Grandpa’s Pick and Mix
Ingredients:
Freshest, juiciest olives you can find (Italian, of course)
Breadsticks
Taralli (Must make with Grandpa one day)
Prosciutto (Always Italian, always buy fresh)
Assortment of cheeses
Salami (See Prosciutto)
What to do:
Plate ingredients on a big silver platter. Guests will not be able to resist. There’s no such thing as too much cheese.
The Amalfi Coast was alight with bright colours. The night sky was a mix of blues, reds and golds. The sound of laughter and people chatting the night away could be heard across the mountains. Amanda had never felt this content before. She let out a sigh. A week ago, she had had to face the hardest thing she had ever had to go through: her grandpa’s funeral. The world had felt dark and cold and the idea of celebrating Christmas, let alone ringing in a New Year without him, had seemed absurd.
But, they had done it. They had managed to have a wonderful Christmas. The warmth of her aunties’ house, the cosiness of the little village, her nanna reunited with her sisters after twenty years, her mum and dad and her own sisters all together – it had been magical.
Together with her family they had celebrated, celebrated the holiday, celebrated new adventures and exciting opportunities and the man they all loved and missed terribly. High in the hills of Orzoro, life had gone on. Of course, it was not the same nor would it ever be again, but together they had found the strength to move forward. Amanda had prepared a beautiful feast alongside her zias. Nanna was happy spending the holidays with her sisters again, after all that time apart, and her best friend in the whole world had been by her side. He wasn’t in San Francisco, he wasn’t four thousand plus miles away, he had been there right beside her through it all.
That very same best friend currently had his arms wrapped tight around her waist and, leaning back in to him, smelling his scent, that bold scent of mint, lemon and a hint of green apple, it felt like heaven. After three years of friendship, she had thought she was going crazy having feelings for Dan, but it turned out Amanda hadn’t been going insane at all and Dan felt the same; much to her relief.
She had been anxious at first. The minute ‘I love you, like really love you,’ had left her lips she had panicked at the thought of kissing Dan, freaked out about ruining the relationship and worried that things would be awkward, but the moment his full and perfect lips touched hers, the worries melted away. Talk about fireworks and fairy tales – it was meant to be. He was hers without a shadow of a doubt and as much as she hated to admit it, her sisters had been right all along. That had been a few days ago and with all the happiness from that Christmas evening, after having such a wonderful day, she and her family decided to extend their Italy trip a while longer to see in the New Year together.
Amanda was so happy they did, as there was a certain charm to Italy during the holidays, as well as all year round. Furthermore, neither she nor Sabrina had to rush back for work, after Sabrina was fired and Amanda had finally decided it was time to take a leap of faith and follow her heart, not just when it came to love but when it came to her passion too. She hadn’t officially told anyone yet, but she had made the phone call just yesterday informing Anthony that she would not be returning to the restaurant.
Though she hated to do it over the phone, Jeff’s recent antics had been the final straw. She liked her boss, Anthony, but she didn’t feel she’d had his support at a time when she needed it most. So, it was done. No more dealing with Jeff and his horrible attitude and disrespect. She was in the market for some property.
‘So, my best girl, apparently Manchester has quite the music scene. I think I’m going to need a sexy tour guide to show me round.’ Hearing Dan’s raspy voice refer to her as sexy didn’t feel strange at all; instead it sent heat waves through her body and she tingled from head to toe. She leant her head back, fitting perfectly into the nook between his collarbone and the base of his neck and remained there for a good minute watching as another wave of fireworks soared into the sky, exploding with a bang of green and silver.
‘Is that so?’ She smiled, turning in to him, her fluffy slipper socks slipping a little on the tiles as she wrapped her arms around his neck. ‘Hmm, OK, under one condition.’ She bit her lip, a flutter of butterflies escaping in her stomach. She was about to tell her plans to the world, because Dan was just that, he was her world.
‘Ooh you have a proposition for me?’ he said, squeezing her tighter, his grey hoodie feeling snuggly. She played with the drawstrings as she took in his features. Amanda could understand his heartthrob status now and wasn’t quite sure how she hadn’t seen it before. His brown eyes were mesmerizing, and his Cupid’s bow was enough to make any girl jealous. She laughed out loud at his statement, rolling her head back, opening herself up to the little kisses he began smothering her neck with. She liked his kisses. She smiled brightly, thinking to herself that this side to their relationship simply fit.
‘Not that kind of proposition,’ she said, pulling away, slightly breathless. She ran a finger along his jawline and bit her lip again. ‘I’ll show you around Manchester, if, while doing so, you help me look for the perfect spot for my restaurant or possibly café – I haven’t quite decided yet, but I have a bunch of ideas in my head. Ooh and you might need to be a blogger boyfriend for a bit too. You can help me with the food shots, not boob shots.’
She laughed as excitement rose in her voice as she thought of dessert menus and the perfect lunch to feed her customers. Whatever she decided, she knew it was going to be homey, where everyone was welcome, and everyone was fed and looked after. As for her blog, she felt a sense of happiness in having a place to write and teach Grandpa’s recipes to the world.
Dan’s eyes lit up with pride. With his hands around her waist he picked Amanda up off the ground and twirled her round. ‘Yes,’ he exclaimed. ‘You know it, baby girl, I’m so proud of you. Of course I will help you look for a place – not sure I can promise to not get distracted with your second request though.’ He put her down, his eyes full of desire, scanning her figure from head to toe, then grabbed her face and planted a firm and happy kiss on her lips.
‘It feels so good to be right hey, Lou?’ Sabrina’s voice snapped Amanda back into the real world. Dan let go of her face slowly and placed an arm around her neck in a protective stance. Amanda wiped at her tingling wet lips and smoothed a hand through her hair, slightly flustered realizing they weren’t the only two on the balcony.
‘It sure does, Brina,’ Louisa responded, clinking her glass of champagne against Sabrina’s and wiggling her eyebrows in Amanda’s direction.
‘There has to be a limit to the number of weeks you can go around bragging about this,’ Amanda said, pointing a finger from herself to Dan as he walked by her side. She walked over to the small table that they had placed on the balcony for the evening’s drinks and treats and surveyed its contents, checking she had remembered to bring everything up.
‘Ooh I don’t know about that. I’m pretty sure I won’t ever get tired of saying “I told you so”,’ Sabrina replied, popping a taralli into her mouth.
Amanda picked up a glass of bubbly and passed it to Dan. When she looked at him there was no stopping the butterflies running wild in her belly. The fairy lights that decorated the balcony gave his brown hair a highlighted golden hue and his skin looked tanned even in the winter. He was truly handsome.
‘You know, now that we’re together and you’re part of the family, you have to stick up for yourself with these two,’ she said, nodding her head in the direction of where her sisters were sitting by the table and sending a mock stern look Dan’s way. ‘Call it brotherly love if you will, but you have to give as good as you get otherwise they will just keep terrorizing you.’ She picked up an olive and piece of fresh mozzarella between her finger and thumb and slowly placed it in her mouth savouring the milky flavour of the soft mozzarella and the sharp hit of vinegar that delighted her taste buds from the olive.
‘It doesn’t seem to be me they are terrorizing, my love,’ Dan said. He had one hand in the pocket of his hoodie, the other holding his champagne glass, and he was studying her, taking in the way she enjoyed her food. When she looked to him, he smiled so cheekily Amanda knew she would be lost to him forever. Out of the corner of her eye, Amanda noticed her sisters clinking glasses once more and helping themselves to the delicious spread she had so lovingly prepared. She would never live this down, she thought, ever.
‘Have we got enough champagne?’ Levi’s booming voice came through the door before he did. He walked onto the balcony with Nanna, Mum, Dad and all the aunties following behind. Luca was the last to make it up the steps, bringing with him a tray that made Amanda’s stomach rumble. Louisa had certainly found herself a keeper. Amanda was going to need a gym membership if she spent any more time around Luca and his out-of-this-world pastries.
Grandpa would be proud Louisa had found herself a man who could cook. Her breath caught at the thought. She moved away from the table and her sisters’ judging glares. Between herself and Luca, her grandpa’s passion for food would certainly live on – she was going to make sure of it. Just then she got another idea, she would possibly be able to import desserts from Luca’s bakery and have specials on the menu every now and again and maybe even vice versa. They could work together providing business for each other.
Grandpa would have thought the idea brilliant, working as one big family, helping others. Furthermore, she wouldn’t mind learning one or two of Luca’s secret family recipes. Despite the fact that she would always be biased and hold her own family’s recipes in high esteem above all else, being able to whip up a batch of Luca’s cinnamon cookies whenever she felt like it couldn’t do any harm.
‘Are you OK, hon?’ her mum asked, walking up to her and taking her hand. Amanda rested her head on her mum’s shoulder and breathed in the comforting scent of peonies and freesias, the notes of her mum’s favourite perfume. The scent had healing properties, she was sure of it. Whenever she felt overwhelmed, sad, lonely or had been away and missed home, she would get out her small bottle of the fragrance and spray a dash on her wrists. It always made her feel comforted and at home.
‘I think so, Mum, just missing him a lot and thinking of ideas. Are you OK?’ she asked, watching the wine swirl around in her glass.
‘I know, sweetheart, I miss him too and yes, yes I’m OK. He’s up there looking after us all. I can feel it,’ Mum said, in a confident whisper. Mum looked beautiful this evening. She always did, but tonight they had all opted for comfort with no need to get glam and attend some extravagant New Year’s party and Mum had on her gorgeous red cashmere jumper, slightly oversized, that the girls had saved up for and bought her a few Christmases ago. It fit her to perfection and brought out the rosy pink flush in her porcelain cheeks.
‘I think he would be laughing at this crazy bunch we’ve got here,’ Amanda replied, tilting her head in the direction of her growing family and putting an arm round her mum.
‘Without a doubt, sweetheart – you girls made him so proud. He loved you all with all he had. Promise me you won’t forget that?’ Mum said, tucking a loose wave back behind Amanda’s ear.
Amanda stood upright and wiped her eyes on Dan’s cardigan, which she had borrowed and was most likely not going to give back. It was way too silky soft and smelt like Dan; then she squeezed her mum’s arms tight. ‘I promise. He will forever be in my heart and mind, Mum, that I guarantee.’
‘Good and I’m looking forward to hearing these ideas, you know …’ Mum started.
‘Would you ladies like a cake?’ interrupted Luca, with an apologetic bow of his head. He really was the most gorgeous specimen. His blue eyes were like honest to goodness sapphires.
‘Dan, you need to start taking cooking classes from this guy right here. He just asked me if I wanted cake, homemade cake, be still my beating heart,’ Amanda shouted across the balcony, making her mum laugh and Luca blush.
Dan wandered over and placed a hand on the small of Amanda’s back. Yes, Luca was ridiculously good-looking and beautifully old-fashioned and a complete and utter gentleman, and though she wouldn’t have thought it possible for someone to rival Luca’s beauty, Dan had him beat with his long hair, muscular frame and delicious pout. Dan released the butterflies in Amanda like no one ever had before and no one else ever would. His knockout good looks and rugged sexiness were an added bonus.
These two men should not be allowed in the same vicinity as each other, she thought, and Levi too. Thinking about it, the whole band were a dangerous bunch. There really should be a law against that many drop-dead gorgeous musicians forming a band; the world didn’t stand a chance. Taking a sip of bubbly and of course, a bite of the crisp, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth sfogliatelle she now had in her hand, she leant in to Dan’s solid chest and let him wrap his hands around her waist. This was slowly becoming her favourite place to be, wrapped in his embrace. She closed her eyes allowing the bubbles to fizz on her tongue, and the citrusy scent of the sfogliatelle to fill her nose.
***
Amanda could feel Dan behind her. He was swaying slightly to the music that was playing through the open bedroom door. Mum had put on one of Grandpa’s favourite CDs to make it feel like a proper New Year’s Eve party. Amanda opened her eyes and blinked. They were fuzzy from the champagne daydream she had momentarily been in. Then she tilted her head and turned round to look at Dan.
Being so close to him sent a shiver down her spine. She didn’t think she would ever get tired of being able to wrap her arms around him whenever she wanted. ‘I love you,’ she whispered in Dan’s ear.
A mischievous grin appeared on his face. He kissed her lightly on the nose. ‘I love you too,’ he said, his voice sounding raspier than usual, his eyes boring into hers as he placed his hands on both her cheeks and leant down, kissing her hard and heavy.
Amanda kissed him back, rising on her tiptoes so she could give just as good as she was getting. As Dan’s tongue teased hers she wondered why it had taken her so long to realize what she had in front of her. She pulled away from him, breathless, ‘All this time,’ she said, hitting him in the chest and staring him down.
Dan smirked and shrugged his shoulders. ‘All this time,’ he said. She couldn’t resist him. She pulled him by his shirt collar, so she could reach him better, and kissed him again with all the passion she had inside her. A part of her thought she had better start listening to her sisters more often – all this time and she had been missing out on his touch.
‘Would you two please get a room!’ Sabrina shouted from the other side of the balcony. Amanda stopped what she was doing, but before she could answer her sister back, Levi lifted Sabrina up in the air and showered her with kisses.
‘It seems Levi got his wish.’ She laughed, taking a break from kissing and resting her head on Dan’s chest. ‘He’s dating my sister after all,’ she said, recalling a conversation she and Levi had had back in San Francisco many moons ago. Levi being the boyish charmer and flirt that he was, had inquired as to whether Amanda had a sister and joked that Amanda should set them up. Looking at them now, Amanda wondered why she ever doubted him.
‘Is Luca the only one here with manners?’ Louisa tutted, looking from Amanda and Dan, to Sabrina and Levi who were still snogging. ‘Sorry, Dad,’ she added. Amanda turned to look at her baby sister. At that moment Luca picked Louisa up and twirled her around, planting a hard kiss on her lips. Amanda tilted her head back and let out a roar of laughter.
‘Mamma mia,’ Nanna exclaimed clapping her hands together as a golden flash of fireworks erupted in the sky and the church bells rang out in the distance, signalling it was the start of a New Year.