Catching Her Rival

“Absolutely.”

“You don’t have to sound so positive about it,” Allie teased. “You make it seem like there’s something wrong with him. Is he a serial killer? A pervert? Please don’t tell me he has a third nipple or six toes.” She giggled at the thought.

Charlotte laughed, too. “I didn’t mean it that way, but for all I know, he could have webbed feet or something equally as disturbing. I just don’t have feelings for him like that, that’s all.”

“Okay, if you’re sure. You would tell me if there’s something I should know, right?”

“I swear. He’s a good guy. He even seems to be the sole caretaker for his grandfather.”

“That’s a good reference,” Allie said. “Now tell me his faults.”

“I don’t know him well enough to know his intimate secrets, but I should warn you about how he feels on the topics of marriage and commitment.”

Please don’t let him be looking for a wife. Please, please, please.

“Go on.” Allie held her breath.

“He’s commitment-phobic, completely against settling down. I’m not sure exactly why, but I think it has something to do with his dad.”

Allie expelled the breath that was burning her lungs. “Whew! You had me worried. Have I mentioned that I’m off men? Sometime I’ll tell you about my last boyfriend.” Allie closed her laptop and put it into her rolling brief case. “I’m only having coffee with Jack so I can tell him that—that I’m off men.”

“Don’t be so hasty,” Charlotte said quickly. “You never know how things will work out. Besides, you have other things in common, too.”

“Like what?”

“Well, you’re both in the same profession.”

Allie’s heart stopped. “The same profession?

“Yes, he’s in advertising, too. I’m surprised he hasn’t mentioned it.” Charlotte laughed. “Wouldn’t it be funny if you two were competitors?”

“Yeah, real funny.” Allie wasn’t laughing, though.

CHAPTER FIVE (#ulink_7f79580e-485d-553e-9a52-de6dea751cde)

JACK LEFT HIS suit jacket and tie in his office and walked the two blocks to the coffee shop to meet Allie. He’d unbuttoned his top shirt button and rolled up his sleeves on the warm, sunny day. He hoped the weather was a favorable forecast of his time with Allie.

Meeting for coffee wasn’t his usual go-to for a first date, if that’s what this could be called. Drinks were more his style, followed by a nice dinner or maybe a club with a great band playing. For some reason, he didn’t quite feel like himself when he was around Allie. Not that it was a bad thing. In fact, he felt pretty good when she was close by.

He reached the large front door of Café Lisbon with its thick glass panel surrounded by a wooden frame with years of worn paint. A bell tinkled as he opened the door and stepped inside.

“Hey, Jack.” The barista greeted him from the cappuccino machine. “What can I get you?” She added a plastic lid to the drink she’d just created and handed it to her customer. Coffee was the main event here, but they also served a small selection of breakfast and lunch items.

“The usual,” Jack answered. “Medium black coffee, dark roast if it’s already made.” He looked over the room of small, round tables with assorted styles of well-worn wooden chairs. There were several people sitting alone at tables either with a laptop or electronic device that they were concentrating on, or they had their noses buried in a newspaper or book. Two women sat chatting quietly at the table by the window, but he didn’t see Allie anywhere.

“Here you go,” the barista answered with the confident smile of a woman who knew she was attractive.

He pulled out his wallet and paid for his coffee. “This is for you.” He gave her a large tip. “And this money is to pay for whatever a certain woman with chin-length, dark hair and piercing blue eyes wants.” He glanced at the front door. “She should be here any minute.” He didn’t know Allie that well, but he had a hunch that she wouldn’t allow him to pay for her coffee unless he caught her off guard.

He took his coffee and chose a seat at a table where he could watch for her. He didn’t have long to wait. Even through the glass, she sucked him in completely. She wore a black blazer and matching skirt with a red blouse that buttoned down the front. Her red high heels were what made her outfit go from office attire to downright sexy.

She went straight to the counter to order without even acknowledging him. Jack couldn’t hear the conversation between her and the barista, but Allie didn’t have a pleased look on her face when she looked over in his direction. Her lips were pinched and her eyes narrowed.

Was she upset that he’d paid for her coffee? It wasn’t that big a deal, was it?

She turned her back to him, dug in her purse and removed her wallet. She gave the barista money and must have told her to keep the change, because the barista dropped money from the cash register into the tip jar. Allie didn’t turn around again until her drink was ready.

She was a vision as she came toward Jack, drink in hand. He stood as she came closer and was about to offer her a friendly hug when he saw the expression on her face go from ticked off to full-blown angry.

“Did you think you could make everything better by paying for my coffee?” She carefully placed her cup on the table and then yanked the chair from under the table before he could pull it out for her. She sat down across from him.

What was she talking about? Make everything better?

“I need more information to go on here,” he said calmly while he lowered himself into his chair. “Why would I need to make things better? Did I do something to offend you?”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Did you do something?” She removed the lid from her coffee. “It’s not what you did, it’s what you didn’t do.”

He did a quick scan of his memory to figure out what she was talking about. “I’ve got nothing,” he said. “What didn’t I do?”

“You’re serious?” She obviously didn’t believe him.

“Absolutely.”

“So you thought it was okay to keep your occupation a secret?”

A secret? “I didn’t do it on purpose,” he said slowly. “The subject never came up.” What was the big deal?

“You’re right, the subject never came up. Probably because you already knew what I do for a living.”

“Actually, I don’t. What is it you do?”

She cocked her head and smirked suspiciously. “I’m in advertising.”

He relaxed. “Oh, that’s great. Then we do have a lot in common.” Why would that anger her?

Allie rolled her eyes. “A lot in common? We both had presentations this morning, right? Well, after learning you’re in advertising, it didn’t take me long to figure out that we’re both competing for the Naturally Healthy Animal Food account.”

“Ah!” Now he understood. “I had no idea we were rivals. Honest.”

“I’m supposed to believe that?” She spoke loudly and looked around to see if anyone overheard.

“Why would I keep that information from you on purpose?” he asked.

She leaned in and lowered her voice. “To sabotage me. You knew I was going after the account, so you thought you’d blindside me with your charm and good looks. You must think I’m a sucker for a free cup of coffee.”

He blinked. “You really think I’d do that?” Although he did kind of like that she admitted he could throw her off her game. “Charm and good looks, eh?” He couldn’t hide his grin.

“I’ve been through worse.” She blatantly ignored his last comment. “But I just met you. Who knows what you’re capable of?”