“Do I look all right? Do you think we have enough food?”
As he walked past her to answer the door, he gave her a swift kiss. “You grow more beautiful every time I look at you. Happy Valentine’s Day,” he whispered. As brief as the kiss was, Gabe gloried in it. Every kiss, every touch, every time they made love, he thanked God for the blowout on that bus, and for guiding his footsteps to this place.
He’d never thought to be this happy. Instead of roaming the highways and byways, he was a settled down married man with the most perfect wife and delightful daughter on the planet. Tonight, they had more to celebrate and wanted to share the news with their friends.
Gabe opened the door. “Come in out of the cold, Jeff.”
Jeff grinned and handed Gabe a bottle of wine. “Couldn’t wait to see what you’ve done with the place. From the outside it looks great.”
They had had the trim on the brick house repainted, added a new roof that Julie declared unnecessary, and spruced up the yard by adding a line of rugosa roses leading up the sidewalk to the house. They’d be magnificent in the spring.
Jeff took off his heavy coat, handed it to Gabe, and rubbed his hands together. “Where’s Julie? By the fireplace, I hope.”
Just as Jeff headed off to find her, the doorbell rang again. Lynn, Jake, and their daughter, Jackie stood on the doorstep. Lynn’s mom took up the rear and had a bouquet of flowers in hand. “Come in before you freeze,” Gabe said. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to these cold winter Maine days.”
They shed their coats and piled them into Gabe’s arms. “You ladies look magnificent tonight. I’ll be right back. Julie is in the kitchen.”
The women had all worn something red. What was it with them? Even Julie had on a gorgeous red blouse and a long black skirt. She looked great in it.
By the time he got back, the wine had been opened and Julie was filling wine glasses. Julie’s mom, Teresa, came into the room leaning on her cane, with Mia in tow to beside her.
“Can I have a glass, too?”
“You can have a glass of juice, princess.” Gabe laughed and lifted her into his arms. Julie handed him a wine glass, another with orange juice for Mia.
He put her down to take his. “Welcome to our home.”
“It’s gorgeous,” Lynn exclaimed. “Look at this kitchen. It’s huge. Do you plan on having a lot of parties, Gabe?”
“He plans on doing a lot of cooking,” Julie put in as she barely touched the wine glass to her lips before lowering it. “He’s always experimenting with new recipes or new ideas. I swear the man must bake in his sleep.”
Everyone laughed.
Jackie ran her hand down the black granite with swirls of white, gray, and tan mixed in it. “This looks like a piece of art.”
“I love it,” Julie said. She looked at her husband with love in her eyes. “We did argue about it though.”
“Did not.”
“We did. I liked it. You wanted to go with solid black.”
“Regardless, it turned out beautiful with all the new stainless steel appliances. Are the cabinets new?” Lynn asked.
“Just re-stained,” Gabe said. “I have to admit, it’s a great kitchen to work in.”
“What about you, Teresa, how do you like your new home?” Jake asked.
Julie’s mom smiled. “It took a bit of getting used to, but I’ve come to love it. I have my own suite, you know.”
“I know what you mean,” Lynn’s mom put in. “I didn’t think I could ever leave my home, but Jake sweet-talked me into giving it a try. Now I love it. His house is so large if I don’t watch myself I get lost.”
Jake chuckled. “We wanted you with us. You’re the glue that holds us together.”
“What about you, Mia?” Jackie asked. “Do you like your new house?”
Mia ran to Gabe, hugged him around his leg, which was encased in a pair of black slacks. “I love my new daddy, and I love this house. He lets me bake here just like at the shop.”
They laughed again.
“Dinner is ready,” Gabe said. “Why don’t you all be seated in the dining room?”
They filed in with ooh’s and aah’s of admiration. The long cherry wood table had a very modern winter-like centerpiece with a large crystal bowl filled with what looked to be snowballs, red berries dropped here and there amongst them. Next to them were tall crystal candlesticks with red candles.
“You’ve done wonders, Julie,” Lynn exclaimed. “How did you ever have time to do this?”
“Little by little. We’re still not finished.”
Once they were seated and grace was said, Gabe, with Julie’s help, brought in the salads.
Conversation switched from the house to Jake’s job with the FBI, to Jackie’s choice of college.
“Have you made a final decision?” Julie asked.
“It wasn’t easy.” Jackie grinned and glanced at her parents. “Dad said I could go wherever I wanted if he and Mom approved. But I want to stay in Maine. That way I can see them more often. So I’ve settled on Andover.”
“Good choice,” Julie said. “I didn’t like the idea of you moving too far away myself.”
After a dessert that looked amazingly like the Black Forest cake Gabe had baked for Jake a few months earlier was served with fresh whipped cream and decaffeinated coffee, Gabe tapped his glass for attention. Everyone looked his way. “I want to take a minute to thank all of you for welcoming me not only to Lobster Cove, but as a friend.” His gaze went to the sheriff who sat there in her red gown and looked nothing like a sheriff. She winked at him and gave him a quick smile. “I’m a happy man. I have a beautiful wife, a lovely mother-in-law, a gorgeous daughter, and in seven months will welcome another member to our family.”
The room exploded in congratulations and laughter.
Lynn turned to Julie. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Julie smiled. “I almost did. Then thought how much fun it would be to surprise you at the same time we made the big announcement.” She lowered her voice. “Are you ready to be godmother again?”
The two women hugged. Lynn’s eyes watered. So did Julie’s.
Gabe swore he would never understand women. They cried when they were sad, cried when they were happy, even cried at commercials.
He picked Mia up in one arm, drew Julie up from her chair with the other, and put his arm around her waist. “I’m the happiest man in Lobster Cove.” He pecked Julie on the lips. “Maybe in the whole world.”
“I’d have to give you a run for your money on that,” Jake said as he and Jeff rose to offer their congratulations.
Amid much smiling and laughter the women surrounded Julie, all talking a mile a minute.
Gabe didn’t live in a fantasy world. He knew there would be problems along the way. Julie would need help handling the counter. He would need help in the kitchen. But it would all work out.
He looked around at the faces of friends and family. Contentment wrapped him in a warm embrace.
It didn’t get any better than this.
About the Pastries
This book is full of wonderful pastries thanks in part to Pinterest and the Net. Julie’s signature pastry is Mini Blueberry Tarts. The recipe follows. Her customers love them and I hope you will as well.
~*~
Julie’s Blueberry Tarts
For the Crust:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoon sugar
¼ tsp salt
10 tablespoon cold unsalted butter( 1 ¼ stick)
5 to 7 tablespoons ice water
Whisk all dry ingredients in a medium bowl—add the butter and toss until coated.
Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it is reduced to pea-sized pieces.
Drizzle in the water and turn the dough onto a work space.
Shape and roll into five-inch disks—put in refrigerator. (Julie keeps hers in the freezer.)
Wait at least an hour
, then put rolled out disks of pie crust in small 4 or 5” pie or tart pans.
.
For The Filling
1 lb of fresh or fresh frozen blueberries
½ cup sugar (If using sugar substitute—you can use less)
2 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Water
Whipped cream
Mix berries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest, lemon, and salt together in a bowl.
Pile blueberry mixture in the center of the dough and leave a 2” border—fold the edges of the dough over the blueberries leaving a ½” space between the fold of the dough and the edge of the filling. Pleat the dough about every 2” as you go. Make sure there are no rips, as it could spill when baking. Gently push down blueberries until slightly flat.
Brush the pastry edge with water and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they are small and will bake fast.
Remove from oven and let the tart cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.
Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Delicious!
A word about the author...
Mitzi Pool Bridges is a former businesswoman who lives in Texas, has a large family, has traveled extensively, and loves to read and write.
Visit her at:
http://mitzipoolbridges.com
Thank you for purchasing
this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Angel in Disguise Page 15
