Safe in the Tycoon's Arms (Harlequin Romance) (7 page)

His eyes widened. “What exactly did you tell my aunt about the house?”

“Not much. Just that I found this place fascinating. The house is rich in architecture and history. I find it almost as intriguing as its owner.”

“You do?” He searched her eyes as she smiled at him. Was she flirting with him? He gave himself a mental jerk. He didn’t need to hook up with her. He just needed her professional expertise. “I have a proposition for you.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

L
UCAS
HAD
BEEN
considering his plan all day. Kate obviously needed some immediate monetary assistance plus a roof over her head. And he needed someone to oversee the mansion’s repairs—someone who appreciated its old-world charms. Kate fit that bill perfectly—if only he could forget how tempting her lush lips were.

She eyed him up tentatively. “What sort of proposition do you have in mind?”

“Since you like this place so much, what would you say if I offered you a job working here?”

Confusion reflected in her brown eyes. “You want me to work for you? Even after the run-in with the photographer?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll bet the article will be a small, obscure piece. Hardly anyone will notice it.” He crossed his arms and rocked back on his heels. “As for the arrangement I’m proposing, it can benefit both of us.”

She paused, glancing around the house. He could practically see the wheels in her mind spinning. He’d hired enough people to know when they were eager for a position.

“I...I can’t. My daughter is in the hospital and I need to get this fund-raiser off the ground.”

She did have a very valid point. But there had to be a compromise. He could see how tempted she was to work on the house, and he knew from his experience with stressful situations that a diversion would do her some good.

He cleared his throat. “The thing is, I have a couple of projects with Carrington Gems that are going to take all of my time.” He stopped, realizing his responsibilities paled in comparison to hers. “The real truth is I can run a business, but I don’t know how to turn this mess into a home again.”

A smile touched her lips and her shoulders straightened. “What makes you think I can turn this place around?”

He didn’t want her taking this the wrong way, especially after she thought he’d hired someone to spy on her. He’d have to phrase this carefully. “You got me to really think about this mansion and what my neglect is doing to it. And you mentioned that you have interior design experience. So I checked out some of your prior work. It’s good.”

Surprise lit up her eyes. “Thank you.”

“And I really like your website.”

She smiled broadly. “I built it myself.”

“You’re a woman of many talents. Maybe I should have you consult on Carrington’s upcoming web campaign.”

Interest sparked in her eyes. “Are you launching a new line of jewelry?”

He nodded, not surprised that she was familiar with his company. His father’s lifelong dream had been to make Carrington Gems into a household name. In fact, they still used his father’s slogan—
Carrington Gems for the queen of your heart.

“I’d love to see the new jewelry.” Kate’s face lit up with excitement. “Your magazine ads already have a distinctive look. I like that they are never overdone and always tasteful.”

He stood a little taller. Though he had a team that put together the ad campaigns, he was an active member, adding his input here and there. He was after all a Carrington and he had a vested interest in any images that represented his company.

“I’m also in the middle of an expansion project, which needs more attention than I’d anticipated. So you can understand that I won’t be available to oversee things here. However, I’m more than willing to compensate you for your time.”

“My daughter has to be my priority—”

“Of course. We can work around that. Your ex-husband, is he still planning to be at the hospital part of the day?”

Kate nodded. “Actually, I do have a few ideas for the house.”

“What would they be?”

Kate began listing off everything she’d like to do to the house, most of which hadn’t crossed his mind when he’d offered her the job. Yet she had so much passion in her voice that he didn’t want to stop her. The things he’d read about her and her work online didn’t live up to the impressive woman standing before him.

As she continued explaining her vision, he couldn’t believe someone could be so passionate about working on a house. His ex-wife, Elaina, had only ever been this excited about new clothes or jewels. Kate was definitely a different breed.

She paused and looked at him expectantly. “What do you think?”

“If I do what you suggest, will you take the job?”

“A good contractor can take care of everything.”

Lucas shook his head. “I’m not going to let a bunch of people I’ve never met come in here and take over. You’ve already displayed your ability to take charge by getting me to see the condition of the house. You’ll keep those workers in line and make sure that no changes are done without my authorization.”

“I appreciate your faith in my abilities, but I can’t be here every minute of the day while my daughter’s in the hospital.”

He knew he was asking a lot, but he needed to know that his most treasured memories were handled with the utmost care and respect. “You said so yourself—you can’t be there when your ex is with your daughter during the day. I’m offering you a chance to do what you obviously love while earning some money—”

“But what if my ex suddenly decides to skip town, as he’s been known to do in the past?”

“We’ll deal with that if or when we have to. But this will give you something to do besides sitting around, worrying. There’s nothing worse than a day filled with worrisome thoughts and nothing but time on your hands.”

“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience.” When he shrugged but failed to add any details, Kate continued. “And what do I do about the fund-raiser?”

He’d thought about this, too. “I think between my administrative assistant, who is practically a party-planning pro by now, and my aunt, who knows everyone who is anyone, you’ll have time to spare. But if you decide to pass on the job, I totally understand. I’m sure I’ll find someone to oversee things...eventually.”

“This isn’t a wait-and-see problem. One more big rain and you’ll have untold damage. You need a new roof, and who knows what else, today.”

“Does that mean you accept the position?”

* * *

Kate was impressed by the speed and ease with which Lucas solved problems. A snap of his fingers and all was right in the world—except for this time.

As tempting as it was to take on this exclusive job and add it as a crowning jewel in her portfolio, she still had a much bigger problem. She needed money for the operation. And though she didn’t doubt that Lucas’s assistant and aunt could throw together a lavish party, it was still her responsibility. And its success was paramount.

“As much as I’d like to, I can’t accept your offer. I have to concentrate on the fund-raiser.”

Frown lines creased his forehead. “How is that going?”

She shrugged. “The location is going to be a problem as there are a lot of spring weddings taking up the prime locations, not that I have enough for a deposit on the plush venues anyway. I have some phone messages in to other places—I’m just waiting for them to get back to me.”

“I’m sure it’ll all work out.”

She couldn’t help but wonder if he really thought that or if he was just telling her what she wanted to hear. “Connie helped me come up with a theme. It’s going to be a vintage costume party. Hopefully people will have a lot of fun dressing up.”

“My aunt is a great lady to have around to help plan a party. She’s had a lifetime of experience. Between my great-gran, my grandmother and my mother, there was always some sort of social function going on here.”

“Really? I’ve never been to a formal party other than a friend’s wedding.”

“Not even a work function?”

“By the point where I was in a position to be invited to client parties, I had Molly to consider. I didn’t get to spend enough time with her as it was, so I stayed home. We put on an animated movie and ate popcorn.”

“You’re a very dedicated mother.”

Heat flared in her cheeks. “I...uh... Thank you.”

“Don’t worry, you didn’t miss much at those parties.”

Her mouth gaped. “Of course I did. It’s a girl’s dream to get all gussied up and go to the ball. You can say that because you’ve gone to countless parties. Just once I’d like to check it out for myself.”

He chuckled. “Beneath the jeans and T-shirts, I guess you really are a girl.”

She frowned. “You actually had doubts about me being a girl?”

“Not at all. You just struck me as being different from the other women I’ve known.”

“I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.”

“It’s neither.” He cleared his throat, looking exceedingly uncomfortable. “What if I throw in free room and board if you work for me?”

The man certainly didn’t give up easily. “From what I’ve seen in the kitchen, I’d probably starve to death.”

“You’ve got me there. But I have all of the local takeouts on speed dial. And...maybe I’ll entertain some of your design ideas.”

She had to admit she was impressed, but she couldn’t spread herself too thin. She opened her mouth to turn him down...again.

“No.” He held up his hand to silence her. “Don’t answer so quickly, because this will be my last offer and I can see the glint of temptation in your eyes.”

On second thought, her serious consideration of his offer would give her license to browse around. She’d love to check out the closed-up rooms she hadn’t dared explore before. “Do you mind if I look around? To see what I’m getting myself into?”

He waved his hand, granting her free passage. “Help yourself.”

She jumped to her feet and hurried down the hallway. She noticed how he trailed her—so close that the scent of his spicy cologne wrapped around her. She paused in front of the double doors just off the foyer and glanced over her shoulder as though making sure he hadn’t changed his mind about her nosing around the place.

“Go ahead.” His tone was reserved and a bit hesitant.

She turned and pushed the doors open. This was her first glimpse of the living room and she was impressed by its sheer size. Her entire ranch house could fit in this one room with space to spare. And the ceilings were at least twelve feet high, giving the room a wide-open feel.

But there was something not quite right. She scanned the area again, taking in the furniture. Though of high quality, it was too contemporary for the house. And the impressionistic artwork on the walls didn’t quite fit. A stately home such as this deserved to be decorated with items that exuded grace and elegance, not flash and fad.

With no throw covers, everything was coated in heavy dust that tickled her nose and made her eyes water. Beneath the filth, the house looked as though the occupants had gotten up one morning, gone about their day but never returned.

Throw pillows were haphazardly strewn about as though people had tossed them aside and forgotten to pick them up. Even a newspaper was spread across the glass coffee table, open to the sports page. Was that why Lucas lived like he did? Was he waiting for someone to return? A lost love?

Kate recalled him mentioning an ex-wife. Was that it? Was he still grieving the loss of his marriage?

A white-and-pink figurine caught her attention. Drawn to it, like a curious feline to a buzzing fly, she couldn’t stop herself from picking it up. It was of a mother holding her baby girl. Her fingers stroked over the smooth surface. The mother and child were smiling at each other as if they’d just spent a marvelous day together. It touched something deep inside Kate and had her frowning at the thought of never spending another carefree day with her daughter.

“Put it down.”

Kate jumped at the boom of Lucas’s voice. Her fingers tightened around the porcelain figurine to keep from dropping it. With the knick-knack safely returned to the dust-covered end table, she faced Lucas. “You know you’re going to have to learn to trust me or this will never work.”

His expression transformed into one of contrition. “Sorry. I... Oh, never mind.”

She noticed a deep sadness in his eyes and wondered what had put it there. But she knew it was none of her business. He probably didn’t want to talk about his past any more than she did.

“The good news is from what I’ve seen of the downstairs, there’s no damage. The rooms need a thorough cleaning and a fresh coat of paint. How attached are you to the furniture?” She tried to sound impartial just in case he actually liked the pieces.

“It can go as far as I’m concerned. Does this mean you’ve accepted the job?”

Oh, she was certainly tempted. “This place is so big. You know you could clear away the furniture and dance in here.”

“It’s been done before.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “My great-grandmother started the tradition of throwing grand parties here at the house. She considered it her duty to entertain clients of Carrington Gems. She’d think up some of the grandest parties. It didn’t matter the occasion as long as she could get together the city’s movers and shakers to flaunt Carrington’s latest creations.”

Already Kate could imagine the big-band music, the beautiful dresses and glitzy jewelry. “Oh, how I’d have loved to attend. It must have been something.”

“Great-gran was a crafty one. She knew these women were quite wealthy and hated to be outdone by anyone. So my great-grandfather ended up employing the finest craftsmen to design something unique for each of them.”

“Those must have been some grand parties.”

“They were. In fact, there should be pictures of them around somewhere.” He paused as though trying to remember what had happened to them. “Then again, I think they might have been packed away in the attic. Elaina, my ex, didn’t like to have antiques and memorabilia around. She called it clutter.”

Without thinking, Kate blurted out, “Did Elaina by chance redecorate the house?”

Pain showed in his eyes. “I thought it’d make her happy. She made a mess of the house and...” He pressed his lips together as though realizing he’d said too much. In a blink, the glimpse into this man and his closely guarded feelings was once again hidden behind a wall. “About my offer—are you willing to take me up on it?”

Looking around the place, she was filled with ideas. “How would you feel about making a deal?”

“I thought that’s what I’m trying to do. Name your price.”