BooksBarbecue
Back Salt and Sugar Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. EPILOGUE
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Pedro sighs. “Larissa, I’ve had a long day, so I really don’t want to waste my evening fighting with you. My friends told me you didn’t believe them, so I just came by to let you know that as president of the cooking club, you’re welcome to join us.”

“What?”

He shrugs, still awkward, like he’s trying to make himself accept his own words. “I’m not going to be the reason someone fails Pimentel’s class. So...go ahead and join the club. Just stay out of my way, okay?”

He nods at me and leaves, headed back to Sugar.

“Stay out of my way!” I shout at his retreating back.

Goose bumps cover my arms, and I realize it’s not only because it’s windy. This could be the solution to my problems with Mom. I could actually learn to cook at the club. I could surprise Mom one day and show her I can help her out at Salt, without causing more problems. Learning to cook could be a real bridge between us.

The only issue is Pedro.

I can’t let him find out I don’t actually know how to cook. But if we stay out of each other’s ways, how hard can hiding my secret be?

16

MONDAY, MAY 2

“You’re late,” Pedro accuses the moment I step into the cafeteria kitchen.

So much for ignoring each other...

The others look up, excited to see me, only for Pedro to yell at them to get back to work.

“What’s going on?” I ask Cintia, who looks overwhelmed when she walks by me on her way out of the kitchen carrying cardboard boxes. Victor is on her heels, carrying a tall stack that makes him lose his balance. I straighten the boxes for him just in time, and he beams a smile at me that gives me warm fuzzies.

“We’re taking these to the bikes,” she says from the cafeteria.

“Bikes?”

Cintia doesn’t have time to explain. I’m turning around to go follow everyone out, but PC grabs me by the shoulders. “Can you keep an eye on that pot of brigadeiro?” He nods at the stove behind me, looking absolutely frantic. “Also, welcome!” he adds brightly on his way out.

I stumble toward the stove in a daze.

“I...can,” I reply to the empty kitchen, and I hate how uncertain I sound.

I stare at the bubbling brigadeiro.

The chocolate paste can be eaten hot out of the pan with a spoon. It can be rolled into a truffle and covered in sprinkles. It can also be used as frosting on cake. But we don’t sell it at Salt—that’s a Sugar recipe in our neighborhood—so I feel like I shouldn’t be near it at all.

I stare at the empty cans of sweetened condensed milk on the counter and I’m already starting to hyperventilate.