difficult to refuse his craftily-worded invitation. What was the man up to?
“Good. Then perhaps you’ll spare the time today to give me your opinion?”
“I’d be pleased,” she agreed, mentally shrugging. Lunch didn’t really mean anything. Maybe he had no particular covert agenda. She’d had business lunches with him frequently, although usually they had been accompanied by Doug.
Jared drove them to the restaurant himself, this time. The classic Jaguar was long and low and beautifully restored. Sitting back in the cool leather seat, she couldn’t help her gaze straying to where his hands rested on the steering wheel. The confident way he handled the car shouldn’t have roused her notice, but she’d discovered an odd sensitivity in herself to Jared Barrett. All the more reason, to step lightly and carefully when in his presence.
Seated in the Classico five minutes later and having placed their orders, Kelsey looked around the restaurant he’d ostensibly brought her to survey. She’d expected cool pinks and mint greens combined with bamboo chairs. That or some version of an English pub, all leather and brass railings. The Classico, however, conveyed wealth with its plush, subdued environment. Navy and maroon with rich cherrywood furniture.
“What do you think?” Jared asked, his gaze intent on her face, that now-familiar faint smile on his lips.
“Very nicely done,” she pronounced, glancing around the room again. “Good placement of tables with some open areas, some secluded nooks. Good, classic color scheme.”
“Nothing else would do, given the name of the place,” he agreed dryly. “Any ideas on a layout for promoting just the restaurant?”
Kelsey thought about it, very conscious of the man across the table watching her with unreadable eyes. Amazing. The way he smiled and laughed, yet still managed to be anything but an open book. He intrigued her.
“If it were me,” she said finally, “I’d push the experience. Fine dining at its best. That sort of thing. Crystal , champagne. People who look like they live this way every day.”
Amusement gathered in his face. “Live what way?”
She waved a hand, indicating the dining area around them. “Dinner done formally.”
“You don’t have dinner every day?” he teased.
“Out of a take-out carton,” she admitted with a laugh. “More and more people are squeezing meals in between other commitments. They have busy lives. But this is the way they want to eat dinner, most of them. In a place like this.”
Jared laughed. “Okay, we’ll push the ‘dinner done right’ theme.”
After a moment’s pause, he said, “So, tell me about your sister and Doug. What’s up with that?”
His question triggered the concerns she’d been holding at bay since her brief conversation with Doug, and she couldn’t help frowning. “She’s in love with him.”
“And he’s in love with you,” Jared concluded.
Kelsey made a disgusted sound in her throat. “He thinks he’s in love with me, but the man’s too clueless. We’re all wrong for each other. I have to make him see that. I owe it to Amy.”
“You really love her.”
“Of course,” she responded, surprised. “Don’t you love your sister?”
Jared smiled. “Yes. Both of them, but none of their swains has indicated a preference for me.”
“Good for you,” Kelsey said, laughing softly. “I wish I could say the same.”
CHAPTER FIVE
The next morning, Kelsey put the telephone receiver back in the cradle and sighed. Still no answer. When she’d returned from lunch with Jared yesterday, Kelsey found that Amy had called in sick for work. Kelsey had tried calling her and had only gotten the answering machine. On the third attempt, she’d decided to leave a message. But here another morning was starting and her sister hadn’t called her back yet.
Kelsey couldn’t blame her for being upset. Amy loved Doug and he’d really had been a jerk at the banquet. But surely after
“Good. Then perhaps you’ll spare the time today to give me your opinion?”
“I’d be pleased,” she agreed, mentally shrugging. Lunch didn’t really mean anything. Maybe he had no particular covert agenda. She’d had business lunches with him frequently, although usually they had been accompanied by Doug.
Jared drove them to the restaurant himself, this time. The classic Jaguar was long and low and beautifully restored. Sitting back in the cool leather seat, she couldn’t help her gaze straying to where his hands rested on the steering wheel. The confident way he handled the car shouldn’t have roused her notice, but she’d discovered an odd sensitivity in herself to Jared Barrett. All the more reason, to step lightly and carefully when in his presence.
Seated in the Classico five minutes later and having placed their orders, Kelsey looked around the restaurant he’d ostensibly brought her to survey. She’d expected cool pinks and mint greens combined with bamboo chairs. That or some version of an English pub, all leather and brass railings. The Classico, however, conveyed wealth with its plush, subdued environment. Navy and maroon with rich cherrywood furniture.
“What do you think?” Jared asked, his gaze intent on her face, that now-familiar faint smile on his lips.
“Very nicely done,” she pronounced, glancing around the room again. “Good placement of tables with some open areas, some secluded nooks. Good, classic color scheme.”
“Nothing else would do, given the name of the place,” he agreed dryly. “Any ideas on a layout for promoting just the restaurant?”
Kelsey thought about it, very conscious of the man across the table watching her with unreadable eyes. Amazing. The way he smiled and laughed, yet still managed to be anything but an open book. He intrigued her.
“If it were me,” she said finally, “I’d push the experience. Fine dining at its best. That sort of thing. Crystal , champagne. People who look like they live this way every day.”
Amusement gathered in his face. “Live what way?”
She waved a hand, indicating the dining area around them. “Dinner done formally.”
“You don’t have dinner every day?” he teased.
“Out of a take-out carton,” she admitted with a laugh. “More and more people are squeezing meals in between other commitments. They have busy lives. But this is the way they want to eat dinner, most of them. In a place like this.”
Jared laughed. “Okay, we’ll push the ‘dinner done right’ theme.”
After a moment’s pause, he said, “So, tell me about your sister and Doug. What’s up with that?”
His question triggered the concerns she’d been holding at bay since her brief conversation with Doug, and she couldn’t help frowning. “She’s in love with him.”
“And he’s in love with you,” Jared concluded.
Kelsey made a disgusted sound in her throat. “He thinks he’s in love with me, but the man’s too clueless. We’re all wrong for each other. I have to make him see that. I owe it to Amy.”
“You really love her.”
“Of course,” she responded, surprised. “Don’t you love your sister?”
Jared smiled. “Yes. Both of them, but none of their swains has indicated a preference for me.”
“Good for you,” Kelsey said, laughing softly. “I wish I could say the same.”
CHAPTER FIVE
The next morning, Kelsey put the telephone receiver back in the cradle and sighed. Still no answer. When she’d returned from lunch with Jared yesterday, Kelsey found that Amy had called in sick for work. Kelsey had tried calling her and had only gotten the answering machine. On the third attempt, she’d decided to leave a message. But here another morning was starting and her sister hadn’t called her back yet.
Kelsey couldn’t blame her for being upset. Amy loved Doug and he’d really had been a jerk at the banquet. But surely after
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