

1 cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1t. baking soda

½ t. salt

½ t. cinnamon

2 eggs

3 mashed ripe bananas

½ cup oil (I use canola)

¼ cup plus 1 T. buttermilk

1 t. vanilla

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup peanutbutter chips

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine eggs, bananas, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Fold in chips. Pour into a greased 9-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until it tests done. Cool on a rack 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Tips for baking banana bread:

DON'T over mix the batter, just until moistened. Banana bread is always best if it is wrapped up after it has cooled and is served the next day.

Snow on the Mountain

Provided by Debbie Macomber

Line up the eleven dishes in the order below. Pile the ingredients on your plate, starting with step one, and build a mountain.

6–8 cups cooked rice

Chicken in gravy. (Stew whole chicken, take the meat off the bone, and use the broth for making the gravy.)

4 sliced tomatoes

2 cups chopped raw onions

11 oz. crispy Chow Mien noodles

1 cup sliced celery

7 oz. sliced green olives (or black if preferred)

12 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

1 lb. can crushed pineapple

1 cup sliced almonds

1 small package coconut

Rachel's Béchamel Sausage

1 large garlic clove, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

4 medium Italian turkey sausages

1 can Italian-spiced diced tomatoes

Béchamel

5 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups milk

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg, and set aside until ready to use.

In a warmed, large skillet, sauté onions and garlic. When caramelized, add chopped green pepper.

Crumble sausage into the skillet and brown. Drain off excess oil. Add béchamel and cook to bubbling. Add can of Italian-spiced diced tomatoes.

Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes or to taste.

Acknowledgments

I read an article once where the author panned and criticized the Acknowledgements at the end of a book. He claimed they weren't necessary. Obviously, he had never written a novel. In the course of penning a story, my heart becomes overwhelmed with gratitude toward everyone who's helped me along the way, prayed, offered encouragement, listened to recaps of my struggles and why “this book is driving me crazy.”

So, it's to them I write this page; to those who paused out of their busy lives to give a piece of themselves to me and this story.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and the incredible team there for enduring with me: publisher Allen Arnold, marketing director Jennifer Deshler, publicist Katie Bond, senior editor Natalie Hanemann, and art director Kristen Vasgaard. Thank you for your work on my behalf.

Ami McConnell, senior acquisitions editor and friend for championing me and this book. What would I do without you? You are an amazing woman and a true lover of story and fiction. Your keen eye and heart for this story made it shine.

Ellen Tarver, friend and editor, who gave up a weekend for me, last minute, to edit the manuscript. Thank you so very much!

Jennifer Stair, editor and encourager. Thank you for your time and effort on this book.

Susan May Warren, brainstorm partner and dear friend, for helping me craft ideas for Joy and Luke, then enduring my phone calls when I explained how those first thoughts
just weren't going to work
. Your never-ceasing patience and encouragement are treasures. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

My church family at Church on the Rock Melbourne. I value and covet your prayers.

Debbie Macomber for being a friend and encourager, and for giving me one of your recipes to share with the readers.

My fabulous agent, Chip MacGregor, who works unselfishly for me. Thank you for the phone calls, prayers, and witty lines that make me laugh.

My husband who never fails to keep me on track, sane, and laughing. Thank you so much, babe. I think there's a memoir in this for you:
A Survival Guide to Living with a Writer
.

Jesus, You are with me more than I know and more than I deserve. I'm so blessed by Your love and how You daily invite me to dine with joy in Your presence. What must eternity be if I have this much of Your heart now?

To those who gave me knowledge about cooking, television production, and softball:

Dan Portnoy, of Portney Media Group, for validating my idea and giving me advice and scenarios.

Neal Kinard of
hankproductions.com
for cooking show and production advice.

Torry Martin for cooking and story ideas and the laughs.

Chef Caleb Zickefoose for his advice and help and for giving me the subtle insight I needed to make the opening cooking scene work!

Cheryl Hyatt Smith of Culture Smith Consulting for introducing me to Dan and Caleb. And for being such a friend on Twitter. I've enjoyed our talks.

Emily Dellas at First Class Cooking for helping me understand the mind-set of a cooking teacher and of those who know even less than I do about cooking.

Connie Spangler for the banana bread recipe. It's fantastic!

Kristy Kelnhofer for the Beaufort, South Carolina, softball information. Thank you.

Connie Hipp, my feet and eyes on the ground in Beaufort. I appreciate you.

Dr. Julie Gelman, my doctor and friend, who gave me many great ideas about food.

To all the gastronomes who wrote about their life in food, thank you! I enjoyed reading about passion.

Last but not least, to the lovely and talented Kelsi Dunne, star softball pitcher for the Alabama Crimson Tide. I appreciate your time and advice. I love watching how you exemplify excellence. Some of Joy is modeled after you.

Note to readers: but it's still ALL fiction! Looking forward to all the good things God has planned for your life!

Reading Group Guide

1. Joy's life is not one she planned but one she inherited. Are you in a job or situation because of another person's actions? How does this impact your life? Is your situation suitable to you? If not, how can you change it?