“I heard you were engaged, but I told Matteo I wouldn’t believe it until I see it and here you are!” Angelo’s uncle’s jovial laugh drew grins from everyone around them. “It’s about time you settled down.” Kara was swept up in a hug by Uncle Luigi which made her laugh despite her nerves, before he set her down on her feet again.
“Zio Luigi, this is my Kara.”
Luigi’s brown eyes were warm and light in color like Angelo’s, and his smile was so bright it lit up the room.
“So, you finally found your ownprincipessa, eh?” Luigi asked.
Angelo tried to hide a bashful look, but Kara saw it. She leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Is this where you get yourprincipessafixation from?”
He threw back his head and laughed. “Maybe, I’ve never really thought about it.” He kissed her temple and turned to Luigi. “Walk me through the banquet menu for the literary gala.”
“Sure.” Luigi turned businesslike, and Kara stepped back to watch Angelo and his uncle get down to business.
The kitchen seemed to come alive with Angelo’s presence. He tasted the sauces, examined cooking meat on the grill, offered his advice on the presentation of a few dishes, and then studied the cream-colored looking menu for the gala. Luigi spoke to him for several minutes and they made some adjustments to the menu before Angelo came back to where she stood at the edge of the kitchens.
He flashed her a rueful smile. “Sorry about taking so long. I just wanted to check with him about the gala banquet dinner.”
“It’s fine,” Kara assured him as held up a bowl of dark chocolate gelato one of the cooks had given her while Angelo was busy. “I really liked seeing you work. This place is so impressive. And this… is to die for.” She licked the last of her gelato from her spoon, and Angelo’s gaze heated as he watched her. Then he cleared his throat and his gaze lifted to her own.
“I’m glad you like it. This is my second home. And that,” he nodded at the empty gelato bowl, “is everyone’s favorite dessert.”
His comfort in the space and his commanding presence in his kitchen group made it so clear he was a natural chef. “That’s wonderful though, to know where you belong, to fit into this world so easily.” She would have given anything in that moment to have a place that felt like hers, a place where she could do something in the world, create something, build something, or contribute to the world in a meaningful way.
Angelo who’d been standing shoulder to shoulder beside her, now turned his back on the kitchen as he focused fully on her. His warm brown eyes held hers for a long moment. “It wasn’t easy in the beginning. I went to a private school, sure—I knew a lot of people in good positions that could help, but convincing anyone to invest in a more traditional Italian restaurant in Chicago, where the deep dish pizza reigns supreme, it was a tough market. I fought for every inch of it. I focused on my values and building it from the ground up—good ingredients, good atmosphere, charity, family. It was worth it because I built my place here, brick by brick, pasta dish by pasta dish. I had to fight for everything. I had to build my place here.”
Kara could hear what he was trying to say.Build a place where you want to belong. Make it your home.
She thought of her own job at the little street corner bodega. Her boss was a decent man. She’d called him after Angelo got shot. He’d given her two weeks off, unpaid of course, but she’d still have a job to go back to. If she stayed.
When they’d finished chatting with most of the cooks in the kitchens, it was time to leave. They passed the dining area. Suddenly the hair on the back of her neck rose. She halted, tensed and Angelo ran into her from behind. He lightly grasped her shoulders.
“Kara?” he whispered. “What’s wrong?”
She scanned the dimly lit restaurant, her eyes focused on each and every single face. Asher stood at the hostess stand, waiting for them. All around them were happy looking families, romantic couples. No one was looking at them except Asher, but her gut screamed at her that she was in danger and sheneverignored that feeling.
“I… I’m not sure. I just feel like someone was staring at me but…” It was a feeling she’d had a few times over the years. That feeling of being watched. She knew better than to ignore thesensation. Her mother had taught her to listen to her instincts, to leave an area immediately if she felt she was being watched.
Asher was at her side in an instant.
“Kara, what’s wrong?” Asher asked but the way he said it was somehow more nuanced than Angelo’s question. It was as though he understood what she was feeling and wanted her to tell him exactly what she sensed.
“I’m being watched,” she whispered to Asher.
“Act casual, Angelo. Put an arm around her shoulders. Head straight for the car I’ll be behind you.”
Angelo casually draped his arm over Kara’s shoulder and kissed the crown of her hair as if it was most natural thing in the world, just as he’d done so often in the last few days. Meanwhile, she was doing everything she could to hide her suddenly shaking hands. They hastily returned to the SUV, and no one said anything until Asher had driven them several blocks away. Then Asher focused his attention on Angelo who sat beside her on the middle row seat.
“Call your uncle and tell them we need the digital video files from the security cameras for the past hour before we entered the restaurant and the next hour after we left.”
Angelo immediately texted his uncle. “Done.”
Asher then spoke to Kara. “Did you recognize anyone in the room when you felt you were being watched?”
“No, my mom taught me to be aware of my surroundings and to never let myself make eye contact for too long, but I got used to watching for faces that were familiar faces that I would see too often. But I didn’t recognize anyone.”
Asher nodded to himself. “I’m not going back to the house just yet. I’m going to take a long way around the city to watch for tails.”
Kara felt like crying and it was so stupid because she wasn’t hurt. She was fine. Nothing had happened. But that fear she’dfinally started to let go of once her father had died was coming back, clogging her throat and crushing her lungs making it hard to breathe.
