“I keep telling you that you really don’t know anything about me,” he said as he stirred his aromatic coffee. His tone sounded deceptively casual. She paused in the action of sucking the honey off her forefinger and glanced into his face. He regarded her silently, one of his arms sprawled across the back of the booth, his eyes gleaming in an otherwise impassive face…his gaze narrowed on the finger in her mouth.
Flustered, Colleen reverted to using her napkin.
“Every time you’ve ordered food for the staff at The Family Center, you’ve ordered from Bistro Campagne,” she said, referring to what was arguably the nicest restaurant in Harbor County.
“And so you came to the conclusion that I’m a snob, is that it?” he said, taking a sip of his coffee.
“I never said that,” Colleen replied defensively, even though she had difficulty meeting his stare. She’d never spoken her thoughts out loud, but she actually had been annoyed when Eric had ordered expensive catered luncheons during special occasions and holidays. It always seemed to smack of patronization—the great Dr. Reyes lavishing the little people with a treat to liven up their small lives.
He made a scoffing noise. She scowled at him. She really did dislike him at times. So why was it they seemed to have the ability to read each other’s minds so effortlessly?
“I arranged the luncheons through Bistro Campagne because my housekeeper also happens to do catering events there, so it’s easy. I give her dates and some vague details, and she turns my request into something that makes me look like I know what I’m doing.” He gave her a pointed glance. “With most people that’s what happens, anyway.”
Luckily, the waiter chose that moment to arrive with their entrées, and Colleen was spared having to defend herself. She eyed his fragrant plate of steaming chicken tagine with frank interest.
“Want some?” he asked, sounding amused.
“Maybe in a bit,” she said, unrolling the napkin around her silverware. Her fattoush salad with shrimp looked equally delicious. She removed a notebook from her bag and opened it to a page where she’d already started to jot down some notes. “Okay. Time to get this show on the road.”
Eric’s eyebrows rose as he watched her take a bite of salad and then grab her pen in a businesslike manner.
“Anything you say, Captain.”
She gave him a droll look as she swallowed. “Right. Just so you know, Liam, Natalie and I spoke last night and agreed on a theme for the wedding.”
“Theme,” Eric repeated flatly.
“Yes. Our theme is a Lake Michigan Christmas.” She noticed his bemused expression. “You know…like a nautical and holiday theme combined. They both like to sail and swim, they are going to live together next to the lake…and the wedding is near Christmas. What?” she asked with a touch of asperity when he continued to stare at her like she’d been speaking another language.
“I had no idea weddings had themes. I thought themes were reserved for English 101.”
Colleen groaned. He laughed. “Hey, I’m at your service. At least I have a checkbook available to provide said wedding theme. If it’s what Natalie wants, she’s got it,” he said.
Colleen smiled and shook her head. “Well, that’s something.”
“It’s a big thing.”
“It’s a big thing,” she conceded. Liam and Eric had sat down together last night and come to a compromise about financing the wedding. Colleen hadn’t been around during what would undoubtedly become known in family history as an infamous meeting, but she’d spoken on the phone with Liam this morning. He’d sounded irritated when he talked about Eric’s insistence about footing
the bill, but there’d been a grudging respect in her brother’s voice, as well.
Colleen shared in that admiration. Eric might be arrogant, but he was generous to a fault, especially when it came to his sister.
“Okay. First on the agenda—announcing the engagement.”
“Who else do we have to tell?”
“All of our relatives and friends. I’ve already contacted the Herald, the Southwestern and the Chicago Tribune about an announcement,” Colleen said as she made checks on the paper with administrative precision.
Eric set his fork down slowly. “You have? You really do work fast.”
“We have a wedding to plan in two months’ time. Working fast is the entire point, Reyes.”
“Huh,” he muttered thoughtfully. “At what point in the next two months are you going to start calling me by my first name?”
She looked up from her pad of paper. He was grinning. He had a very handsome mouth. Shapely, but firm. Decisive. Don’t even consider that cleft in his chin.
For a second, she recalled in graphic detail what those lips felt like moving over hers, coaxing…ravishing....