Four Weddings and a Swamp Boat Tour - Erin Nicholas Page 0,45

she stirred a big spoon through one of the huge pots she had bubbling on the stove. Whatever it was smelled divine.

“I don’t have many talents,” Paige told her. That was actually true. She knew a little about bookkeeping for her business. She knew yoga. She knew cats. She knew vegetarian cooking. She knew… nope, that was about it.

“Everyone has talents.” Cora bent and pulled the oven door open, checking on two different pans she had inside.

“I don’t know if I have valuable talents,” Paige amended.

Cora gave her a sweet smile. “Value is relative. A gold watch to someone who already has one isn’t worth as much as a hot meal is to someone who hasn’t had one in a week.”

Paige blinked at her. Well, that was… very wise.

“Maybe I can help in here.”

She looked around. She’d been cooking for herself for years. She’d told her family she wanted to be a vegetarian at age ten. Her mother had said that she would make her a meatless lasagna on lasagna night, but if it was meatloaf night, she wasn’t making a second meal. She didn’t have time for that. They’d agreed Paige would make peanut butter and jelly on those nights and that she’d have to slowly learn to cook for herself.

She knew her way around a kitchen and lots of herbs and spices and ways to modify recipes. Surely that could be helpful in a restaurant. Okay, maybe it could be helpful in a restaurant.

“I cook with a lot of meat,” Cora warned.

Paige nodded. “I understand. I won’t lecture the customers.” She smiled. “Much. Maybe family. People who haven’t eaten meatless dishes don’t realize how good they can be. Maybe I can convince them to try a few things.”

Cora laughed. “I will enjoy watching you try.”

Paige grinned as she took her empty plate to the sink to wash. “Well, maybe I can help with dishes at least or something.” She dunked her plate into the soapy water. And immediately felt a sharp sting. “Ouch!” She jerked her hand back.

Blood was already running from the cut on her index finger.

“Oh, fuck.” Cora hurried to her side. “I have knives in there. I’m sorry.”

Paige shook her head. “It’s not your fault.”

Cora took her hand and headed to another sink. It was a sink that you’d find in a home bathroom rather than the huge stainless-steel restaurant kitchen sink. Cora ran her finger under the water and soaped it. Then she handed Paige a clean towel. “Here, press on it. I’ll be right back.”

Paige grimaced as she pressed against the cut.

Cora crossed the kitchen to a tall free-standing pantry with glass doors. It had several shelves that were full of little bottles and jars. She looked them over and selected one from a higher shelf, then also grabbed a box of bandages. She came back to Paige, unscrewing the top of the jar.

The salve inside was yellow. Cora dipped some out on her finger. “Let me see it.”

Paige peeled the towel back. The cut was only lightly oozing now. It was about two inches long and ran down the outside of her index finger.

Cora made a little clucking noise and then touched the salve to the wound. It smelled lemony. “Rub that in.

Paige did as Cora unwrapped a bandage.

“What’s the salve?” Paige asked.

“Oh, one of my homemade concoctions.” Cora held the jar up.

The label read SHIT, THAT HURTS!

Paige grinned. “You made it?”

Cora nodded as she applied the bandage. “Calendula flower infused oil with beeswax and lemon essential oil. The mixture acts as a—”

“Natural antiseptic and will keep the skin soft as it heals,” Paige filled in with a smile. “I love it.”

Cora then surprised Paige by kissing the tip of her finger and pressing it to the top of the bandage too. Paige smiled. That was something her own grandmother would have done.

Things weren’t that different here in Autre after all.

“You know essential oils?” Cora asked, returning to her cabinet to store the jar and bandages.

“I do. And calendulas. I make a similar salve. I use helichrysum oil though.”

Cora now looked impressed. “I’ve used that as well.”

“Where do you get your calendula flowers?” Paige asked. If there was a place nearby that sold flowers and herbs that could be used in some of her favorite “concoctions,” as Cora called them, she’d have to check it out. Maybe she and Mitch could make it one of their Saturday dates.

But Cora grinned and crossed to another door off the kitchen, motioning Paige with her.