Page 84 of My Heart Belongs to You

Once everyone’s laughter subsided, I said, “Yes, there is cubanelle pepper in the sauce. It’s something Abuelita did on special occasions.”

My dad smiled at the mention of his mom. I wasn’t sure if everyone else knew she had added the pepper to her sauce. Her special recipes were one of the many things I cherished learning.

“For my tenth birthday, I asked her to make this exact dish.” Starling pointed at the plate, his eyebrows wrinkling. “The moment I tasted the sauce, I was transported back to her house, surrounded by balloons and music. I didn’t know you could cook. Good job, princesa.”

I punched his arm, earning a chuckle from him. “You know good and well I can cook better than you.”

That jab had my brother leaning forward. My parents watched with humored expressions. Raven chewed her food; her eyes bouncing between me and Starling. Sadé shook her head, impervious to our bickering.

“You’re silly.” He waved me off with a scoff.

“We can settle this now. Mom, Dad…. Whose food is better? Brie & Bordeaux or Cubanelle?”

My parents looked at each other, silently communicating with just their eyes. From my periphery, I caught the camerawoman coming closer. I held my smile although a wave of discomfort washed over me.

“Well,” my mom said with a smile. “Both of you are excellent chefs.”

“That wasn’t the question,” Starling replied.

My dad chuckled. “This is like asking who our favorite child is.”

“In that case, it’s Starling,” Raven said with an eyeroll.

I laughed then scanned the dining room. Servers milled about; people were eating, laughing, and enjoying the atmosphere I curated. Adrienne and people from my sommelier prep course were uncorking their third bottle of wine. I smiled, taking pride in seeing my friends enjoying themselves. When my gaze landed on Nadir, I sucked in a breath.

“I need to check on the rest of the guests.” Looking at the producers who were a few tables away, I gestured toward my mic. They nodded and called for their audio person to remove it. Cameras were down during the change, giving me a chance to exhale.

Starling stood and hugged me. “Seriously, the food is great and drinks too.”

“Aw, you couldn’t have said that on camera?”

“No,” he said plainly.

I laughed then squeezed him once more. Afterward, I stopped by the kitchen to see if Nadir’s table had anything in the queue. As suspected, there were orders for sea bass, bacalaítos, and ceviche. Once the dishes were ready, I carried them to their table. Summer, Shiloh, Marquis, and Nadir smiled as I neared them. Shiloh and Marquis sipped their signature cocktails while Summer enjoyed a mocktail. Nadir whirled wine around his glass, earning a smile from me. I appreciated him selecting the wine we paired with the ceviche.

After putting the plates down and clearing the old ones, I prepared to leave. I wanted to stay and chat, but also needed to make sure the kitchen ran smoothly. Gia did a great job of keeping the chart updated, but a few servers were struggling with efficiency. Nadir’s hand on my wrist stopped my racing mind, and for a second, my heart too.

“You’re doing great, Goldie.”

I simpered. “Thanks, my darling.”

“And everything is so yummy. Can I get something to-go?” Summer’s request made me scowl.

“You can have anything you want, mama.”

She did a little dance that made everyone laugh.

“The fritters are so good, Robyn. Like I'm addicted to them already,” Shiloh told me while reaching for the dish. Marquis leaned forward, retrieving the plate for her. “Marq loves the sea bass,” she said before taking a bite.

Marq leaned back and rubbed his stomach. “That hint of spice was just enough to hit the spot. Taj is going to be pissed he missed out.”

Ryder and Taj couldn’t make it tonight on account of them working at the shop. I planned to give Summer enough food for them, but only the items I didn’t mind being reheated. Some dishes, like the sea bass, were best enjoyed fresh off the fire.

With my hand over my heart, I dipped my chin. “I’m so happy you all love the food. I hate to leave, but I need to check on the team.”

Shiloh motioned for me to go. “We didn’t mean to keep you.”

On my way back toward the kitchen, I caught up with Khalil and the rest of the team from The Gazette. He was mid-chew when I stopped by their table. A simple thumbs up from him was enough to satisfy me.