Coffee Scoop Read Free Page B

that I’m a journalist. Asking questions is just something I do.”
    “So what’s the problem?”
    “The problem is I have all these questions I want to ask and I’m afraid I might be overstepping my bounds. I mean, it’s not like I’m doing a story on you.”
    Ryan could barely contain his smile. “Would you like to? Do a story, I mean.”

    * * *

    “An article?” She pretended to mull the idea over. “Well, I don’t know. What do you see as the focus?”
    Carrie fought the urge to jump out of her chair and jump for joy. Only the fact that she might cause him to change his mind kept her seated. In order to get a serious scoop she would have to conduct herself as a serious journalist.
    There was also the little problem of her boss. Mr. Scott turned her down flat on her proposal to turn her scoop into a feature story. The idea of a series on fraud in religious circles was nixed as well. He then began a monologue on crusading journalists and eligible bachelor subjects that she’d heard one too many times.
    Her only retort had been a weak, “Are you going to tell me I can’t date him either?”
    She’d regretted those words the moment they escaped her lips and had spent the last ten minutes trying to talk her way out of them. Just about the time she had Mr. Scott convinced she was meeting Ryan Baxter under condition of a serious interview, the front door of Ixtapa had opened and a family numbering several dozen spilled out. The combined chattering, laughter and mariachi music ruined her cover and her story.
    Finally Carrie settled for a “maybe” on the story and a “watch yourself” on Ryan Baxter. She hung up knowing she’d lost the battle and praying she would win the war. Mr. Scott would see the value of her story and the Lord would use her to rid the Christian community of one more bad apple.
    Inwardly something jolted at the thought. Her deductive reasoning told her Ryan Baxter was up to no good with his fancy brief case, first class tickets, and connection to the folks at Camex. Something else, her heart perhaps, begged that the opposite be true.
    And what if it were? What if Ryan Baxter really was a do-gooder with a heart of gold?
    “Look, you’re the expert,” the object of her thoughts said. “I’d be grateful for whatever publicity our cause can receive.”
    He looked so sincere when he spoke the words that Carrie almost believed him. If he hadn’t taken that moment to yawn, she might have suggested they begin their questions right then. Instead she watched in silence as Javier appeared tableside with steaming mugs of coffee.
    Heavenly Beans Coffee, as it turned out.
    “Oh, Ryan, this is really good,” she said as she sipped at the truly heavenly drink. “I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything quite like it.”
    A smile tilted one corner of his mouth. “Do you really think so?”
    “I do.” Honestly it was the best coffee she’d ever tasted, bar none.
    Her companion fairly beamed. “I’ll see that you get a case when I return to the office.”
    Carrie leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. “Are you trying to bribe a journalist?”  
    Ryan feigned innocence. “Is it working?” Before she could comment, he leaned back and tossed his folded napkin onto the table top. “So,” he said with a grin. “How long does an interview take?”  
    “Well, that depends on the subject matter, and the depth of the investigation,” she said as she studied him surreptitiously. “How much time do you have?”

CHAPTER FOUR

    It turned out Ryan had much more time than he thought. After a frustrating evening leaving messages on voice mailboxes and a productive breakfast meeting with George Renfro at the Camex offices downtown, Ryan found himself at loose ends in his hotel room.  
    Thinking he’d be in meetings all day, he’d scheduled an afternoon appointment with the lovely journalist. Their venue, a coffee place in the shadow of the Astros ballpark that featured Heavenly Beans, of