"I should hate you for that," Francie called out, making a face at Lisa, who grinned and rolled her eyes.
"Is your sister there? Is that who you're talking to? You girls have plenty of time for each other, but no time to visit an elderly lady who could die at any moment."
Lisa sucked in her breath. "Is Grandma ill?"
Josephine cursed in Italian. "No. I was talking about myself. You never know how long I'll be around."
"You'd probably be around a lot longer if you'd quit asking God to take you every day," she replied, breathing a deep sigh of relief that her grandmother was okay. "One of these days He's going to get tired of your asking and just do it." Lisa could picture Josephine crossing herself.
"You and that husband of yours deserve each other. Alex told me not to butt into your lives, and now you are being rude to me, as well. I'm very hurt."
"Alex told you not to interfere?" Lisa was surprised, and thrilled.
"Yes. And you needn't sound so happy about it. All I did was inform Miriam about the baby and he became quite upset and very vocal about it."
"Maybe there's hope for Alex after all."
"What's that supposed to mean? You want him to be rude to your mother? What kind of a daughter wants that?"
Lisa sighed. "Listen, Mom, Francie and I love you. But we don't want you meddling in our lives. We're grown women. We're both married and have our own lives to live."
"Hmph! And not without my help. You just ask your sister about that. Without me, she wouldn't be married now."
"I'm sure Francie is eternally grateful that you dragged her to the altar on four different occasions, Mom."
Hearing that, Francie clutched her stomach and made gagging sounds.
"Why is your sister laughing? Does she know how much money those weddings cost us?"
Unwilling to venture down a road that had been traveled many times before, Lisa thought quickly. "Leo's home, Mom," she lied. "I gotta go. I'll come by and see you tomorrow, bring you a crumb cake, after I'm done at the bakery."
Josephine uttered a few more choice words in Italian, and then finally hung up, much to Lisa's relief.
"That was fun."
"Better you than me," Francie said. "Mom's been driving Mark and I crazy about giving her grandchildren. She even threatened to come over and show Mark what he was doing wrong."
Lisa, who could well imagine her mother saying that, burst into giggles. "What did Mark say?"
"That the bed wasn't large enough for three, but thanks anyway."
"And how did Mom respond to that?"
"I don't know. She hasn't spoken to Mark since. I think she's still mad at him."
"Lucky Mark," Lisa said, sighing wistfully.
Bright and early the next morning, Lisa entered the bakery, which was temporarily closed for renovation, and was quite surprised to find Sol having coffee with Alex. They were chatting like old friends.
Alex was dressed for manual labor in jeans and a T-shirt. It wasn't his Harley look, thank goodness, but it was definitely his hunky one. He looked as yummy as a chocolate-glazed doughnut.
And Lisa was very fond of chocolate-glazed doughnuts!
"Alex, what are you doing here?"
He smiled. "I've come to help with the painting and anything else you might need me to do. Sol says he wants to reopen the bakery next week, so I figured you two could use an extra pair of hands."
Her jaw dropped. "But how did you know we were remodeling? I'm positive that I didn't mention it."
"Leo told me. By the way, he said to tell you that he'd be by later to measure the windows for the blinds."
"What am I, chopped liver, that you don't say good morning?" Sol chastised Lisa with a wink.
She hurried over to the table where the man was seated. "I'm sorry, Sol. I was just surprised to see Alex here, that's all."
"So I noticed. Well, we can certainly use the extra help. I hate painting. Olivia had to bribe me to paint and wallpaper." Sol's eyes were twinkling with merriment. "I won't tell you what she used for incentives."
Alex laughed, and Lisa very uncharacteristically blushed. "Oh," was all she could think to say.
Francie and Mark showed up shortly after that, and then Leo and Bruce strolled in.
"Hey, sweetie!" Leo called out. "Make way for the gay contingent," he said, swishing his hips in an exaggerated manner that even had conservative Sol laughing.
At that moment, Lisa felt truly blessed. Her family and friends had come to help her turn her ideas for the bakery into a reality. And her husband, the man she was still madly in love with, was here for her, too, just as he'd always been. She had just been too immature and emotionally insecure to see that before.
Lisa realized that what she had perceived as weakness in Alex was in reality compassion and caring for his parents. She could see quite clearly now that he'd been torn between his need to placate them and keep peace in the family, and his desire and love for her.
And she hadn't made it easy on him. Just as she'd never made it any easier on her own family when she'd rebelled against every suggestion and opinion they'd given—out of love for her, and to help her understand that she wasn't the center of the universe, that the world did not revolve solely around her wants and needs.
It was a humbling realization, and she was much wiser for finally figuring it out.
Picking up a paintbrush, she headed across the room in her husband's direction, hoping to repair more than just the bakery.
13
To thank Alex for his help at the bakery these past few days, and to finally discuss the state of their marriage, such as it was, Lisa had invited him over for dinner, and he was due to arrive at any moment.
This time, she had dressed primly for the occasion, in a long-sleeved black knit dress, accessorized with faux pearls and small dangling earrings, to prove that she could be the kind of wife Alex needed—conservative, composed, caring. She had prepared his favorite dinner of garlic bread, salad and lasagna, which she'd been slaving over since early in the morning.
Her sauce wasn't quite as good as her mother's, but Lisa thought it would pass muster with a non-Italian, white-bread boy from Florida, who'd been eating fast food most evenings—Josephine had decided not to cook for a son-in-law she deemed ungrateful—and therefore couldn't be all that choosy.
Leo had gone into New York City to meet old friends and attend the theater, so she and Alex would have the apartment all to themselves tonight, not that it would do them any good.
The lovemaking gods were apparently not pleased with her at the moment.
After almost twelve weeks of uncertainty, Lisa had gotten her period last night.
Which was disappointing, as far as making love to her husband was concerned—something she desperately wanted to do—but good for her peace of mind. Not being pregnant was one less complication in a marriage already fraught with complications, so maybe the lovemaking gods weren't so mean-spirited, after all.
Having your period was like having a built-in chastity belt, unless you were the red-badge-of-courage type, who just went for it, no matter what, but that wasn't Lisa's cup of tea.
The doorbell rang and Lisa took one quick look at her cloth-covered, candlelit table, which was set with Leo's finest china and crystal wineglasses, in which she would serve the Chianti Classico Reserva that the wine-store owner had recommended.
Satisfied it looked perfect, she hurried to answer the door.
At the sight of Alex in a pair of dark gray slacks and a crimson cashmere sweater, her heart began fluttering like a schoolgirl in the throes of her first passion. "You look very handsome tonight," Lisa said, hoping the squeak in her voice didn't give away how smitten she was as she ushered him inside.
Handing her the flowers he'd brought—yellow baby roses with stephanotis—Alex said, "These don't come anywhere close enough to matching your beauty, but they smell nice."
"Thank you! They're lovely."
His eyes filled with a passion tha
t she recognized all too well as he devoured her from top to bottom. "You look good enough to eat, love—different, but in a good way. I like your understated look. It's very sexy, like a beautiful Christmas present that I'm dying to unwrap."
"Thank you again. Now go and have a seat in the living room," she said, needing time to compose herself. "I'll just put these flowers in a vase and get the appetizers. Be back in a sec."
Lisa was back in less than five minutes, carrying a tray laden with bruschetta, prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe and an assortment of olives. "Hope you're hungry tonight. I've made enough food to feed an army."
Italians never cooked for less than forty.
"I am, and not just for food." He picked up a piece of the toasted bread covered with chopped tomatoes and basil and made contented sounds. "This is delicious. I suspect your lips taste nearly as good."
The determination in his eyes took her breath away, and Lisa wondered how she was going to break the news that she'd gotten her period without upsetting him too much.
It had been a long time between lovemaking, for both of them, and Alex looked as if he was definitely in the mood.
She certainly was!
Damn mother nature and her dirty tricks!
His sexy grin made her squirm restlessly in her seat, and she cleared her voice before speaking. "Then I guess we've got plenty to talk about."
"I guess we do, love. Look, Lisa, I'm sorry about everything. I—"
She held up her hand to forestall his apology. "Please, Alex, don't apologize again. Everything that's happened between us wasn't your fault. I realize that now. It was just easier to blame you than myself."
"I should never have allowed my parents to criticize you. In that, I'm to blame."
"Yes, I concede that. But perhaps I was too thin-skinned when it came to Miriam and Rupert. Normally, I can take criticism. My parents have been heaping it on for years, so I shouldn't have blown it all out of proportion. Guess it just took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting them to dislike me as much as they did."
"They don't dislike you. They're just old-school Southerners who haven't come into the twenty-first century yet. They've got very odd ideas about breeding and pedigree and all that stupid shit that doesn't matter to me."
"Maybe so, but I shouldn't have run away like I did. I should have stayed and talked things out with you, explained the way I was feeling and given you a chance to fix things, speak to your parents, but I didn't."
"Instead, I took the easy way out. I was frightened— of marriage, of your parents, of what my life was going to be—but most of all, I was scared of losing myself."
"I've finally come to realize that the person you married, the Lisa you fell in love with, was really a very shallow, immature woman, who thought only of fun, having things her own way and living for the moment."
"I never really gave much thought to marriage being a lifetime commitment, or having babies and responsibilities, or being the partner that a man in your situation required. And that was wrong. I was wrong. And for that I'm very sorry."
Alex shook his head, reaching for Lisa's hand. "I appreciate your trying to let me off the hook, love, but you are being entirely too hard on yourself. I fell in love with a free-spirited woman and I tried to change her into something she wasn't. That wasn't right, either."
"My life, the way we lived, wasn't perfect, Lisa. It certainly didn't need to be held up as the ideal. In fact, there were many times when I was growing up that I yearned for a warm, loving family such as yours, who said what they pleased and loved their children unconditionally."
He drew her into his arms then and kissed her, thoroughly and with such passion that the feelings of love and adoration she felt almost overwhelmed her, bringing tears to her eyes.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
She sniffed several times. "Nothing. I'm just so happy at this moment and feeling terribly sad for being so stupid for so long."
"That makes two of us, love. We've wasted a lot of time. I want to make love to you, Lisa. I want to take you into the bedroom right now and make love to you, until we're both exhausted and unable to speak."
"Oh, Alex." She sighed. "Now it's going to be your turn to cry." At his puzzled look, she caressed his cheek. "I got my period last night. I'm sorry."
"Oh." His face fell. "Shit! That means—"
"Yeah. I wasn't quite sure how to tell you."
"So I guess we can't—"
Lisa made a face and shook her head. "No. I'm sorry. The good news is—contrary to what my mother's been telling you and anyone else who will listen—I'm not pregnant. I hope you're not upset by that."
He smiled tenderly and kissed her. "Not at all, love. Now we'll have a chance to really get to know one another. Don't get me wrong. I definitely want to have kids, if you do, but not right now. This is our time to be together, just you and I, with no babies and no family interference."
"But how do we do that, Alex? My family lives here in Philadelphia, and my mother is very controlling—in case you haven't noticed."
"I've noticed, but Francie and Mark seem to have worked it out. We'll do the same. Don't worry. I know how to handle your mother."
"I love you, Alex."
"I love you, too," he said, and they kissed passionately for several moments.
Suddenly Lisa pulled back and began sniffing the air. "Ohmigod! I think the lasagna is burning." She rushed into the kitchen and opened the oven, a puff of white smoke billowing out, to find that the top layer of cheese had melted onto the bottom of the oven, but fortunately the lasagna appeared to be still in good shape.
"It's fine. Whew! I don't know what I would have done if the lasagna had burned. I've worked so hard on it."
Walking up behind her, Alex grabbed Lisa around the middle, kissing the nape of her neck and sending goose bumps to every part of her body. "That's good. I'm starving. And since I can't have you, just yet, I've got to appease my appetite in other ways." He palmed her breasts and she moaned.
"Not fair, Alex."
He grinned. "Hey, I never said I was fair."
"We still have a lot more to talk about," she reminded him. "There's my job at the bakery, your new business, where we will live." She sighed. "It all seems so complicated."
"It won't be. We'll be able to work out whatever obstacles are thrown at us. You'll see."
"I hope you're right, Alex. I want our marriage to work."
And for the first time since she'd said, "I do," those many months ago, Lisa knew it was true.
"Oh, Alex," Lisa whispered, snuggling up next to him in bed. "Are you sure we can lie here together and not make love? It's going to be pure torture for both of us. And my willpower isn't what it used to be. I don't mind admitting I'm horny."
Alex caressed his wife's bare back and smiled into the darkness. "Well, I'm game if you are, Mrs. Mackenzie, but I know most women think it's too messy to have sex during their menses."
Menses. Who but Alex would call it that?
"You wouldn't care?"
"No. Why should I?"
"Men are weird. Not to mention that I'm not exactly in the mood for…" He touched her breast. "Well, maybe just a little bit, but I still don't want to go the whole nine yards."
"Whatever you say. I'm happy just to lie here and hold you. Tell me, love, what do you want to do about your job at the bakery? If you like, we can check with Sol and see if he would be interested in letting you buy into the business as a partner, or, if you prefer, we can find another location and you can start your own bakery from the ground up."
Sitting up, Lisa switched on the bedside lamp and looked into his eyes, just to make sure Alex was serious. "You would do that for me?" In that moment, she loved him more than anything or anyone in the world.
"I'm willing to do anything you want, love. I want you to be happy."
Her eyes widened. "Anything? Are you sure?"
Alex shook his head and frowned. "Within reason, Lisa. I love you, but I don't want to
be taken advantage of, unless it's in bed."
His grin was sexy, hers mischievous. "What if I ask for a grand house in the country?"
"I'd say you'd have to wait until my business starts making a profit."
"What if I asked for a new car?"
"Same answer as before. Besides, your car is still in good shape because you hardly ever drive it."
"What if—"
"No!" Alex shook his head. "Whatever it is the answer is no, unless, of course, you've changed your mind about making love. In that case, you'd get a definite yes."
"I knew you were only kidding about the 'anything,' but I thought I'd ask anyway." She grinned. "A smart businesswoman like myself always takes advantage of good opportunities."
"You are a smart, savvy businesswoman, Lisa. You've done a great job with Sol's bakery. I'm very proud of you. And I'm willing to do anything to help you get started with your own bakery, if that's what you want."
"The grand reopening of the bakery is next week. Let's just pray things go as well as I think they will. If they do, then I think I'd like to stay with Sol and try to buy in as a partner. He mentioned something along those lines to me the first time we spoke about my working there, so I think he'd be agreeable."
"That sounds fine to me."
"Alex?" Lisa took a deep breath. "I have another favor to ask you."
He sighed. "You don't want to open a chain of bakeries, do you?"
She giggled. "No. I want to get married again. To you, of course," she added when his eyebrows rose. "But this time I want to do it in a nondenominational church, with all of our family and friends in attendance."
"You want to get married again? Why?"
"The first time was kind of a lark. I mean, come on…we were married by an ex-circus performer. Bad luck. We need to be married in a church this time, in front of God and everyone else who matters, so it will be official, a real union."
"I see."
"It will make my parents very happy…well, except for the church part. Mom always wanted me to marry a Catholic. But I figure doing it this way is better than what we did the first time. And I think your parents will be pleased, as well."
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