“So, how’d you happen to bump into Sam’s luscious mouth?”
Anna glared at her. “What makes you think it’s luscious?”
“I’m not blind, you know. I have seen the man from a distance.”
And one look would be enough for most women to curl up and whimper at his feet. Not that she was going to be doing any whimpering, thanks very much. “It was an accident.”
“So you slipped and fell onto his mouth. Sure. As your friend, I’m happy to buy that lame explanation.” Tula took a sip of latte and leaned back against the counter. “The question is, why are you so touchy about it?”
“Because he was an ass and because I liked that kiss too much.”
“Ah, that I get,” Tula said, then straightened up, a look of horror on her face. “Oh, you never slept with Garret, did you?”
“Of course not!” Anna practically recoiled at the idea. The few kisses she’d shared with Garret hadn’t exactly started a fire inside. “We only went out a few times.”
“Good,” Tula said with a chuckle, “because that could have been awkward. No guy wants to think you’re comparing him to his own brother.”
Remembering that long, amazing kiss under the mistletoe had Anna practically sighing. “Trust me when I say, there is no comparison.”
“Aha!” Tula crowed. “You’re all gooey-eyed and you just admitted that Sam’s a better kisser than Garret. The plot thickens.”
Anna laughed a little. Impossible to be mad at Tula, especially when she was right. “There is no plot. He still thinks I set out to deliberately trap his precious brother into marrying me so I could save Dad’s company.”
“Well, then, I don’t care how great a kisser he is-he’s an idiot.”
“Thanks, pal,” she said.
“You bet.” Tula watched her for a second or two, then apparently decided a change of subject was needed. “I’ve got to drive down to Long Beach to see my cousin Sherry.”
Since Crystal Bay was in northern California, going to Long Beach in the southern half of the state was at least a seven-hour drive.
“Why are you going? You guys aren’t exactly close. Heck, it’s been six years since you’ve seen her.”
Tula shrugged and took another sip of her latte. “Yeah, but we’re all the family either of us has…”
“You’ve always got me.”
“I know,” she said with a smile. “And thanks. But Sherry called and said she really needs to see me.”
“And she can’t come up here.”
Wrinkling her nose, Tula said, “You know Sherry. Afraid of freeways, afraid of driving, afraid of flying…afraid, period. So I’m driving down today. Should be back in a few days. Want to have dinner when I get back?”
“Sure, just be safe and call if you need to. I know how Sherry gets to you.”
Tula grinned. “I’m going to do a chant for patience all the way down the coast.”
“Good idea,” Anna said, realizing how grateful she was that Tula had stopped by this morning. Just being around her friend made her feel more herself. She’d spent most of the night before thinking about Sam Hale and those two amazing kisses. And she so didn’t need to be thinking about him or his mouth, Anna told herself firmly.
She was back to normal-despite being the topic of gossip all over town.
She pushed that thought aside and tried to focus on work.
“Did you call that Mrs. Soren back?”
There had been a message on the answering machine when she arrived this morning. A woman wanted her to come out and give her an estimate on what it would cost to do a mural on her living room wall.
“Yep,” Anna said. “I’ve got an appointment to see her at one today. Fingers crossed it works out. Her house is on the bluff.”
“Ooh,” Tula said softly. “So it’s probably one of those mansions like your dad’s.”
Anna nodded, but she knew all too well that a fabulous house didn’t necessarily mean a lot of extra cash.
Her own father’s house had been built more than thirty years ago. Looking at it, anyone would assume that the Cameron family’s financial health was in great shape. Nothing could have been further from the truth. A twist of worry for her dad hit her hard and fast and for a second or two, she almost felt guilty for not falling in with Clarissa’s plan to snag a rich husband.
Four
A few phone calls were all it took to give Sam all of the information he needed on Cameron Leather. Yes, the company was in trouble, but it wasn’t in its death throes just yet. Dave Cameron had expanded when he should have been more cautious, but with a little judicious input of capital, the company would be back on its feet.
Didn’t make him feel any better to realize that. All it told him was that the odds of Anna being exactly as mercenary as he suspected her to be just went a lot higher.
He leaned back in his desk chair and stared out the window at the backyard. Working from home had its perks. Even though Hale Luxury Autos had a full-size shop on the outskirts of town, Sam also had a specially built garage here at home. At the shop, his master mechanics, artists and upholsterers had free rein and he rarely stepped in. Here, he had his own setup and indulged himself whenever he felt the need to get his hands dirty.
His gaze fixed on the manicured lawn and garden that ran down a slope to the ocean below. Sam took a minute to realize just how far he’d come. He’d started out small, building custom cars for people with more money than taste.
Now, Sam had people flocking to him for his expertise and he spent most of his time trying to rein in the near-constant stream of paperwork involved.
“Mr. Hale?”
“Yes, Jenny?” He turned when his housekeeper opened the door and called to him.
“I made the call. Ms. Cameron will be here at one.”
He smiled. “Excellent. Thanks.”
When she left again to go back to the main house, Sam let his smile widen as he imagined the look on Anna’s face when she arrived to give Mrs. Soren an estimate, only to find out he was the one who had initiated the call. She wouldn’t be happy, but Sam needed to know her. If only to prove to himself he’d been right to break up her and his brother.
Smiling to himself, Sam stepped out of the multi-bayed garage. He studied the view and let his mind wander to the green-eyed redhead whose memory was torturing him.
“The living room is this way.”
Anna followed the fiftyish woman down a parquet hallway to an arched doorway that opened into a huge room. Clearly masculine, the decor was mostly big leather chairs, heavy tables and brightly colored rugs scattered across the inlaid wood floor. A stone fireplace took up most of one wall and floor-to-ceiling windows displayed a view of the wide front lawn.
A huge, beautifully decorated Christmas tree stood in one corner, with wrapped gifts beneath it. Which reminded Anna just how much she needed this job.
“It’s lovely,” she said, meaning it. But she couldn’t help wondering, “This is your husband’s lair, isn’t it?” she asked with a smile.
“My husband?” The woman laughed and waved one hand. “Oh, my, no. My husband died twenty years ago. This is my employer’s house.”
She was the housekeeper? Anna frowned and looked around the room, as if searching for a hint to the owner’s identity. When she found nothing, she said, “I’m sorry. I thought you wanted to talk to me about painting a mural in here.”
“No,” a deep, familiar voice said from behind her. “Mrs. Soren made the call, but I’m the one who wants to hire you.”
Anna went completely still. A setup. And she’d walked right into it. Turning around slowly, she looked up into Sam’s blue eyes and, keeping her voice cool, she said, “I’m sorry. There’s been a mistake.”
He scowled at her. Small consolation, she knew, but she was pleased that she’d disrupted whatever plan he’d concocted.