Come To Me (Dare With Me #3) - J.H. Croix Page 0,43

before Daphne commented, “By the way, we miss Elias out at the resort.”

Cammi’s cheeks went pink. “Do you? I heard he lost his bedroom.”

“Of course, he did,” Daphne replied with a grin. “He’s never there because he’s with you all the time. Although we miss him, I’m really happy for both of you.”

Daphne’s eyes shifted to me. “Now, tell us how things are going with Diego.”

“Ummm…” I began. Heat creeped up my cheeks as I glanced between them. “Why do I get the feeling that you two know more than me about me and Diego?”

Cammi, because she was nice and sweet, took pity on me and reached over to pat me lightly on the shoulder. “It’s okay. You have to get used to living in a small town. Whether you want it or not, people usually know things. We definitely don’t know more than you do though.”

My cheeks were still hot when I managed something like a casual shrug. “Well, we were supposed to have dinner Friday, but his schedule changed, so I don’t know when we’ll see each other again.”

Daphne’s eyes twinkled. “I’m sure he’ll reschedule that. Also, we don’t know much. All I know is Diego likes you, and the guys think you’re an exception.”

“An exception?” I pressed.

Daphne took a bite of her sandwich, making me wait. I didn’t think she was doing it on purpose, but still. Only something related to Diego could get me feeling this impatient. After she finished chewing and took a sip of water, she added, “Apparently, he hasn’t been serious with anyone since some girl he was engaged to when he was younger. That was over a decade ago.” She leaned forward, her eyes widening slightly.

Curiosity pressed at me, and I decided I didn’t mind asking questions. If I was going to be the subject of gossip, I might as well gain as much information as I could. “What do the guys say? I know they’re a tight group. They were all in the Air Force together, right?”

Daphne nodded in unison with Cammi. “Yep,” Cammi chimed in. “They’re like brothers. I don’t know that much. Just that Diego is known for keeping things casual with relationships. Elias said it was huge that he even introduced you to his sister.”

As if on cue, the door to the café opened, and Harley came striding in. She stopped, glancing alertly around the café, her eyes landing on us at our table in the corner. With a flick of her dark hair over her shoulder, she strode directly to us.

“Oh, God,” I said, keeping my voice low. “Harley seems really nice, but she also seems to have opinions, if you know what I mean. What if she secretly hates me?”

Daphne gave me a warm smile. “No need to worry. We’ll protect you. If you have anything to worry about, it’s that Harley has an agenda to get Diego married. Flynn told me she’s even tried to set him up with a few of her friends.”

Harley arrived beside us. “Hi, girls,” she said. “Rumor has it this place has the best coffee in town.”

Cammi stood from the table, her now empty plate in hand. “Let’s hope the rumors are true. What can I get for you?”

“You work here?” Harley returned.

“I own it,” Cammi said, her cheeks flushing a little.

“Hot damn. That’s freaking awesome,” Harley said as she followed Cammi up to the register.

I caught Daphne’s eyes. “Do you think she wants to marry me off to Diego?” I was a little alarmed at the prospect, amazing orgasms notwithstanding.

Daphne chuckled. “I have no idea. Harley has a strong personality. Just hold your ground. And, trust that Diego likes you, no matter what his sister thinks.”

A few minutes later, Harley returned to the table with a coffee. After a long swallow, she looked between Daphne and me, announcing, “This is incredible coffee.”

“Agreed,” I offered. “I’ve been to Seattle plenty of times, and it’s famous for its coffee. Cammi’s coffee could compete there, no problem.”

Harley’s sharp gaze, so similar to Diego’s, shifted to me. “So, tell me what brought you to Alaska.”

I breathed a silent sigh of relief. I could certainly handle this part of the conversation. “I won a trip here and decided that was a sign. I was looking for a change of pace, so here I am. I landed a job, which includes a lovely house where I take care of some horses. That helps me cover the bills, and I started my yoga studio.”

Harley nodded approvingly.