“Um,” I said. “No.”
“Yes.” Kade took my arm, flashing the woman his charming smile. “We’re engaged. But we’re not ready to announce it yet, so if you could please keep it quiet, we’ll—”
“It’s true!” A man who was filming us with his phone turned it onto himself. “You heard it here first, friends. Now click the big red button to subscribe to my channel!”
“Where’s your ring?” a young man demanded.
“When did he propose?” someone else called out.
“Did he drop to one knee?”
“Why you? Why not meeeee?” The last question was wailed by the distraught young woman who was starting to sob.
“Oops,” said Gigi. When she waved her hand, her gold jewelry jangled. “Oh well, you’d have to announce your engagement eventually, wouldn’t you? I just hope all the well-wishers don’t bother you so much they make it hard for you to run the café, Natalie. But if they do, give us a call. We’ll be happy to take over.”
She and Butch strolled to the door, calling to me loudly enough to be heard over all the commotion. “And next time we chat, we’ll talk more about that price.”
She shot me an evil wink, her fake eyelashes swooping down like a synchronized murder of crows.
Chapter Seven
Kade
The next morning I got up early. After too many years, I was finally going to see Mack again, and I was looking forward to it.
When I went to the kitchen, I found Asher already making coffee, with Iola presumably still asleep in their bedroom. Asher had let Ruff, Iola’s enormous, ugly dog onto the back deck, and I could see him sniffing around out there.
Nemesis was on the windowsill watching Ruff, her tail curled around her sleek black body. Her yellow eyes followed the dog without blinking. She always looked intense, like she was doing complicated calculations in her head. Probably figuring out devious ways to torment him.
“Mason called,” Asher said over the noise of his fancy coffee machine. “He wants to meet for lunch at Dad’s place on Saturday.”
“I’m going to LA on Saturday for an interview.” I pulled a coffee cup out of the cupboard and handed it to him, then picked up the full cup of coffee he’d just made for himself and took a sip. “And I could be working in Nat’s café all week. Let’s make it a late lunch on Sunday instead. Nat doesn’t open on Sundays.”
Asher put the empty cup into the machine and started it back up. “You’ve decided to keep working in the café? So you’re enjoying spending time with Natalie?”
Turning back to the cupboard for the sugar, I used it as an excuse not to show him my face. Asher was far too sharp to be easily fooled. “As much as I hate to admit you were right, cooking at Mack’s Place inspired me. I came up with three new recipes.”
“Did it go well for Natalie, too?”
“Good and bad. When the people who might buy the café turned up, the café was buzzing.”
“That’s good. What about the bad part?”
I probably shouldn’t have admitted there was a bad part. Hesitating, I put a spoonful of sugar in my coffee and stirred it slowly. “Nat and I had to pretend to be engaged.”
“Engaged to be married?” Asher sounded as shocked as he ever got.
“Don’t make a big deal out of it, okay?”
“You said you were going to marry Natalie? Won’t that impact your career?”
I shrugged. “Only a few people heard us say it. The news won’t spread.”
“A few people?”
“Some of the café's customers.”
“Was anyone recording you?” His voice barely changed, but I could sense his alarm.
“One guy. But he looked like he’d have no more than three followers, and that’s being generous. Nobody’s going to find out about our so-called engagement.”
I took a sip of coffee and it slipped down like silk. Asher liked to do things properly, including making the best coffee I’d ever tasted.
He studied me a moment, as though deciding whether to say more, then turned wordlessly and went out to join Ruff on the back deck. It was by far the nicest place in the house to enjoy the early morning, and I decided to join him out there. The sun was rising over the ocean, and the light was sparkling on the water.
And the best part? There used to be a drug dealer living next door, but the neighbor’s house was gone and now there was just a dirt mound to mark the spot where Asher was going to build an apartment building. Give me a dirt mound over a dirt-bag any day.
“Let’s talk about what’s going on between you and Natalie.” Asher said as I sat next him at the small outdoor table. “Your casual act doesn’t fool me.”
I sighed. “Any chance I can say I don’t want to talk about it and you’ll let it be?”
“No chance at all. Shall I start you off?” He set his coffee on the table in front of him. “You’ve been in love with Natalie for years.”
I frowned. “Don’t be dumb.”
Asher quirked an eyebrow, but didn’t need to say anything. I’d never been able to hide much from my twin brother.
“Fine.” I rolled my eyes. “Maybe I still have a thing for Nat. But that’s why I’m helping sell her café. Then I’ll move back to LA, date a lot of women, and forget about her.”
“You really think you can forget her? Last time you had to run all the way to France to try to get over her.”
“Didn’t you hear the part about dating lots of women?”
Dating was easy. I was truthful with my dates and let them know I wasn’t looking to get serious. If they seemed to want more, I let them down gently. I made sure their feelings weren’t hurt, and we parted friends.
I had a lot of female friends.
Asher sipped his coffee in his slow, thoughtful way, and put the cup back down before speaking. “With you
