Page 36 of Nothing to Win

“Good morning, Miss Sear.”

“Good morning, Mr.McAlm.”

Her heart thumped in her chest until he smiled and started for the kitchen.

“Perhaps we shouldn’t be so formal.You are engaged to my ward after all.”

“We’re dating,” she said, heading down to join him in the kitchen.“Engaged is a little far.”

“Coffee?”he asked.

“Just black.”

“Help yourself if you want anything to eat,” Julius said, gesturing to a unit at his side.“The fridge is built-in there.You should acclimatize yourself to the place and learn where everything is.Brogan is clear about what he wants and has nothing to hide.”

“I wouldn’t think he did,” she said, going to snoop in the fridge.“He said you knew his father.”

“I did.Stefan and I met in college,” he said, putting her coffee on the kitchen island.“We were like brothers.Losing him was tough.But Brogan bounced, Stefan would be proud of what he’s accomplished.”

“He works hard,” she said, taking a peach from the fruit bowl on the counter.

She closed the fridge and turned to join him at the island, picking up her coffee to enjoy the comfort of its aroma.

“He does.”

“You work for his company too,” she said, taking a sip and then a gulp.“This is good coffee.”

“Brogan likes his coffee,” he said.“And I’m CFO.”

“Is it difficult?”she asked, sliding onto a stool.“Working with family?You consider Brogan family, don’t you?Are you married?”

“Yes, I consider him family.And no, I’m not married.”

She smiled.“Do you subscribe to Brogan’s opinion on marriage?”

“What’s his opinion?”

No way he didn’t know the answer.Maybe it was a test.

“That it’s only useful as a professional tool,” she said.

“Does that bother you?”

Taking a bite of her peach, she caught a drip of juice on her chin.“Brogan told me you know about the deal.With that in mind, you should know that his opinion on marriage is irrelevant to me.”

“What’s your opinion?”

“On marriage?”He nodded and she drew in a long breath.“It would be a brave man who’d choose to be a part of my family.”

His eyes narrowed.“Why would you say that?”

“My father isn’t an easy man to get along with and my brother is easily threatened,” she said and put her elbows on the island to nibble at her peach.“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Why not?To trust Brogan is to trust me.”

The corner of her mouth lifted.“I don’t doubt that,” she said.“But I tell Brogan off for being rude about them, I should follow my own example.”

“You can say anything you like around here,” he said.“We keep each other’s secrets.”