Brand New Me by Meg Benjamin Read Free Book Online

attention to stuff like that himself. If Reba Kent had the same tastes as her brother, Big John, it was probably not only an antique, but an expensive one.
    Big John Brandenburg’s sister was pretty big herself. Craig put her height at a little under six feet, although given the high-heeled shoes she was wearing, it wasn’t easy to tell. She wasn’t exactly fat, but she’d never make the cover of Vogue, either. Sturdy. That’s how he would have described her if he was being diplomatic. She must have been a major babe at some point in her life.
    Now she looked more like a society matron than a babe. Her suit was Texas class, bright blue with a diamond pin in the shape of a cactus on the lapel. Her hair was like a silvery platinum shell, with little feathery flips around her face, and she had one of those big grins that made people grin back. The look in her cornflower-blue eyes didn’t match the grin, though. He couldn’t decide if she was angry or wary, maybe some of both. Big John Brandenburg must be hell on wheels as a relative to inspire that kind of reaction long distance.
    “You’re looking for Dee-Dee?” she asked, fluttering her eyelashes discreetly. “Why? And how did my brother manage to lose track of his only child?”
    “They had some kind of…falling out, as I understand it. Now Mr. Brandenburg would like to find her to apologize, but he doesn’t know where she went. He thought perhaps she might have reached out to you.”
    In reality, of course, Big John would apologize when the demons went snowboarding in hell, but Craig didn’t figure he needed to point that out.
    “What sort of falling out did they have?” Mrs. Kent widened those cornflower eyes a little more, giving a really good imitation of innocence. He was impressed.
    “I’m not clear on the details. Apparently it was some kind of business matter.”
    “How sad.” She gave him a bland smile. “Family quarrels are always a shame. I’m sure John is devastated.”
    Actually, Craig was willing to bet she wasn’t sure of that at all. But gamesmanship was apparently part of the Brandenburg genetic code. “Have you heard from your niece, Mrs. Kent? I’m sure it would relieve Mr. Brandenburg’s mind to know she’s been in touch.”
    “No doubt.” She pushed a pencil around her desktop with her forefinger. “Unfortunately, I haven’t talked to Dee-Dee in several weeks. I’m afraid I can’t help you.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that.” He gave her his best concerned expression. “Do you know anyone else she might contact?”
    “Surely John knows her friends,” she said in a bland voice. “Or perhaps you do.”
    “Me?” He raised an eyebrow.
    “The last time I spoke to him, John implied you were interested in my niece, Mr. Dempsey. In fact, he implied that the two of you had some kind of…understanding. Something that was leading toward an engagement.”
    Craig didn’t know whether to be flattered by Big John’s confidence in his ability to pin Dee-Dee down or annoyed that he’d been the unwitting subject of a conversation with Reba Kent. “We’ve been dating, yes.”
    “Well, then, you must have met her friends. She must have told you about the people who were close to her.”
    He managed not to grind his teeth. She was watching him all too intently. Why was it such a big deal that he didn’t know Dee-Dee’s friends? Hell, his friends were famous. Spending time with them was a big deal. Dee-Dee’s family should be happy for her. And when they’d talked about her family, it was mainly Big John. He didn’t remember her ever mentioning anybody else. Not that he’d ever asked. “She doesn’t seem to have contacted anyone in Houston,” he temporized, hoping to god it was true.
    “And you’ve talked to the rest of her family?” Mrs. Kent’s immaculately shaped eyebrow arched imperiously.
    He licked his lips. “No, ma’am. Not yet. Can you suggest anyone I could contact?”
    She seemed to weigh her answer for a