Page 28 of Summer on Sunshine Bay

“They look delicious, Eva,” Jennifer said, reaching for a cannoli.

Gavin stopped her with a hand on her arm. “You had carbs at lunch, remember?” He smiled. “We want to look good for the wedding photos.”

“I’ll have one, Mom,” Lila said, no doubt in an effort to draw Eva’s narrow-eyed attention from Gavin.

It didn’t work. “You don’t want to offend me, do you, Gavin? I made these especially for you and Jennifer.” Eva put down the tray, piled several desserts on a plate, and handed it and a napkin to David’s mother. “You’re the last person who has to worry about their weight, Jennifer. You’re gorgeous.”

Jennifer hesitated, glancing at her husband before taking the plate. She offered Eva a sweet smile. “Thank you.”

“Sit down, Mom. I’ll get ours,” Lila said as she got up from the chair. She chose a pastry from Windemere and a biscotto each for herself and David.

“Anyone want tea?” James asked.

“Yes, please,” Jennifer said.

“I’ll take mine black, Eva,” Gavin said.

“I don’t do tea. That’s James’s specialty. He’s very fussy about his tea.” Eva smiled at James. “Milk and two sugars for me, darling.”

“Obviously you don’t worry about your weight, Eva,” Gavin said with a jocular laugh that faded when he glanced at James, who’d stopped pouring the milk into Eva’s teacup to stare at him.

“Life’s too short to worry about something so ridiculously superficial,” Eva said, patting James’s knee before reaching for a wedding cookie. She changed course and took a pastry from Windemere instead.

“They’re amazing, aren’t they?” Gavin asked after she’d taken a bite.

Eva nodded. “They are, but you might want to suggest to your pastry chef that his choux could use a touch more butter.”

“He graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, so no offense, but I don’t think he needs your advice.”

Eva shrugged. “None taken.” She smiled at Jennifer. “How was your cannoli?”

“Divine, and these iced cookies are delicious too.”

“I’m glad you like them. They’re Italian wedding cookies,” she said, accepting the cup of tea from James.

Gavin took a cannoli from the tray. “Not bad,” he said after swallowing the last bite. “Where did you get your culinary degree?”

“From my nonna and my mother.”

Eva had a feeling he wanted to roll his eyes but didn’t dare with James there. Instead he said, “That’s right. You own an Italian restaurant in Sunshine Bay.”

“We do. It’s been in my family for three generations.”

“Best Italian food outside of Italy,” James said.

“I love Italian food,” Jennifer said.

“Good, because I planned to invite you all to dinner tomorrow. I thought we could choose the wedding menu then.”

“We have the wedding menu sorted,” Gavin said. Then, after glancing in James’s direction, he added, “But we can come to dinner tomorrow.”

Jennifer reached for a leather-bound book propped up against the love seat. She leaned forward, offering it to Eva with an apologetic smile. “I’m afraid I got a little carried away and started planning the wedding. Lila was so busy with the move, I thought I could take some pressure off her.” She cast another apologetic smile in Lila’s direction. “But I’m afraid I may have overstepped.”

“You didn’t,” Lila said, smiling at David’s mother. “Your ideas are amazing.”

Eva paged through the book. Overstepped? Jennifer had everything planned right down to the smallest detail. Eva glanced at her daughter, who was chewing on her nail while Jennifer looked equally nervous. “I think you missed your calling. You should have been a wedding planner, Jennifer. Lila’s right, this is amazing.”

“Really? You’re not mad?”

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