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Rick watched, fascinated by the interplay between the two women. Looking around him, he realized everyone else was entertained, as well.
After that, Chiara proceeded to prepare the cappelletti recipe without another hitch. She chopped more prosciutto, by hand this time, and added it to a shallow pan containing peas, mushrooms and a light cream sauce. With a saucy look, she added a touch of vino from the open wine bottle, and said with a wink, “Do try this at home, but not too much.”
His mother laughed, and then both she and Chiara took more sips from their wineglasses.
Rick couldn’t imagine what they were both thinking, but when Chiara motioned for his father, Serg, to join them from the audience, Rick knew things were only going to get more interesting. His father was a character, but this was the first time Serg had been so public since his stroke.
Rick made to help his father out of his seat, but Serg just batted his hand away.
“Bah!” Serg said, doing a comical rendition of a grumpy old man even though he had the grin of an eager fan.
“I hear Camilla’s husband, Serg, knows his way around wine,” Chiara announced. “Perhaps he can suggest a vintage to pair with my dish.”
“I’d be happy to,” Serg replied as he climbed the two steps to the stage. “It’s not every day that my son brings home a beautiful actress.”
Rick suppressed an embarrassed groan. His and Chiara’s pretend relationship had just gotten a major advertising boost from his father. Odele would be overjoyed.
When Serg reached the stage, he sampled the cappelletti dish from a plate Camilla handed to him. After taking a moment to savor, he declared, “Bianco di Custoza, Verdicchio or Pinot Bianco.”
Chiara beamed. “Thank you so much for the wine suggestions, Serg.”
Serg winked at the audience. “You know I’m Italian, so I suggest Italian wines. I like them on the dry side, but you can pair this dish with a lighter Chardonnay if you like.”
Getting the signal from a producer offscreen, Camilla addressed the camera in order to wrap up the show. “All prossima volta. Till next time, buon appetito.”
As the show’s support staff approached to remove Camilla’s and Chiara’s mics, Serg returned to his seat.
“Good job, Dad,” Rick remarked with a smile. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”
He was still trying to process Chiara’s interaction with his parents on camera. It was like she’d known them forever, it had been so natural.
“Bah!” Serg said, though his expression again belied his grumpiness. “Don’t be jealous I was the one called on stage by a beautiful woman. You’ve got to work it, Rick.”
“And a star is born,” Rick replied with dry humor to his sister, who gave a knowing smile.
“Do you want my autograph?” Serg chortled, picking up his sweater from his seat as Mia moved to help him.
Rick stepped off to the side, and when Chiara approached, minutes later, he remarked, “That was quite a scene-stealing performance.”
“It’s why I’m an in-demand actress.”
She looked sexy in Mia’s designs, and he liked her even more for lending her celebrity to help his family.
“So it was all planned?”
“Planned? Like reading lines?” She shook her head. “No. More like improv and stand-up comedy.”
“It worked.”
“I hope the show’s ratings reflect it.” She shrugged. “Viewers want drama and action. Or maybe I just think that because I’ve been doing too many adventure movies.”
“Hey—” he chucked her under the chin “—that’s how you met a hunky stuntman who’s given you a new lease on life in the press.”
“Oh, yes, the media.” She made a disgruntled sound that he didn’t expect. “Of course, I have to attend to my public persona.”
He tucked his hands in his denim pockets—because the urge to comfort and, even more, get closer to her, was overwhelming. “So who is the real Chiara Feran? Odele mentioned a few details about your childhood and parents.”
She sighed, and there was a flash of pain. “My mother was in some ways a typical stage mother, but in other ways, she wasn’t. She had thwarted dreams of being a star, so she was ambitious for me.”
