That's Amore! - Janelle Denison [43]
Efi stood at the counter near the register making notes, not officially working. "I'll come visit you in prison."
Phoebus burst through the swinging door to the kitchen, screaming. Efi figured out why as he passed her on his way outside: the back ties to his apron were ablaze. Diana ran after him, but he didn't need her help as he tore off the apron then stamped out the flames, trying to get a look at his own backside to make sure it was untouched.
Efi shook her head. Then again, maybe it wasn't her wedding that was cursed, but her father for thinking he could replace her.
In fact, two of the things that had happened that day didn't bother her, because she'd been against them anyway. The Greek eyes had always reminded her of fish eyes despite the pretty blue stone. She'd shuddered when her mother ordered three hundred for the guests to pin to the front of their dress clothing at her wedding.
As for Phoebus…
"I quit."
Efi looked up from the notebook to find Phoebus facing her. "Bully for you."
"Tell your father it's going to take a hell of a lot more than he's paying me to put my life on the line."
"Consider it done," Efi agreed.
And with that Phoebus exited a second time. Diana stood holding the charred remains of his apron.
"Papa is not going to be happy."
Efi shrugged. "He'll get over it."
"And what about me?"
She wasn't sure she was following her younger sister.
"What if Papa's right and you won't want to return to the shop after you get married? I can't work here. I've got one more semester and I become a nurse. I don't want to run this shop."
Not her sister, too. "I'm not going to change my mind about the shop, Di. I'm coming back to work right after my honeymoon."
Her sister stared at her long and hard then thrust the ruined apron at her and untied her own. "What are you doing?"
"Going after Phoebus, of course."
"Why?"
"Because I'm not willing to take the chance, that's why." She took her purse from behind the counter. "Besides, I don't want to hear it from Papa when he finds out Phoebus quit."
"But the guy has absolutely zero ability in the kitchen."
"Yes, well, from what I hear it took you three months to learn how to set the oven timer, so I'm willing to cut the guy a little slack."
Diana moved toward the door.
"Wait."
Her sister waited.
Efi left the two aprons on the counter, and moved to stand between her sister and the door. "I've got errands to run, so you can't leave."
"This is just a ploy to stop me from going after Phoebus."
Maybe. "I'm not the one on the clock today—you are. So you stay, I'll go." She picked up her notebook.
"And Phoebus?"
"Call him."
With that, Efi left the small, dim shop that she wanted to change into a showplace and stood outside, the midday sun warming her. She shouldn't have come downtown. Then again, the choice had been between staying at home being fussed over by her mother and the relatives who had taken over their house, listening to them talk about curses and omens and bad events that had happened in their family since the beginning of time, or coming to the shop and discovering she was being replaced.
She fished her cell phone out of her purse—there was only one person capable of making her feel better.
Nick answered on the first ring.
"Meet me at the apartment. Now," she said, wondering why she hadn't thought of this before.
"I'm there," he responded, his voice sending anticipatory shivers up and down her spine.
THE SIMPLE APARTMENT on the fringes of Grosse Point was large and airy and one of the few things she and Nick had agreed on until they could afford to make a down payment on a house. The furnishings, of course, had been another matter. He'd wanted everything large and covered in leather and dead animal pelts, while she worshipped the very ground Martha Stewart walked on. So they'd compromised and the apartment that they would spend their first full night in Sunday after the reception smelled of a rich burgundy leather recliner, and was dominated by a pink-and-white-striped sofa with flowered