On Any Given Sundae (25 page)

She shook her head. She’d done it a few times
and, while not exactly her favorite pastime, she wasn’t too
scared.

“Good. Are you in any way opposed to leaving
Wilmington Bay for a week or two every few months? Perhaps an
occasional spontaneous weekend away every now and again?”

“No, but why—”

“Super. Moving on then. Could you be happy
being the mother of, say, only two children instead of four?”

A happy premonition she couldn’t name began
to spread inside her like chocolate frosting on a hot peanut-butter
bar, but she kept a straight face. “Well, that all depends on who
the father is, Rob. Now why are you—”

“I’m getting there. Are you uncomfortable
having these children with a man who’s not as smart as you
are?”

“Rob!”

“Well?”

Now her hands were trembling, too. “I would
only share my body with a man I considered both very clever and
extremely kindhearted. Period.”

He looked pleased with her answer. “Okay,
then. Last question. Will you marry me, Elizabeth?”

“No,” she said without hesitation and watched
his expression fall. “Not Elizabeth. It’s Lizzy to you.” She smiled
her sweetest smile at him. “Try it again.”

He recovered after a few deep breaths and
shot her a dangerous look. “So,
Lizzy
, will you marry
me?”

“Oh, yes, Roberto,” she said, again without
hesitation. “I’m yours forever.”

“Damn right,” he muttered, pulling her into
his arms and pressing his mouth hard against hers. “And don’t you
forget it.”

“With you,” she whispered, “I never forget
anything.”

He hugged her tight. “Elizabeth, I love you,
and only you. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known, and
you’ve had a piece of my heart ever since you were a shy
five-year-old. I don’t ever want to be without you.”

She looked into those warm eyes of his and
saw sincerity there—an incredible, almost inconceivable truth. And
she knew if a thousand women as pretty and tenacious as Tara Welles
threw themselves at him it wouldn’t matter. As long as he loved
her
, she didn’t have a thing to fear. Rob’s loyalty to those
he loved beat like a drum in his chest.

She kissed him back even harder. When they
came up for air, she finally got to ask, “Now, what’s all this
about flying?”

“Oh, I’m planning to turn over management of
the Chicago branch of The Playbook to the capable hands of Miguel
who, along with his new assistant—this Greek-American guy named
Nick—” he paused to raise a cocky brow, “are taking the patrons by
storm with a bunch of sticky new desserts and some spinach
appetizer thing.”

She grinned. Nick’s brother Jason would be so
proud.

“And I decided to start a second restaurant
out in northern California, in a hot spot I’d heard from a reliable
source was just incredible.”

“Mendocino?” she said, almost gasping out the
four syllables.

“Yep. That’s the place,” he said, making a
show of feigning indifference. She wanted to kiss and strangle him
at the same time. “It’ll need to be checked up on, though,” he
added. “We may need to fly out there a few weekends a month to make
sure it’s running smoothly—especially in the beginning.” Then he
gave her a serious look. “So, do you think you’re up for it?”

“I do,” she told him. And she was.

***

Across town, Siegfried Finklehooper and Pauly
Carrera were reviewing their books at the shop.

“They did a great job,” Pauly said, noting
the increase in profits over the past two months.

Siegfried read over his shoulder. “Well, we
knew they would.”

The two men looked at each other and laughed.
“Those two kids have been meant for each other for twenty years,”
Pauly said, patting his belly and grinning at his longtime friend
and business partner. “That European idea was inspired, Siegfried.
I thought so. Anita thought so. Even Alessandra thought so. She
couldn’t believe we’d found a way to hook Roberto.”

“Ah, well, your sister has a bright son. I
know my
Liebling
will be very happy with him. He’s already
brought about wonderful changes in her.”

“Think they’ll be pleased with their
engagement gift?” Pauly said, still grinning.

“How could they not adore it?” Siegfried
said, handing the other man a card that read:
Congratulations,
Rob and Elizabeth! Tutti-Frutti is yours with love… Your
Uncles.

####

About the Author:

Marilyn Brant has been told
she writes with honesty, liveliness and wit (descriptors she's
grown terribly fond of) about complex, intelligent women -- like
her friends -- and their significant personal relationships.
Although her favorite pursuits undoubtedly involve books, she
proves she's not just a literary snob by confessing her lifelong
fascination (read: obsession) with popular m
usic, especially from the '70s and '80s, most flavors of ice
cream and a variety of sensuous body lotions/oils.

Marilyn is the award-winning
women's fiction author of ACCORDING TO JANE (2009), FRIDAY MORNINGS
AT NINE (2010) and A SUMMER IN EUROPE (coming November 29, 2011),
all from Kensington Books. She also writes fun and flirty romantic
comedies that involve sweet treats and large doses of humor.
Her
novel ON ANY GIVEN SUNDAE was released
on ebook in June 2011. Look for more of Marilyn’s original ebook
exclusives in 2012.

As a former teacher, library
staff member, freelance magazine writer and national book reviewer,
Marilyn has spent much of her life lost in literature. Her debut
novel, ACCORDING TO JANE, featuring "the ghost of Jane Austen
giving a young woman dating advice," won the Romance Writers of
America's prestigious Golde
n Heart Award,
and it was selected as one of the “Top 100 Romance Novels of All
Time” by Buzzle.com. And her second novel, FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE,
was a Doubleday and Book-of-the-Month Club pick.

She currently
lives in the Chicago suburbs with her family. When
she isn't rereading Jane's books or watching old movies, she's
working on her next novel, eating chocolate indiscriminately and
hiding from the laundry.

About
Marilyn’
s Other
Novels:

ACCORDING TO JANE

In Marilyn Brant's smart, wildly
inventive debut, one woman in search of herself receives advice
from the ultimate expert in matters of the heart...

It begins one day in
sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett's teacher is
assigning Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. From nowhere comes a
quiet "tsk" of displeasure. The target: Sam Blaine, the cute bad
boy who's teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since
kindergarten. Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author's
ghost has taken up residence in Ellie's mind, and
seems determined to stay there.

Jane's wise and witty advice
guides Ellie through the trauma of adolescence and beyond, serving
as the voice she trusts, usually more than her own. Years and
boyfriends come and go, but Jane's counsel is constant, and on the
subject of Sam, quite insistent. Stay away, Jane demands. He is
your Mr. Wickham.

Still, everyone has something to
learn about love--perhaps even Jane herself. And lately, the voice
in Ellie's head is being drowned out by another, urging her to look
beyond all she thought she knew and seek out her very own, very
unexpected, happy ending...

PRAISE
:

“
A warm, witty and charmingly
original story.” -- Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling
author

“
A charming book.” -- Family
Circle Magazine

“
Brant infuses her sweetly
romantic and delightfully clever tale with just the right dash of
Austen-esque wit.” -- Chicago Tribune

“
What an unexpected, uplifting, and
urbane debut novel! …Subtly powerful and amusingly acerbic, you
will be gently reproved into agreeing in the power of love to
transform us all.” -- Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose and editor
of Jane Austen Made Me Do It

“
Fresh, original, and lots of
fun.” -- Barnes & Noble Review

FRIDAY MORNINGS AT NINE

Every woman
remembers her firsts: Her first kiss. Her first lover. And her
first
time contemplating an
affair...

Each Friday morning at the Indigo
Moon Café, Jennifer, Bridget and Tamara meet to swap stories about
marriage, kids and work. But one day, spurred by recent e-mails
from her college ex, Jennifer poses questions they've never faced
before. What if they all married the wrong man? What if they're
living the wrong life? And what would happen if, just once, they
gave in to temptation...

Soon each woman is
second-guessing the choices she's made -- and the ones she can
unmake -- as she becomes aware of new opportunities around every
corner, from attentive colleagues and sexy neighbors to flirtatious
past lovers. And as fantasies blur with real life, Jennifer,
Bridget and Tamara begin to realize how little they know about each
other, their marriages and themselves, and how much there is to
gain--and lose--when you step outside the rules.

PRAISE
:

“
Marilyn Brant’s sophomore
effort is a brilliant character study of three very different women
each asking the question we all wonder about sooner or later: did
we make the right choices during our journey and if not, what steps
do we need to take in order to live our best life?” -- Manchester
Books Examiner

“
Emotionally packed, it’s hard to put
down…
What intrigued me most was this book
was as much about friendship as it was about what goes on behind
the closed doors of marriage. Does anyone really know someone? Do
we even know ourselves? Will we have the courage to go after what
we want when presented with the options? …
A highly recommended women’s fiction read.” -- Kelly
Moran, award-winning author and reviewer

“
Marilyn Brant masterfully writes on the
intricacy of female friendship in a carefully crafted, entertaining
and yet philosophical look at love, marriage and family…Fans of
women's fiction shouldn't miss this novel full of wonderful
insights into our friendship and family, people and topics always
at the forefront of our minds. I was so pleased with the way this
one turned out and highly recommend it and Brant's debut novel,
ACCORDING TO JANE.” -- Megan Snider, Write Meg reviewer

“
Readers will sympathize with women who
feel stuck in their lives and don’t know what to do next…” --
Romantic Times BOOKreviews

A SUMMER IN EUROPE

Brant transports readers across
the pond on a grand journey of self-awakening amidst the classic
architecture and stunning vistas of Europe...

On her 30th birthday, Gwendolyn
Reese receives and unexpected present from her widowed Aunt Bea: a
grand tour of Europe in the company of Bea's Sudoku and Mahjongg
Club. The prospect isn't entirely appealing. But when the gift she
is expecting -- an engagement ring from her boyfriend -- doesn't
materialize, Gwen decides to go.

At first, Gwen approaches the trip
as if it's the math homework she assigns her students, diligently
checking monuments off her must-see list. But amid the
bougainvillea and beauty of southern Italy, something changes. Gwen
begins to live in the moment -- skipping down stone staircases in
Capri, running her fingers over a glacier in view of the
Matterhorn, racing through the Louvre and taste-testing pastries,
wine and gelato. Reveling in every new experience -- especially her
attraction to a charismatic British physics professor -- Gwen
discovers that the ancient wonders around her are nothing compared
to the renaissance unfolding within...

PRAISE:

“
How I wish I were on this European tour
with Marilyn Brant's winsome, wonderful characters. I loved every
minute of this delightful novel, from the breathtaking sights to
the deliciously described food to the thrilling new experiences.”
-- Melissa Senate, bestselling author of The Love Goddess’ Cooking
School and See Jane Date

“
A SUMMER IN EUROPE is Brant's best book
yet. A thinking woman's love story, it swept me away to
breathtaking places with a cast of endearing characters I won't
soon forget. Bravissima!” -- Susan McBride, author of Little Black
Dress and The Cougar Club

“
Reading a Marilyn Brant book is like
eating a piece of rich chocolate -- it gets you excited, it’s
deliciously satisfying, and it leaves a smile on your face after
you’ve finished it!” --
Simone Elkeles, New York Times & USA Today bestselling
author of the Perfect Chemistry series

Connect with Marilyn Online:

Website:
http://www.marilynbrant.com

Blog:
http://marilynbrant.blogspot.com

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/marilyn.brant

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/marilynbrant

Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/marilynbrant