thankful
for the distraction.
“This is an awesome room,” she said, her gaze sweeping over the
dazzlingly lit space, and coming to rest on the silver-and-blue tree.
“It is. Someone told me you were checking the windowsills for
dust. Is there a problem? Or did Mary enlist your help?”
“No. I…I thought that while I was waiting I’d come in here and
check it out. When you run a hair-and-aesthetics salon, checking for dust and
dirt, straightening piles of magazines becomes automatic. Sorry if I caused you
concern.”
Her answer made sense and she seemed perfectly sincere. She was
here, and she was trying to be helpful, and he could use her knowledge to
improve the operation. “Forget it.”
“I have a few notes from my visit to the spa. I’ve been
checking email on my cell phone while you finished your meeting.”
“Why don’t we go to my office and you can fill me in on your
spa experience?”
“I’d love that, but I need to make a call first. Do you mind?
I’ll just be a couple of minutes.”
“Not at all,” he said as he got up and started for the door.
“I’ll be in my office.”
As he left the room, he spotted Brad Parker coming down the
hall. Brad wasn’t one of his favorite guests, too much of a bragger, but Luke
appreciated the repeat business. “Hello, I hope your stay is going well.”
“It is. My wife and I are just about to go into Wakesfield for
a little lunch and shopping.”
Brad looked distracted, and wanting to offer assistance, Luke
said, “Can I help you with anything?”
“No, I thought I’d look for a book in the library, something to
read,” he said. Brad Parker didn’t strike Luke as the kind of man who read
anything beyond the sports section of the newspaper.
“You’ve come to the right place. The library has lots of
reading material.”
Brad glanced past him, a preoccupied look on his face.
“Thanks.”
Luke turned and watched him go down the hall toward the
library, Jack’s words playing through his mind. Had Marnie and Brad arranged to
meet in the library? Was Marnie’s excuse about making a phone call simply a
cover while she waited for Brad? Rolling his shoulders to ease the sudden
tension he felt there, he went to his office and closed the door.
* * *
M ARNIE COULD FEEL THE HEAT rising through
her body as she sat glued to the chair in the library, surrounded by the
breathtaking Christmas decorations. Luke suspected her of something, and she’d
nearly been tripped up over the dust business.
He must have spies everywhere because she’d only checked a
couple of surfaces before sitting down near the tree to take in the sheer beauty
of the room. She loved all the decorating and baking that came with the
Christmas season. No wonder her mother was bugging Scott to know where she was.
This time of year she normally spent all her free time at her parents’ house or
out Christmas shopping with her mother.
Last week she’d decorated her salon to look like Santa’s
workshop and all her clients loved it, as did the children coming in for new
haircuts for the many Christmas concerts and recitals taking place around town.
But she had to forget about Christmas for the moment.
Just before Luke arrived, she’d had a text message from Scott
asking her to call him right away. Could it be that Advantage Corporation had
reversed their decision about the sale?
Her brother answered on the first ring. “Marnie, how’s it
going? How many of the questionnaires have you finished?”
She turned away from the door, and moved to stand by the
window. “Three so far. Don’t worry, I’ll send them to you soon.”
“Well, get a move on. Advantage wants to finish up earlier than
planned.”
“Scott, I need more time.”
“I’ve got Mom breathing down my neck about where you are. I’ve
got Advantage looking for results right away—as in yesterday—and you want to
hang out at the inn and do some more navel gazing,” he said, his disbelief on
overdrive.
“I
for the distraction.
“This is an awesome room,” she said, her gaze sweeping over the
dazzlingly lit space, and coming to rest on the silver-and-blue tree.
“It is. Someone told me you were checking the windowsills for
dust. Is there a problem? Or did Mary enlist your help?”
“No. I…I thought that while I was waiting I’d come in here and
check it out. When you run a hair-and-aesthetics salon, checking for dust and
dirt, straightening piles of magazines becomes automatic. Sorry if I caused you
concern.”
Her answer made sense and she seemed perfectly sincere. She was
here, and she was trying to be helpful, and he could use her knowledge to
improve the operation. “Forget it.”
“I have a few notes from my visit to the spa. I’ve been
checking email on my cell phone while you finished your meeting.”
“Why don’t we go to my office and you can fill me in on your
spa experience?”
“I’d love that, but I need to make a call first. Do you mind?
I’ll just be a couple of minutes.”
“Not at all,” he said as he got up and started for the door.
“I’ll be in my office.”
As he left the room, he spotted Brad Parker coming down the
hall. Brad wasn’t one of his favorite guests, too much of a bragger, but Luke
appreciated the repeat business. “Hello, I hope your stay is going well.”
“It is. My wife and I are just about to go into Wakesfield for
a little lunch and shopping.”
Brad looked distracted, and wanting to offer assistance, Luke
said, “Can I help you with anything?”
“No, I thought I’d look for a book in the library, something to
read,” he said. Brad Parker didn’t strike Luke as the kind of man who read
anything beyond the sports section of the newspaper.
“You’ve come to the right place. The library has lots of
reading material.”
Brad glanced past him, a preoccupied look on his face.
“Thanks.”
Luke turned and watched him go down the hall toward the
library, Jack’s words playing through his mind. Had Marnie and Brad arranged to
meet in the library? Was Marnie’s excuse about making a phone call simply a
cover while she waited for Brad? Rolling his shoulders to ease the sudden
tension he felt there, he went to his office and closed the door.
* * *
M ARNIE COULD FEEL THE HEAT rising through
her body as she sat glued to the chair in the library, surrounded by the
breathtaking Christmas decorations. Luke suspected her of something, and she’d
nearly been tripped up over the dust business.
He must have spies everywhere because she’d only checked a
couple of surfaces before sitting down near the tree to take in the sheer beauty
of the room. She loved all the decorating and baking that came with the
Christmas season. No wonder her mother was bugging Scott to know where she was.
This time of year she normally spent all her free time at her parents’ house or
out Christmas shopping with her mother.
Last week she’d decorated her salon to look like Santa’s
workshop and all her clients loved it, as did the children coming in for new
haircuts for the many Christmas concerts and recitals taking place around town.
But she had to forget about Christmas for the moment.
Just before Luke arrived, she’d had a text message from Scott
asking her to call him right away. Could it be that Advantage Corporation had
reversed their decision about the sale?
Her brother answered on the first ring. “Marnie, how’s it
going? How many of the questionnaires have you finished?”
She turned away from the door, and moved to stand by the
window. “Three so far. Don’t worry, I’ll send them to you soon.”
“Well, get a move on. Advantage wants to finish up earlier than
planned.”
“Scott, I need more time.”
“I’ve got Mom breathing down my neck about where you are. I’ve
got Advantage looking for results right away—as in yesterday—and you want to
hang out at the inn and do some more navel gazing,” he said, his disbelief on
overdrive.
“I
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