Following her announcement, Cor took a huge bite of her croissant and chewed it while picking at her cuticles.
Mari and Quina glanced at one another. “So your Family is building a shelter?” Mari asked.
Cor glanced up from her engrossing self-manicure. “We chatted so far with Family Tailor, Family Perreira, and Family Cibrian. Only Family Tailor has the cash or interest.” She stopped briefly to swallow her croissant bite. “We’re introducing this to you to see if we have your support, too. And hell no, we’re not building it. It’s actually been in the works for a while and is mostly erect”—she snuck a not-so-subtle glance at Reed—“but since the city budget crisis, it’s lost tons of money and support. We’re really just tossing some money their way and getting a facility named in our honor. This smells to us like a lucrative investment.”
A homeless shelter, lucrative? Reed sat back a bit, arms folded.
“Interesting plan,” Quina murmured.
Mari glanced at Reed before turning back to Cor. “Who’s going to run it? Are you asking us for money only, or would we be involved in other ways?”
Cor dropped her head in a sharp nod. “Those are the questions we expected. I’m not authorized to hold the down-and-dirty discussions. I’m just the messenger, bringing the word, sisters and brothers. Lucky you.” She threw another wink at Reed. “We’re gonna have a Family mega-meeting in three days at noon at our house—that’s in Santa Monica, by the way,” she added for Reed’s benefit. “Can I tell Al you’ll be there?”
“Please have Alexio contact me with the specifics,” Quina replied. “And yes, Paul and I at least will be there.”
Cor clapped her hands together and rubbed them vigorously. “Okee dokey. Done deal. Al will be three shades of thrilled.”
After a moment, Reed’s quiet voice sliced through the silence. “What did you mean yes-”
“Right!” Cor exclaimed, slapping her hands against her thighs. She swiveled her head and smirked at Mari before turning her gaze to Reed. “Now that we’re done with business, let’s say you and me get to know each other better.”
Reed was pretty certain Cor’s hand did not need to be on his thigh for her to provide directions to the little café in nearby Arcadia that she insisted served “the best lattes this side of Seattle.” When she began waxing poetic about their creamy, foamy goodness, his pursed-mouth glance made her laugh.
Cor stood several inches taller than Maricruz. When she tucked her arm into his and dragged him into the tiny, aggressively cheerful café, he noticed the top of her head reached his nose.
Once again, Reed could appreciate the scene Cor had orchestrated for his benefit. The moment the door closed behind them, the hostess stiffened. After grabbing flimsy pink menus, she sighed and hastily, wordlessly, crowded them behind a remote table in the back of the dining area. A minute later she returned and plunked two waters, sans ice, down in front of them. By the time Reed raised his head to issue a wary thanks, she had retreated to the front.
Smiling just a little, Cor tilted her head at him and asked, “So what’s your sign?”
Reed sat back in his tiny metal chair. “Lately, I feel like it’s ‘caution.’”
She grinned. “I’m a Pisces, myself. Water sign, very emotional, you know. I peg you for a Scorpio; you know—silent waters running deep and all that. Is your birthday in November?”
“Are we here because you really want to flirt, or is this more about pissing off Maricruz?”
Cor laughed and slicked her hand through her short blue locks. “Can’t I do all at once? You were born in November, weren’t you?”
“May.”
“A Taurus. I should have known. So you noticed Mari’s little crush, huh?”
“I think it’s less a crush and more being territorial,” he said.
Cor nodded. “You are getting to know us,” she teased. “But don’t underestimate your cuteness, Mr.
Mari and Quina glanced at one another. “So your Family is building a shelter?” Mari asked.
Cor glanced up from her engrossing self-manicure. “We chatted so far with Family Tailor, Family Perreira, and Family Cibrian. Only Family Tailor has the cash or interest.” She stopped briefly to swallow her croissant bite. “We’re introducing this to you to see if we have your support, too. And hell no, we’re not building it. It’s actually been in the works for a while and is mostly erect”—she snuck a not-so-subtle glance at Reed—“but since the city budget crisis, it’s lost tons of money and support. We’re really just tossing some money their way and getting a facility named in our honor. This smells to us like a lucrative investment.”
A homeless shelter, lucrative? Reed sat back a bit, arms folded.
“Interesting plan,” Quina murmured.
Mari glanced at Reed before turning back to Cor. “Who’s going to run it? Are you asking us for money only, or would we be involved in other ways?”
Cor dropped her head in a sharp nod. “Those are the questions we expected. I’m not authorized to hold the down-and-dirty discussions. I’m just the messenger, bringing the word, sisters and brothers. Lucky you.” She threw another wink at Reed. “We’re gonna have a Family mega-meeting in three days at noon at our house—that’s in Santa Monica, by the way,” she added for Reed’s benefit. “Can I tell Al you’ll be there?”
“Please have Alexio contact me with the specifics,” Quina replied. “And yes, Paul and I at least will be there.”
Cor clapped her hands together and rubbed them vigorously. “Okee dokey. Done deal. Al will be three shades of thrilled.”
After a moment, Reed’s quiet voice sliced through the silence. “What did you mean yes-”
“Right!” Cor exclaimed, slapping her hands against her thighs. She swiveled her head and smirked at Mari before turning her gaze to Reed. “Now that we’re done with business, let’s say you and me get to know each other better.”
Reed was pretty certain Cor’s hand did not need to be on his thigh for her to provide directions to the little café in nearby Arcadia that she insisted served “the best lattes this side of Seattle.” When she began waxing poetic about their creamy, foamy goodness, his pursed-mouth glance made her laugh.
Cor stood several inches taller than Maricruz. When she tucked her arm into his and dragged him into the tiny, aggressively cheerful café, he noticed the top of her head reached his nose.
Once again, Reed could appreciate the scene Cor had orchestrated for his benefit. The moment the door closed behind them, the hostess stiffened. After grabbing flimsy pink menus, she sighed and hastily, wordlessly, crowded them behind a remote table in the back of the dining area. A minute later she returned and plunked two waters, sans ice, down in front of them. By the time Reed raised his head to issue a wary thanks, she had retreated to the front.
Smiling just a little, Cor tilted her head at him and asked, “So what’s your sign?”
Reed sat back in his tiny metal chair. “Lately, I feel like it’s ‘caution.’”
She grinned. “I’m a Pisces, myself. Water sign, very emotional, you know. I peg you for a Scorpio; you know—silent waters running deep and all that. Is your birthday in November?”
“Are we here because you really want to flirt, or is this more about pissing off Maricruz?”
Cor laughed and slicked her hand through her short blue locks. “Can’t I do all at once? You were born in November, weren’t you?”
“May.”
“A Taurus. I should have known. So you noticed Mari’s little crush, huh?”
“I think it’s less a crush and more being territorial,” he said.
Cor nodded. “You are getting to know us,” she teased. “But don’t underestimate your cuteness, Mr.
Similar Books
