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She glanced toward his hands, smothering her waistline. “Excuse me?” She waited, walking away when he released her.
* * *
The attentive server smiled engagingly while Austin Sharpe praised Qasim for his banking skills. She then laughed good-naturedly when Qasim told her that given all the money he was making Austin she should expect him to leave her an outrageous tip.
“Seriously now, man, about these investments. Should I buy stock in all three?” Austin queried while adding a wealth of cream to his coffee.
“Not all three.”
“Uh-oh.” Austin grinned. “So which one didn’t make the cut?”
Qasim stirred his preferred black coffee. “None of them made the cut.”
Austin stilled, the mug halting halfway to his mouth. “You’re kidding?”
“No...but I could if you just really have a need to throw good money away on worthless stock.”
“Forget I asked.” Austin sipped on the beige-hued coffee.
“So what’s goin’ on in Miami?”
“New investors I’m trying to woo.” Austin pushed at the shock of blond hair that consistently fell across his forehead. “I want a mixer that’s off the beaten path, hence me wanting to use Vectra’s gallery in Miami Beach.”
“I didn’t know you knew her that well.” Qasim managed the comment in spite of his clenching jaw.
Austin nodded amidst a chuckle. “I was an intern for her dad’s company—the man’s brilliant. I have a lot of respect for Oscar Bauer.”
“Second that,” Qasim added.
“Hmph...for all the good it did me.” Austin sounded playfully distressed.
Qasim tilted his head. “How so?”
Austin shrugged. “Well, it’s important to bond with the father of your intended,” he smiled, “but that was useless since I fell into the dreaded realm of friendship.” He looked up as if to measure Qasim’s reaction. “You know what I mean.”
Qasim toasted the man with his mug. “Explain it to me.”
“Look at her, Sim.” Austin nodded across the sun-strewn dining room where Vectra sat with her father. “I mean, what guy in his right mind would want to be ‘just friends’ with her?”
Qasim felt his eyelids grow heavy beneath the weight of unexpected agitation and knew a bit more effort was warranted to maintain his cool. “Are you telling me that if you had the chance, you’d show her why she was making a mistake putting you in that category?”
Austin’s expression changed to one that was unwaveringly serious. “As much as I’d enjoy a physical relationship with her, I’d never want her afraid to have me as a friend.” He shook his head, sending the blond shocks of hair tumbling across his brow again. “She trusts me. I’d never do anything to jeopardize that.”
Qasim barely nodded. “That’s good to hear.” Beneath the table, he unclenched the fist he hadn’t realized he’d made.
* * *
“Just put one of those little packets on the side.”
“Daddy. No.”
“What’s it gonna hurt?”
Vectra looked at their waitress. “Thanks, Kelly, that’ll do it. No salt packets for my dad.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Kelly Dawes hid a smile as she scribbled something on her pad. “Sorry, Mr. B.,” she quietly tacked on before hurrying off to place the breakfast orders.
“Party pooper,” Oscar Bauer grumbled. “Now I remember why I rarely ask you out to eat anymore.”
“Hmph.” Vectra pretended to pout. “And I thought it was because you preferred my home cooking.”
Oscar snorted. “That, too.” He grinned and pulled his daughter close for another hug and kiss.
“So tell me about this trip of yours.” Vectra propped her chin on the backs of her hands. “Did you even take a little time out to just play around?”
Some of the light doused in the man’s long, expressive gaze. “You know playing around doesn’t have the same punch it used to when I had your mother to do it with.”
As far as Oscar Bauer was concerned, there was no woman he craved by his side other than his wife, but Rose had passed eight years prior.
“So did you give in to your obsession to acquire more land, or were you able to resist?” Vectra asked, eager to pull their thoughts away from sorrow.
“I only window-shopped.” An amused light began to creep into Oscar’s eyes, but not completely. “I wanted your advice before making any final decisions.”
“Dad?” Surprised, Vectra laughed a little.
“I’m serious, baby. It’s a place I could see spending the rest of my days. If it staggers you the way it did me when I saw it—” he shrugged “—then I’ll know I’ve found my spot. You’ve got your mother’s draw to the land. I’ll trust your reaction to it.”
