more it seemed like the perfect plan.
They hung up and Ali realized she was still disappointed about not going to California but she also knew that the idea of leaving suddenly seemed scary and slightly unappealing. The more she thought about staying home, the more she knew it was the right thing to do.
CHAPTER 8
“You’re looking at the latest enrollee in Le Cordon Bleu Chicago,” announced Ali as she sat down in the bistro chair where she was meeting Ben for lunch.
Ben smiled at her. “Congratulations!” He was thrilled she had made her decision and it was to stay home. “How are you? Are you completely good with it?”
Ali nodded. “Yeah, you know? I am. At first it took me a few days to get past the disappointment of not going to California, but this is going to work. After all, it’s about me getting a good culinary education and I probably wouldn’t have time to really enjoy San Francisco anyway.” She pulled a white napkin over her lap.
Ben picked up a glass of water to toast. “To your new career path,” he said.
She picked up hers and clinked his glass. “Isn’t it bad luck to toast with water?”
“Nah, that’s an old wives tale,” he said. “I’d get some wine, but I’ve only got about 40 minutes for lunch and wine would make my head foggy.”
“No, don’t worry about it. We’ll go out and celebrate properly when you’ve won your case. When is the court trial?”
“In three weeks, so I’m working overtime trying to catch up, gather depositions and evidence.” His voice lowered slightly. “You should see this place, Ali. It makes those dreary spots we saw in San Fran look like million-dollar mansions. It’s awful. I feel terrible for the people who live there.”
Ali frowned. “I can’t believe it. I saw the news story on TV and they showed some of it. It’s a sad story, but now they have you on their side, right?”
“Yeah,” he said looking over the menu. “I hope I can get this woman once and for all.”
Ali reached across the table and took his hand. “You will. I have faith in you,” she said giving it a little squeeze.
He had tried to put Ali on the back burner in his mind lately, but that small gesture brought back all the feelings he’d been sorting through about her. He knew he loved her, but it was just something he’d have to get over. She obviously didn’t feel the same way and wanted to just be friends.
He smiled at her. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. Now let’s eat. I’m starving.”
Ali pulled the bread out of the oven. She had followed the recipe exactly, but the bread was obviously over-baked. It was dark brown and smelled slightly burnt.
“Darn!” She threw the hot pads on the counter and slumped into a chair. She’d been baking for as long as she could remember, but this recipe was making her crazy. It was for gluten-free bread. She hadn’t done a lot of gluten free baking but had a request from a client whose son had been diagnosed with Celiac disease and couldn’t eat wheat or gluten. She was determined to make it right.
As she stood to start another loaf, her phone rang.
“Hey, honey, just wanted to call and tell you your Dad’s not doing so well,” Toni’s said.
Ali sat back down. Her Dad. She hadn’t called him in a couple of weeks. “What’s wrong?”
“His legs, honey. They’re just giving out and he can’t get around very well.”
The accident had almost crushed his legs beyond use and after several surgeries and therapy he’d been recovering. Now it sounded like things were reversing.
“Oh, no, Toni. I’ll call him now.”
“Honey, you better get out to see him as soon as you can. I’m on my way there now.”
A pang stung Ali’s heart. This was more serious than she thought.
Toni paused and her voice cracked. Ali realized she’d been crying. “It’s not just
They hung up and Ali realized she was still disappointed about not going to California but she also knew that the idea of leaving suddenly seemed scary and slightly unappealing. The more she thought about staying home, the more she knew it was the right thing to do.
CHAPTER 8
“You’re looking at the latest enrollee in Le Cordon Bleu Chicago,” announced Ali as she sat down in the bistro chair where she was meeting Ben for lunch.
Ben smiled at her. “Congratulations!” He was thrilled she had made her decision and it was to stay home. “How are you? Are you completely good with it?”
Ali nodded. “Yeah, you know? I am. At first it took me a few days to get past the disappointment of not going to California, but this is going to work. After all, it’s about me getting a good culinary education and I probably wouldn’t have time to really enjoy San Francisco anyway.” She pulled a white napkin over her lap.
Ben picked up a glass of water to toast. “To your new career path,” he said.
She picked up hers and clinked his glass. “Isn’t it bad luck to toast with water?”
“Nah, that’s an old wives tale,” he said. “I’d get some wine, but I’ve only got about 40 minutes for lunch and wine would make my head foggy.”
“No, don’t worry about it. We’ll go out and celebrate properly when you’ve won your case. When is the court trial?”
“In three weeks, so I’m working overtime trying to catch up, gather depositions and evidence.” His voice lowered slightly. “You should see this place, Ali. It makes those dreary spots we saw in San Fran look like million-dollar mansions. It’s awful. I feel terrible for the people who live there.”
Ali frowned. “I can’t believe it. I saw the news story on TV and they showed some of it. It’s a sad story, but now they have you on their side, right?”
“Yeah,” he said looking over the menu. “I hope I can get this woman once and for all.”
Ali reached across the table and took his hand. “You will. I have faith in you,” she said giving it a little squeeze.
He had tried to put Ali on the back burner in his mind lately, but that small gesture brought back all the feelings he’d been sorting through about her. He knew he loved her, but it was just something he’d have to get over. She obviously didn’t feel the same way and wanted to just be friends.
He smiled at her. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. Now let’s eat. I’m starving.”
Ali pulled the bread out of the oven. She had followed the recipe exactly, but the bread was obviously over-baked. It was dark brown and smelled slightly burnt.
“Darn!” She threw the hot pads on the counter and slumped into a chair. She’d been baking for as long as she could remember, but this recipe was making her crazy. It was for gluten-free bread. She hadn’t done a lot of gluten free baking but had a request from a client whose son had been diagnosed with Celiac disease and couldn’t eat wheat or gluten. She was determined to make it right.
As she stood to start another loaf, her phone rang.
“Hey, honey, just wanted to call and tell you your Dad’s not doing so well,” Toni’s said.
Ali sat back down. Her Dad. She hadn’t called him in a couple of weeks. “What’s wrong?”
“His legs, honey. They’re just giving out and he can’t get around very well.”
The accident had almost crushed his legs beyond use and after several surgeries and therapy he’d been recovering. Now it sounded like things were reversing.
“Oh, no, Toni. I’ll call him now.”
“Honey, you better get out to see him as soon as you can. I’m on my way there now.”
A pang stung Ali’s heart. This was more serious than she thought.
Toni paused and her voice cracked. Ali realized she’d been crying. “It’s not just
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