“That’s ridiculous. I told him about it and he said he was fine.”
“You told him there was a picture before it hit the front page of USA TODAY. Knowing it exists and seeing it in color are two very different things.”
Bianca went pale. “He won’t lose his job. That would be ridiculous. I raised a quarter-million dollars for charity. That has to count for something.”
“Sure, it’s wonderful, but the money isn’t the point. Why can’t you see that?” Margot tried to figure out what to say to make her understand, only to realize Bianca wouldn’t get it because she didn’t want to.
“Bianca, why am I here? What do you want from me? You said it was because you wanted to change yourself, but I don’t think this is moving in that direction. And if it’s about fitting into Wesley’s world, then this was a total disaster.” She tapped the picture. “People in his world don’t flash their butts at people, even for money.”
Bianca stood and glared at her. “Well, maybe they should try it now and then. At least for a good cause. Do you really blame yourself more than me?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t know what to do with that. You’re right. I want you to help me fit into Wesley’s world, but I can’t do that and not be myself.” She sighed. “I really thought it was fine. I thought I was doing a good thing. Now I just don’t know. I need to think about this.”
“Fine. We can talk later.”
“No. I need more time than that. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
She walked out before Margot could figure out what to say. A couple of days? What did that mean?
Margot supposed she should assume the obvious—that their work together would pick up in two or three days. In the meantime, she could take the time to go to her office and have a long talk with her boss about the assignment. While she really liked Bianca, she wasn’t sure she was the best one to help her. And if she wasn’t, then it was time to get someone else to take her place.
“I’ve never failed a client before,” she whispered. She’d always been successful, had always done so well. But Bianca wasn’t like her other clients and everything about this situation was rapidly spinning out of control.
Chapter Seventeen
Declan found his business partner waiting impatiently for the Keurig to finish brewing a mug of coffee. While Heath had on a suit, as per usual, there was something disheveled about his appearance. Or maybe it was simply the dark circles under his eyes.
“Rough night?” Declan asked, trying to remember how long Heath had been going out with the woman he was dating. Six months? Eight?
“Brandi and I broke up.” Heath grabbed the coffee and cradled it in his hands. “Things have been bad for a while and last night it all came to a head. We talked until two in the morning and when I suggested we table things so we could get some sleep, she told me I was an insensitive asshole, that it was over and she hoped I burned in hell for eternity.”
Declan put a pod into the Keurig and slid his mug into place before starting the machine.
“You okay?”
“Exhausted mostly. A little relieved. Brandi was a lot more volatile than I expected. The longer we were together, the more, ah, free she was with her emotions.”
“No regrets it’s over?”
Heath shrugged. “I don’t want to get back together with her, but I did like being in a relationship.” He drank his coffee. “Why is it we always hear that it’s so easy for guys? Just have a decent job, be a good guy and be slightly more attractive than dirt and women will be throwing themselves at us. But they’re not. At least I can’t find anyone I want to be with. I’m not looking for a one-night stand—I want a relationship. Why is that so difficult to find?”
“You’re asking the wrong guy,” Declan told him. “My last date was with Iris.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope.”
“And not, you know, before?”
When they’d been separated? Because he’d told Heath a little of what had happened back then.
Declan shook his head. “It didn’t feel right.” Iris might have pulled out of their marriage, but he hadn’t. Besides, things had been complicated enough without bringing a third—make that fourth—party into things.
Heath leaned against the door frame of the coffee room. “I just want a nice, normal woman who wants to have a happy, regular kind of life. Minimal drama, lots of laughs and if she liked gardening, that would be a plus.” He looked at Declan, his expression hopeful. “Think that’s possible?”
“I’m sure it is. You just have to get out there again.”
“So says the guy who’s never been out there.”
“I was. In college.”
“That doesn’t count. You should start dating. Even if you don’t find someone for yourself, you can give me a few names.”
Declan immediately thought of Sunshine. She was everything Heath had said he wanted and more. She was beautiful and nurturing and pretty much the sexiest woman ever known to man, and she was looking for a normal relationship.
He opened his mouth to mention her, then decided he couldn’t. If that made him a jerk, he could live with the label. There was no way he could stand to have his business partner dating Sunshine. He didn’t want to think about them together. It would make him crazy with jealousy and he was already on the edge where she was concerned.
“I met a single mom who seems nice,” he blurted out of guilt. “Phoebe. Her son and Connor are friends. She’s pretty and has a good job.”
“Then why don’t you go out with her?”
“It’s too soon.”
Heath shook his head. “It’s not too soon, Declan. It’s time. You need to get yourself out there. We both do, but your need is greater. Not every woman is Iris.”
“I know that.”
“You sure?” Heath waved his coffee mug. “Come on. Let’s go figure out how to make our hotel clients happy.”
“That’s not possible.”
“You’re right, but we have to at least try.”
* * *
Margot signed her name and took the package from the UPS guy. The small box had an international label and a customs sticker, making her wonder if it was more ancient documents for Alec to sort through. The last group had been fascinating. He’d even let her help him remount a few of them.
She let herself into the house and left the package on his desk, then headed upstairs. She dropped her tote in her room and went to see if Bianca was back. The large guest room at the end of the hall was empty and there was no sign of the occupant.
Bianca had said a couple of days, she reminded herself. Today was only day one. Hopefully they would resume their work tomorrow.
Margot took the stairs to the main floor and turned into the kitchen. She came to a stop when she saw Alec dicing tomatoes while humming along to jazz music. He looked up and smiled.
“Oh good. You’re back. I was in the mood for a steak tonight and was hoping you’d join me.” He pointed to a paper-wrapped package on the counter. “I went to the butcher for filets and I’ve made salad. Edna defrosted a potato casserole for us and there is a very nice bottle of cabernet, if you’re interested.”
He looked good, she thought, letting the tension from the day flow out of her. Handsome and sexy and just plain easy to be with. She needed more of that in her life. A good guy who got her insides buzzing and her mind relaxing. It was not an easy combination to find.
“Sounds great,” she told him. “What can I do to help?”
He motioned to the stools by the island. “Keep me company. Oh, and if you want a drink, help yourself.” He nodded at a glass by the cutting board. “I poured myself a Scotch.”
She went to the wet bar and quickly mixed up a vodka and tonic, then returned to the kitchen and sat at the island. Alec had moved on to slicing a cucumber.
“Thank you for this,” she said, pointing at the dinner fixings. “It’s a great end to my day.”
“Tough one?”
“Just complicated. You know your mother took off.”
“I suspected. When the going gets tough, she often disappears, although I’ll admit I’m surprised. I didn’t think she was upset about last night.”
“She wasn’t, but that’s okay. I was upset enough for both of us.”
He added the cucumber to the salad. “Why were you upset?”
“Because the training is supposed to be helping and it’s not. I can’t believe she actually thought letting some guy touch her bare ass was okay. But according to her it’s just who she is. I don’t know. I wonder if I’m the right person for the job.”
Something flickered in Alec’s eyes. Before she could figure out what it was, it was gone.
“You don’t think she’s better than she was?” he asked.
“She’s made a lot of progress, but I really thought I understood her and last night proves I don’t.” She thought about the pictures in the various newspapers and had to hold in a groan. “I went and saw my boss this afternoon.”
“For advice?”
“Yes, and to discuss bringing in someone else.” Margot smiled at him. “I don’t know if this counts as good news, but you’re stuck with me. Apparently Bianca has been giving me rave reviews and she flat out told them she wasn’t interested in working with anyone else.”
“What happened with my mother isn’t your fault.”
“I know that in my head, but it sure feels like my fault. I don’t get it. She was doing incredibly well at the event. She talked to a lot of people, she was funny and charming. Then it all went to hell.” She sighed. “Enough of that. How was your day?”
“Quiet.”
“Just how you like it.”
He chuckled. “That is true.” He circled around the island and sat on the stool next to hers. “Bianca will figure it out because she loves Wesley and when Bianca loves, she’s all in. When I was ten or so, she was dating a race car driver who was very macho. I was a brainy little kid and we had nothing in common. I remember one day he wanted me to go throw a baseball with him. I wasn’t interested and we got into it. Bianca got between us and stood up for me.”
One corner of Alec’s mouth turned up. “He said if I didn’t start acting like a man, I was going to grow up to be some pansy-assed homo and it would all be her fault.”
Margot didn’t know which slur to address first. “He really said that?”
“He did.” The half smile turned into a full one. “My mother clocked him. Hit him right in the face. She told him that I was my own person and if I wanted to throw around a baseball, then fine, but if I didn’t, then I should be left alone. As for being gay, she said she didn’t care if I fell in love with a sea cucumber. That I was her son and she loved me and would always support me and welcome anyone I cared about.”
“Wow. Good for her.”
“That’s what I thought. She threw him out and we never saw him again.” He raised his glass. “That’s my good Bianca story.”
“I think we should pass on the bad one today.”
“I agree.”
Margot smiled. “I would have liked to have seen her punch the guy.”
“It was impressive.”
“I’ll bet. So about Merelyn. She seemed nice.”
Alec sighed. “Why did I think I was going to escape without having to talk about her?”
“I have no idea.” She smiled. “So—the ex.”
“She’s not my ex. She was my decorator and we had a couple of weeks together. It was nothing serious.”
“She thought it was.”
He looked at her. “Yes, she did. How did you know?”
“The way she was looking at you. Like she was lactose intolerant and you were a big ol’ bowl of ice cream.”
“I’m not sure about that analogy but I get your point. It wasn’t like that. I quickly figured out she wasn’t my type.”
Margot knew she should quit while she was ahead. She liked hanging out with Alec, and teasing him about his ex-girlfriend, while fun, wasn’t exactly the smartest thing to do. Did she really want him thinking about another woman while he was with her? Still, she couldn’t help asking, “What is your type?”
He took another sip of his Scotch. “It’s more emotional than physical. I like a woman who is intelligent and kind, with a sense of humor.”
“So Merelyn was a humorless dummy who kicked kittens?” she asked hopefully.
He laughed. “Not exactly. She just wasn’t for me.”
“I’m glad.”
The words popped out involuntarily. Margot immediately wanted to call them back, but it was way too late for that. They just kind of hung there in the air before slowly, so slowly, sinking to the floor.
Alec stared at her, his expression unreadable. She succumbed to panic. Was he mad? Repulsed? Confused? Disinterested? She wasn’t sure which of the four would be worse, and if she had time, she would rank them from lowest to highest preference, but there wasn’t and, oh dear God, couldn’t he say something?
She sprang to her feet as her brain offered her the thinnest of lifelines.
“You have a package! I signed for it when I came in and left it on your desk.” She pointed back toward his office. “It’s kind of small so maybe not documents, but I had to sign for it, so you should probably go check it out.”
He studied her for another second. She was about to bolt when he said, “Why don’t you come with me? I think you’ll find the contents unexpected.”
Which wasn’t the same as Hey, I think you’re smart and kind and funny and sexy, which wasn’t on my list, but you are and let’s go make love, but it also wasn’t him running away from her, so good.
They went into his office, where he opened the small package. Inside the shipping box was another, smaller box, then tissue paper. Alec pulled out a tiny wooden carving of a rabbit. It was obviously very old and detailed. There was an odd open space between the rabbit’s front feet.
“What is it?” she asked.
He took her hand in his and then placed the small figurine on her palm.
“Netsuke,” he said. “It’s Japanese. Men’s kimonos didn’t have pockets to store things like tobacco or other small items, so the men hung stylish boxes from their sashes or obi. The netsuke attached to the other end of the cord as a counterweight to keep the boxes in place.” He nodded at the carving nestled on her palm. “This is a lunar hare.”
“It’s beautiful. The carving is so intricate. I’m assuming netsuke is an art form?”
“It is.”
He crossed to the large cabinet behind his desk and opened it. Dozens of netsuke lined the narrow shelves across the entire length of the cabinet.
“You’re a collector,” she breathed, moving closer to study the tiny pieces.
“I am. Most netsuke are carved ivory—not a practice that we would approve today, of course. But back in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, ivory and wood were popular materials.”
He took the rabbit from her and put it on a shelf, then handed her a carving of a dragon. “There were famous netsuke craftsmen who signed their work. Those are the most valuable.”
The dragon was coiled in a circle and maybe two inches across, but the details were exquisite. She could see the individual scales and tiny claws. There were even little dragon teeth.
“I love him,” she said with a smile, handing him back to Alec. She looked at the cabinet. “You have a wonderful collection.”
She examined the different shelves. There were more dragons and rabbits, a few monkeys, even a couple of carved men. She was about to pick up a gourd when she realized there was something off about the cabinet. The depth of the shelves didn’t match th
e depth of the side.
A false front, she thought, immediately looking for the release mechanism. It had to be something accessible. A cabinet this large couldn’t be moved easily to reach in from behind.
She studied the construction, especially on the sides, and immediately caught sight of two corner pieces that looked out of place.
“Is this it?” she asked eagerly, pushing first one corner, then the other.
“Wait!”
Alec sounded insistent, but it was too late. The entire front of the cabinet swung forward. Behind it were more shelves, just like the ones in front, and there were more netsuke on display. Carved people who... People who...
Margot stared, not sure she could believe what she was seeing. She reached out and picked up what looked like a couple kissing. But as she studied the carving, she realized they weren’t just kissing. And there weren’t just two of them. There were in fact four people, um, doing each other in very interesting ways. In fact all the hidden netsuke were people indulging in various erotic exploits.
“Oh,” she said, putting the piece back where she’d found it. “It’s a different style, isn’t it?”
Alec stared at her without speaking. Not that she could blame him. What was there to say that wouldn’t make things more awkward?
She started to tell him she wasn’t offended. That she got this was art, too, and it was as beautifully carved as the other pieces. She realized that, in a way, he was like the cabinet—all formal and forbidding but with wonderful secrets on the inside.
The longer they stood there, the more stupid she felt until she realized she had no choice but to make her escape.
“They’re lovely,” she told him. “Very original. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get something in my room.”
A ludicrous excuse but the best one she could come up with in the moment. She offered him a tight smile, turned and ran from his office. When she reached her room, she closed the door and leaned against it.
Disaster, she thought grimly. That had been a total disaster. For someone who was supposed to be an expert at handling embarrassing or difficult situations, she’d just screwed up that one. Instead of being amused or casual or the least bit sophisticated, she’d taken off like a teenage girl who had accidentally walked into the boys’ locker room.
The Summer of Sunshine and Margot Page 22