“Maria will be fine,” Roberto said. “She had an excellent teacher.”
Alessandra brightened at the compliment. “Thank you. So did I, Roberto, in you and Miguel.”
“We had an excellent student.” Miguel watched his brother pour the last ingredient on Cami’s dessert. He hoped she was going to like it.
“I’ve set up several appointments for locations for us to see in Madrid,” Alessandra said. “All of them are exceptional choices for the new restaurant.”
“I’m sure they are, and we can talk about that later.” Roberto sliced the cake, placing a piece on each of the plates. “Right now, we better get set for dinner.”
“Of course.” She left the kitchen.
He looked at Cami’s dessert with pride. Cooking was in his and Roberto’s blood. Their mother, who they had lost to cancer before they graduated from high school, had been their inspiration. Her recipes were some of the most ordered dishes in the restaurant.
“¿Estás listo, hermano?” Roberto asked him.
“I’m more than ready, brother. Let’s go ask Camille out.”
Chapter Three
Cami looked down at her meal, which was only half-eaten. “So good, but I can’t eat another bite.”
“Me either, though I wish I could.” Toni pushed her plate to the side. “This food is incredible.”
“I told you,” Izzy said. “I would eat here every day if I wasn’t afraid of getting as big as a barn.”
Glancing at the swinging door again, Cami spotted Roberto and Miguel coming back into the dining room, motioning Marcos to follow. They’re walking this direction.
Cami took another sip from her third piña colada, hoping to calm her nerves. Though she was feeling warm, the impact of the drinks had faded quite a bit after eating Roberto and Miguel’s delicious food.
“I hope you enjoyed your meal, ladies,” Roberto said to the three of them, though his eyes never left hers. He and Miguel held three plates with white cake and Marcos had a pot of coffee with cups.
Marcos quickly cleared the lunch plates. “Would any of you like coffee?”
“Yes, please,” Izzy said.
Cami nodded.
“Me, too,” Toni said.
Marcos poured them all coffee and then left.
“Is that what I think it is?” Toni asked, staring at the plates of dessert. “I love tres leches cake.”
“I’m so sorry, señoritas, it is not.” Miguel shook his head. Then a broad smile spread across his handsome face. “This is cinco leches cake.”
“Cinco?” Cami was intrigued and also pleased. She had quite the sweet tooth. “Five kinds of milk? What kind?”
“Yes, five, but the kinds of milk are a secret.” Roberto said in a deep tone that made her giddy. “A special dessert for a special lady. That was one of the words of the day, correct?”
She smiled and nodded. “Don’t you mean three ladies?”
For a split second, he seemed taken aback, which pleased her. But only for a split second. “Yes, for all three of you, but especially for you. That was the other word of the day.”
Miguel placed the plates in front of her and her friends.
Izzy and Toni each took a bite of their cake, and the moans of delight that followed made it clear how much they enjoyed it.
“Cami, what’s the holdup?” Toni asked. “Dive in. This is like heaven on a fork.”