She only smiled. “Were we?”
Zack walked over to slap Alex on the back. “How’s the meal?”
“It’s terrific.” Bess held out a hand. “You’re Zack? I’m Bess.”
“Nice to see you.” Zack kept a hand on Alex’s shoulder after giving Bess’s a quick squeeze. “You must be the Bess Rachel ran into down at the station.”
“I must be. You have a great place here. Now that I’ve found it, I’ll be back.”
“That’s what we like to hear.” His blue eyes sparkled with friendly curiosity. “Alex doesn’t bring his ladies around very often. He likes to keep us guessing.”
She couldn’t help but respond to the humor in Zack’s eyes. “Is that so?”
“Ease off, Muldoon,” Alex muttered.
“He’s still sore at me for stealing his baby sister.”
Alex sent him an arched look. “I just figured she had better taste.” He lifted his beer. “Speaking of which.” He gestured with the mug.
Bess saw Zack’s eyes change and, recognizing love, her heart sighed. It didn’t surprise her when Rachel came to the table.
“What’s this?” Rachel demanded. “A party, and nobody invited me?”
“Sit,” Zack and Alex said in unison.
“I’m tired of sitting.” Ignoring them both, she turned to Bess. “Nice to see you again.” She took a deep, appreciative sniff. “Rio’s paella. Incredible, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is. Alex was just telling me how the two of you met.”
“Oh?” Rachel’s brow lifted.
“Why don’t you join us and give me your side of it?”
Twenty minutes later, Alex was forced to admit that Bess’s casual friendliness had gotten Rachel to sit down and relax in a way neither he nor Zack would have been able to with their demanding concern.
For a woman who was so full of energy and verve, she had a knack for putting people at ease, he noted.
A gift for listening to details and asking just the right question. And for entertaining, he mused—effortlessly.
It didn’t surprise him that she was able to talk music with Nick when he was called over to join them, or food with Rio when she asked to go back into the kitchen to compliment him on the meal. He wasn’t surprised when she and Rachel made a date to meet for lunch the following week.
“I like your family,” Bess stated as they settled into a cab.
“You’ve only met a fraction of it.”
“Well, I like the ones I’ve met. How much more do you have?”
“My parents. Another sister, her husband, their three kids. A brother, his wife, and their kid. What about you?”
“Hmm?”
“Family.”
“Oh. I was an only child. Do they all live in New York?”
“All but Natasha.” He toyed with the curls at the nape of her neck. “You don’t talk about yourself.”
“Are you kidding?” She laughed, though she wanted to curl like a cat into the fingers brushing her skin. “I never stop talking.”
