“You know I’m fucking clueless,” she huffed.
“Everyone is fucking clueless until they learn,” I argued.
With an exasperated huff, she asked, “What now?”
“You add your spinach and your cut cherry tomatoes.” This time I put them in the pan. “Now stir.”
As she stirred, I added garlic and the Italian seasoning. “How do we know when it’s done?” she asked.
“You want your spinach to be wilted and the tomatoes cooked.”
Drea’s expression turned panicked. “Seriously? But I have no idea what wilted spinach looks like. Not to mention a cooked tomato.”
When I chuckled, she shot me a hostile look. “Sorry. There’s no reason to lose your shit. I’m here to help, remember.”
“I just don’t like making mistakes.”
“You being a perfectionist doesn’t surprise me.”
“It doesn’t?”
Shaking my head, I replied, “It seems ingrained into most mafia children, especially daughters.”
Drea nodded. “Exactly. You have to look perfect and act perfect, so you can attract the best marriage contract. You can’t weigh too much, but you’re also expected to have curves to please your husband.”
Sticking my foot in my mouth, I said, “You knocked it out of the park in the curves department.”
Drea gasped as the spoon dropped from her fingers to clatter noisily on the side of the pan. I held up my hands. “That just slipped. I’m not used to hanging out with a female I’m not…”
“Fucking?” Drea suggested with a condescending air.
“You make it sound so dirty.”
“Like you’re not a dirty dog,” she muttered as she grabbed a paper towel.
I snorted. “I’ve been called a lot of things, but that’s a first.”
“Cane sproco,” she said, the corners of her lips quirking.
With a wink, I said, “Nice way of driving home the point by saying it in Italian.”
“I thought the translations might differ in Sicilian.”
“Father forced us to learn Italian for business matters.”
“That makes sense.” She flicked her attention back to the pan. “Hey, the spinach looks wilty, I think.”
I laughed. “You’re right. It is.”
“What about the tomatoes?”
“Notice the wrinkly skin?” At her nod, I said, “That’s how you can tell they’re done.”
Her face lit up. “I actually figured it out.”
“Try not to get too cocky. We’re not done yet.”
That fiery look flashed in her eyes. “Fine. What now?”