Page 25 of Claimed By the Enforcer

“Don’t tell me they are keeping her another day. Is she okay?”

“She’s fine and no, they aren’t keeping her another day. Apparently Bianca’s sister has become very ill, and she called to let me know that she’s not going to be able to come in today. Lucia is away visiting family for the rest of the week which, unfortunately, leaves no one to prepare the special dinner you had planned.”

“Oh, no,” I whined.

“Mia has no idea that there even was a dinner planned so I figured it was best to just go on with things as they are. I can order dinner and have one of the drivers pick it up.”

“Nonsense. Mia’s been living on hospital food for days. She deserves a good home-cooked meal tonight. I’ll cook it.”

“I thought you said good,” Teo teased.

“And it will be. I’ve learned a thing or two over the years. I may not be a great cook, but I can get by.”

“Really? You? Cook?”

“Sure. I can read and follow instructions. I graduated from law school. How hard could it be?”

“I don’t know...”

“Teo, I’m doing this.”

“Fine. We have to wait on final approval from the doctor, then they will have to get paperwork together...you know how these things go so we will probably be home around six-thirty or seven.”

“Perfect. That will give me plenty of time to go to the store and get everything that we will need for dinner.”

“Are you sure you won’t let me just pick something up on the way home?”

“No. Not another word about something so absurd. I am cooking dinner.”

“I thought you said no more absurdities?”

“Teo,” I scolded.

“Okay, little sister. I’ll see you around seven.”

And with that, he ended the call. I went into the kitchen and pulled out Bianca’s cookbook, searching for classic dinner recipes that didn’t look too complicated.

“I am a Harvard graduate. I should be able to do this.”

“Talking to yourself, Ms. Harvard graduate?” Luca’s unexpected intrusion made me jump and I dropped the cookbook on the floor.

He walked farther into the kitchen and knelt down to pick it up for me with only a slight wince to hint at the aches and pains I was sure he still felt from the fight the day before.

“Didn’t mean to startle you. What are you doing with this?” He turned the book over in his hands before I finally plucked it from his grasp.

“Bianca and Lucia are both out today and we had a plan to give Mia a nice home-cooked dinner her first night back from the hospital.”

“And you are going to cook it?” Luca raised an eyebrow skeptically.

“As a matter of fact, yes, I am.”

He let out a loud burst of laughter before covering his mouth, and I glared at him. “Sorry, but the idea of you cooking is hilarious.”

“I can cook.”

“What can you cook?”

“I’m smart. I can follow instructions.”

---