Page 35 of Jude

The scent of fresh espresso hit me as my eyes fell on Sofia.

To my surprise, my chest squeezed at the sight of her.

We’d enjoyed a solid conversation the night before over chores, which I’d appreciated; hell, it’d been fascinating talking to her.

Now, she stood by the stove, the sleeves of her denim jacket rolled up to her elbows.

Bowls of semolina flour, whisked eggs, and a block of fresh ricotta she must have found in the back of mum’s fridge covered the counter.

‘Hey,’ I rasped, leaning on the doorframe and crossing arms over my chest as the rich scent of olive oil and fried dough filled my nostrils. ‘What’d we do to deserve this?’

Sofia glanced up from the cooktop, her eyes steady. ‘You’re helping me. It’s the least I can do to give back.’

She gave a shy, hesitant smile.

The expression transformed her face, lighting up her natural beauty.

My heart lurched as it hit me just how stunning she was.

‘I made panzerotti,’ she continued, gesturing to the sizzling skillet. ‘It’s a specialty from down south, fried dough pockets stuffed with melted cheese and tomatoes. And over here is frittata di pasta; it’s how we use the leftover spaghetti from the night before, whisked with eggs, cheese, and herbs, then pan-fried until golden and crispy.’

‘Sounds good,’ I grunted. ‘Can’t wait to dig in.’

I poured an espresso and sat at the table, my eyes on Sofia as she moved with grace and ease, finishing up the plating.

Minutes later, Kian and Maggie appeared.

‘What’s this?’ Maggie cried out in delight.

‘Seems the birthday treats just keep on coming,’ Kian chimed in with a grin. ‘Thanks Sofia, you shouldn’t have.’

She shot him a shy smile as she placed plates before us.

In no time, we were chowing down in appreciation as Sofia explained where she learned to cook.

‘Like I told Jude last night, after my parents passed, I lived with my cousin Anya and her mother Maria; they run a small food stall in Calabria. I helped them prepare every morning, and I loved it. You had all the right ingredients in your fridge and larder. I hope you don’t mind that I raided them.’

‘Not at all, the breakfast is incredible, honey,’ my mum crowed, squeezing Sofia’s arm. ‘What a lovely gesture.’

It was clear Maggie was enamored with our unexpected guest.

While still wary, I, however, found myself intrigued by Sofia’s selflessness.

It was refreshing to be around a woman who didn’t play victim or mope about her circumstances.

Instead, she was feeding us, which was ace in my book.

We chatted, and somehow the story of how I met Sofia came up.

‘She ran into me in the terminal, and I had to claim she was my wife so that the guards would leave her alone.’

Maggie’s eyes lit up at the revelation.

‘How exciting, maybe Sofia is the one who’ll complete you.’

‘Mum, will you stop trying to marry me off? She does this with every woman who comes near me these days,’ I groaned to Sofia, rolling my eyes.

Kian guffawed at the aghast expression on my face, even as Sofia chuckled.