“What is?” Lillian asked.

  “The one and only Doctor Foster spending her afternoon o with me,” Anna explained.

  “Please, call me Lillian. I’m just a regular person,” Lillian sco ed.

  “Don’t be so modest, Lillian,” Anna said as she lightly smacked Lillian’s arm. Lillian could feel the goosebumps erupt all over her from Anna’s light touch. She liked the way her name sounded on Anna’s tongue.

  Anna shook her head. “We must have very di erent definitions of the word regular. You’re practically a celebrity amongst the pregnant women of Forest Vale,” she said.

  Lillian chuckled nervously, “I wouldn’t say that, but enough about me. How have you been doing since we last saw each other?”

  Anna’s smile widened. She had a bold pink lipstick on today and little other make up. Her dark curls were loose around her face. God, she’s beautiful, Lillian thought.

  “It’s been great! I’ve been managing the morning sickness and cravings,” Anna laughed.

  “I’m glad to hear it. Anything weird?” Lillian asked. “I find odd pregnancy cravings intriguing,” she chuckled.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary here,” Anna smiled apologetically. “The only craving I haven’t been able to shake is this hankering for gelato. I’m not sure if it is pregnancy or I just really like gelato. I mean pure pistachio

  gelato. Not that crappy stu they serve at that gelateria,”

  she said pointing to a store across the street. “But unless I get on a plane and fly to Italy, there’s no way I’m getting that,” Anna hu ed.

  “Actually…” Lillian began.

  “Is this where you tell me you’re part Italian and your grandmother left you the family recipe to the best pistachio gelato in Italy?” Anna asked.

  Lillian burst into a fit of laughter. “I wish but no.”

  “It was worth a shot,” Anna said.

  “But I do know someone who has a small gelateria with—

  in my opinion—the best pistachio gelato you can find outside of Italy,” Lillian responded.

  Anna’s eyes widened. “You’re joking, right?”

  “Not in the slightest bit,” Lillian said.

  “You have to tell where this place is. I’ve been dreaming about this for days now. It’s almost too hard to function,”

  she replied.

  “Are you busy?” Lillian asked.

  “Not in the least. I was actually going to cave and go to that horrible gelato store to get a tub,” Anna admitted.

  “How about I take you there?” Lillian suggested.

  Anna’s jaw dropped at Lillian’s suggestion. “Are you serious?”

  “I wouldn’t joke about such a thing. Especially not to a woman who is experiencing vivid dreams about pistachio gelato,” Lillian chuckled.

  Anna grabbed Lillian’s wrist. “Lead the way,” she sang.

  Lillian felt butterflies in the pit of her stomach at Anna’s bold touch.

  “It’s a bit of a drive but the ride there is beautiful. You get a great view of the coast,” Lillian said as she led Anna to her car. “After you,” she motioned at the passenger seat while she held the door open for Anna.

  “And they say chivalry is dead,” Anna commented.

  Lillian felt brave and shot Anna a wink.

  ANNABEL FELT her heart thump against her chest.

  Did I imagine that, or did she just wink at me? Annabel asked herself. She felt the heat spread across her cheeks.

  “Getting a bit bold there, Lil,” Annabel said as Lillian slid into her seat. Lillian rolled her eyes at the nickname.

  “I can’t let you have all the fun and it’s nice to see someone else turn even mildly red for a change,” she chuckled.

  Annabel cheered internally. So it was intentional.

  “Where is this amazing gelateria you’re taking me to?”

  Annabel asked.

  “It’s a surprise,” Lillian answered.

  “Do I get a clue?” Annabel tried.

  “I gave you one earlier,” Lillian reminded her.

  “No, you didn’t,” Annabel challenged.

  “I did. I told you it was a bit of a drive and you would get a nice view of the coast. That’s two clues if you think about it,”

  Lillian chuckled.

  “That is so vague it can hardly be considered as a clue,”

  Annabel said.

  “Well, those are the only clues you’re getting,” Lillian smiled. “Do with that what you will.”

  Annabel hu ed in her seat. Her full pink lips were pouted and she caught Lillian staring at them. She could feel her insides twist as she imagined the feeling of Lillian’s lips on hers.

  “You really won’t tell me where we’re going, Lil?”

  Annabel tried once more.

  The sound of Annabel’s voice seemed to jolt Lillian. “Not a chance. That’s the whole point of a surprise, no? The excitement and suspense,” Lillian explained.

  “I’m not good with surprises. I like them but only when I can’t see them coming,” Annabel shared.

  “You don’t say?” Lillian chuckled.

  Annabel rolled her eyes playfully, “Okay, fine. I give up, I guess I’ll just have to wait,” she said as she slumped into her seat.

  “You won’t have to wait too long,” Lillian chirped.

  “Are we heading to the beach?” Annabel asked as Lillian made a turn away from the city center.

  “Yes and no,” Lillian answered.

  “Well, that is not very helpful, Lillian,” Annabel whined.

  “Where on earth are we going?”

  Lillian laughed at her tone. “Look out the window, there’s that view I was talking about,” she said and pointed.

  Annabel’s gaze followed Lillian’s finger and her jaw dropped as Lillian rounded a corner. The road opened up to a view of the coastline. “I’ve never seen the beach from here,”

  she gasped.

  “Not many people know about this route since the main road opened up years ago,” Lillian shared.

  This view is incredible, Annabel thought. The sun was retreating and the sky looked like a painting. Hues of pink, purple, and green, speckled with flu y clouds. She could see the waves crash onto the shore. “Wow,” Annabel whispered.

  “It’s something, isn’t it? I don’t drive up here as much as I used to. It is my favorite place,” she heard Lillian say.

  Her view disappeared as they went through a tunnel.

  Annabel turned to Lillian, only to see her smiling back at her fondly. She had glasses on today, perhaps for driving, and Annabel found them utterly endearing and totally adding to the geek-chic thing Lillian had going on.

  She reached a hand out and placed it over Lillian’s.

  “Thank you for that view.”

  “Don’t thank me yet,” Lillian replied. Her cheeks tinted pink. She squeezed Annabel’s hand. “Almost there.”

  Annabel felt a throb between her legs as Lillian squeezed her hand. It’s just the hormones, she told herself. Darkness turned to light as they drove out of the tunnel. Lillian kept her hand in Annabel’s as she drove.

  “Here we are,” Lillian announced. She pulled up next to a bench overlooking the coast.

  Annabel looked out the window, her brows furrowed. “I thought you said there was a gelateria around here.” There were but a few houses across the road. They were pastel colored and joined together. “I see no gelateria or anyone for that matter,” Annabel commented.

  Lillian smiled at her. “Okay, gelateria may have been a stretch.”

  “Oh no, my mother warned me about accepting sweets from strangers and getting into their cars,” Annabel teased.

  Lillian chuckled, “Don’t worry. You’re safe.” She unbuckled herself from the seat and got out of the car. She jogged over to Annabel’s side and held the door open. “Are you coming?” Lillian asked.

  “I’m a little confused but okay,” Annabel answered. She slid out of her seat. “Thank you.”

  “My pleasure,” Lillian nodded. “Shall we?” she motioned, her elbow outstretched towards Annabel.

  Annabel enjoyed seeing Lillian in this pencil skirt and heels. She was slightly awkward in it and Annabel liked that.

  She linked her arm around Lillian’s. “We shall,” she exclaimed.

  They walked up to one of the little houses, the glass screen was covered in dust. There was a faded blue sign hanging with the word APERTO painted on it.

  Lillian knocked on the door before she entered. A little bell rang as they walked into the room. “Buongiorno,”

  Lillian sang.

  “Curiouser and curiouser,” Annabel whispered.

  Annabel’s eyes studied the room. What is this place? she thought. It was a small room. It looked like someone had converted their living room into a sort of lunch room. It was dimly lit but cozy with a few wooden stools and tables littered across the space. There was a strong aroma of co ee in the air.

  She watched as Lillian’s cheeks lifted. An elderly woman came waddling through a doorway. “Mia cara, Lilliana!” the woman exclaimed. Her smile widened and her feet moved faster. She cupped Lillian’s face in her hands and kissed her cheeks. Her smile disappeared and her face crumpled. The elderly woman swatted Lillian’s arm. “It’s been too long,”

  she scolded.

  Lillian rubbed the spot where the woman had hit her.

  “Sorry, Nonna. I’ve been busy,” she said sheepishly.

  The woman began speaking animatedly in Italian. Lillian nodded along, she laughed occasionally, and replied with as much gusto as the woman did. She speaks Italian? Annabel thought to herself.

  The elderly woman’s gaze shifted to Annabel. “And who is this beautiful young woman around your arm, Lilliana?”

  she asked sweetly in her accent.

  Annabel stuck her hand out. “Hello, Ma’am, I’m Annabel.”

  The woman looked down at her outstretched hand and giggled. “Come here,” she said before Annabel was embraced in a tight hug. “Here, we hug. And you must call me Nonna. Not this Ma’am nonsense,” the woman smiled.

  “Okay, Nonna,” Annabel repeated with a wide grin.

  Nonna wiped her hands on her apron. “What can I do for you today, belle signore?”

  “Well, Annabel here has been dreaming about pistachio gelato and I told her that this was the only place that made the best pistachio gelato you can find outside of Italy,”

  Lillian beamed.

  “Mia cara, you are too sweet,” Nonna cooed as she pinched Lillian’s cheek.

  Lillian winced at the force and Annabel tried to stifle a chuckle as she watched the exchange between the two.

  “If it’s pistachio gelato you want, it is pistachio gelato you will get!” Nonna exclaimed. “I will be right back,” she said as she turned away.

  Lillian rubbed her sore cheek. “I thought I was the only one that could turn your cheeks that red but Nonna has her ways too,” Annabel laughed.

  “Laugh all you want but I doubt she’ll let you leave without pinching your cheeks too,” Lillian warned.

  Before Annabel could respond, Nonna’s voice carried through the room. “Lilliana, uno o due?” she shouted.

  “Two for both! Grazie, Nonna,” Lillian yelled back.

  Annabel raised a brow. “Should I ask?”

  “Just trust the process,” Lillian chuckled.

  Annabel nodded. “So, you speak fluent Italian and you just happen to know an elderly Italian woman—who you call Nonna—that makes pistachio gelato? Are you sure you’re going to stick with the whole ‘I’m not Italian’ thing?”

  Lillian opened her mouth but was interrupted by Nonna’s booming voice, “I’m coming!” She waddled out of the kitchen with two cups in either hand. They were filled with two large silky mint green scoops. “Wow,” Annabel gasped.

  Nonna walked towards them with a wide smile on her face. She handed them the overflowing cups. “Here you go, belle signore,” she beamed.

  “Thank you,” Annabel replied, her eyes wide. She was salivating at the sight of the frozen confectionery.

  Nonna stared at her expectantly as she shoveled a spoonful of gelato into her mouth. “Oh wow,” she muttered.

  Her taste buds danced. Annabel’s eyes shut and she let out a guttural moan. “Oh my god. You were not kidding, this is the best thing I’ve tasted,” she exclaimed.

  The elderly woman squealed at Annabel’s reaction. Nonna clapped in delight as Annabel took another bite. “Amazing,”

  she gushed. “Sweet Annabella. You are too kind,” Nonna cooed as she pinched Annabel’s cheek. Annabel winced.

  Annabel could hear Lillian laugh. She turned to see Lillian mouth, “I told you so.”

  “Thank you, Nonna,” Lillian smiled. She reached into her bag and pulled out her wallet. The happy smile on Nonna’s face disappeared and was replaced with a stern expression.

  She tsked and pushed Lillian’s wallet back into her purse.

  “Don’t be silly. You pay me back by taking some time o and coming by more often,” she sighed softly.

  “No, Nonna. Let me pay you,” Lillian whined.

  She put her hand up, palm facing Lillian. A steely look on her face. “Basta, mia cara.”

  Lillian shook her head. “Okay, Nonna. Grazie mille,” she said. Lillian leaned in and placed two kisses on either side of her plump face and held her.

  “You come back soon, okay? And rest. You need rest,”

  Annabel heard her say to Lillian as she gently stroked her back.

  “Thank you, Nonna. You made my year with your amazing gelato,” Annabel chimed.

  The elderly woman smiled softly at her. “Sweet Annabella, thank you.” She pulled Annabel into her arms and hugged her. “Make sure she rests and you come back whenever you want. I always have gelato,” she shared.

  Nonna pulled away. “You two enjoy the gelato. I need to get back to the kitchen,” she explained.

  “Thank you, Nonna,” they said in unison.

  She blew them a kiss and waved them away. Lillian waved back. Annabel followed suit. She heard the bell chime and saw Lillian standing by the door, holding it open for her.

  “Thanks,” Annabel said as she walked past her.

  LILLIAN COULD FEEL Anna’s eyes on her.

  “Yes?” Lillian asked.

  “Yes? That’s all you have to say?” Anna asked incredulously.

  “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Lillian chuckled.

  “Oh, come on,” Anna replied.

  “What? Seriously?” Lillian teased.

  “Okay, fine. Tell me, how does one procure themselves a Nonna in a town like Forest Vale?” Anna asked.

  “Long story short—" Lillian began as she stopped at a bench just past the houses.

  “Long story only, please,” Anna interrupted.

  Lillian smiled as she shook her head. “You’re going to want to sit for this one, then.” She patted the bench next to her.Anna obliged. “Don’t mind if I do,” she said. Lillian watched her eyes widen. “This view is absolutely stunning,”

  she commented. Her eyes shone as she took in the watercolor sunset in front of her.

  “It is,” Lillian agreed.

  Anna turned to her. “So, tell me about this long story of yours.”

  She drew in a deep breath. “A long—and I mean long time ago, I was young and decided to take a few years o to travel the world. Before I really buckled down and dove in headfirst into the medical field,” she shared.

  “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” Anna blurted.

  “Good,” Lillian chuckled. “It’ll keep you on your toes,”

  she said.

  Anna flashed her a grin. “Just the way I like it.”

  Lillian felt the heat creep onto her cheeks. Sure, the wider she smiles, the redder I turn, she thought to herself.

  “Tell me more,” Anna nodded.

  “Well, like many others, I decided to start my trip in Europe. I was completely taken when I got to Italy. It was a whole other world and it was summer. I was your typical lost American tourist and, of course, back then all I had was a map,” she chuckled as she recounted the memory in her mind. “Between my terrible navigation skills and the hard-to-read street signs, I basically slammed into an understandably irate Italian woman,” Lillian shared.

  “Is that what you do on your time o ? Run into people?”

  Anna chuckled.

  “Only beautiful women it seems,” Lillian said coolly. Her insides fluttered as Anna blushed at her compliment. “After she calmed down, she seemed to take a liking to me and showed me around. Needless to say, I fell in love and found myself postponing my entire trip.”

  “Ah, love. The greatest language motivator out there. I picked up Spanish when I met a fiery Latina many moons ago,” Anna shared.

  Lillian nodded along. “Yup. I ended up staying in Italy for two years and her family welcomed me with open arms.

  That’s how Nonna and I met,” she recalled.

  Her smile vanished at the thought of the young Italian woman. “Our relationship didn’t last. It was stupid really,

  but I basically got my heart broken. The only good thing that came out of that nightmare was Nonna,” she said with a smile.

  “Go on,” Anna encouraged. She shoveled a spoonful of gelato into her mouth as she waited.

  “When I decided to head back to the States, Nonna decided she wanted to tag along for a trip. I took her around the country, but this place really resonated with her. She liked it so much, she decided to stay,” Lillian shared.

  “But why here?” Anna asked curiously.

  “I’m not sure. She said she needed a change and this part of Forest Vale felt like home. The thing is, Nonna’s originally from the Amalfi coast and she didn’t want to live somewhere without a view of the ocean. I knew this place would be perfect for her,” Lillian explained.

  “I hope you don’t mind me asking but how does she make ends meet out here? It’s so secluded. If you hadn’t shown me this place—or walked through the door for that matter—I’d just assume this was someone’s holiday home,” Anna shared.

  Lillian stifled a laugh. “You’re going to love this. Nonna is loaded. She doesn’t even have to work. She just does this because she likes it.”