Home For June Page 18

  ‘True. And I’m sure he’s always around you... I mean, if you believe that sort of thing.’

  ‘I do,’ he replied. ‘And Mum too. I’ve been cleaning out her house on weekends with Stefan. Not sure what to do with the wedding dresses I brought back but I can’t get rid of them. I think I’ll just store them in honour of her memory.’

  ‘How lovely. I’d love to see them properly. I had a little look when you were showing photos to my mum but didn’t look close enough. Anyway, I don’t have to, only if you... if it’s...’

  Oh man. Here she was, bringing up the past to a grieving man, and asking to see his mother’s wedding dresses.

  ‘Sure. I’ll wait till my hands are clean and show you the photos again. And maybe I’ll show you them for real sometime.’

  Hannah exhaled, relieved that he didn’t seem to be overly affected by her inquisitive nature and suggestions. And as often happened, when an idea or suggestion stood forth in her mind, another usually followed. ‘What about displaying them in the restaurant? In the upstairs section, somewhere they won’t risk getting damaged... or you could have a different one on display each month.’

  Luca’s lips turned downwards with a few slow nods of his head. ‘Hmm, that could be a nice idea. Actually, I thought of something similar, with my father’s chef knives. I’ve never used them, even though he left them to me. I’ve kept them safely stored away in a box, but was thinking of having them displayed in a window box somewhere, maybe in the kitchen itself... not sure it’s a good idea to have sharp implements around the customers. Might create an insurance issue.’

  Hannah nodded, tugging her line and reeling it in to find a small bream attached to the end.

  ‘Oh, well done!’ Luca moved aside as she removed the hook from the fish and placed it into the esky filled with some water. ‘Looks like it’s just over the minimum length to keep.’

  ‘Some dinner for you.’ She smiled.

  ‘Oh not for me, for you. You caught it.’

  ‘I’ll have to catch another one then. Ooh, the pressure is on.’ She attached bait and dropped the line into the water.

  ‘Ten bucks says I beat you to it,’ Luca said.

  ‘Only ten? Twenty.’

  ‘You’re on.’

  They sat and chatted sporadically, eyes focused on the water and hands holding gently but firmly to sense any resistance. They discussed a few minor matters relating to the restaurant, and when discussing staff training for the coming week, Hannah sensed a stronger tug on her line.

  ‘Oooh, I think it’s holding...’ She kneeled and carefully pulled the line, and hanging on the end of it was another bream, much bigger than the first. Pride swelled within and she almost found herself saying ‘Look, Dad!’

  ‘Oh, man!’ Luca shook his head. ‘Nice catch, though, Miss Multitalented.’

  Hannah removed the fish and put it in the esky. ‘I’d say there’s enough dinner for both of us.’ She realised then that it sounded like they should have dinner together. ‘I can give you the bigger one if you like, I don’t mind. I can just take home the smaller one and grill it.’ She gave an indifferent shrug.

  ‘Of course not. I’ll grill them both at Home. As in Restaurant Home. Unless you have to rush back?’

  She shook her head. ‘As long as the animals get fed sometime in the next couple of hours.’

  ‘No problem. Hmm, might even batter these babies up and fry them. Care for some gourmet fish and chips?’

  Her eyes opened wide. ‘Oh, yum. Do you have potatoes in the kitchen or...’

  ‘I do indeed, though a few days old. Was trying out some rosti last Wednesday when you were at the markets.’

  ‘I love rosti. And chips.’

  ‘Then we must have both.’

  She smiled. ‘Luca, you don’t have to keep cooking for me, I’m sure you’ve had enough practice and know what’s going to work for the menu.’

  ‘Yes, but it’s the least I can do, with you helping me out like this when you have so much else going on.’

  ‘You’re paying me for my services, that’s plenty.’

  And I’m getting to satisfy my inner teenager a little, which is a nice bonus.

  ‘Either way, we have fish and it mustn’t go to waste. Fresh is best.’

  ‘If you insist.’ Her stomach grumbled at the thought.

  As he packed up his fishing equipment, Luca said, ‘Thank you. For your company. It was a nice surprise.’ A smile softened his jawline. ‘And I didn’t know you were a runner.’

  Hannah let out a burst of laughter. ‘I didn’t either.’

  He eyed her curiously.

  ‘Spur of the moment thing.’ She shrugged. ‘I’ve walked on the beach, but never run.’

  Yet another one of those things...

  ‘Who would have thought that after twenty years of adulthood, we can still have things we haven’t done in life,’ he said. ‘Like running for example.’

  ‘There are so many possibilities, so many things to try and experience, I bet most people only experience a fraction of what is possible in their lifetime.’

  ‘Hmm.’ He nodded. ‘What do you think you’ve learned most, over the last two decades, Hannah?’

  ‘Learned most? As in, what has life taught me?’

  He nodded and held out his hands to the side. ‘See... fishing makes me philosophical.’

  She looked to the sky to try and retrieve an answer. ‘I would have to say... that life doesn’t always turn out the way you think it will, so sometimes you have to take hold of it more directly and do your best to shape it into what you want it to be.’

  ‘Like a piece of clay.’

  ‘Yes. Metaphorical clay,’ she clarified. ‘What about you?’

  ‘I think I’ve learned that “one day” doesn’t always turn up. You have to decide when your one day will be and make it happen.’

  ‘That’s so true. Similar to mine, in a way.’

  ‘But without the metaphorical lump of clay.’

  ‘Yes.’ She smiled. ‘And your one day is coming up very soon.’

  ‘I can’t wait.’ An excited smile flashed onto his face, and he stood, along with Hannah. ‘So, apart from jogging on the beach, is there any other simple thing you’ve never actually done that you’d like to do? Today?’

  Kiss my teenage crush all over again.

  ‘Umm... nope.’

  ‘C’mon, there has to be something. Something you haven’t learned but would like to, like... surfing?’

  ‘Today? It’s almost dinnertime.’

  ‘Cartwheels?’

  ‘Done them.’

  ‘Handstands?’

  ‘Done.’

  ‘Become a human sandcastle?’

  ‘Ah, I seem to recall having sand piled on top of me when we were all at the beach one day?’ She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

  ‘Ha, just checking that you still remember.’

  Hannah adjusted her bag across her chest and thought of Luca’s kitchen, and of hers, and of her chooks. ‘Actually... there is something. It’s a little embarrassing though.’

  Luca leaned a little closer. ‘Yeah? Well, spill it, HD.’

  ‘Nah, it’s silly.’ She flicked her hand. ‘Not important.’

  ‘Of course it must be if it came to mind. What is it?’

  It wasn’t really much to be embarrassed about, but she still felt awkward with him being a chef and her being a chicken farmer.

  ‘Despite me dealing with hundreds of eggs on a daily basis, I’ve never actually been able to successfully...’

  ‘Successfully what? Collect them all without breaking one?’

  ‘Nope, that’s not it. Poach one. Poach an egg.’

  Luca laughed.

  ‘See? You’re teasing me!’

  He laughed again. ‘No I’m not, I’m laughing because it’s cute that you’re embarrassed about it.’

  ‘Well,’ she said, her cheeks warming up, and her hands starting to take over some of the conver
sation by circling around as her words formed. ‘I’ve done all the tricks, used fresh eggs of course, but all I’ve managed to serve up each time is a sloppy mess.’

  ‘Well we can’t have that! No sloppy messes allowed on my menu.’

  ‘I’m not going to be cooking at your restaurant though.’

  ‘I know, but I can’t possible acquaint myself with someone who serves up a sloppy mess, now, can I?’ He winked. ‘Let’s rectify this situation immediately!’

  ‘Rectify? Situation?’ Her inability to poach eggs was a situation that needed rectifying? ‘It’s fine, it’ll be a waste of time as I’ll just mess it up. I’m happy to continue frying or boiling my eggs, thanks anyway.’

  ‘Forget that,’ Luca said. ‘I’ll teach you right now. And soon you’ll be a pro.’

  She laughed. ‘If you can teach me to poach eggs within no more than thirty minutes, I’ll be very surprised.’

  ‘Prepare to be surprised.’ He did a magician-like flourish of his hands.

  ‘Okey dokey. We’ll see. By the way...’ She put her hands on her hips, straightening up. ‘I think you owe me twenty bucks.’

  ‘Oh yeah.’ He wiped his hands on a rag then slid one hand into his pocket.

  Hannah held out her hand. ‘It’s okay, you don’t really have to pay me. It was just a bit of fun.’

  He took out a twenty-dollar note and folded it into her hand. ‘Take it. I want you to buy something interesting with it. And I don’t mean adding it to your grocery bill or buying petrol.’

  ‘Luca,’

  ‘Uh-uh. It’s yours. I want to find out this week what you bought with it. Or see the evidence firsthand. Something you’ve never bought before.’

  ‘Can it be over twenty dollars in price?’

  He shook his head. ‘Twenty dollars or less, that’s the challenge. It can be one item or two at the most.’

  She sighed her resignation, though secretly keen to see what she could find in the shops. ‘Okaaay. If I must.’ She put the money in her purse.

  ‘Now,’ Luca said. ‘Let’s show you how to poach some eggs!’

  Chapter 22

  He’d probably poached tens of thousands of eggs in his career, Luca thought, as he entered the kitchen and switched on the bright lights. He got out a medium saucepan and took out a carton of eggs that he’d received from Hannah on Friday.

  ‘The fresher the better, as you know,’ he said. ‘In your case, at least for the next few weeks, you can make them straight from chook to table!’

  Hannah offered a nervous smile. ‘Hmm, we’ll see.’

  He’d planned to just fish until he didn’t want to anymore, but her unexpected presence changed all that. And he was hungry. So after the poaching lesson, he would cook up the day’s catch and have an early dinner with her, before getting back to work tomorrow.

  ‘Right,’ he said, putting on an apron.

  She chuckled. ‘You need an apron for egg poaching?’

  He glanced down at his chest. ‘Force of habit.’ He shrugged. ‘Oh well, it’s on now. Want one?’ He gestured to a rack where he’d stored some spare aprons and chef whites.

  ‘Why not. With my sloppy eggs, I’ll be needing it.’

  ‘Ha! Rest assured, you will not get one little bit of egg on your apron. I promise.’

  ‘Okay then, so, we fill about half with water...’ She picked up the pan and filled it.

  ‘Yes, now let me take over from here.’ He nestled in beside her and she stepped slightly to the side. ‘Let’s bring it to boil first.’ He upped the temperature, then grabbed some sea salt and white vinegar. When bubbles formed, he sprinkled some salt into the water, then a tablespoon of vinegar. ‘There are other ways without adding vinegar, but this is the method I prefer.’ He turned the temperature knob. ‘Next we lower the heat, and then we’re going to move the pan to one side so it’s half on and half off the heat.’ He did as he said.

  ‘Oh, I’ve never done that before.’

  ‘It’s the secret,’ he whispered with a smile, leaning towards her a little. ‘See how it’s boiling on one half and forming a current?’

  ‘Uh-huh. I always tried swirling the water instead.’

  ‘Yeah, this way is easier.’ He picked up an egg. ‘You can crack them into a bowl or cup first if you prefer, but I’m just going to...’ He cracked it on the edge of the pan and slid it into the non-boiling half of the water.

  ‘Cool.’

  ‘The current should keep the egg rolling and the vinegar assists in keeping it together. Voila.’

  ‘Okay, so just a few minutes?’

  ‘No more than three or four. Then gently scoop it out.’ After the required time, he lifted the egg from the pan and placed it onto a small plate. ‘One poached egg, just for you.’

  ‘No, you have it. I’m determined to not eat one unless I’ve successfully poached it myself.’

  ‘Awesome.’ He popped most of the egg into his mouth in one go. ‘I’m starved,’ he mumbled.

  ‘And I thought you were going to say, “Here, have half,” at least.’ She laughed.

  He held up his hands. ‘Oops.’

  ‘So, now to put the water back on the boil?’

  ‘Yep, repeat the steps and see how you go.’

  He watched as she waited for it to boil fully and then moved it to one side. She cast a knowing glance his way. ‘It’s the secret you know.’ One corner of her mouth turned upwards.

  ‘Oh really? Uh-huh, uh-huh. Show me more.’ He put on a voice of overt enthusiasm.

  She cracked the egg and was about to put it in the centre when he intervened. ‘Wait... on the non-boiling side.’

  ‘Thanks. Phew, almost stuffed it up.’ She slid the egg in, perhaps a little too carefully as it elongated a bit too much, but the current took hold. ‘Is it working? Did I do it?’

  ‘Wait and see,’ he said. ‘Not too bad.’

  After the cooking time, she lifted it out on the slotted spoon and placed it down, though a few small bits floated in the water still. ‘A little sloppy, but not too bad.’ She used a fork to take a piece, unlike him. Yolk oozed out. ‘Oh, maybe a bit runny?’

  ‘Depends how you like your eggs. You can leave them in a bit longer if you prefer a firmer yolk.’

  She ate her egg and then prepared the pan again. ‘I think I can do better.’

  ‘You can always do better.’

  ‘Gee, thanks,’ she raised her voice slightly.

  ‘I mean, we, us, humans in general, can always do better.’ He winked. ‘You can’t become blasé in the kitchen, it’ll show in your food. A good cook should always strive to learn better ways of working and continue to stimulate their creativity.’

  More words of wisdom from his dad.

  He glanced at the framed picture of the outside view, and wished his dad could see it. Maybe if he displayed his knives next to it, somehow it would be a way of saying, ‘Hey, Dad, check this out! My view. From my restaurant. My new home.’

  By the third egg, Hannah had done it. ‘You have my permission to serve that one,’ he said. ‘Chef-worthy.’ He held up his hand and she high-fived it.

  ‘Yes! How cool.’ She snapped a photo of it on her phone. ‘Facebook-worthy too.’ She held up the fork and it hovered above the egg. ‘Hmm, guess I should share, since I ate the other two.’

  ‘Your egg, your choice.’

  She took a clean fork and sliced the egg in half, giving one to Luca. ‘Bon appétit.’

  ‘Or as we say, se bucura. Enjoy.’ He smiled and slid the egg into his mouth. ‘Mmm, perfect. Well done. See? Within half an hour.’

  She held her arms to the side and shook her head. ‘Yep, you did it. You taught me. And to think I’ve been missing out all these years.’

  ‘You have indeed.’ He eyed her satisfied smile as he flashed one of his own. He felt like somehow, he too had been missing out all these years. Not on poached eggs of course, but on her. Her delightful charm. Her comforting companionship. Her... everything.

&
nbsp; Her smile softened as he found himself leaning closer. Only slightly, then a little more. He wanted that smile to be part of his. He wanted those lips more than her perfectly poached egg.

  Her warm and earthy scent unsteadied him for a moment and he lost sense of space and time, but when she stepped aside reality came hurtling back.

  No, I should not kiss her. Not again.

  ‘Sooo,’ she said, turning away from him and clearing her throat. ‘I believe there is fish to be cooked as well? Should we poach them too?’

  ‘Huh? Oh. Of course, I mean nope. Let’s fry them.’ He bent down to the esky and lifted it to the sink.

  Whoa, a moment of weakness. Get a grip, man.

  Luca spent the rest of their food preparation time trying not to look at her again for fear of not being able to resist pulling her into his arms and feeling her against him, tasting her lips and experiencing the connection and pleasure he had not had for a while and hadn’t realised he was craving.

  They ate their battered, fried fish, and deep-fried chips, with a side of sweet potato rosti and tartare sauce at one of the tables next to the upstairs view, chatting about nothing too deep and meaningful. The grey sky darkened and rain began its descent, dampening the edges of the outdoor deck that weren’t protected by roofing.

  ‘Looks like the main part of the deck will be okay in wet weather,’ he said.

  ‘Unless it gets really windy,’ she replied. ‘Those coastals can be pretty strong up here.’

  ‘I bet.’ He studied the rain as it pelted down. ‘Where is your car parked?’

  ‘Oh,’ she held a hand to her forehead. ‘Way up near Serendipity! I forgot I parked there to go for my spontaneous run.’

  ‘Mine is just near the harbour, not too far. I’ll drive you up there.’

  ‘Thanks. I didn’t even bring my umbrella. See, this is what happens when I’m not prepared, chaos ensues.’ She grinned.

  ‘And sometimes chaos leads to learning a new skill and having an awesome seafood dinner.’ He gestured to their dirty plates.

  ‘Well, that is true. Thank you. It was a nice afternoon,’ she looked at her watch, ‘evening.’

  ‘T’was, my dear.’