Second Chance Cafe (14 page)

Chapter 19

I
sabella pulled into the Redeemer Community Church parking lot and stepped out of her car. She looked back as Ethan climbed out of the passenger side.

“Are you okay?” she asked, and Ethan scowled.

“I’m not an invalid, Isabella Romano.”

“I know, but you need to let me know if you start hurting. I can take you back home. It’s only been about two weeks since your surgery, Ethan.”

“I’m okay for now. I promise to tell you if I’m in pain.” Ethan reached for her hand and they walked into the church together. This time Isa waved back at the people she recognized and didn’t hesitate when it came to smiling and greeting the people around her. She sat next to Ethan.

“So do you feel at home yet?” Ethan asked as the music began to play.

Home? Home with you?

“What do you mean?” Isa asked.

He nudged her shoulder. “You once told me you liked my church. I’m wondering if you’re ready to make it your church, too.”

Oh, that.

She nodded with a shy smile. “You don’t mind, right?”

“It’s
church,
Isa. The more, the merrier, you know? That’s the general rule.” Ethan tightened his grip around her hand. “But I’ll be pretty disappointed if you don’t promise to sit next to me every Sunday.”

“We’ll see,” Isa said with intentional nonchalance, and Ethan smiled. The worship music swelled, and they stood with the crowd. That thirsty feeling came back over her. The desire to be filled up. The music, the message the pastor shared, the community around her—Ethan was right. She
was
beginning to feel at home at Redeemer Community Church.

Father, maybe I don’t want to lose this thirsty feeling. Maybe I want to keep feeling it. I think it means I’m desperate for more of You. I’ve pushed You away for so long.... Now I want You back.
Isa blinked at the realization. The music surrounded her and her hands lifted up in worship. Her eyes closed and she felt a sense of being found.

I wondered why I felt like I was waiting for someone else, Father, even after I met Ethan. But it’s not about Ethan, is it? It’s about You and me. I was waiting to feel Your presence again. And all along, You were waiting for me to come back to You.

In that moment, despite the fact that the congregation was singing a song that Isa had sung many times before, she felt as though a new song was born inside her.

“Isa?”

Isa looked over at Ethan. He’d leaned down close and spoken into her ear. She hadn’t realized she was crying.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

She wiped her tears and nodded. “Everything’s
really,
really good, Ethan.”

He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer to him as worship ended and they sat down together.

After church services, the two of them went to Mandy and Leo’s home for lunch. Isa held Tony in her arms while Mandy and Leo cleared the table. Tony had fallen asleep, so Isa carried him upstairs. Once he was in his crib, she walked through the kitchen, stopping to refill her glass of lemonade. She could hear Leo talking with Ethan in the dining room. Isa paused for a moment.

“So how is recovery coming along, Ethan? I know it can be discouraging—starting over with therapy.”

“I
was
discouraged at first. But the truth is that Isa’s positive spirit really bolsters me. She’s always reminding me that God’s with me. She’s always telling me that I’ll get through this, that I’ll get stronger. She helps me keep a good perspective.”

Isa couldn’t move.

“Isa’s an encourager. With all that’s happened with my dad, my family relies on her so much. She keeps calm. She manages to stay positive. She’s made a huge difference for my parents and for me as we’ve gone through this experience with my dad’s health.”

“She’s certainly made all the difference in my life over the last few months.”

“Isa!” Isa heard Mandy call her name. Isa walked to the dining room. “Could you bring out the blueberry cobbler?” Mandy asked.

“Of course,” Isa answered, disappearing back into the kitchen. Ethan’s words kept replaying through her head as she grabbed dessert. She took the pan of cobbler to the dining room, stopping for a moment to take in the sight of Ethan sitting with Mandy and Leo, laughing and talking. He gave her an easy smile.

Everything about their relationship felt like love. Looking at that easy smile of his, hearing him talk about her in such a way that made her feel treasured, seeing him so comfortable with her family, knowing that her return to church had a lot to do with Ethan’s simple invitation—Isa knew she loved Ethan. And she knew instinctively that this kind of love was meant to last. She just needed to hear Ethan say the words.

* * *

Monday morning Ethan went to therapy and then decided to stop by the café for lunch. Isa had insisted he wait a few days before coming in. She’d nicely told him she needed a couple of days on her own with the staff. He knew she really wanted to get a handle on running the place without the added pressure of having him over her shoulder every minute.

He was pleased to see that at noon most of the tables were occupied by customers. Caleb stood at the counter, picking up an order to go.

“Hey! Long time no see. How’re you doing, man?” Caleb asked.

Ethan nodded. “All right. Therapy isn’t easy, but I’m determined to follow the doctor’s orders and heal properly this time.”

“I’m sure you will,” Caleb said. “We still miss you at the fire station, bro. And Isabella’s doing a great job over here. I’ve been over several times and the food tastes just as good as ever. In fact, I think her meat loaf might be better than yours.”

Ethan grinned. “I wouldn’t doubt it. I think I’ll sit down and order a plate.”

“I’ve gotta get back to the house,” Caleb said, nodding toward the fire station. “Why don’t you come by after you leave here? Everybody would love to see you.”

“I might do that. See you, Caleb.”

Ethan took a seat and waited for a waitress, browsing the menu he knew by heart.

“What can I get you?”

He looked up, shocked to see someone he hadn’t hired. He cocked his head to the side and tried to remember where he’d seen her before. She looked so much like Isabella that he knew they had to be related.

“I’m Angelina,” she said with a smile. “Isabella’s cousin.”

“Oh, right! Um, hi. Are you…working here now?”

She laughed. “No. I’m a manager at Romano’s. One of the waitresses here called in sick this morning and Isa couldn’t find anyone to replace her. She called Leo and he sent me over to help out.”

“Wow, well, thanks for that.”

“Having relatives in the restaurant business can come in handy, you know?” she said with a wink.

Ethan smiled good-naturedly. “Absolutely. I’ll keep that in mind. I’d like to order the meat-loaf sandwich. But don’t tell Isa it’s for me, okay?”

Angelina shook her head. “Sorry, pal. I’m a Romano. I know where my loyalties lie.”

They both laughed as she walked toward the kitchen.

After finishing his meal, he had to admit that Caleb was right. Isa’s meat-loaf sandwich tasted delicious. He could tell intuitively that she’d tweaked the recipe. The thought made him smile.

She’s putting her mark on this place.

Ethan waited until the dining room was nearly empty before going into the kitchen. He leaned against the counter while Isa wiped down the surface.

“So how does it feel to be working at a restaurant again, Isa? Be honest.”

She tossed the dish towel in a basket to be washed and pulled out a barstool to sit on, then reached for a plate of food on the large kitchen island. “I told Mark to save me a plate from lunch,” she said as she pulled off the plastic wrap. “I’m going to go ahead and tell you that you were right—I’m a huge fan of this white-bean chicken chili. Actually, with the weather turning a bit colder these days, everyone seems to be a fan of this chili.”

Ethan pulled up a stool next to her. “Are you avoiding my question?”

She shook her head as she took a generous bite. He waited patiently.

“It’s actually been better than I thought,” she answered after a moment. “I forgot how much fun it can be working with a kitchen like this at my fingertips. And I haven’t experienced the adrenaline boost of a lunchtime rush in a long time. And there’s something else that I like about working here.”

“What’s that?” Ethan pressed.

“I’m the boss.”

Ethan sat back and let out a belly laugh. “How did I not anticipate that?”

She shrugged. “I’m used to working with my dad or Leo. And while I wouldn’t say they
ever
were able to boss me around, I had to work a lot harder for my voice to be heard.”

“Well, Caleb tells me your meat-loaf sandwich is better than mine.”

Isa looked sheepish. “I made a few tweaks.”

Ethan pretended to be annoyed. “Are we going to fight over every recipe now?”

“Only if you insist,” Isa quipped back at him.

Ethan kissed her before she could say another word.

“No fair! No kissing while arguing,” Isa said after a moment.

Ethan didn’t budge. He just leaned close to her.

“Isa, thank you for running my café while I can’t,” he said in a soft voice.

Isa touched Ethan’s face. “I’m glad to do it. And really, I’m enjoying the work. I think I’m rediscovering my love for cooking. In fact, I know I am.”

“Speaking of discovery, I’ve discovered that I love you, Isabella Romano.”

Ethan wished he could somehow capture the stunned look on Isa’s face.

Isa’s lips curved into a full smile. She kissed Ethan’s cheek.

“I loved you first.”

Chapter 20

“T
hings are looking good, Ethan,” Keira said as she hooked up his heat and stem treatment.

Ethan wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. “I can feel myself getting stronger. But to be honest, I’m still worried. The strength I need to perform my duties as a firefighter—well, I know I’m not there yet.”

Isaac walked over to where Ethan was lying on a cot. “You’ve had six weeks of treatment, Ethan. And while we’ve seen a lot of progress, it’s reasonable to think you’ll need more time before you can handle the weight and physical demands of being a firefighter. That doesn’t mean you won’t get there. It only means you’re going to need a little more time to strengthen your core and prepare for going back to work. We’ll transition you to physical training to help you get ready.”

“But you do think I will be able to do it eventually?” Ethan needed confirmation.

“The X-ray you had last week came back with good results. The surgery was successful. Isaac thinks you’re ready to go back to work in another week or so. We’ll start you off with light duty for a couple of months, but you’ll be back at the station. That is what you want, right?”

“Yeah, I’ve really missed it,” Ethan answered.

“After maybe eight weeks, you’ll probably have to take a physical test to see if you can handle that aspect before you’re cleared for full duty. It’s one step at a time, Ethan. You’ll get there.”

“For the first time since the accident, I actually believe I’ll be back on the truck. That’s a good thing.”

“What about your café?” Keira asked.

“I hope to do both,” Ethan told her. “I really enjoy working at the café, as well, and of course, I want it to be successful. If it’s too much for me to manage the café and continue to run shifts, I may look into shifting to more of a volunteer position with the fire department. And I may have to hire another cook for the café once Isa takes on more hours at the hospital. I’m just not sure yet.”

Once his heat and stem treatment ended, Ethan grabbed his duffel bag and headed out the door. He stopped by the fire station to discuss his options with the chief now that his X-rays had come back positive and his therapy was soon ending. After meeting with the chief and setting a date for returning to the station on light duty, Ethan sat down to have lunch with the guys.

He had a plan, and he needed their help.

* * *

Isa stretched and then downed half a bottle of water before turning her attention back to the club sandwich she needed to create. The Second Chance Café’s kitchen felt like her home away from home now. She finished plating the sandwich, checked on the soup of the day—French onion—pulled another meat loaf from one of the ovens and then tossed the Asian chicken salad with sesame dressing.

She tried not to feel sad about the fact that Ethan was returning to the café.

In all honesty, she was thrilled Ethan was doing so much better. She just wasn’t sure she wanted to leave the café.

“The cake’s ready, right, Isa?” Mark asked.

“It’s in the cooler, but we should go ahead and set it out,” Isa told him. Isa had planned a surprise “Welcome back, Ethan!” party for after closing. Company 51 had promised to come over, barring no emergency calls, of course. Ethan was supposedly picking Isa up for dinner and a movie, but instead they would celebrate his good news regarding his recovery.

The minute Mark flipped the Open sign to Closed, Isa’s parents walked through the door, followed soon by Mandy and Leo and Maggie and José. The waitresses, Jenny and Kelly, wasted no time in bringing in balloons and hanging a banner they’d made. Isa brought out the cake.

Company 51 barreled into the café and the noise level skyrocketed. Isa kept an eye on the street, watching for Ethan’s truck.

“He’s here, you guys! Quiet down!” she yelled out. The room hushed, but as Ethan walked through the door, a loud rousing chorus of “Welcome back, Ethan!” filled the dining room. Ethan paused, placing his hand over his heart as though in shock, a wide smile on his face.

Isa served cake while Ethan made the rounds, saying hello to everyone. She looked out at the dining room filled with people, noise and laughter.

Family, friends, good food—there’s something special about this café. I’m going to miss it so much.

“It’s a lovely café, Isabella.”

Isa looked at the table behind her, where her father sat smiling.

“Thanks, Dad. I mean, it’s not mine, you know.”

“I know,” he said.

She grabbed the coffeepot and refilled her father’s cup, then sat down next to him.

“You’re looking well, Dad. It’s amazing how far you’ve come since the surgery.”

“I’m so thankful to God,” he said.

“Me too,” Isa whispered.

Her father tasted the cake in front of him.

“Did you make this?” he asked, and she nodded.

“I made an almond vanilla filling. I think it goes well with the buttercream frosting. You made something similar for mom’s birthday several years ago.” She waited for her father’s assessment.

“It’s very good, Isabella. I like it. So you did learn a thing or two in my kitchen, eh?” he said with a chuckle.

Isa grinned. “I suppose I did.”

“How do you like running a kitchen?” her father asked.

“I’m a little embarrassed to say I’m loving it when I’ve given you and Leo so much grief over the years.”

Her father chuckled. “It’s all about finding your place, Isa, finding where
you
belong. What about nursing?” he asked gently, lowering his voice.

Isa sighed and looked at Ethan across the room. “I’m ready for a change, Dad. Admitting that sort of scares me. But I’m ready for a break from nursing.”

“I heard Ethan’s looking for a permanent cook,” her father said.

Isa shook her head with a sad smile. “He hasn’t asked me.”

Her father didn’t answer for a moment. “Maybe it’s time you asked him.”

Isa watched Ethan laugh loudly over by the firefighters. He caught her gaze across the room and winked at her.

“I think he’s the one, Dad. I can picture my life with Ethan.”

Her father nodded. “Then it’s time to say yes, Isabella. It would be my privilege to walk you down the aisle.”

Isa’s eyes welled with tears. The fact that her dad
could
walk her down the aisle was an idea she’d given up on.

“He hasn’t asked me, Dad. But if he does, I will take you up on that.”

Her father leaned over and kissed the side of her head.

The sound of a loud siren across the street caused every firefighter in the room to jump to his feet. Emergency time. The guys filed outside quickly. Isa looked for Ethan but he must have walked outside with the guys.

“Isabella Romano!”

She froze in place at the sound of her name being yelled through a loudspeaker. She rushed outside with her family right behind her. Ethan stood in front of the Company 51 fire truck, with the guys of Company 51 flanking him.

“What’s going on?” Isa asked, bewildered.

Ethan raised the loudspeaker microphone to his lips.

“I’m asking you to marry me.” The words echoed through the parking lots of the café and the fire department.

Isa froze. Every eye was on her. Her jaw dropped and she covered her mouth with her hands.

“Well?” Ethan shouted with a grin. “Will you marry me?”

Isa lowered her hands, her smile widening and her whole body trembling. “Yes.”

Every firefighter yelled in unison, “What was that?”

Isa laughed. “Yes!” she yelled. Cheers erupted and Isa cried.

Abundant life, Father. Thank You.

* * *

Ethan dropped the microphone and ran to where Isa stood. He cupped her face in his hands and sealed their moment with a kiss. Isa’s family and the guys of Company 51 applauded.

Looking down at Isa and hearing the exuberant shouts of their family and friends surrounding them in front of the Second Chance Café, Ethan’s heart filled. An unfamiliar sense of family came over him. He welcomed the sensation.

“So I was wondering,” Isa began. “I heard you’re looking for a permanent cook for the café.”

Ethan’s eyes widened. “Are you interested?”

“I might be. We need to talk salary, though. I want a raise.”

Ethan laughed. He had a feeling that life with Isa would be one filled with more joy than he could ever have imagined.

“What’s mine is yours, Isabella Romano,” Ethan said before leaning down for another kiss.

* * * * *