Proper fools is what they are.”
“You’ve got it. I hope you stay far away from that kind.”
“Yes, ma’am, you better believe it.”
Zeni had tried to convince Gloria to drop the ma’am business. She was only a couple of years older, after all. More than that, she and Trey were on such relaxed terms that expecting formality from Gloria would be ridiculous. The girl had finally come around where she was concerned, except when her feelings were touched or she meant to emphasize a point. She used the honorific for Trey most of the time, however, since he was the boss. She had strong ideas about how things should be, and wasn’t about to change them.
Thinking about that, Zeni was reminded of how irritated Trey had been at her use of Derek’s first name. She’d thought nothing of it at first; the suggestion from the actor/director seemed no more than a friendly gesture. She could see now that it established a quick intimacy between them, along with the implication that closeness might increase.
Or did it? It was possible she was overthinking the incident, letting her outlook be swayed simply because Trey didn’t trust Derek. She would have to take careful note next time they were together, to see what she really thought.
That wouldn’t be for several days. Filming for the movie might begin next week, but the dream sequence wasn’t exactly a major scene; it was sure to come later in the schedule.
That was all right. Zeni was in no hurry.
Chapter 7
“What is this about you and Trey being engaged? And why is it we have to hear the news second hand?”
The questions, half joking and half serious, came from Carla Benedict as she marched into the coffee shop. She was two steps ahead of her husband Beau who held the door for her then let it ease shut behind him.
Gloria turned on Zeni with a fist propped on one hip and wrath in her dark chocolate eyes. “Say what? You’ve been standing right here beside me for half an hour and said not one word?”
Caught out already, Zeni saw with resignation. How to answer? She could hardly deny it, not without contradicting Trey and making nothing of what he’d tried to do for her. But accepting it would make it official.
While she made up her mind, she took chocolate muffins that Carla and Beau always ordered from the keeper and poured cups of coffee to go with them. Speaking over her shoulder, she said finally, “It’s no big deal.”
“I beg to differ,” Carla corrected. Bright and vivacious, with honey brown hair and sea-colored eyes, she was a former magazine editor who now wrote travel guides, so could get away with saying things like that.
“So do I.” Beau wiped crumbs from someone’s lunch sandwich from the seat of a counter stool for his wife, and then slid onto the one next to it. “Trey popping the question is a huge deal.”
That the pair had opted for the counter instead of taking a table was a sure sign they didn’t intend to drop the subject. Zeni faced them with a wry smile. “It only happened a couple of hours ago. I’m still in shock.”
“You mean to say he proposed this morning?” Gloria demanded.
Zeni laughed a little, trying to make light of it all. “Oh, he didn’t exactly propose.”
“And how was that?” Carla asked as she began to peel the paper from her muffin.
“You’ll have to ask Trey.” That was the best Zeni could think of at the moment.
“Ask me what?”
The question came from the man himself as he walked out of the back storeroom, looking as if all was right with his world. He didn’t pause, but moved behind the counter and took the coffee pot from the warmer to pour himself a cup.
It was Gloria who answered him, her expression accusing. “Folks here want to know why you didn’t propose to Zeni the way you should, making a production out of it. You think you didn’t have to because she should jump at the chance to be Mrs. Tristan Thomas Benedict?”
“Gloria!” Zeni said in protest. “It wasn’t
“You’ve got it. I hope you stay far away from that kind.”
“Yes, ma’am, you better believe it.”
Zeni had tried to convince Gloria to drop the ma’am business. She was only a couple of years older, after all. More than that, she and Trey were on such relaxed terms that expecting formality from Gloria would be ridiculous. The girl had finally come around where she was concerned, except when her feelings were touched or she meant to emphasize a point. She used the honorific for Trey most of the time, however, since he was the boss. She had strong ideas about how things should be, and wasn’t about to change them.
Thinking about that, Zeni was reminded of how irritated Trey had been at her use of Derek’s first name. She’d thought nothing of it at first; the suggestion from the actor/director seemed no more than a friendly gesture. She could see now that it established a quick intimacy between them, along with the implication that closeness might increase.
Or did it? It was possible she was overthinking the incident, letting her outlook be swayed simply because Trey didn’t trust Derek. She would have to take careful note next time they were together, to see what she really thought.
That wouldn’t be for several days. Filming for the movie might begin next week, but the dream sequence wasn’t exactly a major scene; it was sure to come later in the schedule.
That was all right. Zeni was in no hurry.
Chapter 7
“What is this about you and Trey being engaged? And why is it we have to hear the news second hand?”
The questions, half joking and half serious, came from Carla Benedict as she marched into the coffee shop. She was two steps ahead of her husband Beau who held the door for her then let it ease shut behind him.
Gloria turned on Zeni with a fist propped on one hip and wrath in her dark chocolate eyes. “Say what? You’ve been standing right here beside me for half an hour and said not one word?”
Caught out already, Zeni saw with resignation. How to answer? She could hardly deny it, not without contradicting Trey and making nothing of what he’d tried to do for her. But accepting it would make it official.
While she made up her mind, she took chocolate muffins that Carla and Beau always ordered from the keeper and poured cups of coffee to go with them. Speaking over her shoulder, she said finally, “It’s no big deal.”
“I beg to differ,” Carla corrected. Bright and vivacious, with honey brown hair and sea-colored eyes, she was a former magazine editor who now wrote travel guides, so could get away with saying things like that.
“So do I.” Beau wiped crumbs from someone’s lunch sandwich from the seat of a counter stool for his wife, and then slid onto the one next to it. “Trey popping the question is a huge deal.”
That the pair had opted for the counter instead of taking a table was a sure sign they didn’t intend to drop the subject. Zeni faced them with a wry smile. “It only happened a couple of hours ago. I’m still in shock.”
“You mean to say he proposed this morning?” Gloria demanded.
Zeni laughed a little, trying to make light of it all. “Oh, he didn’t exactly propose.”
“And how was that?” Carla asked as she began to peel the paper from her muffin.
“You’ll have to ask Trey.” That was the best Zeni could think of at the moment.
“Ask me what?”
The question came from the man himself as he walked out of the back storeroom, looking as if all was right with his world. He didn’t pause, but moved behind the counter and took the coffee pot from the warmer to pour himself a cup.
It was Gloria who answered him, her expression accusing. “Folks here want to know why you didn’t propose to Zeni the way you should, making a production out of it. You think you didn’t have to because she should jump at the chance to be Mrs. Tristan Thomas Benedict?”
“Gloria!” Zeni said in protest. “It wasn’t
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