By Break of Day by M. L. Buchman

Author:M. L. Buchman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Buchman Bookworks, Inc.

To give them a moment of privacy, Justin inspected the shop. The two embracing woman completely blocked the single long aisle. Along one wall were packages of biscotti, olive oil, dried pastas, and a slew of other dried ingredients. It was a tiny grocery store dedicated to making pasta dinners.

Down the other side of the shop ran a long glass-fronted cabinet. Trays and trays of fresh pasta were lined up: spaghetti, lasagna, little dumpling things, the big, round tube ones, and others he couldn’t begin to name.

At his end, close by a cash register that might have been built during the war—perhaps the American Civil War—were great tureens of sauces: green pesto, bubbling red sauce with and without sausage, a whole container of meatballs each nearly as big as his own fist, and a variety of sauces: red, or yellow with butter. They filled the air until the shop was thick with flavor. He did notice that there was no Texas-style, but what did they know here in New York? He pitied the poor people their uneducated ways. And wouldn’t Kara beat the crap outta you if she heard that sentiment.

The heavy plank flooring, plaster walls, and beaten copper ceiling might well date back to the Civil War.

It was like a barbecue shop for New Yorkers—the perfect Italian comfort food.

Though the Rolling Stones playing on the oldies station was a misfit.

A man who shared Kara’s skin coloring and age was eyeing Justin carefully as he dished up a to-go container of the marinara for one of the customers being jostled by Kara and her mother, not that they seemed to mind.

But the cousin—no, he had the same eyes—the brother definitely minded. Not the jostling or the people, but the tall, blond Texan who stood a hand taller than any of them, even not counting his hat.

In the midst of a happy embrace, Kara’s mother was inspecting him over her daughter’s shoulder.

“And who is this?” She turned them both until they faced Justin, but she kept a hand around her daughter’s waist.

“Mama, this is Justin. Justin, this is Angela.”

“Mrs. Moretti.” Justin put on his best manners, belatedly tipping, then removing his hat. “It is easy to see that you’re kin, but it’s not so easy to tell you aren’t sisters.” And he wasn’t totally whistling in the wind. Angela Moretti was a few inches shorter than her daughter and her curves were softened with age, but she was still a stunning woman. Though the dark eyes didn’t quite match Kara’s; he suspected Kara had her father’s eyes.

“He is a sweet talker, Kara. And it’s Angela to you. And you—” She turned on her daughter, then cuffed her an affectionate blow to the side of her head, then pulled her daughter over so that she could kiss the spot.

“Ow! Hey! What did I do?”

“Why did you not tell me you were bringing home a beautiful man when you call from Italy? Huh? You pick him up on the plane, the airport, or the subway?” She sent Justin a broad and friendly wink to show she meant no offense.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.