The Irresistible Mr. Sinclair
Autorzy
Joan Elliott Pickart
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18,3K
Rozdziały
14
Chapter 1
The delicate hummingbird hovered in space, flitted away, then returned to dip its long, curved beak into the enticing red syrup in the feeder hanging from the edge of the patio roof.
Moments later the tiny bird was joined by another. They sipped the delicious offering, fluttered in perfect unison once around the plastic feeder, then zoomed off, flying close together.
Janice Jennings smiled in delight as she watched her morning visitors disappear from view. She hadn’t moved, had hardly breathed, while the pair of hummingbirds enjoyed their breakfast, not wishing to do anything to frighten them away.
“Have a safe and adventuresome day, my little friends,” Janice said softly.
She resumed the soothing task of brushing her freshly shampooed, wavy blond hair that fell to the middle of her back. Closing her eyes, she allowed her senses to take over.
She savored the warmth of the rising sun on her face as it peeked beneath the patio roof.
She could feel the strands of her hair beginning to dry, the waves rippling beneath the bristles of the brush.
The aroma of roses reached her from the blossoming bushes lining one side of the fenced yard, and she caught the faint, pungent scent of chlorine wafting from the sparkling blue water in the swimming pool.
The lingering taste of the cinnamon tea she’d had earlier tempted her to indulge in another cup.
She heard the chirping of happy birds, a dog barking in the distance, then the satisfied meow of a cat.
Janice sighed in contentment and opened her eyes, fluffing her hair with her free hand to be certain it was dry. Setting the brush on the round, glass-topped table next to her, she stretched her arms leisurely above her head, then dropped her hands into her lap.
This was her favorite time of day, she thought, not for the first time. It was definitely worth waking far earlier than was necessary in order to savor the sight of the breathtaking Arizona sunrise, drink her tea and watch the hummingbirds arrive for breakfast. She allowed the tranquility of the early morning to fill her to overflowing before heading off to what would be a busy day.
Janice glanced at the thin, gold watch on her wrist and frowned.
The minutes passed far too quickly during her morning ritual, she thought, getting to her feet.
She slipped the brush into the pocket of her mint-green, satin robe, picked up the china saucer holding the wafer-thin teacup and entered the house through the double doors that led to the backyard.
As she stepped into the large, sunny kitchen, she shifted her thoughts to what needed to be done when she arrived at her boutique, Sleeping Beauty.
A shipment of bath accessories had arrived just before closing time the evening before. The soaps, oils, crystals and powders would have to be unpacked and checked off against the bill.
All the products would need price stickers attached, then some would go in the storage room, the remainder on the waiting shelves in the store.
She also had to mark down the silk and satin teddies for a special sale that would begin tomorrow, plus give thought to a new display for the front window.
“Busy, busy, busy,” Janice said aloud as she washed and dried the cup and saucer by rote. She left the kitchen and headed toward the master bedroom.
The sprawling, four-bedroom house that Janice had purchased less than a year ago was a southwestern ranch style, white adobe with a whitegravel roof.
The rooms were large and airy, with archways leading to the living room, formal dining room and hallways. The master suite was on one side of the structure; the other three bedrooms, which were still empty of furnishings, were located on the other side.
Janice’s toes sank into the plush, pale salmoncolored carpeting as she walked down the hall.
She had decorated with a light hand. The living room bore only a floral-patterned sofa, oak end tables and lamps, a glass-topped, oak coffee table and two easy chairs, one white, the other mint-green and white-striped.
The effect was exactly what she’d strived to achieve. The room was welcoming, though spacious, with no overabundance of furniture to mar the simplistic beauty.
In a whimsical moment she’d added a cluster of woven Native American baskets that were grouped next to the hearth of the flagstone fireplace.
One basket was filled with dried desert flowers; another held potpourri that Janice had made from the petals of the roses in the backyard. A chubby little basket boasted an array of shiny marbles and another creation hugged skeins of varying shades of yarn.
She had yet to find any pictures or other decorations for the walls of the main part of the house. The only framed print that she owned so far was a pastel painting of two hummingbirds hovering over a splash of vibrant roses. It hung in a place of honor above her bed.
For her bedroom, Janice had chosen an oak, king-size bed with a matching dresser and chest of drawers. The bedspread was salmon and mint-green stripes with fluffy shams. A round table had a matching skirt that fell in soft folds to the floor, and an oak slipper rocker was placed next to the table.
A huge walk-in closet covered one entire wall and was fronted by gleaming mirrors.
As Janice crossed the bedroom, her attention was diverted by her reflection in the mirrored wall. She stopped and turned, her gaze sweeping over her image.
The satin robe clung to her full breasts and gently sloping hips. The rich material accentuated long legs and her slender five-foot-eight-inch frame. Her hair was a wild tumble of golden waves.
Janice tilted her head to one side, produced a phony smile that was reflected back at her, then in the next instant crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue.
Her smile faded as she slid one panel of the closet door open to select what she would wear.
She was beautiful, she thought dryly. And that beauty had brought her nothing but misery for the majority of her twenty-eight years.
“Don’t start dwelling on that,” she muttered. “You’ll ruin what has started out to be a lovely day.”
Twenty minutes later, Janice left the house.
Her hair was pulled back into a severe figureeight chignon at the nape of her neck.
She wore a boxy, tan summer suit, the skirt a size too large, the jacket hanging loosely above it.
Sturdy, tan Oxfords were on her feet, and a pair of heavy, black-framed glasses were perched on her nose.
There were no prescription lenses in the glasses, nor was there one speck of makeup on her face.
Janice slid behind the wheel of a no-frills, white compact car and drove away from the house, the image she’d seen reflected in her bedroom mirror forgotten as she headed for Sleeping Beauty.
Taylor Sinclair carried a mug of coffee to the kitchen table and sat down across from his father, Clem.
As Clem executed the morning ritual of giving Scamp, his ten-year-old Irish setter, crusts of toast, Taylor scrutinized his father.
His dad looked old, he thought, frowning. There was a gray pallor to his skin that was disturbing, and an aura of weariness seemed to emanate from him.
“How are you, Dad?” Taylor said. Fine, never better, he answered himself. The question and aresponse were always the same.
“Fine, never better,” Clem said. “That’s it, Scamp. There’s no more toast.”
The dog flopped onto the floor and rested his head on his front paws as he stared up at Clem with sorrowful brown eyes.
“Dramatics won’t get you a thing, you old hound,” Clem said chuckling, then directed his attention to Taylor. “So! Fill me in. How was your trip up to Prescott?”
“I enjoyed it.” Taylor took a sip of the strong, black coffee. “This isn’t decaf. I thought the doctor said...”
“I can’t stomach that decaf stuff,” Clem interrupted, waving one hand dismissively in the air. “A man has to have a decent cup of coffee to get going in the morning.” He paused. “Prescott?”
“Okay. We won’t discuss your breaking the rules about the coffee,” Taylor said, shaking his head in defeat. “The five people who own businesses in Prescott and who dug in their heels and refused to get a new accountant when you left there all send you their best wishes.”
Clem smiled and nodded.
“Martha at the café,” Taylor went on, “said now that you’re retired she doesn’t want to hear that you’ve gotten fat and sassy from sitting on your rump.”
“Ah, those Prescott folks are good people. I’d like to see all of them. But because of my bum ticker, the doctor won’t allow me to even visit Prescott anymore, let alone make my home there. You wouldn’t think that a bit of altitude would have such an impact on a person.”
“A mile high isn’t a bit of altitude, Dad.”
Clem sighed. “Yes, I realize that. But even after two years, it’s still hard to get accustomed to living in this condo in the Phoenix heat. It’s so crowded in this damnable city, too. So fast, busy, and there’s so much crime.” He paused. “I can remember how your mother and I used to sit on the porch of that grand old house in Prescott where we raised you and talk about where we would travel when I retired.”
“Dad...”
“I know, I know. I’m feeling sorry for myself and I should be counting my blessings. It’s just that...well, we lost your mother to cancer nearly fifteen years ago now, Taylor, and I seem to miss her more with every passing day. This retirement of mine isn’t remotely close to being what I hoped and dreamed it would be.”
“You’ve got to give it a fair chance, Dad,” Taylor said, leaning slightly toward him. “It’s only been a few weeks.
“I’m encountering a lot of differences here, too, since moving from San Francisco to take over your business. You need to keep an open mind about all the new activities you can try out. How about golf?”
“I’ve got better things to do than walk my legs off following a silly little white ball over a stretch of lawn that someone painted green.”
“Forget golf,” Taylor mumbled, then took another sip of coffee.
“What did you think of the job Brandon Hamilton did restoring Hamilton House?” Clem said.
“It’s fantastic, really sharp,” Taylor said. “Say, you didn’t tell me that Brandon got married. I met his wife, Andrea. She’s very pleasant, very pretty, and she and Brandon are obviously deeply in love.”
“I thought I told you that Brandon got hitched,” Clem said, frowning.
“No,” Taylor said quietly. “You didn’t.”
“My memory isn’t what it used to be, I guess.”
No, it wasn’t, Taylor thought glumly. Nor was his father’s enthusiasm for life even close to what it once had been.
“Anyway,” Taylor began, “Brandon and Andrea are thinking of adding some specialty shops in the lobby of Hamilton House. We sat down and put some numbers together and it’s definitely feasible. The hotel is doing very well.”
“I know. I did the income tax for that place. Brandon has done a helluva fine job. And now he’s married, probably giving thought to having a child.” Clem glared at his son. “Unlike some people I could mention.”
“Don’t start.” Taylor chuckled, the deep, rumbly sound an exact echo of his father’s laugh. “You know my stand on the issue of marriage. And I’m not alone in wanting to remain a bachelor. Brandon, Ben Rizzoli and I agreed years ago that a single life was the way to go. Brandon obviously forgot the pact we made.
“Me? I had an idyllic childhood in Prescott, complete with a mother who stayed home and made chocolate-chip cookies from scratch.
“I had parents who were so much in love, they acted like newlyweds every day of their lives.”
Taylor shook his head.
“That’s my measuring stick for wedded bliss, Dad. What you and Mom had. I’ve witnessed perfection, and I won’t settle for less. In this day and age, what I want just isn’t obtainable.”
“There’s an old-fashioned woman out there somewhere, Taylor,” Clem said. “The problem with you is, you’re no longer looking for her.”
“Got it in one,” Taylor said. “I’m a swinging single bachelor and intend to remain one. How’s that?”
“It stinks,” Clem said. “I want a grandbaby to bounce on my knee.”
“Borrow one from a neighbor in this complex. There must be folks in here who have grandchildren who come to visit them.”
“Borrow a grandbaby?” Clem said, raising his eyebrows. “Like a library book? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Taylor shrugged, then drained his mug. “The subject is closed.” He set the mug on the table with a thud. “Back to business. I’ve gone to every client you have here and in Prescott to say hello and introduce myself to those who don’t know me.
“You held out one file because you said you needed to talk to me in-depth about that particular client before I made my little social call. Has he at least agreed to my handling his account?”
“It’s a she and, yes, she’s receptive to your being her accountant with the understanding that the confidentiality she and I had remains firmly in place.”
“That goes without saying. I’d never discuss a client’s finances with anyone else.”
“No, no,” Clem said. “It encompasses much more than that, Taylor.”
Taylor frowned. “You’re sounding very mysterious. What’s the big secret? Who is this woman?”
“Her name is Janice Jennings, and she owns an extremely profitable boutique called Sleeping Beauty. When that old friend of mine retired right after I moved down here to the valley, he recommended me to Janice to be her new accountant.”
Taylor nodded.
“Shortly after that,” Clem went on, “Janice expanded her business from just women’s sleepwear to include bath accessories and fancy lingerie. Janice is a very savvy businesswoman, seems to have natural instincts as to what will sell to people with money to spare.”
“So far there’s nothing unusual about what you’re telling me,” Taylor said.
“I’m getting to it. Don’t rush me,” Clem said, frowning. “Let’s see, where was I? All right, the thing is, Taylor, that Janice insists no one know that she owns Sleeping Beauty.”
“What?” Taylor said, his eyebrows shooting up. “That’s crazy. Why wouldn’t she want to bask in the glory of being highly successful?”
Clem shrugged. “I have no idea. She never confided in me as to her reasoning. She passes herself off as the manager of the store, with a story that the owner lives out of town.”
“Weird.”
“She’s adamant about all this, Taylor. Whenever you’re speaking with her in the shop, you must be extremely careful not to say anything that would indicate that she owns the place. I’ve assured her that you’ll comply.”
“Are you certain there’s nothing illegal going on with this Janice?”
“Positive,” Clem said, nodding. “I did her books every month and prepared her income tax return. She’s obviously showing every penny of what is a very financially healthy enterprise. She’s single with no dependents, apparently has no one to answer to but herself.”
“Then why the secrecy?”
“I don’t have a clue, but now you can surely understand why I wanted to fill you in on these details before you called on her. The file for Sleeping Beauty is on the coffee table in the living room.”
Taylor got to his feet, causing Scamp to raise his head for a moment, then plop it back down on his paws.
“All right,” Taylor said. “I’ll review the account, then pay Ms. Jennings a visit this afternoon. That’s all I need...an eccentric client. I don’t think I’ll say thank you for this one, Dad.”
“Well, I suppose you could say she’s eccentric because of her insistence that she be recognized only as the manager of Sleeping Beauty.”
“No joke.”
“But Janice is also a very nice, very pleasant young woman. She’s attractive, but then again—” Clem shook his head “—she’s not.”
Taylor laughed. “That statement didn’t make one bit of sense.”
“No, I suppose it didn’t, but you’ll understand what I mean once you’ve met her.”
“This is all beginning to sound very intriguing. The thing is, with all the new clients I inherited from you that I’ve yet to become familiar with as far as their accounts go, I really don’t need the hassle of playing cloak and dagger with your Janice Jennings.”
“She’s your Janice Jennings now, son.”
“Dandy,” Taylor said dryly.
That afternoon the mailman entered Sleeping Beauty and handed Janice a stack of envelopes.
“Thank you, Henry,” she said, smiling. “Has that grandbaby of yours arrived yet?”
“Nope,” Henry said. “We’re all on pins and needles. My daughter is three days overdue now, my wife is a wreck and my son-in-law is coming unglued. My daughter is the only calm one among us.”
“Well, keep me posted,” Janice said.
“You bet. See you tomorrow.”
“’Bye,” Janice said, then began to shuffle through the mail.
A glossy, triple-folded, color brochure caught her eye and she set the other envelopes on the counter to examine the advertisement.
“Oh,” she said, reading the information.
She was definitely going to mark this event on her calendar, she thought. An artist was having his debut showing at a Scottsdale gallery. Maybe she’d find a picture for one of the walls of her house.
She mentally shrugged. But if she didn’t, she didn’t. There was no rush to finish decorating the first home she’d ever owned. She was thoroughly enjoying taking her time, purchasing only what were the perfect additions when she found them.
Besides, it wasn’t as though she was continually explaining her not-yet-completed projects to guests. The only people to enter her home, other than the men who had delivered the furniture, were her accountant, Clem, and her neighbor and friend, Shirley Henderson.
Friend. Yes, Shirley was her friend, her only friend. The other people she knew were acquaintances. She didn’t date, so there was no escort-forthe-evening arriving at her door.
Her life, Janice supposed, would appear rather bleak and lonely to someone examining it, but it suited her perfectly. It was just the way she wanted it.
Janice’s musings were interrupted by three laughing and chattering women who came into the boutique.
“Good afternoon,” Janice said pleasantly. “May I help you with something, or would you prefer to just browse?”
One of the women walked over to the counter.
“We’re shopping for gifts for Mindy Winterson’s bridal shower. One of our friends said that Mindy was registered here, and that you would be able to tell us what has already been purchased for our little bride-to-be.”
“Certainly.” Janice reached beneath the counter for an oblong, puffy, white-covered ledger. She set it on the counter and flipped it open. “Winterson.” She lifted a tab witha W printed on it. “Yes, here she is. I see she’s having a June wedding.”
The woman laughed. “With the reception inside an air-conditioned country club, thank goodness.”
Janice turned the ledger around so the woman could read the neat writing on the lined page.
“Oh, dear,” the woman said. “Look at all the goodies Mindy is already receiving. Could you help us find gifts that will be different from the others? This is Mindy’s favorite store, and we’d hate to go anywhere else for her presents.”
“We’ll put together a lovely ensemble for her,” Janice said. “There’s a great deal left to choose from, and we can coordinate it if we use our imaginations.”
“Excellent. Oh, this is going to be such fun.”
Janice left the ledger open so the women could refer to it, then slid the mail into a wire basket on the top shelf beneath the counter, not aware that the gallery brochure slipped free and landed next to the cash register. She emerged from behind the counter to assist the women in their shopping spree.
Fifteen minutes later a vast array of items sat next to the ledger, with the women declaring they were far from finished selecting gifts for their darling Mindy.
“We’ve just added scented candles to the inventory,” Janice said. “We have aromas that match the soaps, oils and bath beads.”
“Marvelous,” one of the women said, then laughed. “I’m going to buy two of whatever I like. I’m due for some delicious pampering myself.”
“Aren’t we all?” Janice said, smiling. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you what we have.”
Outside of Sleeping Beauty, Taylor gave the window display a thorough perusal.
Classy stuff, he thought. The high quality of the feminine garments was evident even through a panel of glass. Nice variety, too. A couple of the whatever-they-were—teddies?—were sexy as hell; another was more sedate. That white satin nightgown with the matching robe would cling to every enticing, feminine curve of a woman’s body.
This was not a store that a man would feel comfortable in, Taylor thought, frowning. Did guys really march inside to shop for their lady, just as bold as you please?
“Not me,” he mumbled. “Not in this lifetime.”
Enough stalling, Sinclair, he told himself. Standing on the sidewalk wasn’t going to accomplish his mission of introducing himself to the mysterious Janice Jennings.
With a resigned sigh, he strode to the door and entered Sleeping Beauty.
