Michael Bublé’s mellow voice crooned over the speaker system creating a musical backdrop for the creative genius at work in the kitchen. Jason had learned quickly that he could tell Bella’s creative cooking moods by the music she chose. He silently thought that a requiem would be more apropos considering her current murderous disposition.
Jenna was watching the fight up close and personal with wide eyes. Bella and Gio argued, laughed, and cooked with the same passion.
They were exhausting.
They were inspiring.
They scared the living shit out of her.
Bella turned to Jenna and laughed at her terrified expression. Throwing a wink to Gio, Bella motioned Jenna to her side. Jenna rushed over immediately. “So, Jenna, are you ready to run yet?”
“What? Of course not! I’m honored to be in the kitchen with the two of you.”
“Of course you are honored.” Gio smiled easily.
Bella groaned. “Why did I ever miss you and your ego?”
Gio scoffed. “When one is great, others should be honored. You miss me because you know I am right. Besides, Jenna, mi amore, your cake is a thing of beauty that fits well with our greatness. And the icing?” He put his fingers to his lips. “To die for. You will make that in our restaurant, si? Do you think she will survive working with us every day, tesoro?”
Jenna’s confusion was easy to see.
Jason had kept Bella company the night before while she did her prep work, and they had discussed what Gio had proposed. With his unwavering support he told her to take the chance and to follow her dream. By the end of the night Bella had agreed to go into business with Gio.
“I haven’t asked her yet, idiot.” Bella smacked his arm lightly. “Jenna, after our class is over, Gio and I are opening our own restaurant and we would like for you to come work with us—”
Before she could say anything more Jenna flung herself at Bella and hugged her tight. “Yes! Yes! Oh my God, yes!”
“Can we join in here?”
Adrian and Sal stood off to the side, having just come in to the apartment. Jenna all but jumped behind Bella, using her as a shield the minute Adrian had spoken.
Sal took a step forward to greet Gio and had his sister staring back at him incredulously, her voice low and mean. “Do you want to die?”
Sal’s head snapped up, and he grabbed Adrian, pulling him back out of the kitchen so fast they almost fell. “Shit, shit. Sorry, hon. I forgot for a second. Don’t punish me. I swear, we’ll leave you guys alone now.”
“What the—”
Knowing better, Sal hastily ushered Adrian away to the living room where the others were gathered, explaining in a low tones about Bella’s position about people in her kitchen when cooking. Adrian’s indulgent laugh quickly sobered to a stoic nod of agreement when Sal hissed that they would be denied food if they pissed her off.
“You have them trained well.” Gio snickered before going back to work.
A short while later Bella, Gio, and Jenna went to change their clothes for the party. Quickly throwing on a dress Bella joined everyone in the living room for an aperitif. The food was completed. They had made enough for several armies, but Bella could bet there would be nothing left at the end of the evening. Bella and Jenna laid out large trays of canapés for everyone to snack on, and Gio poured glasses of champagne for them. Bella took her drink and sat on the arm of Jason’s chair, but he quickly pulled her onto his lap to nuzzle her neck.
Moments later Brett came in with a woman using a cane. She was strikingly beautiful, tall with short dark curly hair and a perfect olive complexion. Bella admired her lovely violet eyes as Mikayla Lincoln politely thanked her for the pastry from yesterday. Bella knew that Mikayla had been shot on the last mission she was on and was surprised that she was already up and about. Sal immediately got up from where he had been sitting and forced her to take his seat on the couch.
Another woman stood with them, and Bella was introduced to yet another Mac Security-IAD agent named Shannon Montgomery. Shannon was a stunning woman, tall with yards of wavy blonde hair and electric-blue eyes. She looked like an Amazon queen. Her voice dripped of molasses and clearly proved her to be a southern belle. Gio quickly came over for an introduction and kissed her hand as he let free his abundant charm. Surprised pleasure flicked in her eyes before they shut down and became unreadable once again.
“Hey there, Legs. Do I get to kiss you, too?” Finn joked from his seat.
“In your dreams, Irish,” Shannon replied nonchalantly as she accepted a glass of champagne and sat on one of the couches next to Slade. Directing her gaze at Bella, Shannon explained. “Finn here insists on using nicknames. Jason is Mac, Sal is Toro, and so on. It’s his annoying little habit, but he’s got all of us doing it now.”