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The kitchen counter was cleared, and a variety of salads and bread appeared before Rafaelle opened the oven and brought out a huge casserole dish of lasagna to the counter. The scent of the spices and tomatoes filled the kitchen with the most delicious aroma. Sage’s mouth started to water, and she realized how hungry she was.
The kids were called for dinner, and Ricky immediately found his way to Sage’s side. She placed her arm around his shoulders. “Are you having fun?”
He nodded eagerly. “When do we get to bake cookies?” he asked.
“After dinner,” Ethan answered. “Mom feeds us all first, so no one is tempted to eat the dough.”
“Clever woman,” Sage replied, and shared a smile with Ethan.
They were all standing around the table with folded hands to pray when the door from the garage that led into the kitchen opened.
“You’re late,” Rafaelle told her husband.
“Sorry, love,” he said, coming to join them. He placed his arms around his wife’s waist and kissed her cheek. “But not too late for dinner, I see.”
“We’re just about to pray,” Mason informed his father.
“Then you can ask the blessing,” his father returned.
Everyone lowered their heads, even the children. Mason said a few simple words of thanksgiving and then chaos broke loose. Plates were handed out and a lengthy line formed as the family progressed down the buffet line. Rafaelle stood behind the counter and sliced up the lasagna, cutting each section and setting it on the plates.
Everyone talked at once, but no one seemed to mind, least of all Sage. Ricky joined the other children at the kitchen table. They were halfway through the meal when Ethan’s father seemed to notice Sage for the first time.
“Who do we have here?” he asked, pointing his fork in Sage’s direction.
“Dad,” Ethan said, “this is my friend, Sage Madison.”
“Friend,” his father repeated, raising his thick brows as if to question the term. “I believe that’s what Maria said when she brought Tony to dinner the first time.”
“Walt,” his mother warned, “don’t embarrass Sage. She’s Ethan’s friend.”
“I don’t mean to embarrass anyone,” Walt insisted. “I’m just saying that it seems when someone new arrives for dinner and is introduced as a friend, that friend ends up being part of the family.”
Sage hid a smile.
“I’m simply cutting to the chase,” Walt continued. “It might be premature to say welcome to the family, but that’s invariably what happens. Isn’t that right, Ethan?”
Chapter Ten
Sage lowered her head, but not before she saw Ethan stare at his father with the look of a deer in headlights.
“Walt,” Rafaelle chastised, “you’re embarrassing our son.”
“The boy needs a push,” his father insisted, ignoring the pleading look from Ethan. “First girl he’s brought home, and he tries to pass her off as a friend. You think I don’t have eyes in my head? I see the way he looks at her. Ethan is smitten, and I say it’s about time.”
“Dad, stop.” The outburst came from Ethan’s sister, Maria. “It isn’t only Ethan you’re embarrassing.”
Walt Cornwell had the good sense to snap his mouth closed when he seemed to notice that Sage had her head down, avoiding eye contact. What no one seemed to notice was that Sage was smiling.
“I apologize on my husband’s behalf,” Rafaelle said.
Just then Ricky left the kids’ table and wandered into the dining room. He must have overheard the conversation, because he came to stand between Sage and Ethan.
“Are you going to marry my auntie Sage?” he asked, looking as pleased as could be.
“Ah…” Ethan appeared to be tongue-tied.
Sage noticed how pale he’d become.
