glanced back at the door leading to the party, then shifted his gaze to Tara’s and lifted his eyebrows.
She sighed. “Okay, so technically I’m already out.”
“And you can’t tell me you’re here because you’re a big fan of Holly Addison’s.”
“Why not?”
“You barely glanced at her when she walked by you earlier.”
“I suppose I didn’t.”
“And you’re not one of J.D.’s—Sr. or Jr.—exes.”
“You don’t think so?”
“I’ve seen a lot of them.” He let his gaze rove her from head to toe. She had plenty of curves, but they were subtle and—he’d bet his Justice Department Commendation for Valor—real. “You’re not the type.”
“Why am I not flattered?”
“But you should be.”
“You’re very…enigmatic.”
He nearly smiled. “Am I?”
“Definitely. Do you want to hear my sob story for crashing or not?”
“Until the bachelor and bachelorette parties start, I’m all yours.”
“When’s that?”
He flicked a glance at his watch. “Twenty minutes.”
“Fine. Never let it be said I delayed scheduled debauchery by starlets and cattle ranchers.” As she crossed her arms over her chest, her expression turned fierce. “I’m trying to save my business.”
“What business?”
“I’m a caterer.”
“That explains the tasting and grimacing.”
“I’m starting to get a little creeped out by the idea that you’ve been watching me so closely for the last hour.”
He shrugged. “It’s my job.”
“So you should understand why I’m trying to save mine—and those of my employees. The catering company Maynard Sr. hired for the wedding, Posh Events, has been swiping contracts from me for months. Sometimes they undercut my prices to the point that they have to be operating at a loss. But most times their prices are higher, yet they still get the booking instead of me. It’s driving me crazy.” She paced in a tight circle. “It’s driving me out of business. So maybe I went a little overboard by coming here, but I had to find out what was so great about Carla and her Posh Events firsthand.”
She fisted her hands at her sides as she faced him. “My food is good, Mr. Cooper. Maybe I’m not famous like my mother, but I know how to cook.”
He held up his hand. “What does fame have to do with catering?”
She rolled her eyes as if to say you wouldn’t believe me if I told you. “Reputation is everything in the food business. Serve a good meal, make one person happy. Serve a bad meal, make twenty enemies.”
“I rarely make anybody happy in my business, so you’re way ahead of me.”
“But you protect people’s lives. How can they be mad about that?”
“Easily.”
“Weird.”
He shrugged.
“You’re also not much of a talker.”
“If it helps, I’ve said more to you than to anybody in the last two hours.”
“So you understand, right?” she asked, her tone taking on a hint of pleading. “You could let me hang around the events this weekend. I won’t bother anybody, then I can find out—”
“No.”
She looked astonished by his abrupt response. “No?”
“I appreciate the difficult position you’re in, Ms. Lindsey, but I have a job, as well— One I’d like to keep.” Though he had no idea why. “Stay away from the wedding events, and we’ll get along just fine.”
She seemed truly disappointed. “You won’t help me?”
“I can’t.”
As he turned away, she laid her hand on his forearm. Shock and desire shot through him. Damn.
“You must have some sympathy for my cause,” she said softly. “You waited awhile before confronting me. Why?”
“Curiosity and boredom.”
She moved around him, standing close enough that their torsos nearly touched. “And are you still bored?”
She smelled amazing. Like vanilla and spice, comforting and warm. Like a scent from his childhood or his grandmother’s kitchen.
He empathized with her wanting to save her business and reputation. He liked that she seemed to
She sighed. “Okay, so technically I’m already out.”
“And you can’t tell me you’re here because you’re a big fan of Holly Addison’s.”
“Why not?”
“You barely glanced at her when she walked by you earlier.”
“I suppose I didn’t.”
“And you’re not one of J.D.’s—Sr. or Jr.—exes.”
“You don’t think so?”
“I’ve seen a lot of them.” He let his gaze rove her from head to toe. She had plenty of curves, but they were subtle and—he’d bet his Justice Department Commendation for Valor—real. “You’re not the type.”
“Why am I not flattered?”
“But you should be.”
“You’re very…enigmatic.”
He nearly smiled. “Am I?”
“Definitely. Do you want to hear my sob story for crashing or not?”
“Until the bachelor and bachelorette parties start, I’m all yours.”
“When’s that?”
He flicked a glance at his watch. “Twenty minutes.”
“Fine. Never let it be said I delayed scheduled debauchery by starlets and cattle ranchers.” As she crossed her arms over her chest, her expression turned fierce. “I’m trying to save my business.”
“What business?”
“I’m a caterer.”
“That explains the tasting and grimacing.”
“I’m starting to get a little creeped out by the idea that you’ve been watching me so closely for the last hour.”
He shrugged. “It’s my job.”
“So you should understand why I’m trying to save mine—and those of my employees. The catering company Maynard Sr. hired for the wedding, Posh Events, has been swiping contracts from me for months. Sometimes they undercut my prices to the point that they have to be operating at a loss. But most times their prices are higher, yet they still get the booking instead of me. It’s driving me crazy.” She paced in a tight circle. “It’s driving me out of business. So maybe I went a little overboard by coming here, but I had to find out what was so great about Carla and her Posh Events firsthand.”
She fisted her hands at her sides as she faced him. “My food is good, Mr. Cooper. Maybe I’m not famous like my mother, but I know how to cook.”
He held up his hand. “What does fame have to do with catering?”
She rolled her eyes as if to say you wouldn’t believe me if I told you. “Reputation is everything in the food business. Serve a good meal, make one person happy. Serve a bad meal, make twenty enemies.”
“I rarely make anybody happy in my business, so you’re way ahead of me.”
“But you protect people’s lives. How can they be mad about that?”
“Easily.”
“Weird.”
He shrugged.
“You’re also not much of a talker.”
“If it helps, I’ve said more to you than to anybody in the last two hours.”
“So you understand, right?” she asked, her tone taking on a hint of pleading. “You could let me hang around the events this weekend. I won’t bother anybody, then I can find out—”
“No.”
She looked astonished by his abrupt response. “No?”
“I appreciate the difficult position you’re in, Ms. Lindsey, but I have a job, as well— One I’d like to keep.” Though he had no idea why. “Stay away from the wedding events, and we’ll get along just fine.”
She seemed truly disappointed. “You won’t help me?”
“I can’t.”
As he turned away, she laid her hand on his forearm. Shock and desire shot through him. Damn.
“You must have some sympathy for my cause,” she said softly. “You waited awhile before confronting me. Why?”
“Curiosity and boredom.”
She moved around him, standing close enough that their torsos nearly touched. “And are you still bored?”
She smelled amazing. Like vanilla and spice, comforting and warm. Like a scent from his childhood or his grandmother’s kitchen.
He empathized with her wanting to save her business and reputation. He liked that she seemed to
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