Chapter 14

Plates clanked against each other as we took generous portions of the different dishes. Grace took the first bite. Her brows lifted in surprise when the flavors of the carprese burst on her tongue.

“Mae, this is absolutely delicious! You mean to tell me you make food like these every day in the restaurant?”

I twirled pasta onto my fork. “Basically, although, I have to say that the food was so much better when my dad was in charge, he had a touch no one could replicate.”

“Why isn’t he running the place anymore?” Benjamin asked as he chewed.

“About two years ago, He had his first heart attack. We…started meds , that sorta thing and uhh… the heart attack triggered a heart failure, and then he got cardiac arrest which scared the living sh-we were terrified.” I laughed sadly. “We made it so that he would stay at home more, get enough rest, so he doesn’t do much nowadays.”

I was such a Debbie Downer. Everyone looked at me with sympathy. My cheeks heated.

“I think he should still cook.