Page 3 of Sweet Summertide (Christmas Cove #4)

Theodor buckled his seatbelt across his lap as Alfonso drove away from the station.

He twisted in his seat and peered through the dirty rear window of the cab at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Her long, robin’s egg-blue dress seemed to float on the breeze as she perked up on her toes, waving to another woman walking from the parking lot.

Even from this distance, Holly’s smile was wide enough to shine in the morning sun.

“Alfonso, I think I’m in love,” Theodor said and let the sight of her diminish as they traveled around the street corner. Returning forward, Theodor patted his hands on his knees and let out a shallow breath knowing there was much to do before seeing Holly again later. “How are you?”

“ Buono . Good. But bro,” Alfonso said in his Italian accent and tsked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “The ride was short, no? And you’re in love?”

“I don’t know, there’s something about her. We spent most of the trip trading smiles. I was sitting there hoping for a reason to talk to her, and when I finally did, I made an absolute fool out of myself. I word-vomited and told her things I never say to anyone.”

“What is this word, word-vomit?”

“It’s like when you tell someone way more than you should. Once you start talking, you can’t stop.”

“Ah, si . chiaccchierone .”

Theodor would look that one up later. He knew enough of Alfonso’s native language to make it by in conversation, but not much more.

French, on the other hand, was something they both knew equally poorly, with the majority of their common words being culinary related.

Broken English or not, it was still the best way for them to communicate.

“I can’t wait to get back into a kitchen. You’ll need to get me up to speed for the festival events tonight because …” he looked out the front windshield. “I invited the woman.”

Alfonso clapped his hands together, and Theodor reached over and held the steering wheel true. “Who taught you how to drive, bro?”

“Teach Alfonso? Dominic Toretto.”

“You learned how to drive from watching a movie?” Theodor shook his head. “Of course you did.”

“Vroom, vroom motha-fu?—”

“Just put your hands back on the wheel, will you?”

Alfonso kept his focus forward for the duration, which Theodor appreciated. Today was not a good day to die, not when he had a date. A Date? Is that what it was ? Holly had said yes to him with zero hesitation. Now, heat rose behind his ears, and he rolled down the window for some fresh air.

The ride to the Foundry followed a lonely country road along tree-lined fields and stone walls.

The black, asphalt pavement cut a clean line around each hillside and traveled along a crest with a panoramic view.

This wasn’t his first time in town, but the lush summer foliage made the scenery appear much changed.

Theodor had visited Alfonso in the spring and had fallen in love with the small town. He wasted no time planning a move there. Christmas Cove had felt like home from the moment he stepped foot on the cobblestone main street and dipped his toes in the ice-cold shoreline of the little lake.

Liking the small town was made easier knowing his best friend, Alfonso, was there.

The Italian transplant had become the head chef at the Foundry, a high-end retreat where city dwellers could come and get a taste of the outdoors while staying in luxury accommodations.

The first time he stayed in town, he’d crashed on Alfonso’s sofa.

This time, he had booked a cabin at the Foundry until his place in town was ready to move into.

They parked in an empty spot at the rear of a blackened barn structure that served as the resort’s main gathering space.

Harbour House, as it was called, contained the dining room, a relaxing gathering space in front of a two-story stone fireplace and hearth that would give a medieval castle a run for its money.

Inside, they walked from the service door past a storage area and a very well-equipped gym.

He sucked in his stomach at seeing the line of Peloton bikes along one wall, and the sound of his mother’s voice echoed in his mind.

How can you expect to take care of a spouse if you can’t take care of yourself ? She always thought he was out of shape.

Theodor’s excuse was chocolate. He was in as good physical condition as he’d been in years, but it was true that while juggling law school, culinary school and working all hours at the Champagne Bar at the Plaza, little time remained for other lifestyle improvements.

Working out was easier when he had no one or nothing else taking up his precious time.

Perhaps this change—this place—would be everything he needed to start a new life for himself.

“This way,” Alfonso said and led them to the Cucina , the resort’s dining facility.

“You know I was here a couple months ago, right?” Theodor reminded him as they pushed through the saloon-style kitchen doors. “When I helped with that insane wedding cake?”

“Alfonso no think you could do it,” he laughed.

“I admit, I’d never made chocolate look like a coral reef, but it was a beauty when I was finished with all the pieces.

” The cake, as challenging as it was to create, had made a huge impact on his decision to give up all of his parents’ dreams for him and follow his calling to be a chocolatier.

“Now show me what ingredients you were able to source for me for tonight.”

Alfonso bent down and pulled out a large blue tub, about three feet across and two feet deep, from underneath a long stainless steel work surface.

The way he grunted while lifting it, Theodor expected it to be full of rocks.

Peering inside, it might as well have been stones.

Stacks of raw chocolate bars wrapped in clear cellophane filled the container, and it was no wonder Alfonso had a difficult time lifting it.

“Enough chocolate, no?”

Theodor washed his hands and began unpacking the goods. He organized the bricks into piles on the worktable and began sorting out his recipes in his mind. “How many people are coming?”

“ Cento .”

“Really, a hundred guests?” he repeated to make certain, and Alfonso nodded with a silly grin. “I suppose I’d better get to work. You had better get to making dinner too.”

Alfonso nodded and headed into the walk-in cooler at the far end of the kitchen while Theodor placed the last of his items on the table.

It was apparent that he was underprepared for the event, even though he’d relayed a list of all his supplies to Alfonso, he just hadn’t done a big event like tonight’s before.

There was no time to second guess himself now. A stream of about ten guests flowed through the kitchen door and approached his spot at the center of the space. With smiles all around and eager, wide eyes taking in the stacks of ingredients, he supposed he was meant to do something with them.

“We’re here for our chocolate demonstration,” one of the women said as she hugged close to a tall man.

He put up one finger indicating that they wait a moment. “Alfonso?” he said and chased his friend into the cooler. “What are those people expecting me to do?”

Alfonso poked his head out of the long plastic curtain pieces and drew his head back inside. “Oh. They pay extra for teaching about chocolate.”

“Is that all? You could have mentioned it before now.”

Alfonso shrugged and shoved Theodor back out into the open kitchen space. A white jacket slid up his arms from behind and Alfonso patted him between his shoulder blades. While walking to the guests, Theodor buttoned his chef coat and smoothed the front.

“Tell me, who knows anything about chocolate?” he said and came up with a fast plan to provide an experience they would not soon forget.

The guests were easy to please and seemed happy to learn how to melt chocolate properly. They filled moulds with the creamy mixture and snacked on some fruit, drizzled with the mouth-watering remnants. The afternoon passed quickly, and the satisfied guests departed the kitchen.

Alfonso spent his afternoon tossing pots and pans around.

His cooking style was chaotic and messy compared to Theodor’s.

Theodor took the time, even in its smallest measure, to clean as he went along.

Chocolate was a feisty enough ingredient to work with and required a care and attention to detail that Theodor’s brain was well suited to handle.

He liked things to be orderly. Clean. Predictable.

In the thread of desiring precision, a career in law was an obvious choice, but so was his love for the chemistry and art of chocolate.

He took his time and prepared the dozens of truffles, bars, and morsels for the festival, while Alfonso worked on the dinner offerings.

Each dish included chocolate as a featured ingredient.

“I’m here to help,” Grant, the resort’s manager, said as he walked into the kitchen. “What can I do?”

Theodor bumped elbows with the man, as his hands were busy working a silicon mould off what he hoped would be a big hit with the guests: a rose shaped truffle. “Nice to see you again,” Theodor said.

“I was not surprised when our Alfonso gave me the news that you planned to make the Cove your new home. And I can’t tell you how excited we, here at the Foundry, are to be working with you again,” Grant said.

“I’m glad to be out of the city, that’s for sure.

” He sucked in a deep breath of fresh air.

“I appreciate the help, but I’m actually just waiting for these to set-up properly before arranging them all,” Theodor said as he finished the batch in his hands.

“Actually, I think I’ll get cleaned up in the meantime. I still smell like train, you know?”

“Why don’t I show you to your cabin,” Grant said.

Theodor removed his white coat and hung it on a hook beside the door before throwing his small bag over his shoulder. “I’ll be back in a little, Alfonso,” he shouted into the kitchen. Alfonso’s arm protruded through the door-flaps of the walk-in cooler and waved him off.

“How’s the weather been up here this spring?” Theodore asked Grant as they walked out the front door.

“Much dryer than last year,” Grant chuckled, “but we’ve had enough rain to keep the lake looking good. It should be a fun summer with all the water sports and activities we can do.”

It had been ages since Theodor had been in any body of water other than a pool. Looking past the wide lawn and scattered cabins, the afternoon sun illuminated each tiny ripple and wave on the lake’s surface, and he hoped he could find time to take a dip. “Which one’s mine?”

Grant pointed to the square lodge nearest to the short dock and patted Theodor’s shoulder with his other hand.

Theodor took a step from the concrete pad outside the Harbour House doors to the gravel path and was snatched back.

A golf cart screamed around from the far side of the building and the driver pulled it up right where Theodor’s foot had landed only a second earlier.

The older man, with white hair, tidy and combed behind his ears, and a warm smile shifted to park and came around to Grant with his hand extended.

“Thanks for bringing this around,” Grant said. “I have some things to check on up the hill after I drop Theodor at his cabin.”

“I could have just walked, you know?” Theodor said and shook the old man’s rough hands.

“Pa. It’s nice to meet you,” the man said. “I’ve never met a real chocolatier before. My wife, Carol, can’t wait for your shop to open.”

Theodore was surprised he had a fan already. “How do you know?—”

“Small town. Everyone knows everything about everyone,” Grant said and hopped in the front seat while laughing. “Now let’s go.”

Theodor nodded at Pa and joined Grant in the golf cart, ready to finally get cleaned up for the evening and ready to see the woman from the train again.