The Tycoon And I. Kandy Shepherd

kitchen. “I ordered pizza, if you’re hungry.”

      She followed him. The aroma of tomato sauce and sausage wafted across the kitchen. “Smells good. Did you by chance order a salad to go with it?”

      “Yes, I did.” He looked very proud of himself as he pulled a bowl from the fridge.

      “Thank you.”

      She sat down at the counter, still unsettled. She kept going over the memory of that man lurking in the hallway at the hospital. She hadn’t thought anything of him at first. But as the evening wore on, she’d noticed him again.

      Lucas waved a hand in front of her face. “Kate?”

      What had he said? She hadn’t been paying attention. “Umm...sure. Whatever.”

      He placed a slice of the thin-crust pizza on a plate and pushed it in front of her. She didn’t make a move as she kept replaying the events from the day.

      “I wasn’t going to ask,” Lucas said, “but you obviously aren’t going to eat until you resolve whatever has you so distracted.”

      “There was a man lurking in the pediatrics unit this evening. At first, I thought he was there to visit someone, but he stayed in the shadows and sort of watched everyone. I wasn’t sure about leaving, but when I mentioned him to a nurse, he just sort of vanished.”

      “I hired him,” Lucas said in a low, even tone.

      That news had her sitting up straighter. “You hired someone to spy on me?”

      “He was there to protect you.”

      “Protect me?” Her voice rose. “From what?”

      “Remember the photographer outside the hospital?” Her hands pressed the countertop as she nodded and he continued. “I didn’t want him or any other reporters to bother you with questions, so I sent an off-duty security guard from Carrington to make sure that didn’t happen.”

      “I thought you said the press wouldn’t make a big deal of it.”

      “I just wanted to be sure they left you alone.”

      “So you do think they’ll go ahead with the photo?”

      He wanted to assure her that she had nothing to worry about, but he couldn’t lie to her. “Probably.”

      Her eyes lit up. “You can stop them.”

      “Me? How am I supposed to do that?”

      “Pay the guy off. Bid on the photo. I don’t know. There has to be a way.”

      “Even if I wanted to stop him, I don’t have the man’s name.”

      “How am I supposed to throw myself on people’s mercy and ask for money after my name and face have been tangled up in some tabloid scandal?”

      “So you’ve come up with a plan to raise the money?”

      She sat back with a huff. “We’re thinking of making it a costume party. Something unique. Your aunt offered to help.”

      “You’ve been talking to my aunt?”

      “Since I don’t know anyone else in this city except you, I approached her to help me organize the fund-raiser. Your aunt seems to know everyone, and if she doesn’t know them personally, she knows someone who does. Your aunt loves to talk. We even talked about this house.”

      His eyes widened. “What exactly did you tell my aunt about the house?”

      “Not much. Just that I found this place fascinating. The house is rich in architecture and history. I find it almost as intriguing as its owner.”

      “You do?” He searched her eyes as she smiled at him. Was she flirting with him? He gave himself a mental jerk. He didn’t need to hook up with her. He just needed her professional expertise. “I have a proposition for you.”

       CHAPTER SEVEN

      LUCAS HAD BEEN considering his plan all day. Kate obviously needed some immediate monetary assistance plus a roof over her head. And he needed someone to oversee the mansion’s repairs—someone who appreciated its old-world charms. Kate fit that bill perfectly—if only he could forget how tempting her lush lips were.

      She eyed him up tentatively. “What sort of proposition do you have in mind?”

      “Since you like this place so much, what would you say if I offered you a job working here?”

      Confusion reflected in her brown eyes. “You want me to work for you? Even after the run-in with the photographer?”

      “Don’t worry. I’ll bet the article will be a small, obscure piece. Hardly anyone will notice it.” He crossed his arms and rocked back on his heels. “As for the arrangement I’m proposing, it can benefit both of us.”

      She paused, glancing around the house. He could practically see the wheels in her mind spinning. He’d hired enough people to know when they were eager for a position.

      “I...I can’t. My daughter is in the hospital and I need to get this fund-raiser off the ground.”

      She did have a very valid point. But there had to be a compromise. He could see how tempted she was to work on the house, and he knew from his experience with stressful situations that a diversion would do her some good.

      He cleared his throat. “The thing is, I have a couple of projects with Carrington Gems that are going to take all of my time.” He stopped, realizing his responsibilities paled in comparison to hers. “The real truth is I can run a business, but I don’t know how to turn this mess into a home again.”

      A smile touched her lips and her shoulders straightened. “What makes you think I can turn this place around?”

      He didn’t want her taking this the wrong way, especially after she thought he’d hired someone to spy on her. He’d have to phrase this carefully. “You got me to really think about this mansion and what my neglect is doing to it. And you mentioned that you have interior design experience. So I checked out some of your prior work. It’s good.”

      Surprise lit up her eyes. “Thank you.”

      “And I really like your website.”

      She smiled broadly. “I built it myself.”

      “You’re a woman of many talents. Maybe I should have you consult on Carrington’s upcoming web campaign.”

      Interest sparked in her eyes. “Are you launching a new line of jewelry?”

      He nodded, not surprised that she was familiar with his company. His father’s lifelong dream had been to make Carrington Gems into a household name. In fact, they still used his father’s slogan—Carrington Gems for the queen of your heart.

      “I’d love to see the new jewelry.” Kate’s face lit up with excitement. “Your magazine ads already have a distinctive look. I like that they are never overdone and always tasteful.”

      He stood a little taller. Though he had a team that put together the ad campaigns, he was an active member, adding his input here and there. He was after all a Carrington and he had a vested interest in any images that represented his company.

      “I’m also in the middle of an expansion project, which needs more attention than I’d anticipated. So you can understand that I won’t be available to oversee things here. However, I’m more than willing to compensate you for your time.”

      “My daughter has to be my priority—”

      “Of course. We can work around that. Your ex-husband, is he still planning to be at the hospital part of the day?”

      Kate nodded. “Actually, I do have a few ideas for the house.”

      “What