She laughed delicately, placing her perfectly manicured hand on Cole’s bicep while speaking to Brent. “So sorry.” She sounded anything but. “What is it that she does for you?” Bothclients were sizing me up now that they knew I was part of the entourage. “We could have provided an assistant to run your errands during your stay. We offered that in our first proposal, if you recall.”
I blinked real slow-like. What a snatch.
Brent smiled sweet as pie. “No, no. We already discussed an assistant with Mr. Fresby. One wasn’t needed.” He brushed back his curls, turning on the charm. “She’s here to blend in and aid in analyzing your staff. Finding the bad seeds, and all. She’s very good at what she does.”
Oh, Lord.Did he still find my horrible “talent” interesting? Brent, Ally, and I had played some mean tricks on people in the past with my “talent”. I honestly couldn’t stand it. Sometimes I purposely zoned out just tonotknow.
“Really?” White haired man drug out that one word, making it at least four syllables long. Although, I did detect something I wouldn’t have guessed before. “And how do you help them find the bad seeds, may I ask?”
Without moving my head from him, I turned my eyes back to Brent who was trying to hide a grin. He was actually containing himself fairly well. Ally on the other hand was bouncing on the balls of her feet, making her chest bounce in her excitement. White haired guy noticed.
“Go on and show them. I’m sure they won’t mind being your guinea pigs,” Brent stated quickly before I could say anything.
I smiled, my jaw clenched. “I really don’t think that’s a great idea.”
“Oh, come now. Don’t be shy. We would love to see what you can do,” green eyed girl purred, letting me know she was enjoying my discomfort. She had taken her hand back, but stepped even closer to Cole. He didn’t move away, seeming comfortable with her that close. Like she had been there before. Hmm.
My smile outshined Brent’s from moments ago. “Well, now. All right.” I pointed a finger, swinging it at both of them. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I snapped my finger. “Also, it might not be completely accurate since I just met you. If I’d had a little more time it would be a whole lot better.”
I stepped back from the group and really took in the two in front of me, finding my zone. From the way they styled their hair, the set of their shoulders, their breathing, to their nails, to any wrinkles they had in their clothes, and the wear of their shoes. Everything. I had been watching them since I had bumped that poor man back at the luggage claim, so I had a decent enough idea.
I spoke to Green Eyes. “First, what’s your full name?”
She raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow, much like Cole had done to me a few times. Her hands properly in front of her where she held them. “Miranda Josephine Tinley.”
“And yours?” I asked Whitey.
“Mark Ashlyn Fresby,” he answered swiftly, his gaze never wavering from mine.
I blinked. Oh. Now, if that wasn’t perfect. Everyone was staring at me, so I didn’t have time to dwell on that disaster waiting to happen. I bucked up and did as Brent needed.
“Okay, here goes,” I murmured, then stared Miranda straight in the eye, stepping in close to hear and see her reactions better. “I’ve two ideas for you. If I would have had another ten minutes I probably would have decided which one, but that’s neither here nor there.” She already looked irritated. I was pretty sure I had her pegged correctly. “You come from money. Not new money, but old money. Your families from the northeast. Here’s where I’m not a hundred percent positive. You either grew up a single child with a workaholic father and a mother who liked to groom you to perfection, but was never around for the important parts of your life. Or…you were the youngersibling, probably with an older sister, not a brother. Same circumstance with your dad, but your mother was very busy with your sister’s life for reasons I’m unsure of yet.
“You’ve never been married and your parents are pestering you to do it quickly and with one of their friends kids that come from the same stock as you. You don’t like children. In fact, you never plan to have them in you can manage it. You feel like you are getting old and are beginning to think your parents are right. Ivy League college, strove hard to get where you are without people thinking you were sleeping with the boss. But, underneath it all, you are trying to go your own way instead of the life that was laid out for you. And you have a cat. Probably two.” I waited, and then said. “Nope, I decided. You have an older sibling. The second scenario fits better.”
Her jaw was hanging open by now. Brent had his elbow resting on a crossed arm, covering his grin with a hand like he was rubbing his jaw.
She sputtered and I ignored her, turning to Mr. Fresby. “Now, you might not like what I have to say. Sure you can handle it?”
He chuckled deep in his throat, nodding. I think the ice was starting to break on him. Maybe, he was starting to thaw. I was betting it would be a long time coming.
“Well, you asked for it.” I shrugged. “You’ve been around. And when I say around, I meanaround. Many women have entered and exited your life. You’ve given up on finding someone to share these years with and just enjoy single moments of pleasure that you can have with a woman. Never asking for more, never wanting more. That stems from you finding…” I trailed off, not wanting to continue.
“Oh, do tell. Your own such a roll,” he murmured. He had stopped laughing almost immediately, grey eyes void of emotion, but still completely attentive.
I glanced at Brent. He nodded, something like pride shimmering in his eyes.
I cleared my throat. “You found your true love when you were young. Probably married her as soon as she would have you. It didn’t last as long as you wished. She either died or left you because you worked too much. I’m thinking she passed on, though.” I still watched him closely and nodded. “I’m sorry for her loss. I’m sure you were two peas in a pod.”
I rubbed my forehead and rolled my shoulders. “You didn’t come from money. Southern. You worked hard labor growing up. You didn’t want that to be your forever, though, or maybe your family wanted you to make something better of yourself. Which you did. And you did it by making the right choices in business. Fair, but ruthless when you need to be. You’ve got enough determination for ten people. You aren’t even thinking of retiring and have no plans to quit making money now. You watch over your business with an eagle eye and trust few. I’m guessing two siblings that are still living. No pets.”
I stopped, rubbing my forehead again. I had gotten a headache from that. “I’m done. That’s all I’ve gotten since meetin’ ya.”
Silence.
I could practically hear crickets chirping.
I picked a piece of lint off my sweater, waiting for someone to speak. I looked at none. I’m fairly sure, other than Brent and Ally, I had shocked all of them. I detested how people thought of me once they figured out I didn’t miss much when I really tried. The groom we had for the horses at home had once told me it was like sitting down for a meal with a person who was a profiler on steroids. No one could really get comfortable around me.
