Page 37 of Summer on Sunshine Bay

Eva moved it farther away. “To make it up to you, they’re going to celebrate her daughter-in-law’s birthday here. Tonight. They’re coming at seven.”

Carmen smiled. “Certo.Sure.”

Eva knew better than to trust that particular smile. “I’ll be cooking their meals, and you’re not getting near them.” She didn’t trust her mother not to add a laxative.

“Then they can’t come.”

“Okay, Ma, I have an ulterior motive for wanting them here. But just to be clear, it shouldn’t matter. Ruth has always been a good friend to you, and it wasn’t her fault her daughter-in-law wanted to go to Windemere for her birthday dinner.”

Her sister’s eyes narrowed. “What exactly are you up to?”

Eva told them about Lila opening a consultancy business with Luke as her first client, how she was almost positive that David had no idea about it, and that once he met Luke, he might not be as supportive as Lila had hoped. “I might be wrong, but I don’t think I am, and if I’m right, this will drive them further apart. And the only way to get Luke here without raising anyone’s suspicions, including his, was to have his family come to dinner.”

“Why didn’t you just say that in the first place?” her mother said, gesturing for Eva to give her the glass of wine. Eva did, and Carmen raised her glass. “To breaking up our Lila’s engagement.” They touched their glasses together. “We like the mom, this Jennifer, but we don’t like the father, this Gavin. He’s aculo, right?”

“He is, but Ma, no playing around with his food. We want Lila to be proud of us, proud of La Dolce Vita. We’re just setting the plan in motion.” Eva picked up her wineglass and walked around the bar. “I have to change.” She leaned in to her sister and whispered, “Don’t let Ma near the kitchen.”

Twenty minutes later, Eva was standing in the restaurant’s kitchen when a familiar wave of intense heat washed over her.

Her sister walked in, took a look at her, and plucked the glass of wine from her hand. “No more wine for you. You’ve had your quota for the day.”

“G, give me my—”

Her sister tossed the sauvignon blanc back in a single gulp.

“I can’t believe you just did that.”

“I’m not the one having hot flashes, and everything I’ve read said wine makes them worse. You’ll thank me when you get through the dinner without sweating through another dress.” Her sister reached in the fridge, pulled out a bottle of sparkling water, and handed it to Eva. “By the way, Ruth called. Her daughter-in-law won’t be joining them, so they’re now a table for five.”

Eva nodded, fanning herself with her apron. “It’s probably better she’s not coming anyway.”

It took a few minutes for Eva’s hot flash to subside. Once it had, they went over the menu with Mimi. She’d take care of the appetizers: prosciutto-and-arugula crostini, fried calamari, and fried zucchini blossoms.

Eva had already made the lobster-stuffed ravioli and the brandy and plum tomato sauce with piccoli gamberetti for the pasta course. She had the entree, pollo Piemonte—breaded chicken breast stuffed with broccoli and goat and mozzarella cheeses with a roasted red pepper cream sauce—prepared and ready to go into the oven. It would be served with potatoes, diagonally sliced carrots, and zucchini. Gia and Carmen had made tiramisu and panna cotta for dessert.

They chatted with Mimi about the latest gossip in Sunshine Bay while Eva and her sister stuffed homemade cannelloni with a three-cheese filling and Mimi prepared the sausage and ground beef for the lasagna La Dolce Vita was famous for.

Eva felt the weight of someone’s gaze and looked over to see James watching her, his hands in the pockets of his black slacks.

“Please tell me the Westfields aren’t here already,” she said, flustered. Which wasn’t like her. She’d grown up in this kitchen. Her passion for food and her love of cooking ensured that everything that left the kitchen looked and tasted as good as anything from a Michelin-starred restaurant. She’d never doubted her abilities, but for some reason, she was on edge tonight. Most likely the nerves came from wanting to impress the Westfields for Lila’s sake.

“No. I’m early. David and his parents are picking up Lila. I was hoping to talk to you.”

“Go, we’re good,” her sister said, smiling at James, before introducing him to Mimi.

“Is everything okay?” Eva asked as she followed him out of the kitchen, ignoring their sous-chef, who was waggling her eyebrows. She didn’t need Mimi to tell her that James was an exceptionally fine-looking man. “You seem…subdued.”

He looked around the dining room. Eva’s mother was seating a table of four while chatting up a threesome at another table. “Do you mind if we go on the deck and talk?”

“Not at all. Are the girls all right?” she asked as he held the door open and she walked outside.

“They’re good, thanks.”

There was a light breeze, and it felt wonderful against her skin after the heat of the kitchen. She was sure it, not the wine, was to blame for her hot flash, information she planned to share with her sister later. Eva leaned on the rail, and James joined her, looking out at the waves rolling onto the shore before glancing at her.

“You have an incredible voice, Eva. I’d forgotten just how powerful and moving it was until today.”

“James, I—”

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