The Calendar Brides Read Online Free PDF

things didn’t go as swimmingly with Luigi as she’d imagined. She could travel there and see for herself how things went between them. If they weren’t meant to be, Nona would have a guaranteed return ticket, and wouldn’t lose face before the town. Nobody would have to know she’d secretly gone to Sicily to reconnect with her long-lost love. That part would remain between her and her granddaughters. Including her ghostwriter, Rachel, who would accompany her on her mission as the logical choice.
    The girls would pool their efforts to raise money for Nona’s “research trip.” And, well, if once she’d returned to her homeland she decided to stay…that would be up to her—just as long as she finished her story. Because now that they’d discussed it, the truth was that they wanted it, each and every one of them, to save as a memento. Their main task was raising the cash. They needed to find a product, something to sell. Something that wouldn’t cost too much money to make, but that would be of value to the purchaser. Something useful yet ordinary, the type of household item every family needed. To help keep them organized, all year through. From soccer games to dental appointments, school plays…yes, even the fish fry… If folks needed to know where they had to be and when, first they had to write it down. Record it so they wouldn’t forget or overschedule themselves on the same day. What every well-run home needed was…
    “A calendar!” Rachel gave a happy gasp. “Susan, that’s brilliant!”
    “Are you saying we should make one?” Emma asked.
    Trish eyed them skeptically. “Who uses paper calendars anymore?”
    Zoe’s hand shot up, followed by Jane’s. Rachel waved her arm in the air and Lena nodded. Angie pointed toward the kitchen. “Got one in there.”
    “Yeah,” Jane said. “Bet it’s filled with Zumba dates.”
    “Hush,” Susan told her, before adding, “I keep a paper calendar as well.”
    Tiny said, “I got one for Christmas last year, but I’ve never used it.”
    “Aha! But you got one, didn’t you?” Haley asked. She addressed Susan next. “I’ve got one, too. I mean I’ve got two of them, one in my apartment and the other at the bakery.”
    Claire flipped back her flirty tresses. “Of course, I keep a calendar.” The others often razzed Claire about her high-maintenance hairstyle. She fired right back with self-effacing humor. “Where do you think I keep my salon appointments?”  
    Rachel’s eyes sparkled. “I think that settles it. Almost everyone owns a paper calendar. Even in this modern age.”
    “How would we get one printed?” Trish asked.
    “I know a place online,” Zoe said. Zoe had all sorts of connections on the Internet. She sold her homemade jewelry through an artsy website. “You just upload your photos, and off you go. It’s very cheap.”
    Heads swiveled toward Tiny, who took snapshots for the local paper. She did this as a sideline in addition to her office manager job at a construction company. “You’re good with a camera,” Zoe said. “Plus, you know how to Photoshop.”
    Tiny hesitated. “That’s when I know what I’m supposed to take pictures of. Like fishermen down at the docks.”
    “We’ll need a more interesting topic than that,” Emma said.
    “It would be good to make it fun,” Rachel inserted.
    “And personal,” Claire affirmed.
    “But not too personal,” Bev said.
    “That’s it!” Angie brought her hands to her mouth with a pleased cry.
    “What’s it, Angie?” Haley asked her.
    Angie stuck out her index finger and pointed to them one by one, working her way around the room as she counted out loud. “Don’t you see? There are twelve of us. Twelve! It’s almost like it was preordained!”
    “Are you suggesting we each take a page?” Zoe wondered.
    Emma grimaced. “I don’t think I want to be Photoshopped.”
    “Come on, Emma,” Claire cajoled.
    “Seriously,” Emma said. “I’ve put on, like, twenty