Chapter Four
Maddie
By Thursday,I’d cooked Magda and Chloe Calabrian Pork and Chicken Orzo as I eased into the lasagna meal I planned for Eric. They’d loved both dishes, so I felt pretty sure tonight’s dinner would be a hit. I wanted to impress him and let him know that he hadn't made a mistake by hiring me, despite my complete lack of experience as a personal chef.
There was just one problem.
I'd never made lasagna before in my life. I'd never even eaten lasagna. Not even once. My uncle's restaurant hadn't featured it on the menu and my mother had an irrational hatred of anything with noodles, so I'd never gotten a single chance at experience with it.
Thank God for the internet. Two dozen YouTube videos later, I had a good sense of what a pan of lasagna should look like and exact instructions on how to make it.
Around seven, I set about cooking the lasagna noodles in a pot of boiling water and turned my attention to browning the hamburger meat in a pan on the most impressive gas stove I'd ever seen. Then I put that off to the side and cooked bell pepper, onion, and fresh garlic together before adding the meat to that skillet.
So far, so good.
Next came the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste, along with parsley, oregano, and even more garlic. As the kitchen began to smell of the delicious lasagna sauce, I let it simmer for the time the recipe called for and turned back to making sure the pasta didn't overcook to soggy sheets of droopy noodles.
By the time I was done layering the drained noodles and sauce mixture three times until it all reached the top of the dish, I'd convinced myself I was quite the lasagna wiz. Forty-five minutes in the oven and Eric's favorite Italian meal was ready.
I excitedly cut into the dish and scooped out a piece onto a plate for him as I heard him arrive just before nine. Setting out a basket of bread and a dish of butter, I had everything ready for him when he sat down.
"This looks incredible, Maddie," he said as he picked up his fork. "I'm starving, so this is perfect."
He took a bite and began chewing, but the look on his face said my wonderful lasagna wasn't a hit in his mind. Smiling as he swallowed the forkful, he looked up at me and I instantly knew what I'd done wrong.
The cheese! I'd forgotten to add the ricotta cheese!
"Um, this is different. I've never had lasagna that tastes like this."
I felt like I wanted to fade into the blue dining room wall behind me. My first meal made for him and I'd ruined it.
"I'm so sorry. I forgot the cheese. I can't believe I messed this up. I'm so, so sorry."
Looking down at the floor because I couldn't bear to face him after making such a stupid mistake, I waited for him to tell me I was fired. I deserved it. I'd had a chance to impress him with a meal any idiot could make, and I hadn't been able to do it.
And now I'd lose my position, just as I should.
He said nothing for a few moments, which only made the inevitable all the worse. Too afraid to look up, I stood there waiting to hear him say the words that I hadn't even made it a full meal into my job cooking for him before messing up.
Whatever he chose to say to me, I had it coming.
"It's okay, Maddie," he said in a low voice. "Maybe lasagna isn't your specialty."
Embarrassed, I avoided his gaze and quickly left the room as my emotions threatened to overwhelm me. I didn't need to wait around for him to fire me.
I headed toward my room and quickly began packing my things I'd just put away a few nights before. I couldn't believe how stupid I'd been. This job had never been a good fit for me. Why did I let that DeVille man convince me that I could do this? I wasn't a personal cook. All I'd ever really done at my uncle's restaurant was make desserts.
Whatever I'd wanted to believe, I wasn't the right woman for this position.
After packing my suitcase until it couldn't hold any more clothes, I turned around and saw Eric standing in the doorway. "I'll just send someone to get the rest of my things if you don't want to have your driver bring them to me. Whichever way you want to do it."
He didn't say a word and instead just stared at me as he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button on his shirt. I waited for him to speak, and when he didn't, I moved to push past him so I could escape the awkwardness of standing there not knowing what to say or do.
As I reached him, he slid his arm around my waist and stopped me. "Where are you going?"
I looked up and saw not anger or disappointment in his eyes but something else. Something I'd seen in them that morning in the kitchen.
"I thought I should go. I made a mess of the lasagna, and I figured you were just going to fire me anyway, so I thought I'd make it easy on both of us."