Shielding His Christmas Witness. Laura Scott

      As if that gave him any reassurance that this wasn’t a still a crazy idea. “And he is?”

      “He’s the previous owner and I’ve hired him to stay on as a consultant. I know what you’re thinking, Hunter.”

      “No, you don’t.” Hunter hated when she told him exactly what he was thinking. Why couldn’t she have been a bank clerk? Bank clerks didn’t need to read people.

      “You’re wondering if I’ve lost my mind.”

      Damn, he thought. “Okay, you do know what I’m thinking. Have you lost your mind?”

      She punched him on the arm. “Stop thinking that.”

      “What am I supposed to think?”

      “That this is an incredible opportunity too good to pass up” she replied tartly.

      “An incredible opportunity for what?” Poverty, starvation or homelessness?

      “To be a financially independent woman, a chance to call the shots,” she said.

      “I’m already financially independent, and if you’re worried about money, I’ll take care of you.”

      “I don’t want nor do I need you taking care of me. I can take of myself,” she said, a glimmer of anger in the set line of her mouth. “I’ve been doing it for a few years now.”

      “Then why did I need to rush over here?” Hunter ran a hand over his face. He never did win an argument with her.

      “Because I want my grandchildren to be a part of this.”

      A restaurant opened off the casino and Hunter glanced inside. “So what do you want me to do to be a part of this?” Hunter asked. Maybe what he needed to do was to treat her like a client instead of his grandmother.

      “Old world elegance brought into the twenty-first century.”

      “It could use a bit of toning down but without losing the elegance or class.”

      “Lydia will handle that.” She patted him on the hand. “I just need you to come up with ideas for the spa that compliments what we’re going to do on the inside.”

      They passed through the casino, back into the lobby and to a bank of elevators. The stream-like pond stopped thirty feet from the elevators and Hunter was surprised to see two white swans floating majestically on the water. The former owner had really understood how to create a mood. Who didn’t like swans? He could have a lot of fun playing here.

      An elevator opened and Miss E. led the way inside, where they were lifted steadily upward, albeit a bit slow. The inside of the elevator was more functional than elegant. Boring, Hunter thought. Whoever the previous designer had been hadn’t considered how the elevators should look.

      The elevator stopped on the top floor and the doors slid smoothly open. Miss E. stepped out and led the way down the hall. Only six doors opened to the hall, three on either side. They had reached the penthouse floor.

      “The previous owner lived in the hotel,” Miss E. explained as she stopped in front of one of the doors. “This floor has what he said were family suites.” She knocked on the nearest door.

      When the door opened, Hunter nearly fell to his knees. One of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen smiled at him. She was slim with a fragile, almost ethereal air to her in a Zoe Saldana way with a heart-shaped face and wide brown eyes. Shoulder-length black hair hung in long silky waves about her shoulders. Skin the color of his favorite mocha coffee looked as smooth as satin. A cream-and-black dress skimmed her body. He could tell the dress was a designer label and probably tailored to fit her. Her hands were long and slender, the nails lacquered a pale, iridescent pink to match the barely there lipstick on her pouty lips. She was so tiny a strong wind would probably blow her away. She certainly took his breath away. The longer he stood mute, the more strained her smile became until it began to falter. He was probably creeping her out.

      “Oh, for heaven’s sake.” Miss E. pushed him into the tiled entry. “Close your mouth, Hunter. Hunter, this is Lydia. And this is Maya.”

      A young girl, maybe eight or nine, ran across the tiled floor and flung her arms around Miss E. Maya’s resemblance to Lydia told Hunter the child was her daughter. She wore a yellow flowered sundress that showed off her light brown skin. Her long hair was woven into two thick braids that bounced against her shoulders as she ran. Instead of dark brown eyes like her mother, Maya’s eyes were light amber.

      “Miss Eleanor,” Maya cried. “My bedroom looks like a castle. It has a princess and a prince. The prince even has a horse. I’ve always wanted a horse.” She sighed longingly.

      She grinned so wide Hunter could see new teeth coming in at the sides of her mouth. From the slight crookedness of her front teeth, braces were in her future. Yet her smile was infectious and Hunter found his own smile growing at her elfin enthusiasm.

      “Lydia,” Miss E. said, “this is my grandson Hunter Russell.”

      Lydia held out her hand. “How do you do? It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” Her voice held a faint Southern accent.

      Hunter was dazed as he took her hand in his. Her skin was warm and soft. “Hello.” Was that the best he could do?

      “This is my daughter, Maya,” Lydia said with a soft smile as she eased her hand out of his.

      Maya smiled. “Hello, Mr. Russell, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She held out a tiny hand for him to shake.

      He solemnly accepted Maya’s hand, shaking it slightly. Hunter was impressed she had manners. Like her mother. “How do you do?”

      “Well, thank you.” Maya giggled. For all her mannered politeness, she was still a child.

      The suite was divided into three parts. The area upon walking in contained the living room. Closer to the balcony was a dining table that looked large enough to seat eight people. Beyond the sliding glass doors, he saw a pond and wondered if it had koi. On his left an open door showed a bedroom that seemed to have a child motif. Nearest the balcony was a large, open kitchen. On the other side of the living area was another open door showing a second bedroom. Across from the kitchen was another closed door, which he assumed was probably a third bedroom, and a second open door showed a white tiled bathroom.

      The suite was nicely decorated with rustic red floor tiles, beige furniture and just a hint of Spanish influence in a massive sideboard holding brightly colored pottery.

      “May I offer you some coffee, ice water, sweet tea?” Lydia asked in a polite voice.

      “No, thank you.” Hunter was still a bit shocked at his grandmother’s decision to take on hotel/casino management, but even more so by the graceful, charming woman who was her business partner. She was a living piece of art.

      His grandmother, on the other hand, was supposed to be retired, to let Hunter and his siblings start taking care of her. Running a casino wasn’t for the faint-hearted. Hunter didn’t have a clue how to run one. Miss E. probably had an idea, but she was seventy-eight years old and was more capable of playing the game than running it.

      “Come see my room, Miss E.” Maya grabbed her by the hand and tugged her across the living room and into a bedroom.

      He turned back to Lydia. She was watching him as closely as he had studied her. Her steady gaze unnerved him.

      “I know what you’re thinking.” She sat down on the sofa and crossed her elegant legs, one foot bobbing up and down.

      “And that is?” he asked cautiously.

      “You’re thinking I’m insane, we’re all insane.” Her voice was calm and serene.

      He wasn’t going to say anything negative. “Actually, I was thinking my grandmother is insane.”

      Lydia Montgomery was as close to perfection as a woman could be. He