“Why? Are you thinking of purchasing one?”
He laughed softly. “No. I couldn’t see myself having two residences unless I had to do business in New York and New Orleans.”
* * *
Cameron approached Jasmine, reaching for her hand and cradling it in his larger one. She tilted her chin, meeting his eyes. “Tell me about your new home.”
“What do you want to know?”
“What’s the total square footage?”
“I believe the architect said it was about six thousand.”
Jasmine whistled softly. “That’s really big.”
“It’s a three-story Victorian warehouse. Each floor is a little over two thousand square feet.”
Jasmine felt a jolt of excitement. Her favorite projects were decorating former lofts and warehouses into beautiful spaces for living and entertaining. “I can’t wait to see it.”
“And I can’t wait for you to see it,” Cameron said, smiling.
“Have you decided what decorating style you want?”
“No. You’re the professional, so I’m going to leave that up to you.”
She gave him a long, penetrating stare. “That’s not going to help me because I like to create a style that will be compatible with my client’s personality. If I were to decorate a basketball player’s home, then the style would be in keeping with his physicality, and if he is a larger-than-life celebrity.”
“I can assure you that I’m not a celebrity, nor is my personal life over the top.”
“Are you a workaholic?”
Cameron’s smile vanished, replaced by astonishment. “Why would you ask me that?”
“Just answer the question, Cameron.”
He angled his head, wondering what Jasmine was contemplating. “Sometimes. But that’s usually when I’m setting up an investment portfolio for a new client. I’ll stay in the office hours after everyone else leaves because I won’t want any distractions.”
Jasmine blinked slowly. “I’m asking because I’ll probably recommend you have a home/office where you can work during off-hours. Statistics show an employee eating lunch at his or her desk while working on a project is no more productive than one who will leave the office for a lunch break.”
“Have you exchanged your decorating hat for your HR?” he teased.
“Right now I’m wearing both. It’s apparent you have enough room in your house for an office, so why not install one?”
“I’ll definitely consider it.” Cameron did not want to tell Jasmine that he would eventually assume full responsibility of running the Singleton Investment Group once his father retired on his seventy-five birthday, which was less than six months away. “What made you decide to go into HR? From what I’ve seen of the bed-and-breakfast and your condo you’re a very talented decorator.”
“Come with me to the kitchen. I’ll tell you everything over coffee.” She picked up the cooler.
Cameron followed Jasmine into the kitchen, and sat on a stool at the breakfast bar in the state-of-the-art space with brushed-nickel appliances. He watched Jasmine wash her hands in a stainless-steel sink, empty the cooler and place containers of leftovers in the built-in French-door refrigerator-freezer, and then open a narrow cabinet and take out a jar filled with coffee beans. The bleached-pine cabinets matched the plank flooring.
“How do want your coffee?”
His eyebrows lifted slightly. “I get a choice?”
Jasmine winked at him. “Of course you do. You can have coffee, espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, or a latté.”
It was obvious she was a coffee connoisseur with a De-Longhi coffeemaker/espresso machine. “I’ll have what you’re having.”
“I’m having a cappuccino with double espresso and steamed milk foam. I have cream if you prefer that instead of milk, and if you want a sprinkle of cinnamon or chocolate powder.”
