Read Online Table for Seven by Whitney Gaskell - Free Book Online Page A

smelling? My perfume?”
    “No, although I like that, too. This is something else. Rosemary?” Coop asked.
    “My shampoo has rosemary in it,” Audrey said. “You have a good nose.”
    “One of my many talents,” Coop said, touching her arm lightly.
    He really is a flirt , Audrey thought. She’d known other gay men who liked to flirt with women. It was funny, though—if Fran hadn’t told her that Coop was gay, Audrey would have assumed he was straight. She could have sworn she was getting an interested vibe off him.
    Good God. How pathetic am I? Audrey thought. I’m actually starting to imagine that openly gay men are attracted me. Maybe Fran’s right, maybe it is time I started dating .
    “Isn’t that what they call the people who develop perfumes? Aren’t they called noses ?” Audrey said.
    “Is that right? Maybe I should change careers. It’s probably easier than traveling for two thirds of the year,” Coop said. When he smiled, his gray-blue eyes crinkled up at the corners.
    He’s really quite sexy in a rugged sort of way , Audrey thought. His face was interesting, if not handsome, and he was in terrific shape. It was annoying—and so clichéd—that he should be gay. He was easily the most interesting man she’d met in ages.
    “But probably not as glamorous,” she said.
    “That’s true. Then again, who needs glamour when you have my natural charm and good looks,” Coop said, grinning devilishly.
    Audrey laughed. “And so modest, too.”
    “I think modesty is overrated,” Coop said.
    “And do your boyfriends agree?”
    “Milk!” Will said triumphantly. “Bacon-flavored milk would be disgusting. Am I right?”
    “You’re right. That is disgusting,” Jaime said. “In fact, it’s something I’d rather not think about when I’m eating my dinner.”
    “I would drink bacon-flavored milk,” Leland said stubbornly.
    “I don’t know, Leland, I think he might have pulled it off,” Fran said. “Coop? What’s your verdict?”
    But Coop was no longer paying attention to the bacon conversation. Instead, he was staring at Audrey. “Boyfriends? Wait. Do you think I’m gay?”
    Audrey looked at Fran in alarm. “Wasn’t I supposed to say anything?” She looked back at Coop and laid a hand on his arm. “I’m so sorry. I assumed you were … out.”
    Will had just taken a sip of wine, so when he started to laugh, it came out as a hiccup that quickly turned into a cough. Mark pounded him on the back, hard enough to make Will splutter. “Ack. Jesus, Mark, have you been lifting weights?”
    “What exactly did you tell her, Will?” Coop asked.
    “I feel like I’m missing something,” Audrey said. “Am I missing something?”
    “For starters, I’m not gay,” Cooper said dryly.
    Will had finally stopped coughing, but now he was laughing so hard, his eyes were watering. Mark, amused at his mirth, grinned. Fran just rolled her eyes.
    “You’re not gay?” Audrey asked. She looked from Coop to Fran and then back at Coop again. “Then why did Fran tell me you were?”
    “Fran told you that?” It was his turn to look at Fran, his eyebrows arched.
    “It was Will’s idea,” Fran said. “Although I’ll admit I may have had a teeny-tiny role in spreading the misinformation.”
    “Maybe I should forget the individual filets en croûte and pop some popcorn instead,” Jaime remarked.
    Audrey placed her hands on the table in front of her, palms down, fingers spread. “Fran. Why did you tell me that Coop was gay?”
    “Yes, Fran, we’d both like an answer to that question,” Coop said.
    Fran looked at Will for help, but he was too busy chortling and helping himself to another glass of wine. She sighed, pushed her curls back from her face, and, turning to Audrey,said, “If you’d known there was a single, heterosexual man invited, you’d have assumed I was trying to set you up.”
    “What am I, chopped liver?” Leland asked.
    “I’m sorry. It was stupid,” Fran said