Under Pressure(67)

Jason had been watching the exchange silently, determined to understand what had put the sparkle of amusement in Bella’s eyes. It wasn’t until he put it together that had his eyes widening in shock. “This is Angelina Cossi? Gio’s sister is the Angelina Cossi?”

Tony nodded. “You have to admit they do have some talent in that family.”

Sal leaned on the counter and chuckled. “Man, I think it’s been like ten years since I’ve seen her. She was a pretty little thing, but I remember she was a brat.”

Bella threw a towel at him. “She’s twenty-three now, and you thought all my friends were brats.”

“That’s because they were, especially Tara and Liz,” Sal said, playfully pulling on Tara’s hair, earning him an elbow in the stomach. His breath whooshed out.

Damn woman had put some weight behind it.

Tony snickered. “You earned that. But trust me, you wouldn’t recognize her now. She sure has grown up and is a freakin’ knockout.”

“Gio would kill you. You don’t mess with his baby sister. Plus she’s a sweetheart, too good for either of you,” Tara joked.

“We all have to die sometime.”

“You’ll get to see her again soon,” Bella said innocently. “After all, she’s singing at our wedding.”

Slade’s slow smile had Bella turning around to hide her own. She was going to have to remember to introduce them at the wedding, but on the other hand Slade would probably take care of that himself. She cleared her throat. “Would someone set the table please?” And was pleased when they all jumped up to help.

Getting back to business, she laid the large golden-brown cutlets onto the serving platter, drizzling a light wine sauce over the top, and added a garnish. She pulled the pans of lasagna out of the oven and placed them on the counter to cool. Moving to the side, she quickly poured thick, white, creamy, fragrant sauce over perfectly cooked pasta in another large bowl and mixed it with two large spoons. After cutting the fresh bread she had made earlier, she placed the pieces into a bowl, drizzled garlic-infused olive oil over the top, and stepped back to survey the spread.

A knock sounded on the door. As if summoned by some silent dinner bell, in walked the twins, both of them trying to look surprised but failing miserably as Jason frowned at them.

“We’re sorry. We didn’t mean to interrupt dinner,” Adrian offered with a sheepish smile. Neither of them was sorry in the least.

“Come in, come in. I made enough. Please join us.” Bella laughed at their wide grins. Tara had already warned her that the twins had called earlier trying to beg for an invitation. Bella had learned to cook in mass quantities already and wasn’t bothered at all by the addition to their dinner party.

The men happily carried the platters of food over to the large wooden table that sat in the dining room. The table was a huge old piece, one of the only things that Jason had kept from his family’s home.

Bella cracked her neck and stretched.

Jason came up behind her and rubbed her shoulders after passing her a glass of wine. He knew she always liked to have a fresh glass after she completed whatever she was cooking.

She took a sip and let the cool sweet liquid slide down her throat.

“Darling, everything smells wonderful, but you smell even better,” Jason murmured to as he snuggled into her neck to breathe in that vanilla-spiced scent that was uniquely Bella. She chuckled and turned to face him.

He stroked his thumb over her cheek as he stared down at the woman he loved. “What did I ever do to deserve you?” he whispered in a silken voice that wrapped her in its intimacy.

“I don’t know, but we both got pretty lucky,” Bella responded before his lips brushed softly against hers.

“I love you.”

“I know, baby. I love you, too.”

“Geez, give it a rest, please, I’m starving!” Tony cried.

Jason and Bella joined the rest of the gang, and he sat at the head of the table with Bella to his right. She leaned into him to whisper, “I like your family, Jason.”

He was startled for a second before he looked around, and a slow smile spread across his face. It was like a family dinner, Jason thought. Why did he not see it before? These people had become his family. Bella had not only made this a home, she had given him a family.

“Yeah, we put the ‘fun’ in dysfunctional,” he said wryly, making Bella laugh.

“What are we having tonight?” Rock asked eagerly.

“Costoletta alla Milanese, my famous lasagna, a new seafood pasta dish I’m experimenting with that has a creamy garlic cheese-based sauce, fresh bread, antipasto, and save room, we have tiramisu for dessert.”