Coming Home to Seashell Harbor (Seashell Harbor #1) - Miranda Liasson Page 0,94
Hadley asked. They’d asked Lars to create a special drink for the benefit. Something appropriate for the tropical theme and symbolic of Seashell Harbor. Lucy had taken the assignment and run with it.
Lucy smiled. “This will help take the edge off from dealing with my brother.”
Nick broke out laughing.
“I should’ve said both my brothers,” Lucy said, frowning.
“It’s really pretty,” Hadley said, examining the fancy drink. “What’s in it?”
“Take a sip,” Lucy said proudly.
Cam was ecstatic to see his sister so excited.
“I call it a Tequila Sunset,” Lucy said. “The party is right on the boardwalk, so everyone will be watching the real sunset.”
Cam passed out the food as everyone exclaimed over the drinks. When the meal was finally served, Hadley lifted her fork to her mouth but noticed no one else was taking a bite. “Why aren’t you all eating?”
“Because you’re the guest of honor,” Cam said pointedly. “It matters what you think here.”
Hadley shook her head and laughed. Then she speared a cappellacci with her fork and—Cam had to give her credit—ate it with everyone watching.
“Wow,” she said, chewing slowly. “It’s…incredible. It melts in my mouth. Are there more?”
“There are a lot more,” Angelo said. “It’s a traditional family recipe. We’d be proud to serve it.”
“I’d be proud to have you serve it,” she said, holding up her plate. “Now, may I please have more?”
That’s what Cam was waiting for. He blew out a pent-up breath.
“You can sit down now,” Angelo said to him. “She likes it.”
“There’s nothing like family and food,” Cam said, finally sitting down to dish out some for himself. If only his investors would allow him to serve food like this in his restaurants. But a homemade, fresh recipe like this would be too complicated and time-consuming for a chain.
“I think you were born to serve food like this,” Hadley said. “Cooking food and being with people is your calling.” She speared another bite on her fork. “Hey, you should open a restaurant.”
She was half joking, but her words made him choke up. He did love food—this food. His family’s traditional recipes. Without thinking, he reached over and placed his hand on top of hers on the table.
She sucked in a breath. The only other sound in the room was the baby babbling as she dropped peas on the floor. Everyone else’s eyeballs were focused on what he’d just done.
Which was to show everyone exactly how he felt about Hadley. He’d done it without thinking.
Was she okay about that? Was he? A glance across the table showed her to be carefully watching his next move. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
“Hey, what’s that about?” Nick finally asked.
“Nothing, Nick,” Cam said as he removed his hand. “It’s nothing.” He weighed his options. She might be upset with him if he spilled their secret. But if he stayed silent, she might think he didn’t care enough to tell his family about them. Which was worse?
“But I saw—” Nick seemed to be thinking about it. “Well, that certainly explains that stupid expression you’ve been wearing on your face all day.”
Angelo looked up from his pasta, his fork in midair. “It’s not every day a woman can do that to a man, you know what I’m saying?”
“What, embarrass him?” Nick chuckled.
“No, make him blush,” his dad said wisely.
Nick could barely hold in a belly laugh.
“I hope we can be sisters one day, Hadley,” Lucy said, no doubt just to get Cam’s goat. “Because I’m way too outnumbered around here.”
“I hope you all have had your fun,” Cam said, “but I have to say you’re right. Hadley means a lot to me.” He met her gaze across the table. “I’m really glad you’re here with me to enjoy this great meal.”
As they all dug into the great meal, Cam felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Thankful. He might’ve lost football, but he had his siblings, who would torment him until his last breath, of that he was sure.
And most importantly, he had Hadley, something he’d never dreamed of. He looked up to find her staring at him from across the table. And then she smiled.
He gave her a wink, dug into his plate, and ate the delicious food.
Chapter 24
The night of the gala couldn’t have been more ideal if fairies had sprinkled magical dust to paint the evening sky in hues of salmon and orange and the glassy ocean in deep midnight blues. There was even a full moon over the boardwalk.