Read Online The Icing on the Cake by Elodia Strain - Free Book Online Page B

middle of the meal, I will throw my cloth napkin onto the table and declare, “This food is marvelous! It has to go in the magazine!”
    I’ve never had the heart to tell her that I really have no say what recipes go into the magazine. I just edit whichever ones George tells me to edit.
    I was lazily placing the rolls into a basket when I heard the sound of a car outside. I quickly tossed the last few rolls into the basket and hurried to the front window. I looked outside, expecting to see Isaac’s Firebird. But I didn’t see the Firebird. No, I saw a fancy, silver Mercedes convertible. I would recognize that car anywhere. It belonged to Miss Rona Bircheck. I stared at the car in disbelief. What in the world is she doing here? I wondered, my eyes beginning to narrow.
    I continued to watch the car. After a while, I saw Isaac get out of the passenger’s seat. As he exited, I could see Rona, looking like a fashion model in a pair of stylish sunglasses. She leaned over, gave Isaac a saucy little wave and called out loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear, “I’ll see you in awhile.”
    Isaac responded with, “Okay, see ya.”
    What? What are they doing later?
    Finally, Rona zoomed away and I was relieved, but still confused. Why had she driven Isaac to the house? And how was he going to get home? Was he planning on asking me for a ride? Because that would be nice.
    I watched Isaac follow the sidewalk up to the house. He had changed out of his suit and was looking yummy in a pair of dark blue pants and striped polo shirt. Was he trying to look that good? And if he was, was it for Rona’s sake or for mine ?
    Isaac’s pace quickened as he drew nearer to the door, and I jumped away from the window for fear that he would spot me. He rang the doorbell.
    “Dad, he’s here,” I called out as I rushed to the kitchen. “Will you get the door for me?” Dad, who had been setting the table in the dining room, shook his head.
    “Three grown girls and I still don’t understand why you all can’t just get the door yourselves.”
    He answered the door anyway.
    I listened as Isaac and Dad exchanged greetings, and then I entered the living room, followed by Mom.
    “Hi, Isaac, I’m glad you made it,” I said, feeling slightly giddy at the sight of him. He was seated on the couch, looking terribly gorgeous, and I sat down next to him. My pulse immediately quickened.
    “So did you find the place okay?” Mom asked, leaning against Dad’s recliner.
    “Actually, Rona Bircheck drove me here so I wouldn’t get lost,” Isaac replied matter-of-factly.
    So that was it? That was why she drove him? Oh, please. Hadn’t she ever heard of MapQuest?
    “That was nice of her,” Mom said.
    Yeah, real nice , I thought bitterly.
    Isaac regarded me for a moment. I had changed into a pair of slim black pants that I got for less than thirty bucks at Nordstrom Rack, and a pale blue top. “You look pretty,” he said quietly, his eyes sparkling.
    “Thanks,” I responded. “You look good too.” And oh boy he did.
    Isaac moved his eyes away from me and surveyed the room. “You have a very nice home,” he told my parents.
    “Thank you,” Mom said.
    Then, spotting Dad’s prized chess set, which was on the coffee table, Isaac asked, “Who’s the chess player?” Mom and I simultaneously pointed to Dad.
    Dad, who had beaten every overconfident Scout at a chess tournament at Scout camp a month earlier, shrugged his shoulders. “I play a little.”
    Mom excused herself and disappeared into the kitchen, and Dad and Isaac talked a bit about chess. I sat there watching Isaac as he and Dad talked. I couldn’t help it. He was just so handsome with his gorgeous hazel eyes and slightly mussed dark hair. And that smile. Oh, that smile.
    After I had been shamelessly staring at him for quite a long time, he seemed to notice, and turned his head toward me. I quickly turned away and pretended to be enthralled by a piece of lint on my pants.