Part 6 (1/2)
”Nothing.”
”Why don't I believe that?”
Shrugging, Eve said a little too casually, ”Couldn't say really.”
Olivia was about to pry it out of Eve when the front door opened and Rick strode in.
”Ladies.” He put an arm around Eve's shoulders and kissed her cheek. He turned to Olivia and stopped short. ”You look terrible.”
”No wonder you don't have a girlfriend. Don't you know that you don't ever tell a woman she looks terrible?”
”Even if it's true?”
”Especially then.”
Rick c.o.c.ked an eyebrow at Eve, who said, ”She had a rough night and an even rougher morning.”
”I see.” He surveyed Olivia thoroughly, his PI eyes probably taking in signs of strain she didn't know were there. ”Is this about that guy yesterday?”
”No,” she said firmly He looked at Eve again. Eve nodded.
”I see. But something else must have happened,” he said. She wasn't that upset yesterday.”
”Her father came back too.”
”I see.”
Olivia wanted to growl. ”Will you stop saying that?”
”Well, as fun as this has been, I've got to get back to the cafe.” Eve hugged Rick and gave Olivia a long look. ”Call me.”
”Thanks for the coffee. You saved my life.”
”That's what friends are for.” With a parting smile, she left.
Olivia turned to Rick with an arched brow. ”Don't you have someplace you have to be?”
He grinned unrepentantly. ”Not really.”
She would have rolled her eyes but that'd hurt her head, so she grunted and concentrated on her latte. Maybe if she ignored him long enough he'd leave.
No such luck.
”I didn't know you had a father,” he said casually.
”Everyone has a father.”
”But not everyone studiously avoids talking about him.”
She shrugged. ”Maybe I have nothing to say on the subject.”
”That'd be a first.” Rick stroked his chin, staring at her in careful consideration. ”I'm going to end up getting it out of you.”
”Can't we just drop this?” she asked plaintively.
”Okay,” he agreed.
She narrowed her eyes at him. That was too easy.
”Have dinner with me. I was going to suggest tonight, but I think you need to go straight home after work and get some rest. How about tomorrow?”
”Are you thinking that plying me with food will loosen me up enough to talk? Because it won't.”
The front door opened. A woman hesitated in the doorway before coming in.
Olivia put on a proprietor's smile. ”Can I help you with anything?”
”No, I just wanted to look around.” The older blonde wore a fitted suit and had her hair in a tight twist. She clutched a purse in one hand and a leather portfolio in the other.
The woman didn't look like the kind of person to indulge in sensual underthings but Olivia knew you couldn't judge a book by its cover. ”Let me know if I can help.”
”Have dinner with me tomorrow,” Rick said again when she returned her attention to him.
”You're not going to take no for an answer, are you?”
A grin was his reply.
”Fine. Dinner tomorrow.” She frowned. ”You're not cooking, are you?”
He raised a hand to his chest in mock outrage. ”I can't believe you're insulting my culinary talents.”
She snorted. Rick had to be one of the worst cooks ever. She was nothing to write home about, but Rick could wipe out a whole village with his cooking.
”To think I was actually going to rent a chick flick for after dinner. Something in black and white.”
”A chick flick?” She raised her brows in exaggerated surprise. ”Are you trying to get some?”
He shrugged. ”Is it working?”
The front door opened again, interrupting her comeback. Gwendolyn breezed in, a colorful flurry that was painful to look at in her current, hung-over condition.
”Hey Olivia! I had the greatest idea.”
Olivia winced. The last time Gwen had the ”greatest idea” she'd wanted to put a 30-foot, inflatable gourd on top of her building. It'd taken Olivia and Eve several days to convince her that wasn't the look she wanted to a.s.sociate with her store-not in Laurel Heights, where the patronesses were all about elegance and rich luxury, not kitsch.
Before Olivia could say anything, Gwen gasped and froze in her steps, glaring at Rick.