Read Online Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters Collection by Violet Duke - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Violet Duke
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sight of the bottle blonde put her right back into her chubby senior-year stretch pants and seized her voice.
Rob, of course, didn’t miss a beat.
“Tara Welles? Hey, how are you?”
“Absolutely wonderful,” his old girlfriend cooed. Her eyes swept over him. “And don’t you look fabulous.”
“Thanks. Want an ice cream? An éclair? Some chocolate-covered macadamia nuts?”
“Ooh, maybe just a tiny little something,” Tara said, perusing the selections. “A double chocolate-caramel sundae with peanuts and sprinkles on top.”
“You got it,” he said. “Can you help me with that, Elizabeth?” He motioned for her to grab another ice cream scoop.
She tried to whisper “Sure” but couldn’t quite manage it.
Tara’s cool blue eyes surveyed her from head to toe and back again, then the blonde let out a muffled laugh. “Lizzy? Lizzy Daniels? Oh, heavens. Imagine seeing you again.”
Elizabeth succeeded in raising her hand for a brief wave. She refused to be goaded into opening her mouth, however.
“You look—” Tara paused as if searching for just the right scathing adjective, “—the same but…smaller.”
Terrific. But what had she expected? A high compliment?
She worked on Tara’s sundae, replacing the requested caramel with butterscotch, skimping on the chocolate ice cream and putting only half a teaspoon of nuts and one shake of sprinkles on top. She handed it to Tara with her best imitation smile and the single word she could form. “H-Here.” Take it and don’t come back.
“Mmm.” Tara dug her spoon in and lasciviously licked it clean, her gaze fixed on Rob. She did this several times. Now, to be fair, she may have merely been preparing for an Adults Only performance at the Hasty Tasty Bar and Strip Club, but Elizabeth doubted it. It seemed as though Tara had set her sights on Rob again and, from the attentive look on his face, she was well on her way to getting what she wanted.
“Holy Smokes, the rumors are true,” a male voice boomed. “Gabinarri’s back.”
And the morning’s only getting better. She sighed and tried to bring her vulnerable heart back into protective custody.
“Burk. It’s been a long time,” Rob said, his voice tightening.
Elizabeth stole a few glances between the two men. Lance Burk had been about the dumbest-acting of the dumb jocks at Wilmington Bay High and a football rival of Rob’s since sixth grade—even when they were playing on the same team. A good-looking guy, empirically speaking (except for that thick neck), he stood about half a foot taller than Tara and placed his hand possessively on her shoulder. She brushed it off, her lust-filled eyes never leaving Rob’s face.
“Heard you opened a diner somewhere,” Lance said with a bored expression.
“The Playbook is a restaurant on the top story of one of Chicago’s tallest buildings, Burk. It’s not a diner.”
Lance shrugged. “Whatever.” He hooked his thumbs in the loops of his jeans and spread his legs apart in a territorial stance. It reminded Elizabeth of a pit bull readying his attack—only pit bulls could be warm and cuddly on occasion. She’d never known Lance Burk to be either.
“Did you have an order?” Rob asked.
“Nope. Not today. Just wanted to see you in your new digs.” Lance scoped the room and caught a beanbag as it rocketed toward the counter. He tossed it in the air a few times and chucked. “You’re really moving up in the world, Gabinarri.” He flung the silly beanbag at Rob then tapped the blonde on her tanned and toned upper arm. “Let’s go, Tara.”
Tara batted her eyelashes at Rob one final time. “See you soon. Real soon.”
He waved her a quick farewell while Elizabeth busied herself with filling orders. Once the Dynamic Duo walked out the door, though, she had a chance to study Rob’s face. His expression was completely unreadable, but she knew what his stony façade must mean: Jealousy. Tara looked as stunning as ever (much as
Rob, of course, didn’t miss a beat.
“Tara Welles? Hey, how are you?”
“Absolutely wonderful,” his old girlfriend cooed. Her eyes swept over him. “And don’t you look fabulous.”
“Thanks. Want an ice cream? An éclair? Some chocolate-covered macadamia nuts?”
“Ooh, maybe just a tiny little something,” Tara said, perusing the selections. “A double chocolate-caramel sundae with peanuts and sprinkles on top.”
“You got it,” he said. “Can you help me with that, Elizabeth?” He motioned for her to grab another ice cream scoop.
She tried to whisper “Sure” but couldn’t quite manage it.
Tara’s cool blue eyes surveyed her from head to toe and back again, then the blonde let out a muffled laugh. “Lizzy? Lizzy Daniels? Oh, heavens. Imagine seeing you again.”
Elizabeth succeeded in raising her hand for a brief wave. She refused to be goaded into opening her mouth, however.
“You look—” Tara paused as if searching for just the right scathing adjective, “—the same but…smaller.”
Terrific. But what had she expected? A high compliment?
She worked on Tara’s sundae, replacing the requested caramel with butterscotch, skimping on the chocolate ice cream and putting only half a teaspoon of nuts and one shake of sprinkles on top. She handed it to Tara with her best imitation smile and the single word she could form. “H-Here.” Take it and don’t come back.
“Mmm.” Tara dug her spoon in and lasciviously licked it clean, her gaze fixed on Rob. She did this several times. Now, to be fair, she may have merely been preparing for an Adults Only performance at the Hasty Tasty Bar and Strip Club, but Elizabeth doubted it. It seemed as though Tara had set her sights on Rob again and, from the attentive look on his face, she was well on her way to getting what she wanted.
“Holy Smokes, the rumors are true,” a male voice boomed. “Gabinarri’s back.”
And the morning’s only getting better. She sighed and tried to bring her vulnerable heart back into protective custody.
“Burk. It’s been a long time,” Rob said, his voice tightening.
Elizabeth stole a few glances between the two men. Lance Burk had been about the dumbest-acting of the dumb jocks at Wilmington Bay High and a football rival of Rob’s since sixth grade—even when they were playing on the same team. A good-looking guy, empirically speaking (except for that thick neck), he stood about half a foot taller than Tara and placed his hand possessively on her shoulder. She brushed it off, her lust-filled eyes never leaving Rob’s face.
“Heard you opened a diner somewhere,” Lance said with a bored expression.
“The Playbook is a restaurant on the top story of one of Chicago’s tallest buildings, Burk. It’s not a diner.”
Lance shrugged. “Whatever.” He hooked his thumbs in the loops of his jeans and spread his legs apart in a territorial stance. It reminded Elizabeth of a pit bull readying his attack—only pit bulls could be warm and cuddly on occasion. She’d never known Lance Burk to be either.
“Did you have an order?” Rob asked.
“Nope. Not today. Just wanted to see you in your new digs.” Lance scoped the room and caught a beanbag as it rocketed toward the counter. He tossed it in the air a few times and chucked. “You’re really moving up in the world, Gabinarri.” He flung the silly beanbag at Rob then tapped the blonde on her tanned and toned upper arm. “Let’s go, Tara.”
Tara batted her eyelashes at Rob one final time. “See you soon. Real soon.”
He waved her a quick farewell while Elizabeth busied herself with filling orders. Once the Dynamic Duo walked out the door, though, she had a chance to study Rob’s face. His expression was completely unreadable, but she knew what his stony façade must mean: Jealousy. Tara looked as stunning as ever (much as
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