chef morrison

Greta couldn’t believe when she opened her mail and the wedding invitation slapped her in the face. She hadn’t seen Matthew Wright in years, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t thought about him along the road—wondered how he was. Apparently very happy... It was clear she was bitter about it, but who wouldn’t be. They had dated throughout high school and the year it followed while she applied for colleges. Until of course, she left him—so maybe she shouldn’t be so upset about it, she couldn’t expect him to have waited after how they ended. But the betrayal feeling lingered. She chose her career instead of Matt and now that she was finally back he was getting married. Typical.

Taryn. When she read the bride’s name it immediately ran a bell to her newest client, who was most excited over the phone about the fact Greta was in LA as she loved her culinary talent. Greta had a huge social media presence and, well, a Michelin star restaurant in France. But it couldn’t be the same person, could it? Most men didn’t get involved in wedding catering, but this was Matt, he was a hopeless romantic, he would have got involved in that, wouldn’t he? And if he did, was he the one to suggest her? She couldn’t believe it… She didn’t remember leaving things on a good note between them last time that he would invite her to the wedding, and hire her? Perhaps he had changed, it had been so many years… she knew for sure she had changed.

“He’s won’t be back for another half an hour, but you’re more than welcome to wait for Mister Smith here,” Genesis said, glancing away from the window to the person who had walked in. “I promise I won’t bite. Unless you ask me to,” she teased, trying to keep a straight face, though her tone betrayed playfulness in it.

“I’m Genesis. Can I get you some water or anything at all?”

Greta had walked in dressing her best. When she was in for a consult for her lawyer, who happened to be friends with her dad, she always dressed better--simply because she knew he’d be babbling it to her father. She smiled at the receptionist, whom she knew to be quite the flirt, though this was the first time Greta actually caught her name. “Hi Genesis. How are you doing today?” She asked politely as she looked for a seat in the waiting room. “Actually, can I get a coffee? Black, please.” She took a seat nearby the window so she could pull out her phone and capture the view of Downtown. “Busy day in the office?”

Dal didn’t drink often so her tolerance to alcohol wasn’t the best. And it wasn’t like she was looking forward to get drunk that night, but she had finished working at the store she worked part time at, and some guys had started talking to her and offered her some drinks. Sure, it wasn’t the smarter choice since she didn’t know them and that’s why when she started feeling dizzy she said her good byes. Lucky for her, when they were insisting on staying, she recognized a familiar face and immediately headed over them. “Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, it’s been such a long time, how are youuuuu?”

Greta was having a long day so after her shift she headed to get a drink, texted her friends and boyfriend, seeing if someone was available to join her. While waiting, she saw a woman heading her direction, on she had noticed before being around these weird group of guys. So when she seemed to recognize Greta, she just went along with it. “Hey, dear! How are you doing?” She reached to help out the girl, touching her arm. “Everything ok?”

“I was once told, that if you lay on the grass and take in nature, it’ll boost your IQ,” he called out to the person walking by him. “Destress, decompress, Dephone-ess.” Winking at the person, his hand moved to circle the spot next to him. “Come on over and let some of that worry away, m’dude.”

Greta frowned and tilted her head, mostly because of the last part, She had an amused grin set across her lips because of how funny Matt looked. “Are you ok, babe?”

The world was quiet. Possibly because she had been away for what seemed like so long that things looked so foreign. The familiarity of Westwick was starting to become part of her normal life, but visiting and taking care of her friend in San Francisco jarred that. “It’s so strange,” she thought out loud, brows furrowed together. “That the feeling of ‘home’ ends up being where you find solace in people, right?” Jae licked her lips before letting out a breath of air. Her head moved slowly to the person next to her and she smiled politely. “What’s ‘home’ for you?”

“Girl, I’m going to say, I never thought that flat would feel like home but after thirty days in a hotel you start realizing why those are only made for vacations.” Greta was happy to be back in her now-chilly-but-usually-warm Southern California. Home, as Jae had put it. “Plus Minnie, she’s definitely home.” She and Matt, Greta added mentally, not trying to sound too cheesy. “How was your trip, by the way?”

Carly grins as she attempts to take a selfie with the rather large stick of cotton candy in her hand. Unfortunately her angle was a bit off and she couldn’t seem to get herself and the cotton candy in the picture. Pausing to stop a passerby she offered them a smile. “Hey! Do you mind taking a picture of me and the cotton candy. My brother loves it but he’s overseas so I’m trying to send him a picture of what he’s missing.” 

Greta had to pause because the scene was way too amusing. Honestly, people taking selfies on the streets always surprised her, so when the woman asked for her assistance, she had to stop. “Yeah, sure.” She took the phone, pressing the button to turn the camera off selfie mode. “That’s one healthy sibling relationship, making him jealous and all!” Greta teased with a smile. “Have we met before? You look so familiar!”

Even hearing her call him baby in person was enough to cause him to beam from one ear tot he other. It was hard not to when all he could think of was her whenever he had downtime. When he didn’t have downtime. Matt thought of Greta and how she would react towards the crowded streets, the chilliness in the air, the scenery. She was always on his mind. “Ugh, never do you disappoint. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” Shaking his head in disbelief, he brought her hand up to his lips, kissing the back of her hand before placing their hands back into her lap. “Mysterious is my middle name,” with a shrug of his shoulders, he beamed as soon as he came up to the valet parking of Providence. “Chef Cimarusti’s, not so much. I’ve been planning this for weeks, baby. Finally got an answer, and…” As the valet came up to them to open their doors, he turned and kissed her on the cheek. “Here we are.”

“Aren’t we the luckiest together?” She grinned, feeling all that cheesy and cute with him was something Greta had missed this past month. Not only being in his arms, but being with him, together. “I know damn well how mysterious you can be.” Greta’s heart stopped though, when they pulled up at Providence, her jaw dropping slightly. “No fucking way... Matt--You didn’t--” But he had. Matt knew how much Greta wanted to try Chef Cimatusti’s food. She talked about how his career had grown to Michelin stars all the time and how she imagined it’d be a divine experience. But she never had the time (and now the money, with the way things were changing and she was living on a budget). “Matty, baby, this place is like--heaven. And also crazy expensive. You didn’t have to...” Of course, she’d be happy to just chill and watch a movie with him, cook for him. But this was another level and she was beaming in happiness, smiling ear to ear in excitement. She slipped out of the car as the valet came to assist them, and was quick to join Matt’s side again. She grabbed his hand as she leaned to kiss his cheek for a longer second. “You’re the best boyfriend, Matthew Wright.”

@gretamorrison

In all honesty, Matt had lost count of the days he spent missing Greta. For one, it was more difficult for him countdown the days until he could see her again than just going through the motions and hoping that the next day would be the day. Except, when he landed in LA he went straight back into working – with the promise from Henry that he would be able to get more leave during the holidays to spend with his family (and those he loved). Therefore, he had been waiting a long, long time for this night. Matt had started planning everything out as soon a he could, making reservations for the two of them and telling her to set aside a date for them. The two of them had been so busy lately that they kept missing each other. And, hell, did he miss her. He missed her so much that just having her sit next to him in the car was such a huge distraction. 

“Oh, it’s green,” he mumbled, keeping his hand on her thigh as he started to drive forward. There was a lot he wanted to say to her. The excitement for her igniting the passion again, seeing her so into her work, how much he had missed feeling his hand against hers. Her voice. Matt glanced over at her again, a goofy smile on his face before shaking his head. “God, how the hell do you look so good, Morrison?” He paused and shook his head once again, the hand from her thigh moving to intertwine with hers. “Breathtaking, someone take the wheel, please. I just… can’t. That’s what kids say these days? I’m so not chillin’ next to you, babe.” 

Spending time in Paris was always a blast for Greta, she had accumulated a large amount of friends, with college, that she now missed and had had the chance to visit while in her work trip. But this time her heart seemed to be held back elsewhere. Back in the States with Matt--much like in the first time she left to Paris. This time it was different, of course. They were more grown up, more mature. Plus she didn’t break up with him just to follow her dream, quite the opposite. Greta had called and texted him as much as her routine, and his, allowed them.

In the end she was just so glad to be by his side again. Like her usual, Greta was a chatter box, updating him on any detail she had forgot along the trip, or that arise afterwards. She was taking special adoration on all the attention he was giving her, looking at her all goofy, smiles everywhere, and all the compliments. “Oh baby.” Greta grinned and leaned toward him, to place a sloppy kiss on cheek. “You big goof.” She adored him, in every way. “You told me to doll up nicely, you know I never disappoint.” Her thumb rubs his hand, affectionately. “You look very, very handsome yourself. I’m the luckiest gal in town.” Definitely not just his looks, as the personality that always came with Matt was his biggest quality. “I am super curious where we’re going? You’re being so mysterious...”

Before, she hadn’t done the whole long distance thing. But it wasn’t in her plans to break up with Matt again. Hell, she didn’t even want to be away from him, and that became really clear for her in that month. She phoned him every day, struggling with the timezones. It was a weird feeling she never had before. Now getting back on track with everything else was the challenge. Work and her personal life. Starting with trying to find the baggage claim area to get thirty days of suitcases full of Parisian shopping on her airport cart --so she could head home to her doggie, and possibly her man.

@a-wingstrom

Greta still couldn’t believe Matt and Arielle had dated--not her Matt and her Ari. She always saw them from being in completely different worlds since she had dated Matt in her life back in California and met Arielle in her brand new life in France. But there, the universe played her a trick once again. They craziest part was that she knew all how Arielle was in love with Matt and how much she had encouraged that the girl pursued those feelings only to come face to face to Greta and that old flame of Arielle’s kissing. Had Greta known of him being the same old flame she too had, she’d have never encouraged it. She knew from Matt now that he and Arielle were most certainly friends, so she had to make sure Arielle saw Greta the same way still.

After trying to reach out and not receiving any returns, Greta gave her some space. But there was so much she managed, she couldn’t just sit around and wait for Arielle to reach her, so she went to the cafe. Waited patiently in line and smiled at her old friend when it was her turn. “How many coffees do I have to buy to get you to talk to me?” She had this begging eyes to Arielle, trying her best to just be on the girl’s good side. “Please?”

“True. You could wear a trash bag and I’d think you’d be the sexiest trash bag I’ve ever seen.” He laughed a bit before blowing into the thermos to take a sip of the spiked hot chocolate. With a nod, he glanced back over at her and watched her as she talked, noticing as he gaze moved away from him. “We’re taking things slow, Greta, because we’re adults.” His hand moved towards her thigh, rubbing it slowly for comfort and warmth. “Look – us? You don’t need to keep worrying about…” Matthew paused, letting out a breath of air as his hand just lingered over her knee. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in a relationship… actually in one where I really want things to work. I’ve been in some, they lasted a few months. It never meant as much as this means… as much as you mean to me.” This time, he inhaled a breath. “I didn’t want to say things I didn’t mean. I was upset, yes, and I didn’t want to say things I’d regret out of that emotion. And I’m not planning to leave – and I don’t blame you for what you did.” Pausing, he let out a light laugh. “Well, maybe a little bit – but you know what? Everything that happened in my life, with you, with Taryn, with every other person… gave me Aria. I love her… And, Greta. Our relationship? We’re not trying to be our past selves. We’re our current selves. And if that means that… currently, you go and check up on Tony, well, then current Matt is okay with that.” 

That’s what she meant, she knew for a fact Matt would find her attractive regardless. She’d have liked to look nicer for him though, it was just her thing--since he always appreciated her that much. “Being an adult is a trap, we should have been warned.” First the responsibility, then bills and obligations and now this whole relationship deals. It surely felt much easier when they were younger. But she liked her life, the stability and the things she had built for herself, so she wouldn’t really change it for the world. Greta listened quietly to him speaking about them, about how he felt, her smile growing and fading from time to time. She too wanted to work that out and he meant everything to her--so she wanted to make that work. And the fact he was putting so much effort into it made her feel calmer--and slightly guilty.

“I’m sorry I just landed that info to you, I should have sat and talked, asked how you felt about it. And not through text.” She allowed her hand to cup his cheek when she leaned in to kiss his lips slowly and brief. “But thank you. Thank you for making me come here and for being ok with me going there and well, for making me feel secure when I’m most insecure.” She looked at him, enjoying how his hand was resting on her knee still. “My current self is not a confident cheerleader anymore, you know. She’s just a regular woman now. And sometimes she’s insecure and doubts things and people and is used to boiling feelings in. I’ve been through a lot and I know so have you, Matt. But the thing I want the most now is not letting you down, making you happy... You and the precious little girl inside, I should say. You managed to have my heart stolen twice.”

“That’s the sexiest I’ve seen you,” he whispered into her ear, chuckling as he pulled away from her. His grip on the thermos tightened a bit as he took in a breath of the cold air. “Had I given you more time, you would have curled up into a ball on the couch and not slept properly.” With a nod of his head, he opened the jar and poured out a cup of the hot liquid to hand to her. Matthew actually knew that was a plausible idea, hence the reason why he acted so quickly to have her there… he wasn’t trying to make her feel guilty about anything, just voice his own thoughts. Or so he thought. “Greta…” Turning towards her, he draped the blanket around her shoulders and held her gaze. “Why are you doing this to yourself, hmm?” 

She took the compliment at heart, though she knew Matt would think she was sexy in anything she put on--or didn’t. “You’re very bias, but thank you.” She mumbled with the softest smile setting on her lips. “I haven’t set up the couch yet in the flat, so it’d have been a bad sleep on the carpet I guess.” He was so right though it still shocked her to hear him say out loud the exact thoughts she had to carry on the rest of her night. She took the drink and blew the smoke to cool it slightly, sipping when it was safe. “Ohh--Did you spike it?” She chuckled, surprised by the taste. Which was in fact quite refined, so she took another, taking more comfort on the blanket he wrapped around her instead. With his inquire though, she wondered if she could play coy and just escape it. “I-- I don’t know.” She licks her lips for a moment, her face turned to him but her eyes wandering off. “I don’t wanna mess us up again, Matt...” But she gazed him back again. “I’m afraid stuff is going to blow up on my face and I’m going to end up alone again, without you.”

@gretamorrison

After reading her text, he had checked his baby monitor app on his phone to make sure that Aria was sound asleep. Once he hard ordered the Uber, he made some hot chocolate, threw in some Bailey’s and poured it into a thermos. Now, he was situated on his porch swiping between the screen of Aria sleeping and how far Greta was from his place. Seeing the car pull up, he raised his hands to wave the blanket he was wrapped in and patted the seat next to him. “Over here, Morrison.” 

Greta had no time to change, just throwing on her slips and pick her her purse, leaving the house in a classy grey sweatpants and her much worn out cordon bleu hoodie. So much for always wanting to look her best to Matt lately, she thought to herself in the Uber as she wiped off some tears. She was an emotional wreck lately. Maybe it the work load stress, her upside down personal life or just how much she missed him. So it was good that he knew her so well to just force her to come there. Greta hopped off the car with a content sigh that he had a blanket and what seemed like hot chocolate awaiting with his graceful presence. “Came looking my best, Wright.” She said as she adjusted her bun and fell hard on the spot next to him. “Had you given me more time to look more presentable...” She probably would have talked him out of it.

Greta: Ok?

Matty: Ok.

Matty: Ordered you an Uber. They should be outside. Antoni, Black Civic, 7XDJ first 4 in license plate. See you soon.