My head pulled back. "I'm not defeated."
"Let it go," Nic whispered from behind me.
Katerina laughed. "You seem rattled, my dear. Maybe you're not used to getting a large order."
It was my turn to laugh. "I've gotten bigger."
When Katerina lifted her brow, I knew this was it. The challenge.
Oh hell no. You're not doing this on my own turf.
Nic let out a nervous chuckle from behind me. "Gabi, why don't we let Max and my mom start this. Liza is swamped up front."
Katerina narrowed her eyes at me, silently willing me to dare her. I was going to nip this shit in the bud.
"Max," I said with a firm voice, "Go help Liza. Katerina and I will take care of the cakes."
Max walked up to me. "Are you sure?"
I nodded. I tried to push down my fear about this order and brush it off as an over-reaction. "Go help her and try Charity again."
A slow smile moved across her face. This lady was good. But this time, she wasn't going to win. Not with me in my own kitchen.
"Are you sure you can keep up with me, Gabriella?"
Oh! oh, it's on!
"Are you sure you can keep up with me . . . Katerina?"
She smiled bigger.
Nic walked up and stood between us. "What's happening right now?"
Giving him a pat on the chest, I replied, "We're about to get our mascarpone on."
Nic looked between his mother and I with a mixed expression of both concern and amusement.
I walked over to the giant refrigerator and took out two large bowls of my always-on-hand lemon curd.
Placing them on the kitchen's stainless steel island, I looked at Katerina.
"What's that?" Nic asked.
"Lemon curd," Katerina answered with a smile.
"Because everyone knows you have to make the lemon curd ahead of time," I added.
Clearing his throat, I glanced over to Nic. He looked between his mother and me then laughed. "So, this ought to be interesting."
Katerina took one of the bowls. "Italian food is nothing but Greek food . . . but with less love."
I went to say something when Nic kissed me then whispered against my lips. "Just take her help. I promise I'll make it up to you."
My lower stomach pooled with heat.
"For you," I whispered. "I'm doing this for you."
He laughed. "Uh-huh. Okay."
It didn't take long for Katerina and I to get lost in the baking process. She was good, there was no denying it. But she was not about to show me up in my own kitchen.
Little did I know I was setting myself up for Katerina's real challenge.
I sat down at a table and sighed. "Thirty lemon mascarpone cakes done."
Nic grinned and squatted down. He lightly pushed a strand of hair from my face. "You look beautiful."
With a chuckle, I stared into his beautiful hazel eyes. "I'm a mess, Nic. I nearly killed myself trying to keep up with your mother."
My eyes lifted and looked behind the bakery counter where Katerina was currently trying to take over in helping Liza with customers. "Look at her. It's like she's not the least bit fazed by all that baking. She's the Energizer Bunny on crack."
Nic glanced over his shoulder to his mother. "That was nothing compared to some of the cooking I've seen my mother do."
I sat up. "Oh crap. She probably thinks I'm a lazy Italian!" Jumping, I quickly made my way through the bakery and started cleaning up. In a few minutes we would be closing up.
Nic grabbed me by the waist and turned me around. "It's your day off."
My brows rose. "Was. I have no idea where Charity is. This is not like her to just vanish and leave the bakery."
I started chewing on my thumb nail when Nic pulled it from my mouth. "Stop. Now come on, let's get my mother out of your bakery before she slips something Greek into the display."
Giggling, I nodded as he took my hand in his. "Mama? You ready to head out? I'm sure Dad is probably withering away with no dinner."
Katerina rolled her eyes and huffed. She pulled Liza in for a hug then turned to Max. I tried not to laugh when he stiffened up like a board when she hugged him.
As she made her way over to us, I couldn't help but notice how she looked completely and utterly unfazed by the fact that she just baked all those cakes.
Stopping in front of me, she smiled. "You're baking skills are there, you just need to get faster. You're very slow. And your lemon curd needs a bit of work." Her eyes wandered over me before capturing mine. "If only you were Greek . . . there might be hope."
My smile dropped and my mouth fell open.
"Oh, shit," Nic mumbled. "Mama, let's head on back to my place so you can get your car."
I stood there stunned. Holy crap. She just insulted me in like three different ways!