Harlequin Romance April 2015 Box Set (38 page)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“W
HAT
DO
YOU
MEAN
, Lizzie canceled?”

Stefano’s irritated tone echoed through the car, catching Jules’s full attention.

She turned in her seat, noticing the distinct frown lines marring his face as he skillfully maneuvered them through the busy streets of Rome. Why in the world was he so upset about Lizzie’s change of plans? Or was something else bothering
him? Something to do with the kiss that neither dared to mention?

It didn’t matter. She refused to let Lizzie’s call or Stefano’s gloomy mood ruin this day. This was the very best part of planning a wedding—picking out the cake.

“Lizzie mentioned that there is a special party in the dining room tonight and it’s all hands on deck. You should be happy. Your grandfather’s restaurant is
thriving again.”

“I am.” Stefano sighed as he slowed to a stop for a red light. “I’ll find a place to turn around and we’ll head back to the vineyard.”

“Why would we do that?”

“Why not? The only reason we were heading into the city was to help the bride pick out a cake.”

“And that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

“What?” He chanced a quick glance her way. “You’ve got
to be kidding, right?”

“No. I’m quite serious.”

He’d barely spoken to her since they’d kissed two days ago. Was it because she’d pushed him away? Or was it something more? Maybe he wasn’t over the loss of his wife. Jules had spied a snapshot of him and his wife in a collage in Massimo’s room. When she’d mentioned the particular photo, Massimo would only say that Gianna had died a couple
of years ago. It made Jules wonder if there was more to the story—more behind Stefano’s hesitation to let himself live again.

From the photo, she gathered that Stefano’s wife had been nothing like her. Or perhaps it’d be better to say that Jules was nothing like his wife. Gianna had worn her long hair pulled back into a conservative braid, her face had been devoid of makeup and her clothes
were quite modest and not the least bit showy. She was the quintessential wholesome, modest wife—something Jules would never be.

For the first time ever, Jules wanted to change. She wanted to be the woman who could make a simple dress look amazing. She wanted to be comfortable in her own skin and not feel the need to hide behind a wall of makeup. But more than anything she wanted a man to
look at her with love and desire like Stefano had been looking at his wife in the photo. Correction: she wanted Stefano to look at her that way. But that was never going to happen.

Now he barely glanced her way—not since she’d lost her head and let things go too far. She missed the friendship they’d been building. If only she could undo that moment.

She couldn’t let that stand between
them doing their duty as maid of honor and best man. She was a grown-up, and so was he. They could move past this. Somehow.

She swallowed her uneasiness and hoped her voice would sound more confident than she felt inside. “We promised to do everything we could to make this wedding a success. Can you still do that?”

“But it’s their wedding, not ours.”

Jules’s mouth opened but nothing
came out. Him mentioning them and a wedding all in the same sentence caught her off guard. She wondered if it was unintentional, or if his thoughts had been straying back to the brief but heated kiss they’d shared.

His knuckles gleamed white as he gripped the steering wheel. “You know what I mean.” His body visibly stiffened. “Not that you and I are getting married—I mean not that we’re even
involved—”

“It’s okay. I know what you mean.” She watched as the tension eased out of his shoulders. “But that doesn’t change things. We still have to do this for Lizzie and Dante.”

“I sure hope you know what you’re doing.”

“Trust me. I do.” She grabbed her wedding planner from her purse and perused the photos of cakes that Lizzie preferred. “I know what she likes. Trust me.”

“You keep saying that, but I just don’t know.”

“If it makes you feel any better, Lizzie picked out photos of cakes. We weren’t sure what the baker could produce on such short notice, so I had her line up her choices in order of what she liked best.” Jules flipped to the section where she’d taped the pictures of the cakes. “None of these look too elaborate.”

“If you say so. Now where
exactly am I supposed to be going?”

She read off the directions to the first bakery. While he navigated the congested roadway, she settled back in the comfortable leather seat and thumbed through her organizer. There was still so much to do for this quickly approaching wedding, but it was her escort that kept distracting her. The memory of his kiss was always lurking at the edge of her thoughts.
Why couldn’t she forget it? Why did this one have to stand out in her mind?

Going forward, she had to be careful not to let it happen again. These DeFiore men came armed with irresistible smiles, alluring dark eyes that drew you in, and when they talked to you, it was as if you were the only person that existed. Lizzie had already fallen hook, line and sinker. But Jules was smarter than that.
She wasn’t going to let her heart do the thinking for her. She knew too well that the L word wasn’t enough.

Her father had told her that he loved her and that he was doing what was best for her. Then he’d left. She never saw him again. It wasn’t until she was a teenager that she learned he’d died in an auto accident. Then there was her mother, who would tell her that she loved her, but when
times got tough, her temper would flare and she’d turn to alcohol.

If that was love, she didn’t want any part of it. Growing up, Jules and Lizzie never talked about love. They both quietly acknowledged that they cherished each other like sisters but neither could bring themselves to say the L word. It was as if vocalizing the emotion would jinx their entire relationship. Jules had since avoided
the word altogether.

Jules was grateful for the distraction as they pulled up to Sweet Things Bakery. Her anticipation was short-lived—they were booked. Soon they found that Spagnoli’s Bakery, Antonio’s Bake Shop and Cake Haven were also booked. Weddings were a big business. And it was first come, first served.

“This isn’t looking too good.” Stefano started the car.

“Thank you,
Captain Obvious.”

He glanced at her with surprise written all over his face. And then, instead of grouching at her, he started to laugh. And laugh. To be honest, she didn’t know what there was to laugh about. How in the world were they supposed to have a wedding without a cake?

Stefano gathered himself. “So how are you at baking?”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” He was kidding, wasn’t
he? She looked him in the eyes and saw a glint of seriousness. “I’m awful. I can’t even make a box cake, not without it falling. My baking skills are not pretty at all. We have to find a bakery to do the wedding cake, even if it means visiting every single bakery in this city.”

When they pulled up in front of Tortino Paradiso—Cupcake Heaven—Jules knew they were in the right place. It may
not be the wedding cake that Lizzie was dreaming of. But in times of desperation, there had to be compromises.

The building was a dark-chocolate brick. The striped awning was the color of pink-and-pearl-white frosting. And the large windows held various cupcake towers as well as cupcakes displayed in the shape of a smiley face. The display that truly caught Jules’s attention was one of cupcakes
decorated as various brightly colored flowers and placed in a garden setting with a white picket fence. It was detailed, imaginative and fun. The bakery radiated a sense of cheerful creativity where the sky was the limit.

“This is it!”

Stefano turned a puzzled look her way. “This is what?”

“This is the place where we’ll find Lizzie and Dante’s cake.”

“Maybe your Italian isn’t
so good. This is a cupcake shop. I don’t think that’s what they had in mind for their wedding cake.”

“Just trust me.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

She jumped out of the car before Stefano could say more. She pulled off her sunglasses and smiled at a customer who’d just exited the bakery. In their hand was a cute bag with the picture of a chocolate cupcake with pink frosting on the
front. It appeared that this place was all about the details. Now they had to pass one last test—the taste test.

Stefano rounded the car and joined her on the sidewalk. She leaned toward him and whispered, “Just follow my lead. Or else.”

Without waiting for his response, she reached out and slid her hand in his. Goose bumps raced up her arm, and a warm sensation swirled in her chest.
She resisted the urge to glance his way to see if he noticed her reaction to his touch. She willed herself to breath regularly and act nonchalant. She assured herself that the reaction had nothing to do with that much-too-short kiss.

“Is this really necessary?” He glanced down at their clasped hands, but he didn’t pull away.

“Most definitely.” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’m
not about to let this place slip through our fingers. So to speak.”

“Shouldn’t you call Lizzie and let her know what you have in mind?”

“I will.”

“When?”

“When I know that this place can fit the wedding on their calendar. Otherwise there’s no point in consulting Lizzie. She may not be here, but she’s still the bride and brides do get nervous. If she knew how many bakeries had
turned us away, she’d start to panic. Is that what you want?”

“No, but—”

“That’s what I thought. Now let’s get moving. The only way to find out anything is to ask.”

They walked up to the bakery hand in hand. Jules hoped that she looked more confident than she felt. It bothered her that the only way he’d hold her hand was by way of a threat. He probably would rather do a hundred
other less desirable things than act as if they were a happy couple. But he was doing his best to be a good brother and keep his word to Dante—not many people would go to this length.

Like the gentleman she knew him to be, Stefano opened the glass door for her. When she passed by him, she caught a hint of his spicy cologne. She’d never been one to pay much attention to those sorts of things,
but in Stefano’s case, she found the inviting scent quite appealing. In fact, she was quite tempted to pause and get a much better whiff.

The chime above the door startled her from her daydream. What was she thinking? She wasn’t in Italy to get involved with a man, casually or otherwise. Her lips pressed firmly together as she held back a frustrated sigh. When the store clerk spotted them,
it was with great effort that Jules forced her mouth into a smile.

“Showtime,” she whispered to Stefano. “Remember this is for your brother and my sister.” She didn’t know if the warning was more for him or her.

“Hi,” the saleswoman with a pink-and-brown-striped apron said from behind the counter. “If there’s anything I can do to help you, just let me know.”

“Actually, there is
something.” Jules led the way to the counter. “We want to know if you have an opening for a July wedding.”

“Let me just pull up my calendar.” The woman had a friendly smile and a bouncy ponytail. She typed in the information. “Any particular date?”

Jules read off the date as the woman’s fingers clicked over the keyboard. Then an ominous silence came over the showroom. Jules’s chest tightened
as she waited for the verdict. The woman said nothing, and then she typed a little more. Behind her dark-rimmed glasses, her eyes narrowed and her forehead creased.

“This summer is so busy. It seems like everyone is getting married.”

Jules wanted to press her for an answer, but she used every bit of willpower not to sound overbearing and pushy. “Yes, it’s a great summer for a wedding.”

Was that a sigh she heard from Stefano? She glanced his way, but he was still wearing that stoic expression as he pretended to be totally absorbed in the array of cupcakes in the display case.

The silence was unnerving. If this place couldn’t help them, she didn’t know what they were going to do. Chances were really good that at this late date every bakery was booked. Lizzie would be
crushed. After waiting all this time to find her soul mate, this wedding had to go on without a hitch—or at least go on.

“We’ll take anything you can do.” Jules didn’t care at this point if she sounded desperate. She was desperate.

When Stefano flexed his fingers, she realized that she had a death grip on him. She loosened her hold and lifted onto her tiptoes to peer over the counter,
but she was at the wrong angle to read the computer monitor.

The woman glanced over at her. “I know you’re anxious for an answer, but I have a bit of a conflict. I’m checking to see if there is a way around it. If you just give me one more minute.”

“Sure. Whatever it takes. I know this is short notice, but it’s so important.”

The saleswoman smiled. “I understand. You two are a cute
couple.”

Jules felt Stefano’s gaze on her. He wanted her to correct the woman, and she would, just not yet. They needed a spot on the calendar before Jules would risk rocking the boat.

“Okay, I can make this work. It just took a bit of juggling.”

Jules released Stefano’s hand and clapped her hands together. She was more wound up about this than she’d realized.

“If you could
just give me your name, I’ll add you to the calendar.”

Jules supplied the necessary information. The last part that might mess up this arrangement was the location of the wedding. She hesitantly informed her that the wedding and reception would be outside the city at the vineyard, but the woman barely batted an eye except to tell her that there’d be an additional delivery fee. Jules told
her that would be perfectly fine.

They now had dresses, flowers and a cake, of sorts. This wedding was going to come together. And Jules had already figured out what to do about the food. Dante’s family had been anxious to help; they could do covered dishes. From what she’d learned in her short time in Rome, the DeFiore family was a group of accomplished cooks. She couldn’t imagine buying
anything that tasted anywhere as good as the dishes they made in the restaurant.