“Are you having a panic attack?”
She took a deep breath and shook her head. “No,” she said, “I’m just…” She shrugged. “I don’t know what I’m just doing.” She flashed what she hoped was a reassuring smile at her big brother. “Now, what’s it to be, the same as usual?”
She glanced across at the green-eyed man once more. She couldn’t seem to stop herself. Gabe followed her gaze and frowned. “That guy’s been here every day this week.”
“Yeah,” agreed Amber. “And last week. You probably didn’t notice him last week.”
Gabe’s gaze narrowed as he turned to her. “Who is he?”
She shrugged. “No idea. He’s the guy who we saw running that time. You know, the guy I asked you to check out. But you didn’t, so I don’t know who he is.”
“I can’t go checking out every guy you fancy. For one thing, there’s too many, and for another it would look weird.”
Amber tutted. “So, thanks to you, I have no idea who he is.”
Gabe shook his head, defeated.
“He sure is hot,” murmured Maddy.
Gabe shot an indignant look at Maddy before glancing angrily at Green Eyes.
“So, have you got past the small talk yet?” Maddy asked, ignoring Gabe’s frowning glare.
Gabe looked from Maddy back to Amber, then back to Maddy again. “Small talk,” grunted Gabe. “Why would you want to bother?”
“Because he’s hot,” Amber and Maddy said together. It didn’t improve Gabe’s mood.
“I don’t think so.”
Amber and Maddy exchanged amused looks and Maddy leaned over and kissed Gabe. “That’s because you’re a man.”
“You women don’t know everything,” he said, a smile once more back on his face.
Maddy rolled her eyes. “Just because you’re the town’s GP doesn’t mean you knoweverything.”
“And in this case,” continued Amber, “you definitely don’t.” She paused for dramatic effect. It worked. Gabe’s mouth hung open slightly as if he had no idea what she was about to say. Amber liked that. She rarely had any of her family guessing. “He’s going to ask me out.”
“He’s what?” Gabe shot the stranger another look. “Has he been chatting you up?”
“No,” she said, trying to make herself heard above a noisy crowd who were just leaving the café. “Well, not unless you call asking me if the bread is freshly baked, or whether we use virgin or extra virgin—”
“Virgin?” Gabe raised his voice over the shouts of the departing diners. “He asked you if you’re a virgin?” Gabe stood up, but Maddy pulled his arm, and Amber squeaked with embarrassment.
“No, stupid brother, he didn’t. He wanted to know about the oil.”
“Oil? Maddy, tell me what she’s talking about.”
“Gabe,” said Maddy. “That guy over there has the hots for Amber and we’ve laid bets on when he’ll ask her out. I’ve lost already. I said yesterday. But Amber reckoned he’s going to wait seven days before asking. Apparently he’s some kind of accountant or something and does everything in sevens.”
Gabe looked at Amber incredulously. “An accountant? Really, Amber? Since when have you ever dated anyone whocouldcount, let alone wear a suit.”
“Don’t be so damned rude. Astro could count. He had a steady beat going when he was playing the drums. Anyway, give me your order, I’ve got work to do.”
She walked past Green Eyes, pausing to give an adjoining table an unnecessary wipe. She turned to face him with a smile on her face, but he was frowning at his phone. Her smile faded as she returned to give Gabe and Maddy’s order to the chef, keeping Green Eyes’ order to herself. She waved it at the chef. “I’ve got this.”
She cast a surreptitious glance at Green Eyes as she put together the salad, adding the leanest cuts of chicken before tossing it in the dressing. She was about to take it over when she turned and went back again. Dressing on the side! How could she forget? She repeated the exercise, before carefully pouring the dressing into one of the dinky white cream jugs. She stood back, looking with an artistic eye, before tearing off a few sprigs of coriander which was growing on the window sill, and sprinkling it artfully over the salad. There. She loved coriander.
She picked up the coffee and took them both over to the green-eyed guy.
