Can't Fool Me Twice: Sweet Contemporary Romance: Belles in the City Book 1 (11 page)

Dante braced himself for some sort of demand he might not be able to meet. He'd negotiated with many chefs and cooks through the years, and they could be quite creative with their terms.

"What's that?" He lifted his iced tea glass and took a sip.

"You have to call me Twila. Anything else makes me feel old."

He let out a breath of relief. "No problem."

Ms. Chambray chuckled as she grinned at Dante first and then Twila. "And you can call him Bubba Dante."

Twila crinkled her nose when she smiled at the older woman. "That's a cute name, but I'm not sure …"

"Just call me Dante," he said. "Or Bubba if it makes you feel more comfortable."

"Dante is good. I've never known anyone with that name, so it sounds special."

"Hang out with some of the Italian families," Dante said, "and you'll hear it a lot."

"When did you say your cook will be able to come back to work?"

"In a few days," Dante said, "so we won't work you to death during your whole vacation."

"Aren't you about to open a second place?" Ms. Chambray asked. "You'll need someone to cook there."

Dante didn't want to say anything since he still hadn't decided, so he just shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"There's one more thing," Ms. Chambray said. "How much will you pay Twila for her time? Being the head cook is quite a responsibility."

After a moment, Dante stated a figure. "I know it's not much, but—"

"What are you talking about?" Twila's eyes popped open wide. "I've never made that much money in my life."

Ms. Chambray lifted a napkin to her lips as she cut a glance over to Twila. "I need to teach you the fine art of negotiation. You shouldn't have told him that."

"Maybe not, but I don't want to gouge him. Besides, how does he know I can cook?"

"Because I told him you could." Ms. Chambray's words were so full of conviction, there was no doubt she believed them.

"But you haven't tasted—" Twila began.

The older woman lifted her index finger. "Now that we have your terms settled, let's change the subject. So what do you think about the skyline of this magnificent city?"

As Dante listened to the two women, he marveled at how quickly they'd become comfortable with each other. He'd seen people who knew each other for years before being able to fall into such an easy conversation.

"Hey, Sunny, come on over here," Ms. Chambray called out. "I don't know where you were headin' with that plate with your mama sittin' over here with strangers."

Dante almost spewed the tea in his mouth. Strangers? Ms. Chambray and Twila had been sitting here chatting like long-lost friends.

"Oh, sorry." Sunny made an abrupt turn and carried her food over to the table. "Mind if I sit with y'all?"

"All of your friends are in the dining room," Twila said. "Don't you want to be with them?"

Before Sunny had a chance to reply, Ms. Chambray spoke up. "Nonsense. She belongs in here with us." She pointed to the chair. "Go ahead and take a seat."

Twila glanced around at the others at the table. "I'm amazed by y'all's hospitality. This is how my family is back home."

"We're all family here," Ms. Chambray said. "Right, Bubba Dante?"

He smiled and gave a clipped nod. "Right."

Sunny studied him for a moment until their gazes met, and then she glanced down. He suspected she wasn't sure how to act around him in front of her mother and Ms. Chambray.

"Did you know that your mama is goin' to work at Bubba's?" Ms. Chambray asked Sunny.

"When?" Sunny looked back at Dante.

"Tomorrow if possible." He turned to Twila. "The assistant cook can cover breakfast, but I'm afraid he needs some help with lunch and dinner."

"No problem." Twila grinned. "In fact, if Sunny has to go in for breakfast, I can go with her and get a feel for the place."

Dante now understood that this wasn't as much of an imposition on Twila as it was an opportunity to earn some much-needed money. "I'll let Riley know. He can't handle the food yet, but he might want to come in and show you around. His recipe cards aren't as detailed as I think they should be."

Twila laughed. "That's a true southern cook for ya. We'll exchange recipes, but we don't give away all our secrets."

Ms. Chambray spoke up. "Bubba Dante and Sunny, why don't you two run along? I have some things I'd like to talk to Twila about."

Dante got up, and then he glanced over at Sunny who nodded and stood. They didn't say anything until they left the kitchen.

"This has been a lot of fun," Dante said. "I was surprised by how impromptu and casual this was."

"Sometimes that's the best kind of get-together," Sunny said. He noticed that her guardedness had returned.

"For some reason, I expected to have everyone seated around the dining room table, wondering how we'd eat pizza without making a mess and getting the sauce on the white tablecloth."

Sunny shook her head. "Miss Lucille prefers to eat in the kitchen, unless it's a more organized dinner party."

Dante turned Sunny around to face him directly. He was tired of making small talk with her. "We have a lot to discuss, Sunny. You already know how I feel about you, but you confuse me."

"Confuse you?"

He nodded. "Yes. Sometimes I think you like me as much as I do you, and other times I wonder if you'd rather I just left you alone."

Her shoulders rose as she sighed and slowly shook her head. "Dante, I really do like you, and I'd like to believe that I can trust you, but …" She looked directly at him and clamped her mouth shut. Yes, something had definitely changed.

"Ya know, the way we've been doing things hasn't exactly been conducive to getting to know each other better." He tilted her chin so she'd look back up at him. "I mean really getting to know each other."

"Maybe when Mama goes back home …"

He tilted his head, never dropping his gaze. "I don't think she'd mind if we spent some time together while she's here. In fact, she actually told me she'd like me to come around a lot while she's here."

"Mama said that to you?"

"Yes, and I think it would be fun to get to know her too. After all, she's the person you've always been closest to."

"I guess that makes sense."

"That's not all." He paused and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I want you to meet my family." He tried hard not to let his desperation show, but he didn't want to lose her.

"But—"

"No strings attached. You don't even have to like them." He kissed her again, this time on the lips. So far, she hadn't resisted, so he planned to take advantage of every opportunity he had to let her know how he felt. "I just think it would be good to know more about me, and what better way than through family?"

"I guess you're right." She looked down.

He nodded. "I am."

"Hey, you two." Judd came up from behind Dante. "We have a great game of Pictionary going in the study. We need some smart people who can draw. You should see some of the scribbling." Judd looked back and forth between Dante and Sunny. "Uh oh. Did I interrupt something important?"

"No," Sunny piped up. "I love Pictionary. Do y'all have a team we can join?"

"It's girls against guys."

"Oh, this should be good," Dante said with a snort. "I bet the girls are cleaning your clocks."

"We're just letting them get ahead a little to make them feel smug," Judd said. "It's an old courtroom trick. Anyway, I think the guys could use you."

"Well, then, let's go." Dante placed his hand in the small of Sunny's back and led her to the study. Pictionary sounded like fun, but he hated the idea of being on opposing teams.

*

After all the guests left, Miss Lucille went to bed while Sunny and Mama finished cleaning up. It wasn't too bad, though, because everyone had pitched in and helped out before they went home.

"I like your friends," Mama said. "Especially Dante. And I can tell he's crazy about you."

Sunny knew she was expected to say something. "He's nice."

"Nice?"

"Yes. He's a good boss."

Mama gave her one of those knowing looks that made Sunny squirm. "There's more to him than being a good boss. And what he feels for you is much more than most bosses feel for their employees."

Sunny swallowed hard. She didn't want to discuss her feelings for Dante yet, but Mama was backing her into a corner. And she certainly didn't want to hurt her feelings her first day in New York.

Mama finally placed her hand on Sunny's arm. "Sweetie, why are you so standoffish around him?"

"It's a long story."

"We've got time. I know you have to get up early, but this is important."

"Okay. I'll try to tell you as much as I understand, but there are still some things … well, I don't know what all I'm feelin'."

"Oh, trust me, sweetie, I've been there. But it might help to talk about it. Sometimes that's the best way to sort things out."

Sunny explained in detail what happened when she was first hired. Mama already knew she'd never met her boss before moving up to New York, but now she seemed okay with it.

"I'm still strugglin' with that and the fact that I've never thought it was a good idea to date someone I work with." Sunny still hadn't completely processed what Anthony had said, so she didn't want to bring that up.

"That's the best way to meet people. You can get to know them without pressure, and you can see a lot of their character."

"That's what I'm talkin' about, Mama. What I know of his character makes me nervous."

"Did he apologize?" Mama asked.

Sunny nodded. "Yes, he said he regrets being so secretive. But I still can't get past it, and I'm worried he'll deceive me again."

"There are never any guarantees, Sunny."

"But he already did that, so I know he's capable of deceit."

"It's not like you've never made any mistakes," Mama said as she wrung out the washcloth and draped it over the faucet before turning around to face Sunny.

"That's just it. One of my biggest mistakes was to trust someone who wasn't trustworthy. After Chase died, I had to deal with grief and anger at the same time."

"I know that what happened with Chase is making you skittish, but Dante is very different from Chase. That boy thought the sun came up just to hear him crow. Dante isn't like that. I don't see him doing anything to hurt you … at least not intentionally. He seems like a stand-up sort of guy."

"He probably is, but I still want to take things slow."

"Don't be too slow, or he might lose interest. He's a good lookin' man, and I'm sure there are plenty of other women waiting in line for a successful man who can take care of 'em."

"That's not really what I want," Sunny said. "I like to work."

"I know you do, and that's probably one of the things he likes about you. I can see the two of you being a couple if you'd just let down your guard." Mama's shoulders fell. "But you have to be ready for a relationship, so I'd better stop stickin' my nose in your romantic business."

Sunny smiled at Mama, closed the distance between them, and pulled her in for a hug. "I sure have missed you."

When she pulled away, she saw that Mama's eyes had begun to glisten with tears. And they didn't look like happy tears either.

"What's wrong?"

Mama's chin quivered as she took Sunny by the hand and led her over to the table. "Sit down, sweetie. I have something to tell you, and I don't think it's a good idea for you to be standin' when you hear it."

"Sunny," Mama began. She lowered her head, moved her mouth, letting Sunny know that whatever she was about to say required a prayer first.

"What happened, Mama?" Sunny's throat tightened with panic.

"Sweetie," Mama said as she looked up at Sunny. "One of the reasons I came early was to tell you that I had a pretty bad cancer scare."

"Cancer? Who?"

Mama swallowed hard. "Me."

Sunny's chin dropped. "What kind? Are you sure? Have you gotten a second opinion?"

Mama sighed. "Yes, I'm sure. It was breast cancer. It was discovered during my annual mammogram, and we don't think it spread."

"What are you doing for it?" Sunny took her mother's hand. "Shouldn't you be in the hospital?"

"No, I've already had a lumpectomy, and now I have to go back in a few weeks for a checkup. They're not sure they got it all." Mama pulled her lips between her teeth and grimaced. "The problem is, now that I'm not working, I don't have health insurance. I don't know how I'm gonna pay for this."

The lack of money had always been an issue for Mama, and that broke Sunny's heart. "I have some money saved. You have to take care of yourself."

Mama took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Everything is so expensive. Even with the health insurance I had, there are deductibles and copays and all the things I don't have enough money to pay for." She let go of Sunny's hand and buried her face.

"Please don’t worry," Sunny said. "I'll go back home and help you through this."

"No, you belong here … at least now you do. I'll be fine."

"Girls, I have some ideas about what we can do."

Sunny and her mother looked up at the door, where Miss Lucille stood. "How long have you been there?" Sunny asked.

"Long enough to know that I'm not gonna let Twila deal with breast cancer alone."

"I didn't intend for you to hear that." Mama's hands shook as she put them below the table.

Miss Lucille hobbled over to the table and lowered herself into the closest chair. "Sunny, did Bethann ever tell you about my bout with breast cancer?"

"No." Sunny narrowed her eyes as she turned her attention to the older woman. "When was that?"

"I was about your mama's age. The difference was, mine had spread. I had to go through a radical mastectomy and then radiation."

"You look great now," Mama said.

"Thanks. I'm doing just fine. The most amazing part of it was that it wound up being the best thing that ever happened to me."

"I love you, Miss Lucille, but that's a stretch."

"No, hear me out." She squirmed around in her chair and finally settled. "Before my breast cancer, I worried about every little thing. My first husband used to fuss at me and say that worry would be what killed me. I found the lump during a bath. He thought it was just another of my senseless worries, but then it turned out to be cancer. He suddenly got even more attentive than he already was, and it near 'bout drove me insane." She chuckled. "I did everything I could to get him to back away and let me deal with it, but he said he didn't want to take any chances on somethin' happening and not be there to help."

"How long did you have to go through radiation?" Mama asked.

Miss Lucille shuddered. "Months, but it seemed like forever. But it never came back, and now I'm fit as a fiddle … well, besides the fact that I've broken my hip twice and had a little stroke. But I've been cancer free for decades."

Mama turned to Sunny and smiled. "See? I'll be just fine."

"But you're not goin' back to Charleston until you see my doctor," Miss Lucille said.

"I can't afford—"

"Don't you worry about that. She's one of the best doctors in the entire country, and you deserve the best after all you've been through. You don't have to worry about money either. I'll take care of it."

"I can't let you—"

"Don't be silly, Twila. I have more money than I know what to do with, and you need medical care. My doctor has won awards for the work she's done, and she'll be able to tell you whether or not they got all of the cancer. Besides, what better way to spend my money than on a good woman's health?"

Mama opened her mouth, but instead of words coming out, she began to sob. And sob and sob and sob. Sunny put her arm around Mama, and within seconds, she began to cry too.

"Oh, this is just silly," Miss Lucille said. "Stop that blubbering. You're gonna be just fine."

When Sunny looked up at her landlady, she saw tears rolling down her cheeks. "Are you crying, Miss Lucille?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" The older woman pulled a tissue from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes. "I don't mind cryin', but I hate when it makes my nose run."

Mama laughed, and that got all three of them laughing. The bond that Mama had formed so quickly with Miss Lucille warmed Sunny's heart.

"Do you think we'll be able to get me in to see your doctor while I'm here?" Mama asked, a serious expression replacing her laughter. "It took forever to get in to see the doctor back home."

"Oh, I'm sure we can get you in," Miss Lucille said. "How about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Mama's eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

Miss Lucille placed her hand on Mama's and nodded. "Really. I just have to make a phone call." She pulled herself to her feet. "I need to go do that now before she gets too busy."

After she left the kitchen, Mama turned to Sunny. "Is she serious about this?"

Sunny nodded. "I told you she was amazing."

"Yeah, but I never dreamed just how amazing. I've never had anyone do anything so nice for me before." She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the wadded up tissue.

"That was how I felt when she invited me to live here. I'm still pinchin' myself over that one."

Mama nodded. "I have to admit that when you told me what you planned to do, I was doubtful and even suspected she might have had an ulterior motive. But now that I've met her, I see her genuine goodness." Her chin quivered. "So many people like to talk about their faith. She clearly lives it."

"I'll let Dante know that you'll be out of pocket for your doctor's appointment."

"You don't have to do that," Miss Lucille said from the door. "I got right through to Doctor Simone, and she said she can see you after hours tomorrow. Do you mind if I go with you?"

"After hours?" Mama's eyes narrowed as she looked back and forth between Miss Lucille and Sunny. "How'd you manage that?"

Miss Lucille chuckled. "She's very agreeable, and she likes to do extra favors for me."

"That is so sweet … of both of you." Mama gripped Sunny's hand. "So you don't need to call Dante after all." She got up from the table. "I reckon I better turn in now. We have a big day ahead of us."

"I know. Love you." Sunny gave Mama a kiss on the cheek, got up, and went to her room.

As she got her clothes ready for the next day, she thought about how everything had happened and how God had orchestrated every intricate detail of Mama's visit. The urge to call Bethann was overwhelming, so she sat on the edge of her bed and punched Bethann's number on her phone.

"We were just talking about how much fun we had tonight," Bethann said. "Your mama is so sweet. We see where you got your spunky personality."

"Thanks." Sunny took a deep breath and poured out what she'd learned. Bethann listened attentively until she was finished.

"Hold on a sec, okay? I want to tell Judd what you just told me."

Sunny held for about a minute until Bethann came back. "What did Judd say?"

"He told me something I wasn't aware of about my great-aunt. Did you know that she's one of the largest donors to the Oncology Department at the Presbyterian Hospital?"

"I had no idea," Sunny said.

"She must have started giving them money after her treatments. They'll bend over backward to make Aunt Lucille happy." Bethann sighed. "I've known her all my life, but I still learn new stuff about her everyday."

"Thanks for shedding some light on this. Mama and I wondered why the doctor was willing to see her after hours on such short notice."

"I have to run," Bethann said. "Let's talk again soon. I'd like to hear how your mama's appointment goes."

Sunny went to bed concerned about Mama but knowing she'd be in good hands with Miss Lucille's doctor. When she awoke the next morning, she could smell the blended aroma of bacon and coffee. The second she entered the kitchen, a sense of nostalgia washed over her as she saw Mama frying bacon at the stove and Miss Lucille sitting at the table keeping her company.

Mama gestured toward the table. "Hey, sweetie. Biscuits are almost ready to come out of the oven. I'll have the bacon ready in just a sec."

As soon as Sunny poured herself a cup of coffee, she joined Miss Lucille at the table. "My mama's biscuits are the best."

"No doubt," Miss Lucille said. "She certainly knows her way around a kitchen."

"Looks like my daughter arranged everything in the pantry," Mama said. "Everything is just like I have it at home."

A couple of minutes later, all three women were slathering butter and jam on biscuits. Miss Lucille made a bacon-biscuit sandwich. She took one bite and let out a sigh of satisfaction.

"Once Bubba's customers taste your cookin' they'll never want you to leave," Miss Lucille said.

"Speakin' of Bubba's …" Mama turned to Sunny. "What time do you need to be there?"

"Estelle generally gets there for the early breakfast crowd, but we need to leave soon."

Miss Lucille grinned. "I can't believe you just got here, and you're goin' to work already, but it's probably good for you. Just don't forget about your doctor appointment this evening."

"Oh, trust me, I won't forget," Mama said as she picked up her plate and carried it to the sink before glancing over her shoulder at Sunny. "I'll be ready to leave when you are."

"About five minutes," Sunny said. "I need to go brush my teeth and get my purse."

Exactly five minutes later, they were on their way to Bubba's. "I have to pinch myself." Mama smiled. "I can't believe I'm actually here in New York City."

"There's something I need to tell you," Sunny said.

A worried look came over Mama. "Is something wrong? Did I do something?"

"No, you didn't do anything wrong." Sunny took a deep breath and told Mama what she'd learned about Miss Lucille being the biggest donor to the Oncology Department at the hospital. "Apparently, she gives them quite a bit of money every year."

"Well, that explains a lot," Mama said. "I just hope no one thinks I'm trying to take advantage of 'em … especially Miss Lucille."

"She's the one who made the offer."

"True."

As the cab pulled up in front of Bubba's, Sunny gestured toward the entrance. "We're here."

"It's bigger than I thought." Mama got out and spun around, taking in everything around her. "Everything about this place is big."

Sunny laughed. "Just wait until you see the appetites of some of our customers." She made a face. "Talk about big!"

When they walked in, Estelle pulled Sunny off to the side. "I sure hope your mother can cook fast. We're about to have a mutiny. I'm afraid some of these customers have been spoiled by our speedy breakfasts."

Mama obviously overheard because she turned to Estelle and Sunny. "Show me the kitchen, and I'll get right to work."

Within minutes, Mama was helping fill the orders as quickly as they came. She made the dough for another batch of biscuits, lined up the ingredients for omelets, and asked for a copy of the menu to make sure she had everything she needed.

When the breakfast rush ended, Estelle shook her head. "I am not believing what just happened. I don't even think Riley could have done what she did." She shoved her hand in her pocket and pulled out a wad of bills. "These are the best tips I've ever gotten during the breakfast shift."

Mama came out of the kitchen for the first time since they'd arrived. The look on her face was one of pure elation. "That was fun! When do we start setting up for lunch?"

Sunny grabbed a couple of menus—one for lunch and one for dinner—and handed them to Mama. "Soon. We'll have a few breakfast stragglers, but you can rest now and let the other kitchen staff handle it."

Dante walked in shortly after they sat down. He slid into the booth next to Sunny. "I've heard some amazing things, Twila. If you ever want a permanent job here in New York, I'm sure someone in my family can put you to work."

Mama's face turned bright red. "I just might do that, unless Sunny doesn't want me here."

"Of course I want you here." Sunny leaned forward.

"The timing is good." Mama looked directly at Dante. "After losing my job back home, I wasn't sure what I was gonna do." She grinned. "God is definitely in control."

A few customers came in, so Sunny got up to help Estelle get them settled, leaving Mama and Dante chatting about work. Estelle leaned into Sunny. "How do you really feel about your mother being right here?"