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The same response as Jane Dawson except Amanda sounded disgusted, not surprised. He nodded.
“I should have known.”
“Known what?”
“That things have been going too well for it to continue. I’ve managed to pick up Drew from soccer practice every night this week.” She typed on her computer. No doubt, pulling up Chase’s schedule. “But if there’s another fire to put out—”
“No fire,” he interrupted, not wanting her to worry. Amanda’s job required her to be on call 24/7. He appreciated her dedication and hard work. “This is personal.”
“Personal as in a dentist appointment or personal as in deciding to climb Mount Hood again?” She raised an eyebrow. “Or could it be you have a date?”
Seeing the growing interest in Amanda’s hazel eyes, he scratched his right cheek. She’d worked for him for nine years and knew him better than most. She also had a tendency to mother him—the only negative trait he’d discovered. “I have an appointment.”
“With a woman.”
It wasn’t a question. “Yes, but it’s not what you think.”
Amanda grinned. “How do you know what I’m thinking, boss?”
“The twinkle in your eye gives you away every time.”
“I want to see the same twinkle in your eyes.” Ever since remarrying after being widowed six years ago, Amanda wanted everyone to pair up. Much to the dismay of Cyberworx’s single male employees. “I just want you to be happy.”
“I am happy.”
“You need a woman.”
She sounded like his mom and sisters. He had it coming at him from all sides.
“I have plenty of women in my life.” Chase had everything he wanted. He didn’t need anything more. He drew a heart in the sand and crossed it out. “Just because you found ‘the one’ twice and remarried doesn’t mean the rest of us need to follow suit.” And ruin a good thing.
“Is she pretty?”
He glared at Amanda. Next time he would text message her and avoid another interrogation.
“Humor me, okay.”
Chase shrugged. “I guess she’s pretty.”
“You guess?”
He pictured Jane. “She’s got brown hair and wears purple wire-rimmed glasses. That’s what I remember about her.”
Not to mention her eyes. Or the way she wet her lips. But he wasn’t about to mention those things to Amanda.
This wasn’t a date. They were discussing a fundraiser. He liked assisting others, and Jane sounded like she needed help. Speaking of which… “Call P.J. and find out what happened to letters sent by Jane Dawson. She never received a reply to them or her telephone messages.”
“Will do, boss.”
“And try to find out before one o’clock.”
“Sure.” Amanda chuckled. “Don’t forget to polish your armor before you leave.”
“Very funny.”
“You have a tendency to rescue damsels in distress.”
“Jane’s not in distress,” Chase explained. “She needs help. And I—”
“Like to help people.”
“Exactly.” A local reporter had called Chase “the Robin Hood of the Rose City” who used a pen rather than an arrow to dole out funds to the less fortunate. Amanda had teased him about it ever since. “It’s not my fault I know—”
“Everything.”
“Very funny, Amanda.”
“But true.” She put on her headset. “One more thing before you go. What color of eyes does Jane Dawson have?”
“Um, green,” he recalled. “But not what you usually think of as green, like emerald. More like peridot, my mom’s birthstone.”
“That’s interesting.” A smug smile formed on Amanda’s lips. “Considering all you claimed to remember was the woman’s hair color and glasses.”
Busted. Amanda could see right through him. But in this case she was wrong. He only wanted to help Jane Dawson—the way he’d helped others. Her striking green eyes were simply his reward. Plus it wasn’t every day someone offered to buy him lunch. Employee discount or not.
“Get back to work or I’ll dock your pay.” He tossed the little rake back onto the sand.
“I’m salary not hourly.”
“True, but I’m still the boss.”
At the Hearth, Ally Michaels poured frothed nonfat milk into the steaming drink and placed the cup on the counter for the customer.
“Nonfat vanilla latte tall.” As the customer snatched the cup, Ally motioned to Kendra, the other barista, to take over the prep area and turned to Jane. “Do you know what you’re going to say to him?”
“I thought I’d start with hello.” Jane was in the process of trying to perfect three different panini recipes since she didn’t know what Chase might like. Not the easiest task with a one-thirty deadline looming.
Thank goodness Zoe had planned on adding the hot sandwiches to the menu next month, purchased the grill and received approval from the health department, or Jane’s momentary lapse of brain cells could have turned into a complete disaster. Of course, the day wasn’t over yet.
Jane tasted the pesto spread. Still not right. Maybe more pine nuts.
“Hello? Not good enough.” Ally pursed her glossed lips. “This isn’t some random customer. It’s Chase Ryder.”
She said the name with an odd mixture of awe and wistfulness. Unfortunately Jane understood completely. She felt as if she was thirteen again and crushing on the newest hit boy band. Ridiculous, yes. Especially after seeing Chase Ryder’s less than stellar, time-obsessed personality. But Jane hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. His eyes, his smile, his voice, his lips.
Full lips meant for slow, lingering kisses. All over.
Flutters overtook her stomach. Tingles, too.
She couldn’t remember feeling this way before. Definitely not with her ex-boyfriend, Mark Jeffreys. Of course she had probably just forgotten what attraction felt like. There hadn’t been room in her life for romance lately. Not with her job, classes and helping out with Emma.
And that hadn’t been such a bad thing.
Except Jane liked how thinking about Chase made her feel. His aura of confidence appealed to her. Maybe she could get to know him other better and…
What was she thinking? She couldn’t get lost in some daydream. This wasn’t about her. Or Chase. Or what kissing him would be like. This was about Emma’s fundraiser. Jane squared her shoulders. “He’s just a man, Ally.”
“And Mozart was just a piano player.” Ally snickered. “Come on, Jane. Didn’t you find Chase Ryder attractive?”
“I’m not interested in his looks, only his money.”
“I still can’t believe you thought he was some old guy.”
“Based on your description—”
“But everyone knows what Chase Ryder looks like. He’s one of the most eligible bachelors in town.” Ally wiped down the counter. “Don’t you read the social page in the Sunday paper?”
“I don’t have time for the paper.” She didn’t have time for anything, not even putting on this benefit. Her hands trembled, and she flexed her fingers.
Ally studied her. “This is important to you, right?”
Jane couldn’t express what the meeting meant so she nodded.
“Maybe you should put on some makeup and do something with your hair.”
“Too plain?” She had grown up being called “plain Jane.” Nothing had changed once she became an adult. She never had enough time or money to worry about her hair, makeup or clothing.
“You’re not plain, Jane,” Ally said. “You’ve got the girl-next-door, fresh face look down, but you need to grab Chase Ryder’s attention and make him notice you.”
“We’re having lunch together. He can’t help but notice me.”
“That’s not what I mean.” Ally yanked a pink tube from her pant’s pocket. “At least use this.”
Jane caught Ally’s toss. “Lip gloss? Bubble gum flavor?”
“It plumps your lips, too. You never know if he’ll kiss you goodbye.” Ally arched a brow. “With those lips, how could he not be a good kisser?”
“This is a business meeting, not…”
Forget it. No use arguing with man-magnet Ally. Jane concentrated on making the sandwiches instead. Too much was at stake to be distracted. She didn’t want to think about Chase Ryder. She definitely didn’t want to think about his lips or kissing him. Especially kissing him.
And that’s when it hit her.
Garlic. The pesto spread needed more garlic.
Lots and lots of garlic.
Now she wouldn’t dare be tempted by any kisses. Real or in her imagination.
Chase had never been to the Hearth. Amanda, however, swore by their mochas and pastries, which was how the coffee house had come to provide breakfast at morning meetings. He deposited coins in the meter, stuck the parking receipt on his window and walked inside.
The smell of brewing coffee, and freshly ground beans hit him first. No different from the other coffee houses in Portland, but the scent of garlic and basil lingering in the air surprised him.
And he wasn’t often surprised. He’d succeeded in business by preparing for the unexpected. He didn’t believe in having too much information.
On his way to the counter, Chased passed customers sitting at small wood tables. A man typed on his laptop. A woman read a book. A couple paged through the newspaper. A young man with a ponytail and wearing a familiar looking apron cleared cups and plates from one of the few empty tables. No one occupied the big, comfy looking leather chairs near the stone fireplace. The hearth, no doubt.
As a customer grabbed his drink from the counter, Chase read the menu on the chalkboard hanging on the wall behind the counter. He didn’t see Jane, only an attractive young woman with long blond hair, a diamond stud in her nose and dangling beaded earrings.
“Excuse me,” he said.
She—Ally according to the nametag on her apron—poured cocoa powder into a jar and didn’t glance his way. “What can I get for you?”
“Jane Dawson.”
Her head jerked up and cocoa spilled on the counter. “I’ll be right back.”
She disappeared through a pair of swinging doors. A moment later, Jane rushed out.
“Hello, Mr. Ryder, I mean, Chase.” She sounded breathless. Pink tinged her cheeks. “T-thanks for coming.”
She looked younger, vulnerable and he wanted to erase her apprehension. But knowing what he knew, that wasn’t going to be easy. “You’re welcome.”
“The menu is up there.” She motioned to the chalkboard he’d already read. “I’ll take your order and we can sit down.”
“I’d like the prosciutto and provolone panini and an iced cappuccino.”
Jane’s brows drew together. “Iced cappuccino?”
He nodded. “My favorite drink when it’s warm outside.”
“Mine, too.” She pointed to an empty table. “Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll be right there.”
He sat and checked e-mails on his PDA. This afternoon off would cost him workwise and put him behind.
Two minutes later, Jane returned with their drinks and eased into the chair across from him. She’d taken off the apron. “The sandwiches will be ready soon.”
“Nice place in a popular neighborhood.” He took in the surroundings. “You must do a good business.”
“We do okay. Sixty percent of our business comes from the same forty percent of customers,” she said. “We stay busy all day long, but the mornings are the most hectic.”
“Is that when you work?”
She nodded and toyed with her napkin.
“Contrary to what my competitors might say, I don’t bite.”
“Do you nibble?” The pink on her cheeks deepened and she stared into her drink.
