AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Thirteen
Jenna leanedover Lily and Stella, showing them how to press the dough into muffin tins. They were willing students, earnest and careful, wanting to get everythingperfect.
“We don’t want to make it too thin,” Jenna said. “But we don’t want it too thickeither.”
“How do you know, Mummy?” Lily asked, watching as Jenna rolled a piece of dough between herhands.
“You just feel it, love. And I’ll tell you a secret: it won’t actually hurt anything if it’s too thick or too thin, so have fun.” She turned to the bowl of dried fruit. “And when we’re done getting the dough into the tins, we want to spoon about this much of the fruit into thedough.”
She demonstrated by scooping some of the mixture into one of the mini-pies.
“Let me try,” Lilysaid.
“I think you’re ready,” Jenna said, handing her a spoon and giving another one to Stella. “I’ll be right here if you have anyquestions.”
She watched as they took a tiny handful of dough and rolled it between their palms like Jenna had showed them. They each had a muffin tin, and Jenna watched as they worked the dough into the bottom of the wells, then spooned some of the dried fruit intoit.
“Brilliant,” Jenna said. “Santa Claus is going to be so grateful to have these pies after his work tonight. When we’re done filling them, I’ll show you how to cover them with moredough.”
Confident the girls had everything under control, she sat on one of the chairs at the island and let her eyes travel over the busykitchen.
At one end, Isabel and Sofia were shredding chicken for the tamales that were their contribution to Christmas Eve dinner. Near the stove, Charlotte was basting a ham with, of all things, a can of Coca-Cola. Jenna had been surprised by the “secret” recipe from the refined and elegant Charlotte, but she swore by it, and Jenna couldn’t help beingintrigued.
Angel moved easily among the chaos, prepping side dishes and cutting the sugar cookies that the girls would decorate later to leave with the pies forSanta.
The men had offered to help more than once, but Angel had put them in charge of pre-dinner cocktails and wine for the meal, and Jenna had to admit she was enjoying the abundance of estrogen in thekitchen.
The air was rich with the salty scent of cooking ham, the warm sugar of the cookies fresh from the oven. Angel had put Christmas music on the sound system, and the girls were happily engrossed in theirtasks.
Jenna was feeling content and secure when Nico walked into the kitchen asking for last-minute requests before he and Farrell made a liquorrun.
“Is Christophe still on the phone?” Charlotteasked.
There had been a problem in Paris, and Christophe had retreated to Nico’s study to attend toit.
“As far as I know,” Nicosaid.
Jenna watched his eyes land on Angel, felt the shift in the air as he came toward her, wrapped an arm possessively around her waist. He bent his head to kiss her, oblivious to everything buther.
“Daddy!” Stella said. “Stop kissing Mommy. We’recooking.”
Nico gasped dramatically. “Cooking? That is serious business.” His eyes lingered on Angel as he stepped toward Stella, dropping a kiss on her blonde head. “I’ll get out of your way so you can get back towork.”
He was on his way out of the room when he stopped in his tracks, alarm passing over his features as he looked at Jenna, still sitting at the kitchenisland.
“Jenna?” He hurried toward her, set a strong but gentle hand on her shoulder. “Are you allright?”
She hadn’t realized she wascrying.
She swiped at her tears, feeling foolish, not wanting to alarm him or Farrell, not knowing how to explain her feeling that she and Farrell would never be as secure — as sure — about their lives together as Nico andAngel.
That while she and Farrell would always love each other, would always set each other on fire, they would never want exactly the samething.
Because she knew now that she did want to be married tohim.
Not for the sake of being married but because she adored him. Because she couldn’t imagine her life without him, because it was the only way to tell the world she had chosenhim.
And she wanted him to choose her,too.
