hair and looked at her with the closest thing to “fear” she’d ever seen on his handsome face.
“I know this has to be really awful for you,” he said. “But would you please pretend you’re my girlfriend, just for a few weeks? We can break up when our uncles come back from Europe. I’ll go back to Chicago and won’t ever bother you again. And I promise I’ll make it seem like I’m the bad guy so you don’t have to deal with my family’s wrath or resentment if you run into any of them in town.” He paused. “I’d be forever indebted to you, Elizabeth, and in the meantime I’ll work all of your shifts so you can finish your cookbook. I—I own a restaurant. I know how to make really great sandwiches. I can bring lunch over to you on my break. If you’ve got a dog, I can walk him. I do windows. I’ll have Jacques teach me how to make éclairs and—”
“Rob?”
“Yeah?”
“W-Would you please shut up now?”
He clamped his lips together so comically she was seduced into laughing. And then, despite the absolute horrendousness of his idea, she found herself agreeing to “be his girlfriend” (and, yes, coming to family dinners as such) for the month of June.
How did her life get so out-of-control all of a sudden? So bizarre? Oh, that’s right. Roberto Gabinarri came back into town.
“How’s your throat, dear?” his mother asked upon their return. “Did the tea help?”
“Um, y-yes. I-I’m fine.”
“Good. So, where were we when you left?” Alessandra Gabinarri paused and glanced around the table filled with her clan. She smiled with warmth at everyone. “Ah, yes. My son. Don’t you think he should get married soon?”
CHAPTER FOUR
ROB COULDN’T BELIEVE he’d talked Elizabeth Daniels into this. A smart lady like her posing as his girlfriend. Probably the most intelligent female in his high school graduating class. Jeez, she must think he and his family were criminally insane.
But if she did, she didn’t show it.
He watched her from across the table, still holding his breath as she fielded a slew of questions from his mother. Despite her longstanding difficulty speaking, she bravely fought through the stutters and tried to answer diplomatically.
“I-I think m-marriage is only right when two people are r-r-really in l-love.” She glanced at Tony and Maria-Louisa as she spoke these words and, for the first time ever, he felt a surge of something like envy at what his brother had going. The guy was still in love with his wife, and it showed in Tony’s every glimpse at her and at his passel of children.
“But there comes a time when a man needs to settle down,” Mama insisted. “Don’t you want a husband? A house? Children?”
Elizabeth nodded. “S-Sure.”
“See?” His mother raised an eyebrow at him. “Women are smart. They know what they want. It’s men who need to get their act together.”
And at this, shy, sweet Frizzy Lizzy actually snickered. Mama beamed at her.
He didn’t know which Madonna he should pray to tonight, but he was willing to send invocations to them both to keep his dear mother from planning a fall wedding.
Shortly after they devoured one of Mama’s trademark tiramisus, he said it was time to go.
“Elizabeth has a cookbook to write,” he told them, knowing how impressed they’d be by this fact. “And I have the closing shift at Tutti-Frutti to get to.”
“Thanks for the d-delicious dinner.”
Elizabeth’s words were met with a gigantic squeeze from Mama who said, as he knew she would, “You must come every time with Roberto. He will be here tomorrow night, too, and I’m making a big lasagna.” She gestured to show the enormous size of the tray. No exaggeration, either. Mama cooked large. “Please join us.”
His new “girlfriend” stole a look in his direction before saying, “I’d b-be delighted.”
“Fantastico!” And with that promise to hold close, Mama let the two
“I know this has to be really awful for you,” he said. “But would you please pretend you’re my girlfriend, just for a few weeks? We can break up when our uncles come back from Europe. I’ll go back to Chicago and won’t ever bother you again. And I promise I’ll make it seem like I’m the bad guy so you don’t have to deal with my family’s wrath or resentment if you run into any of them in town.” He paused. “I’d be forever indebted to you, Elizabeth, and in the meantime I’ll work all of your shifts so you can finish your cookbook. I—I own a restaurant. I know how to make really great sandwiches. I can bring lunch over to you on my break. If you’ve got a dog, I can walk him. I do windows. I’ll have Jacques teach me how to make éclairs and—”
“Rob?”
“Yeah?”
“W-Would you please shut up now?”
He clamped his lips together so comically she was seduced into laughing. And then, despite the absolute horrendousness of his idea, she found herself agreeing to “be his girlfriend” (and, yes, coming to family dinners as such) for the month of June.
How did her life get so out-of-control all of a sudden? So bizarre? Oh, that’s right. Roberto Gabinarri came back into town.
“How’s your throat, dear?” his mother asked upon their return. “Did the tea help?”
“Um, y-yes. I-I’m fine.”
“Good. So, where were we when you left?” Alessandra Gabinarri paused and glanced around the table filled with her clan. She smiled with warmth at everyone. “Ah, yes. My son. Don’t you think he should get married soon?”
CHAPTER FOUR
ROB COULDN’T BELIEVE he’d talked Elizabeth Daniels into this. A smart lady like her posing as his girlfriend. Probably the most intelligent female in his high school graduating class. Jeez, she must think he and his family were criminally insane.
But if she did, she didn’t show it.
He watched her from across the table, still holding his breath as she fielded a slew of questions from his mother. Despite her longstanding difficulty speaking, she bravely fought through the stutters and tried to answer diplomatically.
“I-I think m-marriage is only right when two people are r-r-really in l-love.” She glanced at Tony and Maria-Louisa as she spoke these words and, for the first time ever, he felt a surge of something like envy at what his brother had going. The guy was still in love with his wife, and it showed in Tony’s every glimpse at her and at his passel of children.
“But there comes a time when a man needs to settle down,” Mama insisted. “Don’t you want a husband? A house? Children?”
Elizabeth nodded. “S-Sure.”
“See?” His mother raised an eyebrow at him. “Women are smart. They know what they want. It’s men who need to get their act together.”
And at this, shy, sweet Frizzy Lizzy actually snickered. Mama beamed at her.
He didn’t know which Madonna he should pray to tonight, but he was willing to send invocations to them both to keep his dear mother from planning a fall wedding.
Shortly after they devoured one of Mama’s trademark tiramisus, he said it was time to go.
“Elizabeth has a cookbook to write,” he told them, knowing how impressed they’d be by this fact. “And I have the closing shift at Tutti-Frutti to get to.”
“Thanks for the d-delicious dinner.”
Elizabeth’s words were met with a gigantic squeeze from Mama who said, as he knew she would, “You must come every time with Roberto. He will be here tomorrow night, too, and I’m making a big lasagna.” She gestured to show the enormous size of the tray. No exaggeration, either. Mama cooked large. “Please join us.”
His new “girlfriend” stole a look in his direction before saying, “I’d b-be delighted.”
“Fantastico!” And with that promise to hold close, Mama let the two
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