With a Twist (41 page)
Natalie felt slightly
dazed at the reception as she and Quinn made the rounds of the tables, thanking everyone for coming. For obvious reasons, they’d seated the bar regulars together. Mrs. Colgan told them that when she married her husband, “His family hissed at me as I walked up the aisle because they thought I wasn’t good enough for him.” The Mouth began pontificating on the sanctity of marriage, until he finally noticed Quinn’s eyes were glazing over and he hushed up with a mumbled apology. PJ Leary stared glumly into his whiskey. The Major sat quietly next to PJ, taking it all in.
“Thanks for letting them come,” said Quinn gratefully.
“You were right: they’re family. Kind of like the crazy relatives you can’t avoid but whom you love anyway.”
“Precisely.”
They made their way to their seats at the family table where all the O’Briens sat, along with Anthony and Vivi. Natalie was surprised when she sat down but Quinn remained standing, signaling for the band to stop playing. The tent fell silent as all eyes turned to Quinn. “I just want to thank all of you for coming to share in what’s the happiest day in my life. But there’s someone I love who couldn’t be here with us today, and whose absence is keenly felt: my brother, Liam.” He paused a moment, obviously choked up. Then he held his champagne flute high.
“A toast to my brother. To Liam!”
“To Liam!” everyone echoed, as the band resumed playing.
Quinn took a sip of champagne, sitting down as he wiped a small tear from his eye. His parents and sisters were crying openly.
“That was beautiful,
chere
,” said Natalie, moved.
Quinn looked distraught. “I wish to hell he was here.”
“I know. But he’s here in spirit.”
His father patted his shoulder. “She’s right, son. And what matters is that he’s safe for now.”
“I pray to God he’s home soon,” said Quinn’s mother, “but your father’s right.” She clapped her hands together lightly. “No more sad thoughts now, everybody. This is a happy day. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”
“Agreed,” said Quinn. He put his arm around Natalie, pulling her close. “This truly is the happiest day of my life,” he murmured.
“Me, too.”
Natalie snuggled against him. She’d found a good man, a loving man, the right man.
Her dream had finally come true.
Recipes Inspired by
With a Twist
8 medium potatoes
1 cup whole milk
5 tablespoons butter
One bunch scallions or green onions, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Peel and cube potatoes. Boil in salted water until tender.
Drain and mash slightly. In a small pan, heat milk and butter until butter is melted. Add chopped scallions. Fold into potato mixture until well blended. Potatoes will still be somewhat lumpy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
¼
cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½
cup butter
1 to 1½ cup seedless raisins
Caraway seeds to taste
1⅓ cups buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix and sift flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in raisins and caraway seeds. In another bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, and baking soda. Beat this second mixture with a fork. Stir second mixture into first until well blended. Form the dough into a round loaf and put it on a baking sheet. Bake forty-five to fifty minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. (Note: some people prefer to make the bread in a large, greased loaf pan.)
Go ahead. Try ...
Just a Taste
By New York Times bestselling author Deirdre Martin
Since his wife’s untimely death, Anthony Dante has thrown himself into his cooking, making his restaurant, Dante’s, a Brooklyn institution. So far, his biggest problem has been keeping his brother, the retired hockey star, out of the kitchen. But now, a mademoiselle is invading his turf.
Stunning Vivi Robitaille can’t wait to showcase her taste-bud-tingling recipes in her brand new bistro, Vivi’s. Her only problem is an arrogant Italian chef across the street who actually thinks he’s competition.
The table is set for a culinary war—until things start getting spicy outside of the kitchen ...
M300T0109
It’s a...
Total Rush
Free spirit Gemma Dante wishes her love life were going as well as her New Age business. So she casts a spell to catch her Mr. Right. But when the cosmic wires get crossed, into her life walks a clean-cut fireman who’s anything but her type.
Sean Kennealy doesn’t know what to make of his pretty neighbor who burns incense. He only knows that being near her sparks a fire in him that even the guys at Ladder 29, Engine 31 can’t put out.
From
New
York Times Bestselling Author Deirdre Martin
penguin.com
M205T0209
THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP
Published by the Penguin Group
Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA
Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa
Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Publisher’s Note: The recipes contained in this book are to be followed exactly as written. The publisher is not responsible for your specific health or allergy needs that may require medical supervision. The publisher is not responsible for any adverse reactions to the recipes contained in this book.
WITH A TWIST
A Berkley Sensation Book / published by arrangement with the author
PRINTING HISTORY Berkley Sensation mass-market edition / May 2009
Copyright © 2009 by Deirdre Martin.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.
eISBN : 978-1-101-04752-1
BERKLEY® SENSATION Berkley Sensation Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. BERKLEY® SENSATION and the “B” design are trademarks of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.