Part 6 (2/2)

”It's fun.”

”But I'm tone deaf,” she typed. ”I can't hold a tune.”

”Neither can I,” Donna typed back just as Chelsea realized her faux pas, but Donna didn't seem fazed. ”The teacher uses music with a p.r.o.nounced beat. If , can feel the beat so can you.” Chelsea was te;@pted. She couldn't count the number Of times she had watched aerobics cla.s.ses in progress. Inevitably there were one or two people pathetically out of step. She had always identified with them. Oh, she was coordinated. And athletic. But moving in time to music was something else. Normally the most self-confident of women, she s.h.i.+ed away when it came to dancing. She didn't want to make a fool of herself. So she was a runner instead.

Donna regarded her expectantly. How big is the group?” Chelsea asked. After holding up ten fingers Donna turned and typed, All women. I could [email protected] you around.” For that reason alone Chelsea knew she should 148 ”M FAW3*M9 Of CJWMW KNW goal was to get to know Norwich Notch, ore people she met In town the better. S, Donna was a lovely person. She liked the doing something with her. ” she said. ”I'll try it. But if I look like an vnur fault.” na grinned. The grin disappeared when she d in alarm toward the back of the store. ea saw nothing there. Apparently neither did a, because she made no move to leave. Nor, , did she fully relax again. She stared broodat the computer screen for a minute, before , ”Do you know who I am?” Donna Farr 17 [email protected] typed back. ' Plu I Farr. Oliver is my father.” ',,”Chelsea ne er would have guessed it.

There was nh emblance to speak of, though with iver a scowl r and Donna a smiler, any resemance would b minimized. Chelsea wondered how ch an ornery her had sp.a.w.ned such a gentle aughter. N dou [email protected] mother was responsiie tor t-wouldi_ have to be a saint to hat. he woman ve with Oliver. Donna wrote, ”People around here are angry ,,about the agreement he made with you. Plum Granite is a family company. You're an outsider.” She hesitated, then typed more quickly, ”Some consider you the enemy.”

”Do you think I am?” Donna7s eyes met hers. After a minute she shook her head. ”I made an investment,” Chelsea said gently. ”I want that investment to pay off, which means getting the company moving forward again. Isn't that what everyone wants?” 149 Awtolm Defins1w ---- Donna nodded and turned back to the screen. ”But Plum Granite is Plum Granite.” She held her hands above the keyboard as though about to elaborate, then let them fall to her sides and looked at Chelsea. ' know,” Chelsea said, and intellectually she did. Emotionally she wasn't so sure. To Identify with a family name so strongly was foreign to her. Likewise to feel part of an ancestral chain. She envied Donna that sense of belonging. ”Well,” she said, sighing, ”if your father and his men do their part, I'll be gone at the end of a year.” One year. That was all she needed. With luck she would have her baby, the ident.i.ty of her parents, and more money than ever. She could continue at Harper, Kane, Koo as though nothing had changed. Or she could move on. For a woman without roots, the options were endless. ”She's on her way here,” Oliver told Judd. He dropped the phone to its cradle and his forearms to the desk. ”Just opened two accounts at the bank., One business, one personal. George swears she's planning to stay awhile.” He propped his fist against his mouth and glowered at the floor. ”Don't know why in the devil she'd do that.” Judd didn't know, either. it had been his experience in life that women with the city in their blood didn't come to places like the Notch. They left them. Chelsea Kane must have lost her sense of direction. She must have been blinded by dollar signs-which mystified him, the more he thought about it. Sure, there was money to be made in granite. With modern equipment and skilled marketing, there was business to be won and a profit to be had, but that 150 g of Chdaw ALOW ”M rm”lon , finite. A woman like Chelsea Kane could ! greater, far faster return in any one of of different ventures. He wondered why she osen granite. everything ordered?” Oliver asked, spearing with a look. ou bet,” Judd said.

Satisfied at the thought of he stretched out on his chair and-,,lowered a A to scratch Buck's ears. For years e'd been ng on Oliver to buy new equipment DT years Id been pus.h.i.+ng to build a facility to cu and pol-stone. For years he'd lobbied to comp, terize the ice. But Oliver was a tightwad if ever here was e and wouldn't hear of any of it. S denly the nds had s.h.i.+fted. It appeared that . e tightwad uld be generous with someone else's money And udd was no fool. He was buying. while the buying good. actually something exciting about it. There was at man didn't dream of building a business? In the case of Plum Granite, rebuilding was the word, *A Judd could take the same pride in that.'It gave [email protected] to his college degree and to the ten years of endless hours he'd worked in Pittsburgh. He had trained well. Now, finally, he could put that training to good use. ”Russ and his crew are starting at Moss tomorrow,” he told Oliver. Moss Ridge had been earmarked for the processing facility. It was the largest of the active Plum quarries and held enough granite ” p ,@e r e to occupy cutters for the next thirty years. ”He figures we can get something up and operational by the end of August.” ”What's wrong with July?” Oliver asked ”It's only a shed.” 151 B&9WM Deunshy ”A shed that's half again as big as a basket court, with b.u.t.tressing and ventilation for heavy equipment, a whole side that opens up, and insulation and heat to keep it operational through winter.,”, That's not to mention the equipment itself. It's all”, on special order.”

”We have to keep ahead of her.”

”We will.” Oliver grunted. When the distant drone of Hunter's motorcycle whispered in through the open window, his eyes sought Judd s. ”He okay? Oliver was a hard man. His face rarely conveyed much beyond disinterest, Impatience, '0'r scorn. When Judd saw vulnerability there, he never failed to be amazed.

”Well, tell me,” Oliver demanded, abruptly exas- perated. ”I don't have you watching over him for nothing. You're my eyes and ears. You're supposed to talk with him.”

”He's not much of a talker.”

”Maybe not, but you know him as well as anyone does. He's bein' real crabby. How come?”

Judd wasn't wild about being a snitch. For the most part Hunter was a pain in the b.u.t.t, but there were times when he mellowed. During those times Judd felt sorry for him. Sure, Oliver made his life easier materially. Despite the occasional trouble, he kept him on as a jack-of-all-trades, and Judd was the first one to say that he knew his stuff at the quarry. He could handle any piece of machinery, any explosive, any too], just as Oliver had taught him. But he was hauling around a s.h.i.+tload of emotional garbagejudd could only begin to guess at his aeepest thoughts. The only time he let things slip was when he was half-crocked. 152 He doesn't on scratching Buries head t affect him.” ?

it wow Al. As he sees it, there's another it N I is trouble enough take him now. He N the thought Of from YOU. He doesn't like from her. of @icowl at the window, while the growl -Did she hit him WOW” cle grew. rong.” And it had nothing to en hit him w ght as an ty. Hunter was straig his s.e.xualil string of women to attest to There w a much. He was a just didn't like any of them n kind of guy- e out,- Oliver muter could figure that oil Pugh looking.” @#Hels nice enc as no psychiatrist, ets angry,” Judd said. He W rid. One st obvious thing in the wo was the mo e could see it, and Hunter's face and anyon Alt :)uth. was before he opened his 014 him off 0, at's he got to be angry about? I took set him tip in a good home, sent, him to ”..street, lothes, and gave him a job. Im , bought him c when he got in trouble- He's one bailed him Out to be angry.” lyze the no cause d. it wasn't his job to ana Judd shrugge nter Love, much less to efores of Hu and wher -and even if it were, no one knew e judgments ast. His illegitimacy was whole truth of Hunter's [email protected] athers. They , first of the rumors. There were, the ed about, not within earshot of , bandi ened at ,41eren't ofte n$t the only tongue loos d. But Hunter's was picked up enough S. over the years Judd had hose rumors ,@”Crocker' if even a few Of t to convince him that cause to be angrywere truef Hunter had good 153 The motorcycle roared Into the driveway, then went suddenly quiet. At the same time, a car pulled up and Parked on the street. Buck lifted his head. She's driving a fancy car,” Oliver complained, squinting out the window.

”Doesn't she have any sense?” Hunter came in the front door, stalked through the anteroom without a word, and entered Oliver's office. With barely a look at its inhabitants, he planted ills black-garbed self at the window with his back to the room. Chelsea's entrance was quieter.

She paused to talk softly with Fern, who had been working for Oliver for thirty years and was nearly as nervous about Chelsea's coming as Hunter was. Fern slowed down a little each year, but what she lacked in speed she more than made up for in loyalty. Judd had a.s.sured her that her job was safe. He hoped Chelsea was doing the same. At least that was what Judd's ex, Janine, would have done, She was a political creature. She would sweet-talk anyone she thought might be of use to her- The instant she found out differently, her tone Of voice changed. Then Chelsea came to the door of Oliver's office, and Judd felt the same swift kick in the middle that he'd felt three months before. He didn't know what It was about her-whether it was the misty green of her eyes, the gentle upturn of her lips, the elegance of her. legs, or that tumble of auburn curls-but she turned him on. Buck rose from where he'd been lying and went to her just as Oliver let her have it. ”DO You know what the people in this town think 154 UM pa.s.sions or hey see someone driving around in a car like I They think that the driver Is an arrogant bee who wants everyone to know how much he has. That what you want to do?” gentle upturn of lips that Judd had admired down, but not in indignagtion.

Janine would been indignant. He might have done fine with But Chelsea looked taken aback, as though she expected a civil, even friendly, welcome and disappointed. He actually felt sorry for her. rowning, she said, ”That wasn't my intention at Absently she touched Bucws head.

”What possessed you to drive that car?”

”It's the onl car I own.” Y ”Well, you'd better get another. It won't do.” She blinked. ”What will do?”

”A truck.” Judd couldn't see her in a truck. ”Somehow,” she said, ”I can't see me in a truck.” @'Then a Jeep,” Oliver said, and threw an impa-fient hand in the air. ”Look at what everyone else is driving.

That'll tell you.” Buck kept his head at Chelsea's fingertips and his eyes half-lidded on Oliver. In his insolence, Buck was amusing. ”Fine,” Chelsea said, apparently deciding not to argue further, and wisely so, Judd thought. The Jaguar wasn't a major issue. But Oliver had a thing with tradition and control. He needed to dictate. To confront him was only to invite more, louder. Chelsea crossed her hands in her lap and looked at Hunter. When he didn't turn, didn't acknowledge her presence in any way, she s.h.i.+fted her gaze to Judd. He felt a tiny aftershock, then another when he imagined he saw hesitation. He imagined that her I L5 eyes skittered away for a fraction of a second before locking on his, as though she didn't want to look at him but was helplessly drawn.

He had a vivid imagination. He didn't imagine the color on her cheeks though. It was there, clear as day, no doubt ; the heat in the air.

The same heat also added curl to her hair and a dewiness to her skin that appealed. Telling himself that he should treat her no differently from a male, he calmly pushed himself to his feet and offered his hand as he would to any other business a.s.sociate new to town. ”Welcome.” Her grip surprised him. It wasn't b.a.l.l.sy, like Janine's. Janine believed in letting people know from the start that she wasn't a ditsy blond broad.

Chelsea's handshake was firm, but there was a gentleness to it, an improbable softness. Same with her mouth. She wore no lipstick, but her lips were a dusty pink as they curved into a timid smile. Timid? He had a very vivid imagination. He couldn't believe he'd thought that. ”Thank you,” she said to his welcome. Retrieving her hand, she returned it to its mate in her lap. Oliver's disgruntled voice pulled her eyes from his. ”Why are you here?” he asked. ”I signed the papers making us partners. My lawyer sent them by courier yesterday. Didn't you get them?”

”I got them. But he didn't say you were coming.”

”Of course I'm coming. How else are we suppo ed to work together?” ! telephone. By mail.” Very slowly, she shook her head. Oliver sat back on his chair, which wasn't saying 156 The Pamlons of Cbelses Kam h given the straightness of it. His expression as rigid. ”Your part in this is money and ounts.” ,-”That's why I'm here,” she said politely. ”I'm ng out a lot of money. I'd like to see how it's spent. And as for accounts, once I know how money is being spent, I can be a more forceful esman.

”Saleswoman,” Hunter said. ”Well, h.e.l.lo,” Chelsea sang. Hunter turned just his head, gave her a warning look, then turned back to the window.

Judd watched for her reaction. She struck him as's e type to comment, however civilly, on Hunter's @,,@,Ivdeness, and for a minute she looked as though @she would. She tipped up her chin. Before any ords came out, though, she lowered it again. He wondered if she found Hunter attractive. -Many women did. His disinterest made him intrigu- ing. He wondered if Hunter found her attractive. ”How long you staying?” Oliver asked gruffly: It was a minute before she refocused on him. ”At least through the weekend. I have to go home to work for a few days, then I'll be back here for a week or two. I'll be dividing my time between both places. Come to think of it, I may be spending more time here. I mean, it's summer and all. The city is unbearably hot.” Judd had the distinct impression that she was improvising, that she really didn't know her plans, which surprised him. Janine had always had an agenda. He a.s.sumed this one did, too. Oliver scowled. ”You should have said something. We didn't take your bein' here into account.” 157 Awbam Demn9ky ”I don't see the problem.”

”Of course you don't,” he snapped. ”You don't know anything about what's going on here.”

”Which is why I've come,” she said. ”Well, I don't know where you're going to work.” She looked around. ”Obviously not here, unless you've been crating things up to make more room. Is there a purpose for these cartons? Spring cleaning, maybe?”

”We're moving.”

”Moving? Where to?”

”Downtown.” One look at the twitch at the comer of her mouth and Judd knew what she was thinking.

She was thinking that the center of Norwich Notch hardly qualified as ”downtown,” as she knew the term. She was also thinking that ”downtown”

in Norwich Notch was only two blocks away. She was also thinking that someone was making use of her money already. ”I been wanting to do it for years,” Oliver professed with a look that dared her to object.

”There's s.p.a.ce to let on the second floor of the Quilters Guild. The ladies own the house. They been looking for a tenant so they can give the rent money to the local soup kitchen. Can't no one argue with that cause.” ”His wife is head of the guild,” Hunter said. Oliver stared at his back. ”What's that supposed to mean?”

”No meaning. Just a statement.”

”Well, it's unnecessary. The fact is that by selling this place, we'll have enough money to pay the rent over there for ten years.

They're not asking much. It'll be good for them and good for us. We oughta, be 158 The ragslons of Chchwa Kam center of things.” He turned back to Chelsea. re, s room up there for an office for me, one for rn, and one for Judd and Hunter. Don't know e you're goin' to work.” looked far from discouraged. ”Is there a Chelsea floor?”

”An old unfinished attic.”

”That'll be fine.” ”Attic, I said.”

”I'm an arc hitect. I work with attics all the time.”

”Unfinished attic.”

”Add some insulation, some skylights, a, free-standing spiral staircase front and back, and you've doubled your office s.p.a.ce, all for the same rent.” Her eyes twinkled. ”Think of the storage .,s.p.a.ce you'll have. You can clear the clutter from Fern's office and let the poor woman breathe.”

”Fern isn't complaining,” Oliver said. ”She probably doesn't know how.

Give me time.

ru teach her.” Judd had to hand it to her. She had guts. Either that or she didn't understand how truly conirentional the Notch was. ”Do that,” Oliver warned, setting both fists on the desk, ”and you'll be run out of town. Listen up, missy. Just ' you bought into this company doesn't mean you got any right to try to change things around here. You leave Fern be.” Chelsea grinned. Oliver's face darkened correspondingly.

”What's that look mean?”

”It means I like the idea of having an attic office. If I make it light enough, I'll be able to put in a drafting table and do my work there. I a.s.sume you're installing plenty of telephones. I'll need two lines. 159 How about a fax machine?” Oliver looked blankly at Judd. The specifies of office equipment were his territory. ”I've ordered a fax,” he said. ”And computers, one in each office, including those at the quarries. They'll be linked, so we won't have to physically run data around.”, Computers were his sideline. He had developed a fascination for them in college and had fed it while working in Pittsburgh. Back in Norwich Notch, he had spent his nights designing small business programs that sold for good money. In the process he had kept abreast of the latest technological advances.

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