Page 7 of Finding Zara


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“Oh, yeah? Lucky for me that the best coffee in town is the only one within walking distance from the house,” I replied with a grin.

“Lucky you indeed.”

Before I could think of anything else to say, I noticed a tall, blond woman walking toward us.

“Hey, Matt.” He turned his head toward the woman and I couldn’t fail to notice the smile he gave her. I felt a little twinge of...something. Jealousy? No, that was ridiculous. I hardly knew the man.

“Hey, Luce.” Matt turned back to me. “Zara, this is my sister, Lucy.”

Oh. His sister. Of course. Duhh. “Hi. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You, too.” There was an unmistakable glint of appraisal in Lucy’s green eyes as she looked at me curiously. “I just remembered; Mom needs…um…” She stopped to clear her throat. “Sugar. I’ll just go get it. Grab me a coffee, will you?”

“Sure,” Matt said, clearly surprised.

“Thanks.” She gave Bess a quick pat before heading across the street to the corner store.

“Matt! The usual?” the lady called from the coffee window.

“Yeah, thanks, Kat. And for Lucy too.” He looked at me, his brow quirked in question. I gave him my coffee order. “And a regular for my friend.”

Kat gave a thumbs up. “Muffins? They’re lemon poppyseed today.”

Matt turned back to me. “You want a muffin? You heard the lady. They’re lemon and poppyseed. I repeat, we have lemon and poppyseed in the house.”

He was irresistible. “Sure.” His answering smile had my knees turning even more to jelly.

“Two muffins, thanks.” He held up two fingers and when Kat nodded, turned back to me.

“Line hopping? You’ve got clout, buddy.”

His eyes danced. “I’m a principal investor.”

“Really?”

“No. I just buy so much coffee from her, she’s gotta look after me.”

I laughed.

“Just joking. She won’t make it out of order. I don’t know how she keeps it all in her head, but she does. So anyway, sorry I haven’t made it back to you yet, I’m at the tail end of a big job and it’s taking a bit longer than I thought it would.”

“That’s okay. Like I said, I’m really grateful you’re squeezing me in at all.”

“I should be by later this week to drop off some stuff for the work on the foundation.”

“Okay.” I felt like an idiot, standing there just staring at him.

“So, you don’t have a car?” He gestured toward the wrought iron tables on the small porch to the left of the coffee window and I followed him over.

Shaking my head, I replied, “No. I just got back from New York. You’d be crazy to have a car there.” I pulled out a chair, started to sit down, then looked at him inquiringly when he motioned for me to take the other chair.

“Less windy,” he explained, sitting next to me and instantly blocking most of the blustery wind blowing up the street. Bess curled up at his feet, resting her head on her paws.

“Thank you.”

“So, New York, hey?”

“Mm hmm.” I pushed my hands in my pockets, absently watching the cars pulling in and out of the supermarket car park. I knew what was coming. What had I been doing in New York?Oh, running a restaurant.That’s amazing! By yourself?No, with my husband.Oh, husband?Well, ex-husband. The last thing I wanted to do right now was hash through all that again. I felt a knot tighten in my stomach and was relieved when he didn’t say anything more.

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