other and started to laugh, just as Adam’s bride arrived. “What’s so funny?”
As Adam explained, Kate appeared, her cheeks rosy and eyes filled with concern. “I’m so very sorry for the—”
Adam stopped her. “Please, Kate. Don’t give it another thought. Haley and I are thinking about posing beside him.”
Kate watched speechless as the couple pointed out the risqué sculpture to their friends. The mood suddenly seemed to rise to another level. She’d seen this happen before. Sedate and serious suddenly became tipsy and fun.
“Wow. They’re really good sports,” she said aloud.
Rob, whowas standing beside her, said, “Yes, actually, my dad always has been. He never let small things ruffle him. Apparently Haley is the same way.”
Kate looked at him. She’d done her best over the past two weeks to keep her distance. She’d made use of his truck until her car was roadworthy again, but in a moment of cowardice had persuaded Jo to return it to him so she wouldn’t have to face him. Nothing could come of the attraction she felt toward him, so why court temptation?
“Well, back to—”
“Kate,” he said stepping close enough to be heard over the noise. “I know you’re swamped, but in case I get caught up in best man duties and we don’t have another opportunity, I want you to know I’m really grateful. Everything is fabulous.”
She put her finger to her lips. “Bad luck to say so before you’ve eaten. If everyone is full, fat and happy when this is over, then you can tell me. Okay?”
He took her hand in his and closed his own around it. He brushed his lips across her knuckles, which were rough and red from being in water. She thought she’d lost sensitivity in her fingertips, but she was wrong. She felt every little nuance of his touch. “Later then.”
Kate’s heart did a little sideways movement in her rib cage, and she fled back to her kitchen. To safety.
Of sorts.
A FTERWARD, no one could say how it happened. Jo had been reaching for something in the pantry. A lid? The box of salt shakers? She couldn’t remember because pain blocked every other thought out of her head, or so she claimed.And Kate believed her. She’d never seen her second-in-command look so shaky and gray around the lips.
Somehow, a two-gallon can of tomato puree had fallen off the shelf and landed on its rim across the toe of Jo’s sturdy black shoes. Her toes were still attached to her foot, thank God, but the swollen purple digits looked abnormally puffy and painful.
“Let me up. I have work to do,” Jo demanded.
“Absolutely not. Alex, run and find Rob. He should take his mom to have her foot X-rayed.”
“No,” Jo said imperiously. “Not on your life.”
“It’ll be covered by worker’s comp. Go.”
“Forget it. Is your garlic burning?”
Kate sniffed the air then dashed back to the stove. She tossed the capers she had waiting in a dish into the pan. A cloud of steam billowed up. Once the cloud cleared, she added a measure of champagne, followed by sea salt, white pepper and shrimp. Her version of scampi. Once she had the concoction under control, she called for her under-chef to slowly stir in the thick white cream. Another helper was preparing the fettuccini.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the recent graduate of culinary school that she’d just hired reach for the shredded Parmesan cheese. “No,” Kate shouted. “That’s for the scampi. You’re adding Asiago to that sauce. It’s in the walk-in.”
A hand touched her shoulder. She turned and found Rob standing beside her. His suit coat had been replaced by a white apron. “I won’t be as much help as Mom, but since she refuses to leave, you might as well let me try to fill in.”
Katelooked from son to mother. Same stubborn set to their jaws. “Jo, until we get the main course served, Rob can be you. Tell him what to do and don’t let him get killed or maimed. My insurance can only handle so much.”
After that,
As Adam explained, Kate appeared, her cheeks rosy and eyes filled with concern. “I’m so very sorry for the—”
Adam stopped her. “Please, Kate. Don’t give it another thought. Haley and I are thinking about posing beside him.”
Kate watched speechless as the couple pointed out the risqué sculpture to their friends. The mood suddenly seemed to rise to another level. She’d seen this happen before. Sedate and serious suddenly became tipsy and fun.
“Wow. They’re really good sports,” she said aloud.
Rob, whowas standing beside her, said, “Yes, actually, my dad always has been. He never let small things ruffle him. Apparently Haley is the same way.”
Kate looked at him. She’d done her best over the past two weeks to keep her distance. She’d made use of his truck until her car was roadworthy again, but in a moment of cowardice had persuaded Jo to return it to him so she wouldn’t have to face him. Nothing could come of the attraction she felt toward him, so why court temptation?
“Well, back to—”
“Kate,” he said stepping close enough to be heard over the noise. “I know you’re swamped, but in case I get caught up in best man duties and we don’t have another opportunity, I want you to know I’m really grateful. Everything is fabulous.”
She put her finger to her lips. “Bad luck to say so before you’ve eaten. If everyone is full, fat and happy when this is over, then you can tell me. Okay?”
He took her hand in his and closed his own around it. He brushed his lips across her knuckles, which were rough and red from being in water. She thought she’d lost sensitivity in her fingertips, but she was wrong. She felt every little nuance of his touch. “Later then.”
Kate’s heart did a little sideways movement in her rib cage, and she fled back to her kitchen. To safety.
Of sorts.
A FTERWARD, no one could say how it happened. Jo had been reaching for something in the pantry. A lid? The box of salt shakers? She couldn’t remember because pain blocked every other thought out of her head, or so she claimed.And Kate believed her. She’d never seen her second-in-command look so shaky and gray around the lips.
Somehow, a two-gallon can of tomato puree had fallen off the shelf and landed on its rim across the toe of Jo’s sturdy black shoes. Her toes were still attached to her foot, thank God, but the swollen purple digits looked abnormally puffy and painful.
“Let me up. I have work to do,” Jo demanded.
“Absolutely not. Alex, run and find Rob. He should take his mom to have her foot X-rayed.”
“No,” Jo said imperiously. “Not on your life.”
“It’ll be covered by worker’s comp. Go.”
“Forget it. Is your garlic burning?”
Kate sniffed the air then dashed back to the stove. She tossed the capers she had waiting in a dish into the pan. A cloud of steam billowed up. Once the cloud cleared, she added a measure of champagne, followed by sea salt, white pepper and shrimp. Her version of scampi. Once she had the concoction under control, she called for her under-chef to slowly stir in the thick white cream. Another helper was preparing the fettuccini.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the recent graduate of culinary school that she’d just hired reach for the shredded Parmesan cheese. “No,” Kate shouted. “That’s for the scampi. You’re adding Asiago to that sauce. It’s in the walk-in.”
A hand touched her shoulder. She turned and found Rob standing beside her. His suit coat had been replaced by a white apron. “I won’t be as much help as Mom, but since she refuses to leave, you might as well let me try to fill in.”
Katelooked from son to mother. Same stubborn set to their jaws. “Jo, until we get the main course served, Rob can be you. Tell him what to do and don’t let him get killed or maimed. My insurance can only handle so much.”
After that,
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