style="font-size:15px;"> “I just wanted to be sure they left you alone.”
“So you do think they’ll go ahead with the photo?”
He wanted to assure her that she had nothing to worry about, but he couldn’t lie to her. “Probably.”
Her eyes lit up. “You can stop them.”
“Me? How am I supposed to do that?”
“Pay the guy off. Bid on the photo. I don’t know. There has to be a way.”
“Even if I wanted to stop him, I don’t have the man’s name.”
“How am I supposed to throw myself on people’s mercy and ask for money after my name and face have been tangled up in some tabloid scandal?”
“So you’ve come up with a plan to raise the money?”
She sat back with a huff. “We’re thinking of making it a costume party. Something unique. Your aunt offered to help.”
“You’ve been talking to my aunt?”
“Since I don’t know anyone else in this city except you, I approached her to help me organize the fund-raiser. Your aunt seems to know everyone, and if she doesn’t know them personally, she knows someone who does. Your aunt loves to talk. We even talked about this house.”
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.”
LUCAS 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
