Free Secret Ingredient: Love by Teresa Southwick Page A

into a false sense of security. I guess I’m lucky that he showed his true colors right away. He’s just like every other man.”
    “What man took a bite out of you?” Rosie asked sympathetically.
    Fran laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Trust me. You don’t want to know the long, sad, but essentially boring story. And I’m not anxious to share the memories of my young and foolish days. Suffice it to say I’m sadder, but wiser now.”
    “Okay. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. But you can trust me on this. Alex is different. He won’t hang you out to dry at the tasting just to cover his own behind.”
    “I have a hard time believing he’s different.”
    “Just wait. He’ll prove it to you. At least let him mess up before you get mad.” Her face took on an “aha” expression. “I get the feeling you want him to fire you.”
    “That’s silly,” Fran answered with a tad too much bluster.
    “What are you really afraid of, Fran?”
    “I’m terrified that these shells are going to crash and burn. Or should I say capsize and sink?”
    “I don’t really need to know, but don’t lie to yourself.” Rosie gazed at her sympathetically. “Here’s food for thought…”
    “Nice pun,” Fran said grinning.
    “Thanks. I love it when that happens. But seriously, there’s something you and Alex have in common. You’ve both been hurt.”
    Maybe. But it was incredibly unprofessional of Fran to discuss him with his sister. “I’m really nervous about unveiling the entrées,” she admitted, changing the subject.
    “Don’t be. It’s just the family. You’ll love them.”
    “I’ve already met upper management—Nick, Joe and Luke. They seem nice.”
    “They are. But don’t ever tell them I said that.” Rosie grinned as she tucked a wayward strand of dark, curly hair behind her ear. “Besides, I don’t think the whole family will be able to make it.”
    “Oh? Who’s not coming?” Fran asked.
    “Me and Steve. Abby. Liz.”
    “So who is going to be there?”
    “Nick, Joe, and Alex, of course. Luke and Mom and Dad.”
    “Ah,” Fran said. “Just everyone who gets a vote.”
    “Stop worrying, Fran.” Rosie sniffed. “There’s something divinely aromatic in the air. If it tastes as good as my sniffer says, you’ve got it made in the shade. The Marchetti brothers will make you their queen. The family is going to love you.”
    “I just want them to love my cooking,” she countered.
    But she wondered if that was entirely true. Even though she was annoyed with Alex, she wanted to impress him. And it bugged her no end that she didn’t just mean here at work, in the frozen food department. What fried her most was that she couldn’t seem to shake the need for his approval of her as a woman.
    In addition to shaking her professional image, had the jerk from school destroyed her confidence in her femininity? Fran tried to tell herself no, but what other explanation could there be? Because come hell or high water, she would not let herself succumb to any real or imagined temptation for a man in the food service business who also happened to be her employer.
    Fran looked at the other woman and sighed. “I’m pretty sure the concoction you smell is going to melt in one’s proverbial mouth. There’s only one major problem.”
    “And that is?”
    “It’s my recipe, not one of the ones that Alex gave me to adapt.”
    Rosie frowned. “I don’t know what prejudice you’ve experienced in the business, Fran. And no one knows better than me that the Marchetti men have their faults. But no one can accuse them of being stupid.”
    “And by that you mean?”
    “If your recipe is as good as you say, and as good as I think, you’ll get to showcase it.”
    “Time will tell.” Fran shook her head to clear it, then looked at her friend. “It just occurred to me to wonder what you’re doing here. Don’t you have a business to run?”
    Rosie nodded. “I left Jackie in charge