“That’s what it looked like,” Casey concurred, stopping to take a sip of iced tea while waiting for their server to return. “Actually I was thinking the same as you, so I dug a little deeper.”
“And?”
“Lockhurst Properties is the front man for another business.”
“Who?”
“That I don’t know,” Casey sighed, leaning back against the high-backed wooden seat.
Topaz chewed on her thumbnail. “Damn,” she hissed.
Casey leaned forward. “I’m not givin’ up, Paz. I promise you that.”
“You have any connections at this Lockhurst Properties?”
Casey’s smile was confidence personified. “Not yet.”
Topaz fiddled with a lock of her hair. “Why all the secrecy?” she whispered. “You think any of the store owners could’ve been pressured into selling?” she asked, watching Casey tug at the cuffs of his maroon shirt.
His expression was solemn. “That’s exactly what I think. You be careful,” he advised.
Across the dining room from where Casey and Topaz were having lunch, DeAndra Rice was seated with her newest love choice for her cousin.
“I’m telling you, Miss Sharp, if you play your cards just right, Alex will be all yours.”
Josie fixed her friend with a doubtful glare. “Are you sure he’ll be there?”
DeAndra rolled her eyes. “Would you calm down? My cousin fronts like he’s cold and unapproachable, but he always gives in when it comes to me,” she boasted.
“Mmm ... because he loves you so much?” Josie asked, obviously believing differently.
“Hmph,” DeAndra said, acknowledging the gibe, “because he doesn’t want to hear my mouth.”
The resulting laughter between the two friends ended when DeAndra spotted Topaz across the dining room.
“Damn,” she hissed, her light eyes narrowing with hate.
Josie turned. “What?” she whispered, following the woman’s stare across the room.
“I really can’t stand her.”
Josie offered a one-shoulder shrug. “She seemed quite nice the evening I met her.”
“And just what evening was that?” DeAndra inquired, toying with a lock of her hair that rested against the high ruffled collar of her white cotton blouse
“The night the council had dinner with Alex,” Josie shared, her small, lovely eyes regarding Topaz with an emotion somewhere between awe and envy. “She had the attention of every man at my table,” she sighed, turning back to DeAndra. “Your cousin included,” she added.
DeAndra sucked her teeth and frowned. “I knew Lex would be hooked. That bitch ... I don’t think there’s enough paper in the world to hold the names of all the men she’s slept with.”
“Stop.”
“It’s true, darling,” DeAndra drawled, disregarding the fact that she had no basis for the claim. “You can tell by looking at her—the way she flaunts and shows off. She’s always in a different man’s face.”
“Oh, De, stop,” Josie urged with a decisive shake of her curly bob. “She does run a garage. I’m sure that puts her in contact with many men.”
DeAndra reached for her tea glass. “You’re damn right it does.”
“De—”
“Listen, don’t worry about Topaz Emerson,” she ordered, fixing Josie with a stony glare. “Respectable men or men trying to obtain respect don’t want a woman like that on their arm. Trust me, after my little get-together, Alex Rice will be all yours.”
“So we’ll talk again when I have something.”
“Sounds good to me,” Topaz sighed, rising from her chair while Casey handled the check. She felt two arms ease around her waist and turned.
“Simon!”
Simon Whitley pulled Topaz close. “What’s goin’ on, girl?” he whispered, then extending his hand toward Casey. “What’s up, man?”
“Here for lunch?” Topaz asked Simon as she stepped out of his embrace.
Simon helped her into the black cardigan sweater. “Mmm-hmm, but I wanted to stop by and see if you had a chance to think about what I suggested.”
Frowning, Topaz waited for him to continue.
