Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters Collection by Violet Duke Read Free Book Online Page B

their bread. Sammie was still hiccupping. Camilla and her mother were giggling about something they’d seen in a Disney video. Rob and Tony were in the midst of a rousing debate over the previous NFC and AFC champs and the players who’d make the best draft picks for the fall season. Everyone grinned, talked, munched. She took a big bite of manicotti.
    “So, Elizabeth,” the family matriarch said loudly, “don’t you think my son should get married soon?”
    She gulped her half-chewed pasta too fast, which plunged her into a fit of coughing.
    “Oh, let me get you some water,” Maria-Louisa said, jumping to her feet and rushing into the kitchen. The kind young woman returned a moment later with a full glass. “Drink this.”
    “Th-Th-Thank y-you,” she managed to say between coughs. She could feel her face flushing and knew it must be a delightful shade of scarlet by now.
    “Mama,” she heard Rob say. “I don’t think—”
    “Oh, nonsense, Roberto. She’s your girlfriend, after all. Don’t you think the lady’s got an opinion?”
    Elizabeth choked on the water. His girlfriend! “H-H-His—” was all she could get out before Rob interrupted.
    “It’s okay, sweetie,” he told her in an unfamiliar, ultra-soothing tone. “I told them about our long-distance relationship, and how glad I was to be able to spend the month up here with you while we were helping out our uncles.”
    WHAT? “Wh-Wh—” she began, seeing him leap out of his seat and walk around the table toward her.
    “You know, maybe you need some hot tea instead,” Rob said, the pleading note in his voice starting to break through as he reached her. “I know you’re still getting over that awful cold.” He put his arm around her shoulder and began steering her out of the room. “Hey, everyone, why don’t you guys just continue eating while I make Elizabeth a steaming mug of tea to quiet her cough.”
    “I’ve got some Earl Grey in the cabinet,” his mother said.
    “Thanks, Mama.” He all but pushed Elizabeth into the kitchen. “Anybody else want some?” he called over his shoulder.
    No one did.
    “Okay. See you all in a few minutes,” Rob said cheerfully.
    She swiveled around to face him once they were alone, pointed her index finger at his broad chest and tried to speak. “H-How could y-you t-t-tell them—”
    “Shh. Please, Elizabeth, just listen to me,” he whispered. “I know I made up a whole bunch of stuff about our relationship, but could you please, please, please find it in your heart to play along?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “I’m in way over my head here, and I didn’t know what else to do. A month . My God, a month with my mother trying to set me up with every available woman in Wilmington Bay. I just couldn’t do it again. Last time I was home only for a weekend, and she called her friends and managed to get me three dates in less than forty-eight hours. No way will I survive a whole month.”
    He pointed frantically in the direction of the dining room.
    “I love my brother with all my heart and soul, but that guy in there is killing me. Five kids! Who, by age twenty-six, has five kids? I’m older than Tony and not even married. Not even engaged. Hell, the last time I had a steady girlfriend was when I was still in college. I like the single life. I like being unencumbered. Kids scare the shit out of me, and every woman I’ve ever dated wants like twelve of them.”
    He inhaled several gulps of air.
    “I come from a family of six siblings, Elizabeth. Only my little sister Ginny is still unmarried, and that’s just because she’s a college junior. But even she’s got a serious boyfriend. Andy-something-or-other. And he looks like the type who’ll propose the second after he crosses the graduation podium. The others are scattered around the country, but they call Mama. They speculate about me and exert their pressure on me long distance.”
    He ran his fingers through his thick dark wavy