“What do you think?” Evie asked.
Vega took one more bite before she answered, while Corie made a dramatic show of chewing extra slowly. “It’s good!” Vega said. “Ten out of ten would eat again. It’s really good.”
“Could use a little salt,” Corie said before a teasing smile spread across her lips. “I’m messing with you. It’s good, Evie! Are you gonna try it?”
“Oh, I guess I should.” Evie picked up her fork, took a deep breath, and then took a nice healthy bite. “Mmm,” she said, shocking herself. Corie and Vega burst out laughing.
“What?” Evie chuckled a bit herself. She took another bite and another. “It is good.”
“Don’t be so surprised. You know what you’re doing,” Corie said.
“It’s called muscle memory,” Vega added. “You probably don’t remember a lot of things, but your body does. That’s great. With some practice you’ll be cooking on your own in no time.”
“I hope so.” Evie didn’t want to sound too eager, but that was exactly what she wanted to hear. She would get back in a professional kitchen if it was the last thing she did. No stupid head injury was going to stop her.
Miss Leona polished off her own slice, then leaned against the counter. “It was delicious, baby. Almost as good as mine.”
“Thank you.”
“As we go along I’ll share what I know about wine pairings and table settings. Hungry people just want to eat, but presentation matters, especially in your line of work,” Miss Leona said before she motioned to Corie and Vega. “Now you two. Do the dishes.”
Evie helped with the cleanup, and after the kitchen was spotless and the remaining pieces of the frittata were packed away for Lilah whenever she got back from her trip into town, they all sat down to watch cooking shows on Miss Leona’s streaming service. They settled onAnita Bower: Fresh From Home. The meals she created seemed difficult at first, but as Evie followed along, making notes in her head, they didn’t seem impossible. She just needed the ingredients, a little moral support from Miss Leona and her taste testers, and a little faith in herself. Evie could do this.
Halfway through the second episode, where Anita was now preparing a meal of lobster salad, fresh rolls, and these elaborate fudge brownies for her dinner guests, Miss Leona’s cell phone started ringing.
“Oh that’s my son.” Miss Leona left the room, answering the call as she went. A few minutes later she came back. “Evie, baby,” she said from the hallway.
“Yeah.” Evie looked around the side of the couch and saw Miss Leona waving her over. She followed her down to her wing of the house and stepped into what appeared to be Miss Leona’s office. There was a comfy-looking couch and a large desk. Zach wasn’t kidding. This room was also filled with photos and trophies, evidence of Miss Leona’s accomplishments. Evie waited by the door as Miss Leona walked behind her desk. She motioned to a tablet that was resting against an ornate metal stand on the desktop. “My son, Jesse Senior, just wanted to say hello. He’s off starring in a British procedural.”
“Oh, okay.” Evie came around the desk, and sure enough there was Jesse Senior on the screen. She recognized him from his pictures. Evie could see all three of his sons in his features and his broad shoulders. He also had a nicely manicured beard. She just had to pretend to know what a British procedural was.
“Hello, Yvonne.” His voice was deep like Jesse’s, but warmer, like Zach’s.
“Hi, Mr. Pleasant.”
“Heard you’ve had quite the holiday.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Is that Evie?” she heard a woman’s voice say a moment before Mrs. Pleasant appeared over her husband’s shoulder. She was absolutely glamorous in an ivory turtleneck sweater. Her hair was pulled back in a high bun and she was wearing the most stunning shade of red lipstick. Massive diamond earrings hung from her ears. Evie remembered seeing a photo of a younger version of Mrs. Pleasant in an evening gown wearing aMISS CALIFORNIAsash. Now on the screen she looked like she’d barely aged a day. Right when she laid eyes on Evie, her expression seemed to brighten as a smile spread across her face.
“Hello,” Evie managed to get out.
“So glad to have you home,” Mrs. Pleasant said. “Are you enjoying yourself?”
“Um . . .” Evie glanced at Miss Leona. “It’s nice to be here with Miss Leona, yes.”
“And the boys. I’m sure Zach is happy to see you,” Mr. Pleasant added. Something in the way he said his son’s name made Evie’s stomach tense. She had the odd sense that maybe Zach’s parents were the only two people not trying to keep them apart.
“Zach and Jesse have been very helpful and very welcoming. I look forward to spending more time with them both.”
“We’re in Paris right now, but we’ll be back in the States at the end of spring. It would be good to catch up with you,” Mrs. Pleasant said.
“I’d like that.”
“Honey, we should go,” Mrs. Pleasant went on. “We were invited to this over-the-top after-hours dinner party by one of the producers. Too much every which way, but the star has to make an appearance.”
“You two have fun,” Miss Leona said. “We’ll talk soon.”