They'd established this pattern

they got the business out of the way; then, if they both had

time, they would have a cup of coffee, and sit and talk until

it was time for Jack to get started on the evening's menus.

She gave a small sigh of relief when Jack put away the

produce and then reached for a pair of thick white coffee

mugs. He arched a brow in her direction, and she nodded.

Today, she definitely had time to talk.

She waited until he'd poured coffee for himself and a cup

of tea for her and pulled a stool up next to hers at the big

work counter.

"So, tell me what you've been up to," he said, pushing a

plate of biscotti in her direction.

"Well, actually, I have some news."

"You've won the lottery? A rich uncle you'd never heard

of died and left you an estate in Tahiti, and you're anxious

to hire a personal chef." He gave her a hopeful look.

She laughed and shook her head. "No, but if I ever

happen to have an estate in Tahiti that needs a chef, you're

at the top of the list."

"That's something, anyway." Jack picked up a biscotti and

dunked it in his coffee. "So what's your news?"

"I'm getting married." She'd planned to lead up to it

slowly, maybe draw the suspense out a bit, not blurt it out

like that.

"You're what?" Jack's eyes jerked to her face. The biscotti

dropped back into the cup, splashing coffee on both his

hand and the counter.

"I'm getting married," she repeated, wondering if it

sounded as unbelievable to him as it did to her. Two days,

and it didn't seem any more real now than it had- that night

at Luke's house. Maybe, once she saw him again, it would

seem like something more than a bizarre dream.

"Marriage as in 'dearly beloved' and 'till death do us

part'?"

Cat nodded. She didn't see any reason to tell him that, as

far as her fiancé was concerned, the only way the marriage

was going to last until 'death do us part' was if one of them

was hit by a truck soon after speaking their vows.

"Who is it?" Jack asked. "I didn't even know you were

dating anyone. And if you're not only dating someone but

on the verge of getting engaged, then why, when Phil

stormed out, lock, stock and pastry brush, did we sit right

here and commiserate with each other over the difficulties

of finding a good man in Los Angeles, straight or otherwise

inclined?"

"We weren't dating," she told him. "We're still not, I

guess. I mean, do they still call it dating once you're

engaged? Or is it just become, you know, seeing each

other?"

"You're babbling, and that's a sure sign you're nervous."

He gave her a stem look. "Spill it, Cat. Who's the mystery

man?"

"Luke Quintain."

Jack had his mouth open to offer a comment before the

name registered. He stared at her for a moment and then

shut his mouth with an audible snap. "You want to run that

by me again?"

''I'm engaged to marry Luke Quintain." Nope, no matter

how she said it, it didn't seem real.

"The same Luke Quintain who's engaged to marry your

stepsister?"

"Yes." She reached for a biscotti and dunked it nervously.

"They're not engaged anymore, though."

"What did you do with the body?" Jack asked.

"What body?"

"Devon's. I don't know your stepsister well, but from

what little I've seen, I'm guessing the only way she'd give

up all that lovely money, social position and a man who

looks like Luke Quintain is if she was dead and buried."

"Actually, Devon is the one who broke the engagement."

Cat set the soggy biscotti on a plate and cupped her hands

around the mug. "Her high school sweetheart showed up,

and she realized that she was still madly in love with him so

she left for Minnesota. Although it might have been

Michigan," she added in the interest of accuracy.

"What's in Minnesota and or Michigan?"

"A dairy farm. Rick is a dairy farmer."

Jack considered that for a moment, then shook his head.

"I don't see Devon as a milkmaid."

Cat lifted one shoulder in a half shrug, "I don't, either,

but that's what she said she wanted."

"Well, stranger things have happened," Jack said. He

frowned. "I can't think of any, offhand, but I'm sure

stranger things have happened. But that doesn't explain

how you ended up engaged to your stepsister's fiancé.

When did she break the engagement? You didn't say

anything about it last week."

"She only ended it two days ago. She ... um ... asked me

to break it off for her, actually."

"Two days ago?" Jack pushed his coffee aside and leaned

toward her. "And you and Luke Quintain are already

engaged? Not exactly nursing a broken heart, is he?"

"Not exactly," Cat admitted.

"So, tell Uncle Jack the whole story. Start to finish, and

don't leave out a single detail. How did you end up engaged

to the very wealthy Mr. Quintain?"

"It was my suggestion, actually," Cat said for the sheer

pleasure of watching his jaw drop.

"If you don't tell me what the hell is going on, I'm going

to stuff you in the convection oven."

She laughed and shook her head. "Not death by

convection! I'll talk, I'll talk!"