Page 9 of Bartender's Surprise Baby

Her words teased a chuckle out of me. "You never say what I think you will. Mushrooms, sausage, and hot peppers."

"Add caramelized onions to that, and I’m in."

A gorgeous woman who wasn’t afraid to share a pizza was like a unicorn. "Done." We ordered the pizza and a salad, then returned to getting to know each other.

"Well, isn’t this cozy?" Edith Rockwell stopped at the table with a gleaming smile.

"Hey, Edith," Rob’s greeting was bright and genuine.

"Mrs. Rockwell."

She rolled her eyes. "I came over here to tell you how good you look in that flannel, and you’re calling me Mrs. Rockwell? Just plain rude."

Rob giggled.

I glared at her, and she only giggled harder.

"Sorry, Edith."

"That’s better," she said, turning to Rob. "Since you’re back in town, I wondered if you wanted to be my co-chair for Easter Fest."

Rob shook her head immediately, still smiling even though it was clear she had no interest in co-chairing anything. "I would love to, Edith, you know I would, but I just promised Levi here that I’d be his bartender while he gets back in the kitchen." She smiled so sweetly, I almost believed her.

"What?"

Her eyes brightened, as if willing me to go along. "Did you know that Levi is a wonderful cook?"

She didn’t even know that.

Edith’s penciled-in brows jumped up. "Is that right? Does she actually eat the food you make the morning after?"

I coughed to cover my laugh.

Rob smiled sweetly at the old woman. "Wouldn’t you like to know."

"Every dirty detail," she shot back with an even bigger smile.

"A lady doesn’t kiss and tell," Rob replied.

Edith scoffed. "I’m not asking as a lady—I’m asking as a hungry ol’ woman who wants the details. Just tell me how good he looks without all these clothes."

"Edith," Rob chided. "Don’t make Levi blush."

"Oh, pish!" She waved a hand in the air before turning her stare my way. "If you won’t co-chair, you both have to participate in a few of the activities to get others involved."

Rob tapped her chin, a devious smile on her face. "What are the options?"

"Like you don’t know."

"Fine, I’ll do the glow-in-the-dark egg hunt and the basket-making contest."

Both women turned my way, and I sighed. I’d seen the flyers around town and groaned. "Fine, giant egg decorating for me."

"Perfect! I’ll put you both down for all three activities. See you soon!" She hurried off with the speed of a woman half her age.

"I think we’ve been bamboozled," I muttered.

Rob laughed. "Good word, and I think you’re right." She didn’t seem upset at all by Edith’s tactics.

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