Newport Harbor House by Cindy Caldwell

Author:Cindy Caldwell [Caldwell, Cindy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Prickly Pear Press

Chapter Seventeen

Jen couldn’t believe her good luck. She stood in Mrs. Russo’s kitchen, mesmerized by the smell of the sauce that filled the kitchen.

“Mrs. Russo, I can’t believe you made sauce, too. I didn’t expect that. I know it takes hours and hours.”

“It does,” Joe said. “She insisted.”

Mrs. Russo patted her gray hair that she’d pulled into a bun and slipped an apron over her dress. Although the apron was clean, it had obviously been worn for many years, the pockets a little frayed at the top. Jen thought she might even remember it from years and years ago.

She handed Jen and Faith aprons and turned to her son. “Joey, put yours on.”

Joe rolled his eyes and smiled at Jen as he reached into the pantry and took out a white apron with a red heart patched onto the chest. Jen smiled back at him and tried to stifle a laugh.

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Faith said as she put on her apron. “Looks like you’ve had that for a while.”

Joe nodded slowly.

“I gave it to him when he was a little boy. Got an extra big one for him to grow into. If he was going to learn to cook, it needed to be the right way.”

“Yep, and I’ve worn it ever since, Ma.”

“He’s a good boy,” she whispered to Jen and Faith. “But don’t tell him. It’ll go to his head.”

Joe pretended he hadn’t heard her, but Jen was certain he had as they were all crowded in the very small kitchen.

Mrs. Russo showed Jen how to roll the pasta that she’d made earlier, handing her a note card with the recipe on it. “I know you like to cook, so all I want to show you with the pasta dough is the consistency you’re aiming for. A little here, a little there, but this is what it’s supposed to feel like.” She handed Faith and Jen each a ball of dough that they squished in their hands.

“Joey’s making the filling over there. Two different kinds. A basic sausage and one with wild mushrooms.”

Jen leaned over Joe’s shoulder and took in a deep breath. It smelled heavenly—garlic, onions, maybe even a little marsala wine. She smiled up at Joe as he stirred. He smiled down at her and handed her a spoon.

“Here you go. Make yourself useful, as Ma says.”

Mrs. Russo nodded. “That’s right. Come over here, Faith. We’ll roll out some of this dough while the fillings are cooking. I need to use the dining room table, as there’s not enough room in here for the big sheets.”

Faith shrugged her shoulders and smiled at Jen. She followed Mrs. Russo through the swinging kitchen door into the dining room.

Jen laughed and said, “Faith’s not a big cook, but she’s a good sport.”

“I remember that about her,” Joe said as he picked up his sauté pan and swished the contents around in a circle.

Jen did the same with hers and was grateful that nothing sloshed out the sides.

“This is so fun.

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