WANTED

нормальный (Normal)

Chapter 22

We spent the rest of the day separate and alone with our thoughts.  I slept for a few more hours before getting up and dressed into a pair of jeans and a sweater.  I was thankful that I didn't need his help to get in my clothes.  A sign that the healing process was working.   I guess the doctor was not a quack and my body really needed these past several days to rest.

This morning I let my emotion get the better of me and let my pride cloud my judgment.  I was playing the role of a church mouse who was captured and married by the alley cat.  With my performance this morning, I played anything but the the shy and demure wife of Stefano that I tried to display to the others last night. I was in damage control tonight.  I could only pray that Heather did not share my actions with the ladies. As far as Barsotti was concerned, I need to keep him in check.  He was still my mark and until I deliver him back to his brother, it was all business.  No personal attachment.

I stepped into the living room to find Barsotti fully dressed and holding a bow and arrow. "What are you doing?"

"It's been awhile for me to shoot an bow and arrow.  It is the method that we will be using on the hunt tomorrow.  I need to practice.  I am a skilled hunter, remember." I plopped down in the sofa chair and watch him shooting arrows across the room to his target.  He wasn't bad, if the target is standing still.

"You know whatever you hunting tomorrow, will most definitely be moving?" I snickered at the glare he shot at me.

"I know, but I can't practice on a moving target in here, now can I? Unless you are volunteering?"

"Pass.  You ready to go mingle?" I stood up and went to the closet  by the front door and took out my Uggs and coat.

Barsotti blew out a frustrated sigh and place the weapon on the table. He shrugged on his coat and held the door open for me.  Our journey to the main house was quiet with the only sound of the crunch of the snow under our boots. This time no one rushed to open the door for us.  We enter the house amid the couples laughing and talking in the kitchen.  They all greeted us as we enter the house and we said our hellos.  We put up our coats and joined the couples in the large industrial kitchen. 

Everyone seemed to be prepping something and I thought it was my chance to get to know Emiliano better.  He along with his wife, Ana, Mindy and Tom were chopping up veggies and I made a beeline towards them.  Barsotti was called over to join Karl and Frank on the meat, while Heather and the other ladies were hovering over the stove. I washed my hands and picked up a knife and started chopping up celery.

"Hey Katrina, we got this.  I can't tell you how excited we were to hear that you were a pastry chef.  That is one thing I could not excel in when I went through cooking school. I didn't have the creativity." Mindy  explained as she guided me to another counter where they was all sorts of ingredients and a small refrigetor that held fruits, creams, milk, eggs, and other cold items that could be used for baking.

"You are a chef?"  Of course I knew she was, but the others don't know that we know all of their basic background information.

"Yes. I own a restaurant with my husband, Tom.  We cook traditional down-home southern cuisine and have simple desserts like peach cobbler and sweet potato pie." Mindy smiled as she talked about her restaurant.

"Baking is not that difficult.  I like taking a risk with putting a twist on a traditional dessert.  I would love to bake, but I need some help.  I'm still somewhat restricted on physical activities."

"I will help you."  Emiliano volunteered and came over to join us. Perfect, the man I wanted to talk to.

"Alright, I will leave you two at it." Mindy rejoined the chopping crew and I glance over to see Ana's reaction.