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Robin Kaye | Meet Rich and Becca Ronaldi...


Breakfast In Bed
Robin Kaye

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December 2009
On Sale: December 1, 2009
384 pages
ISBN: 1402218958
EAN: 9781402218958
Mass Market Paperback
Add to Wish List

Also by Robin Kaye:
Home to You, April 2015
A Little On The Wild Side, January 2015
Had To Be You, February 2014
The Goose, The Gander, and Three French Hens, December 2013

I walked into DiNicola’s Restaurant in Brooklyn, NY, and stopped at the reception desk, the hostess was putting the daily specials inside each menu.

“Hi, I’m Robin Kaye, I’m here to meet Rich and Becca Ronaldi.”

When the woman turned around, I recognized her. She was Mona DiNicola’s cousin Rita. She pointed toward the bar. “They’re waitin’ for ya in the family dining room. I’ll tell Vinny you’re here.”

“Thanks, Rita.” I turned and walked through the small bar toward the family dining room in the back. My stomach growled as the smell of good gravy made my mouth water. I’d driven from Maryland to Brooklyn without stopping so I was well past ready for lunch.

When I walked in, I found Rich and Becca with their heads together, sitting next to each other at a table for four, holding hands. It’s nice to see they still only have eyes for each other, even after a year of marriage. “Am I interrupting?”

Rich got up and gave me a hug and a kiss on both cheeks. “You? Never. How are you?”

“Good, you two look happy.”

Becca gave me a hug. “We are. Things are good. How are you?”

Rich helped me off with my coat and Vinny DiNicola, the owner, chef, and Mona’s husband, came out with a bottle of Chianti and poured me a glass. “Thanks, Vinny.”

More kisses were exchanged and Vinny held my chair for me.

“I’ll make you a nice lunch, eh? Did you bring your appetite?”

“You ever know me to refuse your food?”

Vinny winked at me. “No, though you look like you lost weight.”

“Ha, you’re such a bad liar, but thanks for trying.”

Rich held his wine glass up. “Robin, benovenuto nella nostra casa e fa I nostri amici. Salute!”

We clinked glasses and took a sip of wine.

Becca looked from me to him. “Huh?”

“Rich just welcomed me to your home and your circle of friends. Grazi.”

Rich nodded. “Prego.”

Becca still looked skinny and beautiful, if she wasn’t so nice, I’d really have to hate her. Richie, well, he looked gorgeous in a hot professor sort of way since he was dressed for work. He had this monochrome thing going that really worked for him, me, and just about every other straight woman on the planet. “So, I’m here to interview you two about your romance.”

Rich grinned, “Why? You wrote a whole book about us, what don’t you know?”

Becca patted his hand. “Rich, she’s interviewing us for her blog tour. It’s her way of introducing us to her readers. Just try to be handsome and charming, and don’t say anything embarrassing, please.”

He looked her up and down and shot her his crooked smile. “Hey, I’m handsome and charming. I got you, didn’t I?”

Becca just about melted. “Yeah, you swept me off my feet.”

She leaned toward him and Richie closed the gap. “Thank God you taught me how to use a broom.”

I’d just become invisible. I cleared my throat.

They shot apart and Becca turned red.

“Ah, young love. So Becca, why don’t you tell me what you thought of Rich the first time you saw him.”

Rich sat back and grinned. “She hated me.”

Becca rolled her eyes. “Just because I didn’t drool all over you doesn’t mean I hated you.” She turned toward me again. “I just didn’t like him. I couldn’t stand the way he treated his sister Annabelle.”

“You came at me with a baseball bat.”

“Yeah, so? There was a strange man in my shower. I didn’t know it was you.”

Rich’s eyes twinkled. “The next morning, when she knew it was me, she threatened she’d have me singing soprano for the rest of my life.”

Becca crossed her arms, “You were holding my underwear. What the hell did you expect?”

“You were wearing my shirt and nothing else, I figured you could use them, besides I love to jerk your chain.”

“Richie!” Becca hit him. “They’re gonna think-”

“That you fell head over heels in love with me at first sight?”

“No, they’re going to think I slept with you right after we met.”

“Well, technically, you did.”

Becca turned to me. “I did not. He’s the one who barged through a locked door. Could I help it if I didn’t wake up?”

Richie shrugged. “Who knew those commercials about memory foam beds were so accurate. I got in my own bed, I might add, and she didn’t even notice. This still doesn’t explain why she woke up on top of me—not that I’m complaining, mind you. All I know is that she was supposed to stay in the guest room and instead, I woke up with her in my arms. Since I’d had such a bad night, I’d forgotten she was in my apartment at all. I just thought I was having one hell of a dream.”

Becca cleared her throat, “It was my apartment, remember? And the reason he had a bad night was because his girlfriend, Gina had dumped him and he came here to DiNicola’s to get drunk.”

Vinny came through the kitchen doors with a beautiful tray of antipasto. “Mangia, Mangia.”

It looked amazing. He set the tray in the middle of the table and passed around plates before serving.

I placed my napkin in my lap. “Vinny, did Richie come here after Gina broke up with him?”

Vinny stopped serving, a piece of melon draped with Prosciutto hung over the table. I grabbed it and took a bite.

“Sure, sure, he always comes here after he’s gets dumped.”

Rich groaned. “You make it sound like I get dumped on a daily basis. I got dumped twice in my whole life.”

Vinny shrugged and Becca shot him a disbelieving look and crossed her arms.

Rich rocked back in the chair, resting on the back two legs. “Fine, three times, but only two stuck. I got you back, remember?”

Vinny moved behind Richie and smacked him upside the head, all four chair legs hit the floor. “He thought he was gonna go to a bookstore and find Martha’s new book, Cookin’ and Cleanin’ for Dummies and get Gina back. Me, Mike, and Nick all told him he needed a coach, but we were all too busy to do it. Besides, we figured he’s pretty much useless when it comes to anything domestic.”

Richie ignored Vinny. “So when I sobered up and remembered Becca needed a place to stay until her apartment was remodeled, I thought I’d take advantage of the situation. I told her she and Tripod, our cat, could stay as long as she became my Domestic God Coach.”

Becca cut a piece of mozzarella and topped it with a little basil, and roasted red pepper. She rolled her eyes. “I just didn’t have time to deal with finding a new place so I agreed. I thought it was a good bargain, plus I’d get Richie do all the cooking and cleaning—not a bad deal. Beside, he kind of grows on you.” She popped the food in her mouth.

Richie took a hunk of bread and dipped it in olive oil. “I’m just lucky Aunt Rose didn’t freak her out.”

Becca shook as if a chill ran up her spine. “The woman is psychic. She said all this stuff about Richie and me, I thought she was nuts.”

Richie took a sip of wine. “Yeah, and Becca lied to me about what she said.”

Becca turned to Richie, “Like I was going to give you any more ammunition, I couldn’t stand you, remember?”

Richie nodded to me. “See, I told you.”

Becca shook her head. “It’s just that he was so good looking and cocky, and he had a girlfriend, or at least was trying to get her back. I couldn’t tell him everything Aunt Rose said, he would have thought I was after him or something. And believe me, the last thing I wanted was a relationship with Richie.”

“Yeah, that’s why she proposed to me in the end.” Rich pulled her chair closer to his and put his arm around her.

Becca nuzzled his neck. “You proposed to me first.”

And I disappeared again.

Vinny helped me out of my chair, “They are always like this. Come into the kitchen and we’ll catch up. You want I should make you some Ciambotto del Pescatore? I got nice shrimp, clams, and muscles.”

“Mmm, sounds good.” I followed him to the kitchen and Nino gave me a bowl of pasta Fagioli Soup to sip while Vinny made me lunch.

He tossed some onion and olive oil in a frying pan, “In a half hour or so, they’ll come lookin’ for you. Just wait, you’ll see.

I sat back and enjoyed the busy kitchen, I wasn’t worried. I had plenty for my interview. Now I could eat lunch.

 

 

Comments

24 comments posted.

Re: Robin Kaye | Meet Rich and Becca Ronaldi...

Ciao Robin
I love these two already. What a great way to introduce them. I want to eat at Di Nicola's too. Funny my dad's name was Nicola & he had a pizzeria & burger place. Love your writing style.
(Mary G Grzesik 2:50pm December 28, 2009)

Reading your books are like watching a Romantic Comedy, but better. The Domestic Gods are series are such wonderful reads.
(Elizabeth Mitchell 2:53pm December 28, 2009)

The address of that restaurant, please! I want to go there the next time I go up to visit my daughter! :>)
(Karin Tillotson 3:11pm December 28, 2009)

This looks to be something I would be very interested in reading. Thank you for sharing the preview.
(Cindy Olp 3:30pm December 28, 2009)

Cindy, thanks for stopping by! I hope
you'll pick up a copy.

Karin-Unfortunately, DiNicola's is in
my head. I know there are great little
Italian restaurants all over Brooklyn,
they're not hard to find. Enjoy your
visit. I'm jealous!

Elizabeth- What a wonderful thing to
say. I'm so glad you enjoy the series.
I'm finishing up the 4th book right
now.

Ciao Mary~ Thanks so much for
stopping by. DiNicola was my
grandmother's maiden name--we're
probably related, like 16th cousins or
something.
(Robin Kaye 3:46pm December 28, 2009)

Hi Robin
Wouldn't surprise me. Your characters are so well fleshed out they are real to me. Your humor is so wonderful
and funny and so human. You make the stories so real and endearing.
(Mary G Grzesik 3:54pm December 28, 2009)

Loved the interview...I felt at home with Rich and Becca. I can't wait to get me hands on their book:).
(Robin McKay 5:20pm December 28, 2009)

Robin ~ Nice name *grin*

Thanks for stopping by! I'm glad you
enjoyed the interview. Becca and Rich
are always so much fun to write. Good
luck in the contest!
(Robin Kaye 5:23pm December 28, 2009)

Great interview! I want to learn about Rich and Becca and their love story. Please tell me more about Vinny. He really made an impression.
(Rosemary Krejsa 6:03pm December 28, 2009)

What a great introduction to the book & characters. My interest is certainly piqued.
(Mary Preston 6:20pm December 28, 2009)

Rosemary - Vinny is my favorite
secondary character. I just adore him.
He's the wise older cousin of Nick
Romeo (from the first book in the
series, Romeo, Romeo) and has taken
all of my Domestic Gods under his
wing. He's always the one they come
to when they get into trouble. He's
funny, wise, and he doesn't mind
telling it like it is.
(Robin Kaye 7:20pm December 28, 2009)

I enjoy how the couple completed each other's thoughts and made sure that no parts were left out of the story. when you sit back and watch, a lot can be revealed if you keep your mouth closed.
(Alyson Widen 7:26pm December 28, 2009)

your story was great remind me of back home in little
italy in cleveand i used to heip in the restraunt alot when i was kid and we had some great time there
(Desiree Reilly 7:29pm December 28, 2009)

You are soo funny! Too bad you didn't write this commentary before I started reading the book Breakfast In Bed. I had to wait two weeks to get the book-had to order at B/N and it was on back order. This was such a great series.
(Nancy Alexander 7:32pm December 28, 2009)

Sounds like the definition of a mouth watering book! It's too bad that the book doesn't come with a carry-out menu for the food too. Definitely a yummy read!
(Joy Smith 7:37pm December 28, 2009)

Mary~ I'm glad you liked it. When writing
things like this one never knows the
reception it will receive.
(Robin Kaye 8:50pm December 28, 2009)

Alyson~ Exactly, I try to let the characters
talk, it's amazing what they'll come out
with.
(Robin Kaye 8:52pm December 28, 2009)

Nancy~

Sorry about the wait, there was a
problem with the covers, the foil liked
to stick to hands more than the book.
The entire shipment had to be
reprinted. I'm glad you're enjoying the
series, I'm working on the 4th book
now. it's called As Good as He Gets.
I'm enjoying writing it.
(Robin Kaye 8:54pm December 28, 2009)

Desiree~

I love any little Italy. New York, Philly, as
long as there's good food and wine, I'm
happy.
(Robin Kaye 8:56pm December 28, 2009)

Joy~

I've have readers email me for recipes.
They love the artichoke pesto from
Too Hot to Handle. I ended up having
to make the dish and measure what I
put in. I guess a handful of cheese
isn't good enough, although it's
always worked for me. But I gotta say,
a take-out menu would be wonderful.
I have a wonderful little Italian joint
about 20 minutes away Vito, the
owner, and Tina my favorite waitress
have become family friends. Vito
cooks almost as well as my
grandmother. His escarole is simply to
die for!
(Robin Kaye 9:05pm December 28, 2009)

That actually made me hungry reading the excerpt. What powerful writing.
(Vikki Parman 9:30pm December 28, 2009)

Thanks, Vikki~ You made my day!
(Robin Kaye 9:50pm December 28, 2009)

Interesting. I'll have to look for the book. Thanks.
(Lena Lee 10:31pm December 28, 2009)

Enjoy Lena!
(Robin Kaye 6:51am December 29, 2009)

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