Avon
Featuring: Alexandra WIllan; Cale Valens
384 pages ISBN: 0061894575 EAN: 9780061894572 Kindle: B003V1WVAC Mass Market Paperback / e-Book Add to Wish List
The latest of the Argeneau novels, HUNGRY FOR YOU depicts the tale of how soon-to-be-turned immortal Sam has worked with family and friends of the Argeneau clan to find lifemates for her sisters, so they can all enjoy immortality together.
Although he doubts that her sister Alex is his lifemate, Cale Valens pretends to be an expert chef to meet her. When their instant attraction creates instant sparks, Cale not only has to figure out how to tell Alex the truth about everything, including the fact he hasn't eaten any nutrition but blood for centuries, but also how to stave off this spate of bad luck she's been having while opening her new restaurant.
Steamy and quick-paced, Hungry for You is another fun installment of the Argeneau Novels.
This Vampire has been alone for Far Too Long...
As a chef and restauranteur, Alex Willan had enjoyed so
much success she allowed herself to be talked into opening
a second restaurant. Itβs a decision sheβs come to regret.
Calamity after calamity have slowed the opening and driven
her to the edge of bankruptcy. But things go from bad to
worse when a competitor lures away the chef at her original
restaurant leaving her torn between the choice to keep the
original restaurant running, or getting the second
restaurant going. With so much happening, Alex simply
doesnβt have time for her sister Samβs attempts at
matchmaking, so when Sam calls with yet another man
she βjust has to meetβ Alex tells her that if the man
doesnβt cook, donβt even bother. Imagine her surprise when
Sam says heβs a chef from Europe. He appears to be the
answer to her prayers.
Cale Argeneau was finding himself somewhat world weary and
bored so when his Aunt Marguerite suggested a visit to
Canada to spend some time with his cousins, he thought βwhy
not?β What he didnβt realize was that the intrepid
Marguerite Argeneau thought she might have a match for him.
Once he finds out, heβs less than excited. Heβs waited
centuries for a life mate and finds it hard to believe this
Alex woman his Aunt keeps going on about could be the one.
It was the shock of his life when he met Alex and found she
was indeed a possible life mate. But that wasnβt nearly as
shocking as the realization that the only way he was going
to get anywhere near the woman was if he claimed to be a
world class chef. Cale couldnβt even boil water, but he was
about to take a crash course in cooking. He was also going
to have to find out who was behind the calamities that were
plaguing this new restaurant endeavor before someone got
hurt. Heβd do that and more to be near the woman who had
reawakened his appetites, because it wasnβt just food he
now found himself hungry for, but also Alex herself and the
life he could have with her.
EXCERPT
Chapter One
Cale was just raising his hand to knock at the door when it
swung open. A tall fellow with short dark hair and a phone
pressed to his ear peered out at him.
βCale Valens?β
βYes,β Cale answered, knowing the guards at the front gate
had called up to the house warning of his arrival.
βCome on in.β The fellow stepped back to make way, pushing
a button to end his call before offering a hand to
Cale. βJustin Bricker. Most people call me Bricker.β
Cale accepted the hand, shaking it politely as he stomped
his feet on the welcome mat a couple of times to remove the
worst of the snow on his boots. He then stepped inside. βI
was told I should speak to Garrett Mortimer.β
βYeah, I know. The boys at the gate called the house and
said as much, but Mortimerβs down at the garage with Sam.β
Bricker shut the door and then turned to face him, waving
the phone vaguely. βI was just calling down there to tell
him you were here, but thereβs no answer. Hopefully that
means theyβre on their way to the house.β
βHopefully?β Cale removed his brown leather winter coat.
βYeah, well, they may have been getting busy in one of the
cells,β Bricker explained wryly as he took the coat and
quickly hung it in a closet beside the door. βTheyβve only
been life mates for eight or nine months and are still
pretty into each other.β He closed the closet door, swung
back to Cale, and then headed up the hall toward the back
of the house. βCome on. Iβll get you a bag of blood while
we wait.β
Cale followed, recalling what his uncle Lucian had said
about these men. Mortimer and Bricker used to be partners,
enforcers hunting rogues vampires, but now they ran the
enforcer house together. Bricker was the younger man and
backed up Mortimer, who was now in charge of all the rest
of the enforcers.
βOne bag or two?β Bricker asked, leading him into a large,
cupboard-lined kitchen with an island in the middle.
βOne is fine,β Cale murmured.
The younger immortal immediately opened a refrigerator to
reveal a large amount of bagged blood stacked up alongside
various mortal foodstuffs. The sight was a bit startling.
Cale hadnβt eaten mortal food in more than a millennium and
only ever had blood in his own refrigerator. The thought
crossed his mind to wonder if it was really hygienic to
have raw meat and vegetables so close to the blood.
βO positive all right?β Bricker asked, sorting through the
bags in the fridge.
βFine.β Hygienic or not, he was hungry.
βHere you go.β
Cale accepted the bag Bricker held out with a murmured
thanks, waited the few seconds it took for his canines to
descend, and then quickly popped the clear bag of crimson
liquid to his fangs.
βGrab a seat,β Bricker urged, using his foot to hook one of
the wooden barstools tucked under the island and dragging
it out for himself. He slapped a bag of blood to his own
teeth as he sat on the stool.
Cale pulled a second stool out, but had barely settled on
the high seat when the soft shush of sliding glass doors
opening and closing sounded from the next room. He followed
Brickerβs glance expectantly to the open door across from
them. It led into what was obviously a dining room. The end
of a dark oak table was visible, as well as an end chair,
but the door and whoever had entered were out of sight.
However, their voices reached the two of them easily, and
Cale found himself unintentionally eavesdropping on what he
soon realized was a private conversation.
βAre you sure youβre ready, love?β a man asked in solemn
tones.
βYes, of course, Iβm sure,β a woman answered, although she
didnβt sound all that certain in Caleβs opinion. He
wondered who she was and what she was claiming to be ready
for.
Apparently the male speaker had noted the uncertainty as
well. βAre you, Sam? Itβs been eight months and youββ
βI know,β the woman interrupted. βAnd Iβm sorry Iβve
dragged my feet about it as I have. It wasnβt because I
donβt love you, Mortimer. I do, butββ
βBut you didnβt want to leave your sisters,β the man said
with apparent understanding.
Cale felt his eyebrows rise as he recognized the names.
Mortimer was who he was here to see, but so was Sam. She
apparently had a sister named Alex, and Aunt Marguerite had
a βfeelingβ this Alex might be the woman heβd waited for
his whole life. Cale wasnβt holding out much hope that
Marguerite was right. As old as he was, heβd pretty much
given up hope on ever finding a life mate. Heβd pretty much
resigned himself to being eternally single. But he also
hadnβt wanted to offend the woman, so had agreed to come
meet this Alex.
Curious now to see the couple who were speaking, Cale
shifted slightly on his stool, leaning to the side, but it
was no good. They must have stopped at the door theyβd just
entered. They also obviously thought they were having a
private conversation, and he glanced to Bricker, expecting
him to make some noise to alert them to the fact they
werenβt alone, but the younger immortal almost seemed to be
holding his breath as he waited for what they might say
next.
Cale found himself frowning around the bag in his mouth and
was about to scrape his stool back to warn the couple, but
the womanβs next words made him pause.
βIt wasnβt because of Jo and Alex.β
Cale stilled curiously, hoping to hear more about this Alex.
βThat was just an excuse, Mortimer. One I even had myself
half convinced of,β the woman admitted on an apologetic
sigh. βBut Jo said something to me after she met Nicholas
that made me realize it wasnβt the real reason.β
βWhat was that?β Mortimer asked quietly.
βShe pointed out that, after you turn me, I would still
have ten years to try to find them life mates. She said I
was just afraid, and I thinkβno, I know now she was right.β
βAfraid of what, Sam?β Mortimer asked with quiet
concern. βThe pain of turning?β
βNo β¦ β¦ Although thatβs scary on its own,β she admitted on
a wry laugh. Her voice was more serious when she
added, βBut really I was afraid that you would wake up one
day and realize β¦ β¦ well, that Iβm just me,β she finished
helplessly.
βI donβt understand. I know who you are, Sam. Whatβ?β
βI know, butβThis is silly, but, while Iβm smart, and
hardworking, and basically nice, Iβm not β¦β β¦ Samβs voice
was slightly embarrassed as she said, βWell, Iβm just not
some sexy, gorgeous vamp type of gal who can hold the
attention of a guy like you for eternity.β
βHoney, youβre beautiful. Iββ
βI look like Olive Oyle, Mortimer.β The words burst into
the air on a breath of exasperation, as if she thought that
should be obvious.
Cale tore the now-empty bag from his mouth and glanced to
Bricker with confusion, his voice a bare whisper as he
asked, βOlive Oyle?β
Bricker removed his own bag and explained in a hushed
tone, βPopeyeβs girlfriend.β When Cale continued to stare
at him blankly, he rolled his eyes. βSheβs a cartoon
character; dark hair, huge eyes, and spindly as a stick
figure. Sam isββ
βHoney, I have eyes. I know you look like Olive Oyle.β
Bricker stopped his explanation on a low curse and squeezed
his eyes closed briefly. He then turned his head back
toward the door, muttering with disgust, βYou old guys are
so bloody smooth. Honestly.β
Cale would have liked to argue the point, but really, even
heβwho hadnβt bothered with women in what seemed like
foreverβknew Mortimerβs words had been the wrong thing to
say. Obviously, Mortimer realized it too because he began
to babble, βI mean, youβre beautiful to me. I love your
smile and the way your eyes twinkle when youβre amused or
teasing andββ
βBut I still look like Olive Oyle,β Sam said in tones that
made it obvious she wasnβt impressed with the manβs efforts
to save the situation.
βNot really.β There was a distinct lack of conviction in
Mortimerβs voice, but it was stronger when he added, βLook,
honey, the point is, I donβt see you through rose-colored
glasses. My love isnβt based on some shallow fantasy image
of you, and Iβm not going to suddenly wake up one day and
notice you have knobby knees.β
βKnobby knees?β she cried.
βIβNo,β he assured her quickly, sounding a bit panicked
now. βNo, of course they arenβt knobby. I just mean I know
exactly how you look. I do see you, and youβre what I want,
not some silly fantasy like Jessica Rabbit was.β
βJessica Rabbit?β Sam echoed with disbelief. βYou had
fantasies about Jessica Rabbit? A cartoon rabbit?β
Caleβs eyebrows rose at that. Heβd been alive a long time
and had fantasized about a lot of things, but never a
cartoon rabbit.
βWell not as a rabbit,β Mortimer muttered, sounding a bit
chagrined. βAnd not as a cartoon character. I wasnβt reallyβ
I mean, I didnβt want to hook up with her or anything. She
was just a representation of the type of woman I thought I
might end up with.β
βVoluptuous and sexy,β Sam suggested.
βExactly,β Mortimer said, sounding relieved.
Cale didnβt need Brickerβs groan to tell him that was
possibly the stupidest thing the man could say. Dark hair,
huge eyes, and a stick figure didnβt suggest voluptuous and
sexy to him.
βMortimer,β Sam said, her voice hard, βIβm neither
voluptuous nor sexy. If thatβs what you want, why spend
eternity with me?β
βHoney, you are sexy. Youβre smart, and brains are really
sexy as hell.β
βRight,β Sam snapped, obviously not buying that line.
βGad!β Bricker barked.
When the younger immortal leapt off his stool and hurried
toward the dining-room door, Cale followed. He entered the
room on the other manβs heels, his eyes moving with
interest over the couple peering toward them with surprise.
Brickerβs description of dark hair, big eyes, and spindly
as a stick figure fit Sam, Cale decided. It was probably
also the most unattractive way to put it. The woman did
have dark hair, but only in that it wasnβt blond. There
were tints of light brown and even red in her hair that
made for a lush, almost auburn. As for her eyes, Cale had
always found large eyes an attractive feature, but they did
tend to dominate this womanβs thin face. He suspected they
would be lovely if she had a little more meat on her to
round her cheeks out a bit. Actually, the woman could have
done with a little more rounding everywhere. Her body was
on the point of being emaciated. It made him wonder if she
didnβt have some ailment of the thyroid or something.
He shifted his gaze to Garrett Mortimer then, but barely
got an impression of fair hair and a muscular body before
Bricker paused before the couple, and snapped, βFor cripes
sake, you two! What are you doing? Sam, you love Mortimer,
and he loves you, and thatβs what heβs trying to tell you,
heβs just too stupid to get it out right. But he loves and
wants you just the way you are.β He shook his head with
disgust. βYou should be secure in that knowledge by now for
Godβs sake. The two of you have been going at it like a
pair of bunnies for months, with no sign of letting up.β
βBricker!β Sam squawked, flushing bright pink as she
glanced from the enforcer to Cale with a mortification he
suspected wouldnβt be nearly as strong had he, a stranger,
not been present.
βOh, right,β Bricker muttered, glancing back toward him
with a sigh that suggested heβd briefly forgotten Caleβs
presence. βSam, Mortimer, this is Cale Valens. Cale, this
is Garrett Mortimer and Sam Willan.β
βCale,β Mortimer said slowly, offering a hand, and then
recognition lit his face. βMartine Argeneauβs son.β
βYes.β Cale shook the offered hand politely and then
glanced again to Sam. Much to his surprise, the
embarrassment that had been coloring her face a moment ago
appeared to have slipped away, replaced with an interest
that was sharp and focused.
βAre you single, Mr. Valens?β Sam asked as she moved
forward to shake his hand as well.
Cale raised an eyebrow at the blunt question, but glanced
to Bricker when he released a short, sharp laugh.
βI see your agreeing to turn hasnβt dampened your
determination to see Alex settled with an immortal, Sam,β
Bricker commented with amusement, then warned Cale, βLook
out. Sheβll be holding a dinner party and introducing the
two of you by weekβs end.β
βWell, why not?β Sam sounded a touch defensive. βYou never
know. They might suit each other.β
βHoney,β Mortimer said on a sigh, βthe chances of Alexβs
being a possible life mate for an immortal are pretty slim.
Itβs amazing that Jo turned out to be Nicholasβs life mate.
Itβs very rare to find three mortal sisters who suitββ
βChances shmances,β Sam interrupted firmly. βBesides,
thereβs no harm in introducing them and seeing if they
wouldnβt suit. Alex would make a good immortal. Sheβs
smart, successful, and already works nights. Iβll just call
her and see if she can come over for dinner.β Sam started
to turn away, but Mortimer caught her arm.
βWhy donβt we find out why Cale is here and see if he even
has time to stay for dinner first?β he suggested quietly.
Sam hesitated, but then glanced to Cale. βCan you stay for
dinner?β
When he nodded, she grinned and then whirled away again.
βThank you for humoring her,β Mortimer said on a sigh, as
they watched her cross the room.
Cale shrugged. βI am not humoring her so much as
Marguerite.β
βMarguerite?β Sam stopped abruptly in the kitchen doorway
and spun around, her already large eyes appearing even
larger in her startled face.
Caleβs eyebrows lifted. The woman was almost vibrating with
an emotion he couldnβt quite identify. He was about to read
her mind when Mortimer captured his attention by echoing
her exclamation in a deeper, though no less startled, voice.
βMarguerite?β
Cale glanced to the man, and then to Bricker, both of whom
were now peering at him with intense interest. Grimacing,
he admitted, βMarguerite seems to have a bee in her bonnet
about me meeting Samβs sister, Alex.β
βShe does?β Sam breathed, taking several steps toward them.
Cale found himself shifting uncomfortably as he
admitted, βYes. She seems to think we might suit each other
β¦ β¦ I expect sheβs wrong, but it canβt hurt to humor her
and meet your sister to see one way or the other.β
βIβll have Alex come over at once!β Sam spun away again,
this time making it out of the room before anyone spoke.
A snort of amusement brought Caleβs glance to Bricker as
the younger immortal asked, βYouβre kidding right?β
βAbout what?β Cale asked, scowling. He didnβt like being
laughed at, and the younger man was definitely laughing. He
was also eyeing him with a combination of pity and,
strangely, what appeared to be envy.
βAbout not expecting Marguerite to be right,β Bricker
explained, and then slapped him on the back. βBuddy, if
Marguerite is having one of her βfeelingsβ that you and
Alex will suit, youβre as good as mated. Itβs what
Marguerite does. She finds life mates for anyone and
everyone she can. Sheβs hooked up every single couple who
have found each other the last few years.β
βEvery Argeneau couple,β Mortimer corrected firmly. βShe
was not responsible for Sam and me.β
βYeah, well I wouldnβt be too sure about that,β Bricker
said dryly. βShe probably suggested Lucian send us to that
job in cottage country in the hopes that one of us would
suit one of the sisters.β
Mortimer rolled his eyes at the suggestion. βShe couldnβt
have known about Sam and her sisters. I donβt think sheβs
even been to Deckerβs cottage.β
βOh, he didnβt tell you?β Bricker asked with amusement.
βTell me what?β Mortimer asked, suddenly wary.
βMarguerite helped him find the place. Since he was always
so busy on the job, she vetted the available properties and
suggested the one next to Sam and her sisters was the
nicest.β
βChrist,β Mortimer muttered.
Bricker laughed, but Cale simply peered from one man to the
other curiously. βIs she really that good at finding mates
for immortals?β
βOh yeah,β Bricker assured him. βSo, if Marguerite thinks
Alex is the one for you, itβs in the bag. It looks like
your bachelor days are done, my friend. Bet you canβt wait.β
Cale found himself frowning at the suggestion, and said a
bit stiffly, βNot all of us are lonely and in need of a
life mate. Some of us manage to live relatively happy, busy
lives without one.β
βYeah right,β Bricker said with disbelief.
Cale scowled, but didnβt argue the point further. Why
bother? It wasnβt really true anyway.
βYou have to be kidding me.β Alex Willan stared at the man
standing on the other side of her desk. Peter Cunningham,
or Pierre as he preferred to be called, was her head cook.
He was also short, bearded, and had beady little eyes.
Sheβd always thought he resembled a weasel, but never so
much as she did at that moment. βYou canβt quit just like
that. The new restaurant opens in two weeks.β
βYes I know.β He gave her a sad little moue. βBut really
Alexandra, he is offering a kingβs ransom for me toββ
βOf course he is. Heβs trying to ruin me,β she snapped.
Peter shrugged. βWell, if you were to beat their offer β¦ββ¦
Alexβs eyes narrowed. She couldnβt help noticing that heβd
said βbeatβ rather than βmatchβ or even βcome close.β The
little creep really was a weasel with no loyalty at all β¦ β¦
but she needed him.
βHow much?β she asked sharply, and barely managed to keep
from hyperventilating at the amount he murmured. Dear God
that was three times what she was paying him and twice what
she could afford β¦ β¦ which he knew, of course.
It was a ridiculous sum. No chef earned that, and he wasnβt
worth it. Peter was good, but not that good. It didnβt make
any sense that Jacques Tournier, the owner of Chez Joie,
would offer him that much. But then Alex could suddenly see
what the plan was. Jacques was luring the man away in a
deliberate attempt to leave her high and dry. Heβd keep him
on for two or three weeks, just long enough to cause scads
of trouble for her, then heβd fire him under some pretext
or other.
Alex opened her mouth, prepared to warn Pierre, but the
smug expression on his face stopped her. Peter had always
been an egotistical bastard. It was bad enough when he was
only the sous-chef, but in the short time since sheβd
promoted him to head chef, his ego had grown to ten times
its previous bloated state. No, she thought with a sigh, he
wouldnβt believe her. Heβd think it just sour grapes.
βI know you canβt afford it,β Peter said pityingly. Then
with something less than sympathy, he added, βJust admit it
so I can stop wasting my time and get out of here.β
Alexβs mouth tightened. βWell, if you knew, why even bother
suggesting it?β
βI didnβt want you to think I was totally without loyalty,β
he admitted with a shrug. βWere you to beat their offer, I
would have stayed.β
βThanks,β she said dryly
βDe rien,β he said, and turned toward the door.
Alex almost let him walk out, but her conscience got the
better of her. Whether heβd believe her or not, she had to
at least try to warn him that he was setting himself up for
a fall. Once Jacques fired himβand she didnβt doubt for a
minute he wouldβPeter would be marked. The entire industry
would know that heβd left her for them, and then lost that
job. Even if people didnβt suspect the truth of what
happened and label him a putrid little weasel, they would
think heβd been fired for something.
Alex had barely begun to speak her thoughts, however,
before Peter was shaking his head. Still, she rushed on
with it, warning him as her conscience dictated. The moment
she fell silent, he sneered at her with derision.
βI knew you would be upset, Alexandra, but making up such a
ridiculous story to get me to stay is just sad. The truth
is, I have been selling myself cheap for some time now.
Iβve built up a reputation as an amazing chef these last
several weeks while cooking in your steadββ
βTwo weeks,β Alex corrected impatiently. βItβs only been
two weeks since I promoted you to head chef. And youβre
cooking my recipes, not coming up with brilliant ones of
your own. Surely you can see how ridiculous it is that
someone would pay you that kind of money forββ
βNo, I do not see it as ridiculous. I am brilliant. Jacques
sees my potential and that I deserve to be paid my value.
But you obviously donβt. You have been trying to keep me
under. Now I will get paid what I deserve and enjoy some of
the profits produced by my skills.β Mouth tightening, he
added, βAnd youβre not going to trick me into staying here
with such stupid stories.β
With a little sniff of disgust, Peter turned on his heel
and sailed out of her office with his nose up and a self-
righteous air that made her want to gag.
Alex closed her eyes. At the moment, she wanted nothing
more than to yell a string of obscenities after the man,
and suspected she would enjoy his fall when it came.
Unfortunately, her own fall would come first.
Cursing, she pulled her Rolodex toward her and began to
rifle through the numbers. Perhaps one of her old friends
from culinary school could help for a night or two. Christ,
she was ruined if she didnβt find someone and quickly.
An hour later, Alex reached the Wβs in her Rolodex with no
prospects when the phone rang. Irritated with the
interruption when she was having a crisis, Alex snapped it
up. She barked βhello,β the fingers of her free hand still
flipping through the cards one after the other in quick
succession.
βI have someone I want you to meet.β
Alex frowned at the strange greeting, slow to recognize her
sisterβs voice. Once she did, a deep sigh slid from her
lips, and she shook her head wearily. She really didnβt
need this right now. She was heartily sick of the parade of
men Sam had been presenting her with over the last eight
months.
It had been bad enough when she and their younger sister,
Jo, had both been single and available, but now that Jo had
Nicholas, Sam was focusing all of her attention on finding
Alex a man. She supposed it wouldnβt be so bad if even one
of the men Sam had insisted on introducing her to had shown
some mild interest in her, but after barely more than a
moment, and sometimes as little as a few seconds, every
single one had simply ignored her, or in some cases, even
walked away.
It was giving her a complex. Sheβd even started dieting,
something sheβd sworn sheβd never do, and exercising, a
pastime she detested, as well as trying different makeup
and fashion choices in an effort to boost her now-flagging
ego.
This really was the last thing she needed, but Alex knew
Samβs heart was in the right place and forced herself to
hang on to her patience and even managed to keep her tone
to only mildly exasperated.
βSam, honey, my head chef just quit, and I have one hour to
replace him before the dinner set start to arrive. I donβt
have time for your matchmaking right now.β
βOh, but, Alex, Iβm pretty sure this is the one,β she
protested.
βRight, well, maybe he is, but if he isnβt a world-class
chef, Iβm not interested,β Alex said grimly. βIβm hanging
up now.β
βHe is!β
Alex paused with the phone halfway back to its cradle and
pulled it back to her ear. βWhat? He is what?β
βA chef?β Sam said, but it sounded like a question rather
than an announcement. It was enough to make Alex narrow her
eyes.
βFor real?β she asked suspiciously.
βYes.β Sam sounded more certain this time.
βWhere did he last work?β she asked cautiously.
βIβIβm not sure,β Sam hedged. βHeβs from Europe.β
βEurope?β Alex asked, her interest growing. They had some
fine culinary schools in Europe. Sheβd attended one of them.
βYes,β Sam assured her. βActually, thatβs why I was sure he
would be the one. Heβs into cooking and fine cuisine like
you.β
Alex drummed her fingers thoughtfully on the desk. It
seemed like just too much good fortune that her sister
wanted to introduce her to a chef the very day she was in
desperate need of one. On the other hand, sheβd suffered
enough bad luck the last few months that a bit of good luck
was surely in order. Finally, she asked, βWhatβs his name?β
βCale.β
βIβve never heard of him,β Alex murmured, and then realized
how stupid it was to say that. She didnβt know every single
chef in France. In fact, she only knew a few from her days
in culinary school β¦ β¦ and the names of the famous ones of
course.
βLook, heβs a chef, and you need one. What can it hurt to
meet him?β Sam asked. βI swear you wonβt be sorry. I really
think this will work out. Marguerite is never wrong. You
have to meet him.β
βMarguerite?β Alex asked with confusion, recognizing the
name. She was the aunt of one of Mortimerβs band mates,
Decker Argeneau. Alex had never met her, but Sam mentioned
her a lot. However, she had no idea what the woman had to
do with any of this.
βJust meet him,β Sam pleaded.
Alex sighed, her fingers tapping a rapid tattoo. She could
sense that Sam was lying about something in her
determination to get her to meet the man, and really, she
didnβt have time to waste at the moment. On the other hand,
Sam hadnβt hesitated to say he could cook and had even said
it was why sheβd thought they might hit it off, so Alex
suspected that part of it was at least true. At least she
hoped it was. The fact was, she was desperate. And,
frankly, beggars couldnβt be choosers. If the man could
cook even half decently, she was definitely interested in
him though not the way Sam was obviously hoping she would
be.
βSend him over,β she barked, and then slammed the phone
back in its cradle before she could change her mind.
Cale was telling Bricker and Mortimer about the wedding
heβd attended in New York for several of his family members
and their life mates when Sam came hurrying back into the
room. βItβs all set,β she announced excitedly. βYou have to
go to her restaurant right away.β
Cale frowned. βYou said you would have her come here.β
βYes, well, there was a change of plans. Alex has a small
crisis at the restaurant and canβt leave,β Sam announced,
catching his arm and urging him toward the door to the
kitchen. βActually that reminds me. Can you cook?β
Cale stopped, forcing her to a halt, and announced
stiffly, βI donβt eat.β
βI didnβt ask you if you eat,β she pointed out. βCan you
cook?β
βWhy would I cook if I donβt eat?β he asked dryly.
βNot doing one doesnβt preclude your doing the other,β Sam
said impatiently, and then clucked with irritation and
tried to urge him to continue forward as she pointed
out, βMale designers donβt wear womenβs clothing, but they
design it.β
βHow do you know they donβt wear it?β Bricker asked
lightly, drawing Caleβs attention to the fact that he and
Mortimer had followed and now stood behind them.
Mortimer chuckled at the words, but Sam didnβt seem to see
the humor. Grinding her teeth together, she tugged at
Caleβs arm again. βCome on. You need to get to the
restaurant before she changes her mind and takes off for
the new place or something.β
Cale tugged his arm free of her hold. βI do not cook food
and have no desire to visit a place filled with the stench
of it. Youβll just have to arrange a meeting for a
different day. I have no desire to go to her place of
business.β
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