Page 14 of Above ’N’ Beyond

Bella shook her head. One bite always led to two, then two to three, and before she knew it, she’d finish the whole darned plate of calories.

Sierra held up a hand. “Don’t look at me like that. One bite, then he’ll make your boring salad for dinner. And for the last time, you don’t need to lose weight.”

Bella groaned. At times, she knew Sierra was right. But one tiny, passive-aggressive comment from her aunt, and any sound reasoning flew right out the window. It had become an insecurity now, hacking away at her self-confidence.

“Hey, Bella! Got something I want you to try.” Through the kitchen window, Lou waved her over. At only five-foot-four, the man was built like a tank and obscured most of the kitchen behind him. Even at this distance, the smile he gave her revealed his gleaming gold incisor.

The front door opened, and Jimmy Santoro walked in.

Adrenaline shot through Bella. The surprise—that must have been what sent a surge of energy thrumming through her blood—apparently showed on her face.

“What?” Jimmy held out his arms. “You did want me to come back. Right?”

“Uh, yeah. I—”

“Get out of here!” Lou bellowed. “Get out!” Lou had spun, his back to them now. Gripping a long-handled wood spoon, he held it over his head and shook it in a menacing gesture.

Jimmy took off, racing through the dining room, heading straight for the kitchen. Bella took off after him. Lou was normally as jolly as Saint Nick. For him to exhibit violence—of any kind—meant whatever was happening in the kitchen was dire.

She ran past the bar and down the short hallway to the kitchen door. Sierra, Lori, and Rebecca crowded in behind her. Pete, the busboy, stood off to one side, covering his mouth with his hand, trying not to laugh. Jimmy leaned against the washing station by the door, stroking his satanic beard and grinning. Lou, on the other hand, looked as angry as she’d ever seen him.

His body shook with rage, his face beet-red as he gripped the spoon like it was a javelin he was about to hurl. Then Bella understood why.

Smack dab in the middle of the stainless-steel prep counter was a plate of what had to be Lou’s new and improved gnocchi Bolognese. Standing on the same counter, with its teeth bared and its face covered in Bolognese sauce, was a tiny dog.

“What is that?” Lori asked.

“I think it’s a dog.” Rebecca peered closer. “It’s so small. Maybe it’s a puppy.”

“You little rat!” Mimicking the dog, Lou bared his teeth. “Nobody invited you. You can’t sneak into my kitchen and steal my food!”

At Lou’s approach, the dog, which couldn’t weigh more than five pounds soaking wet, let out a squealing yip, jumped off the counter, then scampered beneath the bottom shelf stacked with white dinner plates.

“Honey.” Sierra placed a hand on her husband’s back, rubbing in soothing circles. “It’s just hungry.”

Knowing how protective Lou was of the Bistro’s kitchen, Bella understood his fury. To a point. She, too, rested a calming hand on her chef’s arm. “I take it that plate of gnocchi Bolognese was intended for me?”

“It was.” Lou got to his knees, peering under the shelf. “Get out of my kitchen!” He shoved the spoon beneath the ledge, shooing the dog out from its hiding place. It scurried into a corner, its little body shaking.

When Lou lunged again, Bella stopped him, grabbing the spoon from his hand. “Don’t. I’ll deal with the little intruder. Sierra,” she said, nodding to her friend. “Why don’t you take Lou to the bar and pour him a nice big glass of something strong?” Before the entire town heard him bellowing.

“There, there.” Sierra patted her husband’s back, ushering him from the kitchen like a child. A very large child.

Lou threw one last look over his shoulder. “I’ll have to sanitize the entire kitchen because of that little rat.”

She looked at the poor, cowering dog. Bella didn’t know who was shaking more, the dog or Lou.

Jimmy snorted. Lori and Rebecca giggled.

“Pete,” Bella said, turning to the grinning busboy. “Please get that jug of bleach from the storage closet and start wiping down the kitchen. Once I get the dog out of here, you can mop the floor.”

Bella shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “Never a dull moment around here.”

“I can see that.” Jimmy had crossed his arms and was now leaning back casually, as if he’d been enjoying the show. “Need some help?”

“I suppose so.” She took the plate of Bolognese and walked closer to where the dog was now curled into a tight, trembling ball. She knelt about three feet away, and her heart went out to the little beast.

Its coat was filthy, covered in what looked like mud, dirt, and Bolognese sauce. A few blood-engorged ticks stuck out through the dog’s short hair of indeterminate color. Also sticking out were the animal’s ribs. To stand up against someone as hulking and furious as Lou, the poor thing had to be starving.