For the moment, his fury at his father had abated, and his intention to drive home like a madman to righteously confront the old man seemed less important. It could wait. And maybe that was a good thing. Jase needed to cool off before he tore into Edward. Realizing he was still holding on to her elbow, he let go. “There’s a coffee shop across the street, at the corner. They make a mean cappuccino.”

“And that will be more private?” A skeptical eyebrow lifted over the rim of her sunglasses and her pink lips twitched a little.

“They’ve got a shady spot outside, an inner courtyard. No one will bother us.”

“Okay.”

“And if I remember correctly, I owe you a drink,” he said.

“That’s not how I remember it.”

He ignored her remark and said, “Play your cards right, I might even spring for a beignet.”

Now both eyebrows had lifted and her lips, a glossy pink, curved into a smile. “Big spender.”

“That’s me.” Her grin widened and he felt an unlikely pull on his heart.

“Fair enough, Bridges. You’re on!” With that she turned away and started toward the shop. Sunlight burnished her hair to a coppery sheen and the hem of her skirt swung above her knees as she walked. In two quick strides he fell into step with her and told himself he was being a fool and that his brother had been right. He should avoid her.

Too late. She glanced up, gave him an amused smile, and he was sunk. Aside from his attraction to her, he was intrigued about her change of heart. What had happened to make her trust him? As they stepped into the shop, he figured he was about to find out.

They ordered at a long counter that ran along one wall. Behind them, all the tables were taken by patrons sipping iced tea or coffee while plugged into the establishment’s free Wi-Fi. The buzz of conversation and coffee-making filled the space with a constant din. Jase took care of the bill, as promised. Once they’d picked up their drinks and food, he guided her through an open doorway to a veranda that looked as if it had once been an alley. Surrounded on two sides by the craggy brick exterior of century-old buildings, the narrow street had been gated with wrought iron on either end to form a courtyard. Potted palms and an indigo awning helped shade and cool the area.

The courtyard was quiet and peaceful as the few customers seated at the outdoor tables were huddled close together and lost in their own conversations. Jase nodded toward a small table with two chairs pushed into a corner, the most privacy the space provided.

“Better,” Brianna said, scraping back a chair. “Out here I can actually hear myself think.”

“Careful, that could be dangerous.”