sometimes.”
Sullivan slapped his forehead. “That’s right! You two have—”
“Been busy,” Molly said as she sipped her wine.
When Domenico Mattucci tapped his glass for silence, all heads turned in his direction. He held up a bottle of wine. “You will be drinking a gift from my cousins in Italy this evening. It’s a wonderful Barbera. The perfect accompaniment to pasta with a tomato-base sauce.” Nodding to Molly, he said, “In case you’re not a wine buff, the region of Piedmont is where the Barbera comes from. If you wonder why I say it is the best wine for pasta with a sauce such as we’re now being served, it’s because of the acidity in the tomatoes. Most red wines taste clumsy and too sweet. Barbera has what we call a bright acidity” He winked at Molly. “Ah, you find that wine, and you’re in heaven.”
Mattucci handed the bottle to the young server. He watched the pour, took the obligatory first sip, then nodded his approval. He kissed two fingers, then laughed. “Magnifico. The first glass is for our lovely new guest. May she join us often.”
Everyone waited until all the glasses were filled. As if on cue, they raised their glasses towards Molly. She blushed. “Thank you all for your warm welcome. I’m very flattered, and honored to be here.”
“Drink up,” Carla said. “This is only the beginning. Dinners with my father are like the old bacchanals. The wine never stops flowing.”
As each new platter of food arrived after the pasta, Molly soon felt the need to loosen her belt. Roasted Big Sur wild boar; all manner of roasted root vegetables; blue, white, and yellow potatoes; steamed asparagus and broccoli, and carrots with brown sugar filled every inch of the large table. Between sampling everything offered, Molly and Carla talked about schedules, and vendors to approach for the gift shop. The few times Carla left the table, Molly couldn’t help but hear the conversation between Dino and Reggie. Their anger with Todd over his continuous interference in the business grew stronger with each new glass of wine. It was only Dando Osa’s brief appearance that put a halt to their discussion. He was too far away from Molly to get a good look, but she could see that Osa was a surprisingly small man dressed in chef’s whites. The tall, round, pleated white toque on his head was tilted at a rakish angle. When Domenico Mattucci raised his glass and complimented Osa’s dinner, the mysterious cook merely smiled and waved, then quickly disappeared.
“That’s a first,” Reggie said. “We hardly ever see the guy.”
Dino laughed. “Hey, maybe he was curious about Molly here.”
By the time coffee and dessert arrived—which was, thankfully, a simple offering of biscotti Molly wondered if Todd was going to show up. She checked her watch and was surprised to see it was after nine. Molly caught Emma’s attention, and said, “We can’t stay much later. Em. School, remember?”
“I know,” Emma said. “Uh, Michelle was wondering if I could stay over?”
Molly shook her head. “Not this time. You don’t have any of your things. How about if Michelle stays with us this weekend?”
“Good idea,” Todd Jessop said as he came up behind Michelle and ruffled her hair. “Maybe you can put her to work doing something useful for once.”
Molly saw Michelle stiffen and brush her stepfather’s hand away.
Carla was returning to the table and saw her daughter’s gesture. She shot her husband a warning look. “That would be great, Molly.”
Michelle smiled at Molly. “I’d love to. Thank you.”
Taking the empty seat opposite Molly, Jessop said, “Sorry I missed dinner. My appointments up north ran longer than I’d thought.”
Jessop took out a large envelope and tossed it to Reggie. “I brought you some samples of labels I want you to look over. You’ll love them.”
Reggie rose, pushed back his chair, and threw down his napkin in disgust. He ignored the envelope. “How many
Sullivan slapped his forehead. “That’s right! You two have—”
“Been busy,” Molly said as she sipped her wine.
When Domenico Mattucci tapped his glass for silence, all heads turned in his direction. He held up a bottle of wine. “You will be drinking a gift from my cousins in Italy this evening. It’s a wonderful Barbera. The perfect accompaniment to pasta with a tomato-base sauce.” Nodding to Molly, he said, “In case you’re not a wine buff, the region of Piedmont is where the Barbera comes from. If you wonder why I say it is the best wine for pasta with a sauce such as we’re now being served, it’s because of the acidity in the tomatoes. Most red wines taste clumsy and too sweet. Barbera has what we call a bright acidity” He winked at Molly. “Ah, you find that wine, and you’re in heaven.”
Mattucci handed the bottle to the young server. He watched the pour, took the obligatory first sip, then nodded his approval. He kissed two fingers, then laughed. “Magnifico. The first glass is for our lovely new guest. May she join us often.”
Everyone waited until all the glasses were filled. As if on cue, they raised their glasses towards Molly. She blushed. “Thank you all for your warm welcome. I’m very flattered, and honored to be here.”
“Drink up,” Carla said. “This is only the beginning. Dinners with my father are like the old bacchanals. The wine never stops flowing.”
As each new platter of food arrived after the pasta, Molly soon felt the need to loosen her belt. Roasted Big Sur wild boar; all manner of roasted root vegetables; blue, white, and yellow potatoes; steamed asparagus and broccoli, and carrots with brown sugar filled every inch of the large table. Between sampling everything offered, Molly and Carla talked about schedules, and vendors to approach for the gift shop. The few times Carla left the table, Molly couldn’t help but hear the conversation between Dino and Reggie. Their anger with Todd over his continuous interference in the business grew stronger with each new glass of wine. It was only Dando Osa’s brief appearance that put a halt to their discussion. He was too far away from Molly to get a good look, but she could see that Osa was a surprisingly small man dressed in chef’s whites. The tall, round, pleated white toque on his head was tilted at a rakish angle. When Domenico Mattucci raised his glass and complimented Osa’s dinner, the mysterious cook merely smiled and waved, then quickly disappeared.
“That’s a first,” Reggie said. “We hardly ever see the guy.”
Dino laughed. “Hey, maybe he was curious about Molly here.”
By the time coffee and dessert arrived—which was, thankfully, a simple offering of biscotti Molly wondered if Todd was going to show up. She checked her watch and was surprised to see it was after nine. Molly caught Emma’s attention, and said, “We can’t stay much later. Em. School, remember?”
“I know,” Emma said. “Uh, Michelle was wondering if I could stay over?”
Molly shook her head. “Not this time. You don’t have any of your things. How about if Michelle stays with us this weekend?”
“Good idea,” Todd Jessop said as he came up behind Michelle and ruffled her hair. “Maybe you can put her to work doing something useful for once.”
Molly saw Michelle stiffen and brush her stepfather’s hand away.
Carla was returning to the table and saw her daughter’s gesture. She shot her husband a warning look. “That would be great, Molly.”
Michelle smiled at Molly. “I’d love to. Thank you.”
Taking the empty seat opposite Molly, Jessop said, “Sorry I missed dinner. My appointments up north ran longer than I’d thought.”
Jessop took out a large envelope and tossed it to Reggie. “I brought you some samples of labels I want you to look over. You’ll love them.”
Reggie rose, pushed back his chair, and threw down his napkin in disgust. He ignored the envelope. “How many
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