Topaz felt like she was being caught up in a whirlwind. “Damn, you just went in there and started runnin’ things?” she asked, complimenting her friend.
Casey experienced a twinge of modesty. “I don’t know ’bout all that, but my boss did invite me to a high-powered dinner meeting with the City Council tonight.”
“Go on, Casey!” Topaz cheered.
“Yeah, it seems they had an idea that might work hand in hand with what I’m tryin’ to do at the paper.”
“I’m so proud of you,” Topaz whispered, genuinely happy and pleased by the excitement she heard in Casey’s voice. “So when is this entrepreneur’s interview supposed to take place?” she asked.
“Well, Alex told me to get right on it, so ... if you’re free this weekend, we can set somethin’ up.”
Topaz shrugged. “Sounds good. Why don’t we have breakfast at my house? Saturday morning?”
“See ya then,” Casey accepted. “Look, I gotta get up outta here. I’ll holla atcha.”
After the call, Topaz allowed her thought to drift toward Alex Rice. She frowned when her heart actually fluttered as thoughts of their pending date came to mind.
“What’s wrong with me?” she whispered. She knew far too many men to have this one make her feel ... giddy. What was it about him? True, undeniably sexy and gorgeous were relevant arguments, but there had to be more. Perhaps, it was that quiet, unleashed power that was slowly drawing her in.
Alex Rice reminded Topaz of a lion at ease, but ready to pounce on demand. The way he watched her so intently, it was as if he were looking right into her soul.
“Stop it, Paz,” she softly warned herself.
The phone rang once again and she celebrated the intrusion on her thoughts.
“Top E Towing and Mechanical,” she greeted, her voice unconsciously lazy and seductive.
“You make me want to bring my car right over.” Topaz laughed when she heard Alex’s remark. “Please do,” she urged, “I could always use the business.”
“With you as the spokesperson, I doubt you’d have any problems getting business.”
Brief hesitation. “Thank you,” Topaz whispered, knowing the shiver tickling her spine had resulted from his words. “So, um, I heard from Casey,” she shared, eager to redirect the path of the conversation.
“I’m sure I can guess what the conversation was about.”
“I’m sure you can. I was very surprised when he told me about it.”
“Hmph. I don’t know why. You know, you’re unique.”
“Stop before you give me a big head. Anyway, I’m sure you didn’t call just to flatter me.”
Alex stifled his response, wanting to tell her how easy she was to flatter. “I was actually calling about our date,” he told her instead.
Topaz seemed to deflate a little. She wondered if he was about to cancel and couldn’t stop the disappointment she felt.
“I wanted to know if you’d like to have dinner after we play pool.”
“Dinner? Well, I thought that was the idea.”
“I didn’t like the thought of taking you to eat at a bar.”
“Alex, it’s fine,” Topaz sighed. “Besides, I heard the food and the atmosphere were very nice.”
“I don’t like it.”
Topaz snapped her fingers. “Damn, and I had my heart set on a burger.”
“You can still have it.”
“Oh? You know a better place?”
“Mmm-hmm. My Place.”
Silence.
“Oh,” Topaz replied after a while; virtually impossible, since her heart was still caught in her throat. “Umm ...”
“Is that okay?”
Topaz twisted the end of her pigtail with shaking fingers. “Alex ... I don’t know ...” she breathed, feeling her cheeks flush with heat. She thought Alex was incredible—more than incredible. Still, the idea of spending an entire evening at his home unnerved her.
“Well, I guess we can go somewhere else,” he was saying. “I’ve never eaten there, but I’d heard they have some pretty decent food.”
Topaz pressed her fingers to her forehead. “Um ... are you talking about the restaurant My Place?” she asked, frowning just a little.
“Yeah, what’d you—oh,” Alex whispered before a round of soft chuckles erupted from his throat.
