I can hear Todd’s light laughter behind me, and I weave by her. “I’m fine, Ma. Just hot in the kitchen.”

“I’d say so. I’m guessing anywhere Todd is feels hot,” my grandma says, standing up and snatching a few bowls.

“Grandma, he’s never going to come over again.” Enzio kisses her cheek as a thank-you for dinner on his way out of the room.

“Yeah, let’s give it a rest, Mom.” My dad squeezes my shoulder as he passes by me and straight into the family room. That’s his nonverbal apology to my mom’s earlier drilling during dinner.

Holding an overflowing amount of bowls and plates in my arms, I step into the kitchen and see Todd talking to my grandma as he washes the dishes. She’s holding up the peppers she put in the sauce, and then they talk about the variety of garlic. The conversation is cute, and it warms my heart, seeing how much my grandma likes him.

I grab the sponge out of his hands. “Go. I have this.”

I nudge him out of the way, and he eventually allows me to take over.

I’m halfway done with the dishes while Todd and my grandma have been taking turns drying, still conversing about different recipes. With her passion for cooking, my grandma should have been a chef.

Bruno barges in. “So, Grandma, have you shared your secret gravy recipe with Todd?” He turns to Todd. "Gravy is spaghetti sauce."

Todd cocks his eyebrow. "Yeah, I know." He looks annoyed that Bruno wouldn't think he knew that true Italians call spaghetti sauce gravy.

My whole body goes rigid. I know what he’s up to, and I hope my grandma sees through him.

“No, if he’s the chef I think he is, he should be able to figure it out.” She hands Bruno the pot to put away.

Bruno takes it from her hands and meanders over to the cabinet. “Yeah, but no one can make that killer gravy like you, Gram.” He swings his arm around her shoulders and pulls her closer.

She smacks his stomach. “I’m not senile. I know what you want, and it’s not happening.” She turns to Todd. “I like you a lot, boy, but no one outside of this family gets the recipe. Now, I have to add Bruno to the not-privileged side, as well.” She glares at Bruno from the corner of her eye.

“Oh, come on. Can’t you just see it?” His arms stretch out in front of her, as though he’s unfolding a piece of her future. “Your picture on jars of gravy filled in carts. No one able to get enough.”

Todd laughs, and I twist around to get a better view than the reflection from the window.

“Jeez, Bruno, she told you no last year,” I say.

Bruno tried to get Grandma to jar her gravy last year. He even brought over some slimy business guy.

His head quickly jerks my way. “Stay out of it, Lia.”

I turn around to the sink again.

“Bruno, is this why you asked me to come here?” Todd questions.

Yeah, Todd, beat his ass. Maybe it will knock some sense into him.

I’m waiting to see if Bruno spews his usual bullshit.

“I thought maybe you’d know someone. That boss of yours, Davis Morgan, might be interested. He’s always doing those reality shows with amateur cooks,” Bruno rambles.

Guilt resides in me for Todd having to deal with him.

Todd clasps Bruno’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, man.” He turns to my grandma. “Your sauce is great, Mrs. Mancini, the best I’ve ever tasted. But I have no intention of getting myself into the manufacturing of a spaghetti sauce line. As far as asking my boss, I’ll gladly suggest something if you’re interested, Mrs. Mancini, but you’d have better luck with Lia. She works there, too.”

Bruno abandons them and rushes over to my side. “You work there?”

“Yes. And no, I won’t bring it up to him.” I scrub the pot, trying not to let the rage from Bruno bringing this up again boil over.

“Come on. Please. You know how much we could make off this?” He leans in closer. “It would get Mom off your back.”

“I’ll only ask him if Grandma wants me to.” I point my eyes his way. “That’s final, Bruno.”

He backs up, his hands in the air. “You guys have no idea how successful this could be.”

When he disappears through the doorway, my grandma comes over and puts her hand on the small of my back. “Thank you, Amelia. That boy just can’t accept the answer no. You’d think he’d be married by now because some poor girl lost the battle of denying him.”

All three of us laugh.

I wipe my hands on the towel, staring down at an empty sink. “Done.” I fold the towel over and place it next to the sink. “Dinner was great, Grandma. Thank you.” I hug her.

For eighty, she’s in excellent shape, but the fear that something will happen to her one day is always in the back of my mind.

“You’re welcome. Are you staying?” she asks.

I peer over to Todd.

“Oh, me? I’m not sure, especially now that I know why I was asked to dinner,” he answers.

My grandma nestles her arm through his. “Nonsense. You are always welcome.” She winks to me. “It’s Bruno who isn’t invited.”

The three of us walk into the family room. The guys are screaming at baseball players over the blaring televisionTodd eagerly tries to grab a better view while I sit down on the floor to play Candy Land with my nieces.

As I wait for the girls to set up the game, I stare over at my relaxed family. My dad is in his recliner with a beer in his hand, and my brothers are lined up shoulder to shoulder in similar positions on the sofa. The best sight of all is Todd on the end. He’s chatting with Marco about something, and Enzio leans in to join.

Again, that thought about Todd being more than a friend lingers to the front of my mind. He might not be Italian or have enough money to take care of me, but he fits with us.

Todd’s eyes catch mine, and a slow smile creeps up his lips. For the briefest moment, our visions lock on one another, and all the chaos around us fades.

“Aunt Lia!” Gianna, my niece, smacks my forehead.

As soon as I blink, the moment between Todd and me vanishes, and I shake my head to come back to the now.

“Oh, let’s start.” I take her head in my hands and press my lips to her forehead. “Sorry.”

After my turn, I glance one more time to Todd and find his eyes glued on the game on the television. The moment is over.

CHAPTER SIX

Todd

I rub my palms together and peruse the refrigerator at CHOPs. Finally, a friend hooked me up with a possible investor. The guy wants to remain anonymous when he comes in, but he’s been looking for an up-and-coming chef to start a new restaurant. The excitement builds inside me, knowing Davis is out tonight and I can change up the special.

The note Davis left with Shawn in regard to what the special is supposed to be tonight burns a hole in my pocket. I’ve stayed clear of disobeying Davis’s wishes. Never have I gone against him or challenged him when it came to his decisions, but our work relationship has been evolving the longer I’ve been here. If I’m going to make a name for myself someday, I have to take a chance, and tonight is that time.

I bypass the scallops listed on Davis’s list and pull out the shrimp. My body fights every movement of disobeying. I’m not the guy who purposely does things that will warrant getting fired. Davis gave me an opportunity two years ago, and I haven’t forgotten it. But I’m against a brick wall now, and I need to free myself.

“What’s up, Todd?” Shawn bursts into the room with a beet-red face.

“I’m changing up the special. The scallops are bad.” I don’t look up because, frankly, I’m a terrible liar.

“Okay. Do you want me to bring the wait staff back in here?” His fingers tap on the steel counter.

I would never want his job. He’s always rushing here and there.

“I typed up new sheets. They’re over there.” My knife points to the stack by the door.

“Okay.” Shawn steps forward then rocks back my way. “Do you have a name?”