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suitcase down by the door. “What if something happens while I’m gone?”
    â€œI’m a big girl.” Gisella laughed. “I think I can take care of myself.”
    Anna drew a deep breath. “Nicole and Jade’s phone numbers are on the refrigerator. Call them if you need help with anything. I’m leaving to go to my company’s headquarters in New York, but I’ll call you every day.”
    â€œYes, Mom, ” Gisella sassed, bumping her hip against her sister’s before marching out of Anna’s bedroom. “Sasha and I will be fine.”
    Her sister followed her to the kitchen and watched her slip on her Kiss the Chef apron and then pull out a variety of bowls and ingredients from every cabinet. “You really do love doing this stuff, don’t you?” she said, folding her arms and leaning against the kitchen’s door frame. “You’d live in a kitchen if you could.”
    â€œDon’t think I haven’t thought about it,” Gisella joked, measuring out flour and vanilla extract. “I’m still trying to crack grandmère ’s famous recipe for her Amour Chocolat .”
    â€œWhy don’t you just ask her for it?”
    â€œNow that’s a novel idea.” Gisella smacked her palm against her head. “Why didn’t I think of it?”
    â€œShe won’t give it up, eh?”
    â€œShe claims the recipe is top-secret because its effects can be dangerous for those who don’t respect its power.”
    â€œDangerous?” Anna repeated skeptically. “We’re talking about chocolate, right?”
    â€œAh, but not just any kind of chocolate.” Gisella waved a finger at her sister. “There is what you might call a culinary urban legend about grandmère ’s Amour Chocolat . It is said that just one bite of the decadent treat ignites passion.”
    â€œWhat? Like an aphrodisiac? C’mon, people have been saying that about chocolate for years. It’s not true.”
    â€œBut ah! This recipe is the real deal. Trust me. I know.”
    Anna lifted a single brow. “You’ve had it before?”
    Casting her eyes down, Gisella bit her lower lip and tried her best not to look like a blushing fool.
    â€œGisella! Don’t tell me there’s a wild side to you.”
    â€œThere’s a lot you don’t know about me,” she sassed with a shrug of indifference. “Anyway, I’m no closer figuring out the recipe now than when I first started a couple of years ago, mainly because I have to rely on memory. But I will figure it out,” she vowed.
    â€œSo whose bones did you jump when you ate this magical stuff?”
    Gisella’s smile faded when her mind tumbled back. “Robert’s.”
    â€œOh.” Anna sobered. “There I go shoving my foot into my big mouth.”
    â€œDon’t,” Gisella said, waving off the apology. “The past is the past. All I can do is learn from it and move forward and create new memories.”
    Her sister’s eyes narrowed on her. “Do you already have someone else in mind?”
    â€œWhat? No!” Gisella lied, her face heating up with embarrassment. “I’m just saying that you never know what’s in the future. That’s all.”
    â€œHumph!” As usual, Anna rolled her eyes at Gisella’s romantic fancy. “I already know what my future holds—a lot of romance novels and gallons of ice cream.”
    Gisella laughed guiltily as she turned toward the refrigerator and took out the milk, butter and eggs. “As much fun as that can be, I’d much rather curl up to a warm body at night.”
    â€œYou’ll learn. Men aren’t worth half the trouble they cause. All a woman needs to be happy is a great career, some nice toys and a hearty stock of copper-topped batteries. Trust me.”
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    Masters Holdings now operated with a skeletal crew. Commercial and housing