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This dish was entirely vegetarian, with a ricotta and spinach filling as the base. For additional flavor, I added sun-dried tomatoes, minced artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers. Knowing Sophie’s love for cheese, I’d sourced some delightful pecorino romano and mozzarella to add depth to the filling. For those who enjoyed an additional kick, I’d made an olio di peperoncino to dribble across the crust. For one of the monthly themed weekends, I planned to go full Italian, but for now, this was a way to incorporate my mother into my cooking.
All in all, I felt that I had a fresh, fun twist on traditional dishes that wouldn’t take people too far outside their comfort zones. I also had a zesty side salad, an elegant leek soup, and two dessert offerings: cinnamon-flavored Scottish tablet, and Cranachan, a dessert featuring raspberry, whisky, and cream.
“This is so fun, and it all sounds delicious. It’s nice to have something different here,” Shona said, smiling up at me. “I honestly can’t decide which dish I’ll get.”
“Well, if all goes well, you’ll have plenty of time to try them all.”
“Even better. Agnes, can I get your help with the flowers?” Shona looked up as Agnes returned.
“Of course.” Agnes shot me a look and gave me a little shake of her head before shrugging her shoulders. I guess Brice had not made himself known.
“I can spare ten minutes to help too,” I said, dusting my hands off on a towel and stepping outside to where Shona’s van was parked. The women chattered around me as my mind was on thoughts of tonight.
Munroe was coming, and he was bringing investors with him. Apparently, when wind of his new distillery had gotten out, a few major players had asked about joining up with him and creating something much larger than just a distillery on the land he was close to signing on. We’d spoken about it, at great length the night before, and I had felt really honored when Munroe had taken the time to listen to my opinions. While maybe I didn’t know the ins and outs of running a big business, I did know what common people liked. And some of what these investors were floating past him did not, to me, feel like what was on brand with Munroe’s company. They were talking about a VIP gin experience, where people could travel over and stay at a five-star hotel and get certified in gin making. That kind of thing. It was a far cry from Munroe’s home gin-flavoring kits, and I wondered what else the investors would try to entice him with. They’d been introduced to him by the real estate agent, and from my understanding, the property with the auld mill was the frontrunner for the location. Munroe hadn’t made that part known yet, swearing me to secrecy, as he knew that such a choice in a small town would bring too many opinions for him to make a clear decision.
A part of me wished he wasn’t bringing fancy people to dinner tonight, as I really wanted the soft opening to be just friends, but the entire event had grown past what I wanted the minute that Hilda and Archie had started inviting people. And they were all so helpful, it was hard for me to say no in the face of their enthusiasm.
“This…God, this feels magical, doesn’t it?” I said, holding a hand to my stomach as I stared at the newly decorated space. What had once been a dusty, cavernous hall had been transformed into an intimate and welcoming space.
Obviously, the guests wouldn’t be entering through the kitchen, so Munroe’s team of tradesmen had helped me create a beautiful reception lounge on the other side of the hall. Two large double doors—large as in at least fifteen feet tall–were propped open to encourage the light breeze. To buffer the space, and along with Shona’s help, we’d created two walls of greenery on both ends of the hall. The first wall separated the lounge area from the restaurant, and the second wall hid the door to the kitchen and allowed a space for the servers to prep silverware, fold napkins, and take a moment to catch their breath but not be underfoot in the kitchen.
The day after the men had cleared out much of the miscellaneous furniture, I’d sat down on the bare floor in the middle of the hall and had really looked at the space. Although I’d already had the instinct to leave the room uncluttered and open to the natural beauty of the rough stone walls and thick wood beams, giving myself time to sit quietly in the space had solidified that decision. Now, the greenery added a lovely element to the stone and the wood, and we’d strung teeny-tiny, delicate fairy lights among the leaves, giving the room a soft glow. Each table had candles, and simple, yet elegant, vases holding thistles with a mixture of greens. The whole space was earthy, elemental, and not too fussy. It was a place where anyone would feel comfortable dining, and the backdrop would allow my food to shine.
Pleased, I checked the time. My staff would be arriving shortly and once we started prep, I wouldn’t likely look up from work again for hours. Anticipation shivered inside me, along with what I now realized was likely my power. I could do this. No, Iwoulddo this, and it would be magickal. In every manner possible.
“Ladies, thank you. This place looks incredible,” I said, raising my hands in the air as Shona and Agnes finished prepping the tables. “I have to—”
“Take a moment to appreciate everything you’ve accomplished?” Munroe’s words behind me caused a different, and very appreciative hum, to tremble through me. My ladyparts were very happy these days.
As was I.
Although we were still so new as a couple, I could genuinely say that Munroe was turning out to be a person that I hadn’t known I’d needed in my life. Delightfully nerdy, innately shy, and decadently naughty in the bedroom, the contrast of who Munroe was as a person was keeping me intrigued, enlightened, and satiated. I was becoming more comfortable with him, and I thought we were starting to establish an easy rhythm between both of our hectic work schedules.
“Congratulations, Lia,” Sophie said, and I turned to find her, with Lachlan, Munroe, Hilda, and Archie clustered around her. Lachlan held a large vase of flowers and Munroe had a small giftbox in his hand. “We’re all so proud of you, and we can’t wait to taste everything you’ve created tonight. I know we still have a ways to go on our journey together, but at the very least, this is one challenge you’ve well accomplished.” I understood that Sophie was tempering her words because Shona was present. The challenges for the Stone of Truth still weighed on me. We’d determined that the gold band that had appeared in my knife after creating a spell for Catriona had been a challenge passed, but since then, no other gold bands had appeared. I had to pass three, and though I’d been consumed with getting the restaurant up and running, the challenges were never far from my mind. In fact, I’d even tried a few other quick spells from the book, for example a tea to ease a headache, but no gold band had appeared in my knife. I was guessing the Stone required more than me just dabbling in magick, but I couldn’t just walk around Loren Brae asking if someone needed me to cook something to heal them, could I? While patience wasn’t a strong suit of mine, Hilda had cautioned me to be prepared, but judicious in my use of magick.
Therefore, the challenges had fallen to the side while I’d readied the restaurant. Catriona wandered in from the kitchen and joined them.
“You guys didn’t have to do this,” I said, walking toward the group.
“Flowers are from your family,” Archie said.
“They are?” I gasped, my heart twisting. It was hard for me to not have them here for this moment, to share in something so important to me. While I’d never had an opportunity of a soft opening at Suzette’s, I had been able to cook for them there, free of charge, as a birthday gift from Suzette to me. It had been one of the best nights of my life, showcasing for my family what I could create, and I still remembered the awe on their faces as they’d looked around the fancy restaurant that I helmed. Reaching, I tapped the thistle locket my mother had given me.They were with me, and I made a mental note to call them after the night was done to tell them everything. “That’s so sweet of them.”
“Your mother is lovely,” Hilda said, coming over to give me a quick hug. “We had a grand chat on the phone while I helped her pick out the flowers. I do hope we’ll get them out here to visit at some point.”
“I do as well,” I said, though I knew it would be tricky for them financially. “Maybe one day they’ll be able to swing it.”
“There’s time enough for that.” Hilda patted my arm.
I caught Munroe pressing a kiss to Catriona’s cheek and narrowed my eyes at the flirting granny. She grinned at me and gave me a wink.
“Catriona, we discussed this,” I said, professing annoyance as I moved to stand in front of them.
“As I said, I can’t help it if he flirts with me.” Catriona shrugged and fluffed her short hair. “You’ll have to have that talk with your young man.”
“What’s this about?” Munroe looked between the two of us.
“Catriona is a hussy, that’s what,” I said, raising an eyebrow at the woman. “She’s trying to steal my man.”
