Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters Collection Read Online Free PDF Page A

naturally disastrous hair. “Nice nickname, huh?”
    “No wonder you insist on being called Elizabeth.”
    She grinned. “Yeah, well. Anyway, I know that was all a long time ago, but there’s just something about Rob that gets to me. In one sense, we practically grew up next door to each other, but the reality is that I’ve always been worlds away from him. I know Uncle Siegfried must’ve thought having someone else to help with the shop would be a relief for me, but he should’ve known better. He knows darn well how self-conscious I am.”
    “Maybe Pauly insisted and Siegfried couldn’t say no. Rob is Pauly’s nephew, after all. And,” Gretchen added gently, “Rob is reputed to be a pretty successful businessman.”
    “Oh, I know. But can I help it if I want to avoid him as much as possible? Maybe someday I’ll be calm and capable enough not to get so tongue-tied around him. But that day is not today. Or tomorrow, for that matter.”
    Gretchen rubbed her temples, a sign she was in deep thought. “After your uncle dropped this bomb on you, you called and told me you were going to make up a schedule, right? One that Nick, Jacques and I could help you with. Did you do it?”
    “Yes. And I purposely planned my shifts so I’d work with any one of you except for him. I’m not working with him, Gretchen.”
    “Okay, okay. Not a problem.” She laughed. “You say he talks a lot? I hope you stuck him with Nick as often as possible. That boy could talk the ears off of corn. The two of them ought to cancel each other out.”
    Elizabeth had to agree. “I don’t even remember what I wrote anymore, except that Rob and I are at opposite ends of the day. I made sure I worked around all of your busiest times, though. Nick’s got his brother’s restaurant during the day—”
    “Ah, yes. Jason the spanakopita god. Nick’s learning from the best. I never thought I’d come to love spinach but…mmm.”
    “I know. And Jacques has the bakery in the morning.”
    “That man’s talent amazes me. And his accent makes me giddy, although not nearly as giddy as those incredible fig cookies he makes. You know, he told me he puts a teaspoon of—”
    “Gretchen! Stay with me here. And you have to work at Chocolate Heaven every afternoon, right?”
    “That’s true.”
    “So the general plan should work. I scheduled myself to do the opening shift and the next one. Rob has to do a midday shift and also close the shop.”
    “So, see, you can avoid him.”
    Elizabeth sighed. “Maybe, but the problem is that twenty-four hours are nowhere near enough time for everything I have to do. Whether I open or close, I’ve got a ton of writing left to finish for this cookbook. My deadline’s August first. And some recipes need to be rewritten. Camden has to fly out here to shoot the pictures. I want to make sure my best friends—” she squeezed Gretchen’s arm, “get their creations highlighted in the book in a way that makes sense…”
    “Just stop worrying. Nick and Jacques will be there tomorrow morning, too. Between the four of us, we’ll put the Hot Italian in his place and figure out a way to get you some quality writing time. Okay, um, Lizzy?” her blond friend said with a saucy grin.
    “Oh, don’t you start.” She gave Gretchen a light smack. But she felt better already. Thank God for true friends. Especially friends who could make such wicked things with chocolate.
    She grabbed one last truffle then closed the box.
     
    * * * * *
     
    TEN A.M. Tutti-Frutti time. And they were all assembled at the ice cream parlor. Except for Rob.
    “I can’t wait to meet the infamous Roberto Gabinarri. The guy was amazing on the football field,” Nick declared, fingering his black sideburns and looking especially Greek this morning.
    Elizabeth marveled at the twenty-two-year-old’s classic features. Turn him into marble and prop him up by the Parthenon. No one would suspect he didn’t belong there.
    “He was a legend you