Page 106 of An Engagement for Erica

Tucker sat back on the sofa. She could have met with him in her office, but why keep it formal like that?

Instead, she had muffins and coffee made and they could mix a little personal time in with work in her mind.

Be relaxed and not have to guard every word or movement.

She thought that was the reason he wanted to meet with her here.

Now she knew he didn’t want to talk about moles in his office.

“I thought so,” he said. “Why do you?”

“Because Michael is a shield for your grandfather also. Do you trust him?”

“My grandfather does and I trust my grandfather,” he said. “However, I am annoyed over this whole thing. I do like Michael, but I haven’t known him that well up until the past several months. It’s not like I visited often for years.”

Which she did know too.

“I think that is a good attitude to have. Unless you feel undercut with decisions?”

He paused and she knew that had to have crossed his mind. Probably put a wrinkle in his ego too and she wondered if he’d admit that.

“It was my first thought. But then once I went home and thought about it, I realized that everything I’ve instructed to be done is getting done. Doesn’t mean they might not be bringing it to my grandfather first and that burns my ass.”

She pursed her lips. “I can see both sides of it.”

“Of course you can,” he said sarcastically. “That is what you’re paid for.”

She laughed. “Sorry. I’m good at being Switzerland.”

“You are that,” he said. “You never let it get to you. Or get absorbed into your life.”

That made her sound cold. Something she’d heard a lot in her life and thought she was breaking away from it.

Guess not.

“I think many would argue the fact that I passed out in your office that isn’t the case. Seems to me I was more like a sponge at that time.”

She could bring it up now without embarrassment, but she’d never live it down either.

She had a follow-up with her doctor last week, and as her father had said, they were weaning her off the meds. She was nervous but following orders.

“I think that was more likely that you work too hard and too long and shouldn’t eat and live off of coffee and fast food.”

She frowned. “Not really fast food,” she said.

“Not the greasy kind in a drive-thru,” he said. “But I don’t remember you eating anything that wasn’t handheld that you couldn’t grab on the run.”

She couldn’t dispute that. “I’ve turned over a new leaf,” she said.

“You have. And I’m proud of you.”

A slow smile spread across her face. She wasn’t sure any man she’d ever dated before said they were proud of her.

“Thanks,” she said. “It’s not easy breaking habits, but relocating here has helped. Not as many coffee places on the way to work or delis to run in to.”

“I guess that is one way to break a nasty habit you shouldn’t have had. But you could still drink the coffee at home.”

She laughed. “You have met my sister, right? Harmony is a little pit bull when it comes to me now. I never thought she’d be that way.”

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