A Legal Affair (16 page)

So why wasn’t she excited?

You know why,
her embattled conscience reminded her.

“Anyway, the most important thing is that you have a foot in the door,” Kenneth said. “My guess is that it won’t be long now before Caleb pours out his heart to you, giving you the information we need to nail his old man and collect the rest of our payment from Philbin.”

Daniela bristled a little at her brother’s cocksure tone. “What if I don’t learn anything incriminating from Caleb?” she challenged. “For that matter, what if there’s nothing incriminating to learn? What if this is all one big wild-goose chase?”

Kenneth gave her a look that told her she should know better. “Hoyt Philbin is not the kind of man who forks over large sums of money for wild-goose chases. And we’re all aware of how Crandall Thorne earned
his
fortune—by defending mobsters and corrupt labor union bosses who’d stop at nothing to keep from getting caught. We all know Thorne is guilty of
something
. It’s our job to find out what.” His deep voice softened to an urgent plea. “We’re counting on you, Daniela. Don’t lose sight of the goal—it’s within your reach.”

Daniela held up a hand. “All right, Kenneth. Enough with the lecturing. A lot’s riding on my shoulders. I get it, okay?”

He chuckled, unfazed by her ire. “Just making sure we have an understanding. I’m trying to run a business here.”

“Which reminds me,” Daniela interjected dryly. “When are you guys planning to hire another secretary?”

Kenneth and Noah exchanged bemused glances. “I had to fire Carole this afternoon,” Noah sullenly informed his sister. “The temp agency is sending someone over tomorrow.”

“I have a better idea,” said Daniela. “Why don’t we hire Janie as our secretary?”

Kenneth frowned. “Janie who?”

“Janie Roarke. Your wife.”

“What?”

“I think Janie could help us out tremendously,” Daniela quickly forged ahead. “She’s smart as a whip, efficient, superorganized. We all know she’s more than qualified for the position—”

“Janie’s not in the market for a job,” Kenneth said through gritted teeth.

“Why not?” Daniela demanded.

“Because she already has a job—staying home and taking care of our children.”

“Oh, come on, Kenny. We both know that the twins don’t need Janie around half as much as they used to.”

Kenneth scowled blackly. “Since when are
you
an expert on what my kids need? Last I checked, you were a single woman with zero children.”

Daniela ignored the little dig. “Whether or not you’re aware of it, Kenneth,” she said with forced calm, “your wife desperately needs an outlet. If you don’t believe me, just ask her how excited she was to take care of Mom when she was sick, simply because it gave her something productive to do with herself while the kids were in school.”

A muscle ticked in Kenneth’s tightly clenched jaw. “Did Janie put you up to this?”

“No,” Daniela lied without batting an eye. Beside her, Noah fought to keep a grin off his face. “I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I think Janie could be the perfect solution to our secretarial problems. If you’re worried about having to put KJ and Lourdes in after-care, I’m sure Janie’s parents could pick them up from school and keep them until Janie gets off from work. They’d probably jump at the chance to spend more time with their grandchildren, since they’re always complaining that they don’t see the twins often enough. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

“Not necessarily,” Kenneth said darkly. “My wife didn’t earn an MBA from the Wharton School of Business to become a secretary—family business or not.”

“With all due respect,” Daniela murmured, “she’s not exactly putting her MBA to good use now, is she?”

Kenneth’s dark eyes flashed with anger, but he didn’t disagree with her.

“I’m sure Janie doesn’t care,” Daniela pressed on, sensing victory, “but if it’ll make you feel any better, we can change the job title from secretary to office manager, or executive assistant, or whatever you prefer.” She looked to Noah for support. “Don’t you think Janie would be perfect for us?”

Noah chuckled dryly. “Put it this way. I don’t think Janie could do any worse than the secretaries we’ve had up until now.”

Kenneth glared at him. “Are you crazy? My wife could run circles around those incompetent half-wits.”

“Wonderful! Then it’s all settled,” Daniela declared, slapping the arm of her chair for emphasis and rising to her feet, deciding it was best to leave before her brother changed his mind about cooperating. “You can offer Janie the job tonight when you go home. And, by all means, please feel free to take credit for the idea when you speak to her.”

Kenneth scowled. “I’m not taking credit for an idea I think is stupid.”

Daniela paused in the doorway, her lips pursed thoughtfully. “Try to keep that opinion to yourself when you present the offer to Janie tonight,” she suggested, her tone mild.

Subtle challenge flashed in the dark eyes that stared back at her. “Are you giving me instructions on how to speak to my wife, Daniela?” Kenneth tersely inquired.

“Not quite,” Daniela answered, choosing her words carefully. “But let me give you some food for thought, dear brother. If you try to talk Janie out of accepting the position, I might find a way—accidentally, of course—to tank the interview with Crandall Thorne tomorrow night. Oh, I’d try my best to make a good impression on the man, but you just never know what one might do in a pressure-cooker situation like that. I might chew with my mouth wide open, or give unintelligible answers to his questions, or make bad lawyer jokes, or—oh, I don’t know—call him an unscrupulous pig to his face.
Accidentally,
of course.”

Kenneth’s expression darkened. “You wouldn’t.”

Daniela sighed dramatically. “Like I said, you just never know.” She smiled sweetly at her eldest brother, who appeared more than ready to strangle her. “Be sure to tell Janie I said congratulations on the new job. Hopefully she can start as early as tomorrow. I’ll let you two work out the logistics.” She glanced down at her wristwatch, then tapped a manicured fingernail against the glass face. “If you fellas would kindly excuse me, I have a
ton
of reading to do.”

With that she turned on her heel and walked out of the office. As she reached the empty reception area, she heard Noah’s sudden bark of laughter. Daniela grinned, and strolled out of the building whistling cheerfully.

F
or the remainder of the evening and throughout the following day, Daniela could think of little else but her pending dinner engagement with Crandall and Caleb Thorne. By 5:15 p.m., she had changed six times, going through one power suit after another, before finally settling on a straight black skirt and a plum-colored silk blouse with a scooped neckline that showed a modest amount of cleavage. After some deliberation, she piled her hair into a loose French twist and donned a pair of pearl teardrop earrings.

When she’d finished dressing, she surveyed her appearance in the mirror and nodded approvingly. She looked cool, sophisticated and professional, which was the effect she’d hoped to achieve. Although part of her had wanted to look sexy and alluring for Caleb, she also recognized the importance of making a positive first impression on his father and being taken seriously as a job applicant.

When her doorbell rang at five-thirty sharp, her heart leaped to her throat, and perspiration instantly dampened her palms.
Calm down,
she told herself, sliding her feet into a pair of tall, strappy heels that accentuated the sleek curve of her calves.
You’re not going on a date. This is strictly a business meeting. A business meeting that happens to be at the home of one of the most powerful men in San Antonio, but a business meeting nonetheless.

When she opened the door and saw Caleb standing there, her mouth went dry. He wore pleated black slacks with a stark white shirt opened at the strong column of his throat. In deference to the warm summer weather, he’d eschewed a jacket. With his hands tucked comfortably into his pockets, he looked incredibly handsome, virile and totally in control.

As his lazy gaze traveled the length of her, Daniela felt a surge of pleasure at the glint of male approval that lit his dark eyes.

“Good evening,” he said huskily. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Daniela murmured, smiling. “You don’t look too bad yourself, Professor Thorne.”

He inclined his head in simple acknowledgment of the compliment. “Are you ready?”

She nodded, stepping onto the porch and locking the door behind her.

With a hand resting lightly at the small of her back, Caleb escorted her to the driveway, unlocking the doors to a gleaming black Jaguar as sleek and powerful as its owner.

Daniela ran an appreciative gaze over the luxury vehicle and grinned. “Awesome ride, but where’s the Harley?”

Caleb chuckled, glancing down at her slim-fitting skirt and the sheer black stockings that sheathed her long legs. “You’re not exactly dressed for it,” he said, repeating the same words he’d told her the day of their coffeehouse excursion.

Daniela laughed as he helped her inside the car, then rounded the gleaming fender to slide into the elegant, scooped leather seat beside her. She caught the clean scent of him, soap and the subtle spice of an expensive cologne that was undeniably male, and uniquely him.

She slanted him a teasing look as the V-6 engine purred to life. “I’m beginning to have my doubts about the existence of your motorcycle.”

His mouth curved in a lazy white grin. “Yeah?”

Daniela nodded. “I think you carry the helmet to class to intimidate your students into believing you’re a real bad-ass who’ll fail them in a heartbeat if they step out of line.”

Caleb threw back his head and laughed, a deep, rich sound that settled like a caress over her skin. As he pulled away from her house, he shook his head in mock chagrin. “When did I become so obvious?”

“You’re not,” Daniela assured him, enjoying the lighthearted banter so much that she nearly forgot to be nervous about meeting Crandall Thorne. “I’m just
that
good at reading people.”

“Is that right?”

“Yep. It’s a special gift.”

“Mmm. Well,” Caleb huskily intoned, sliding her a heavy-lidded look that made her pulse quicken, “you’re a woman of many talents, Daniela Moreau.”

Daniela didn’t miss the veiled reference to their lovemaking, specifically in relation to the brazen ways in which she’d teased and pleasured him that night. She turned her face toward the window to hide the wanton smile that curved her lips.

“Are you in the mood for Boney?”

With a choked laugh, Daniela whipped her head around to stare at him. “Excuse me?” She couldn’t have heard right. Had he just asked her if she was in the mood for
boning?

“Jazz music,” Caleb explained, poised to slide a compact disc into the elaborate player. “Do you like Boney James?”

“Oh! Yes, of course.”

Caleb inserted the disc, then slanted her an amused sidelong glance. “What did you think I said?”

Daniela shook her head, covering her mouth with one hand to smother an embarrassed giggle. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

His mouth twitched, but he let her off the hook. Soon the first bluesy notes of a saxophone poured into the luxurious interior of the Jaguar, washing over them. Daniela crossed her legs and settled more comfortably into the butter-soft leather seat, feeling utterly relaxed and content.

“So you own a Jaguar, a Durango and a Harley?” she asked.

He grinned ruefully. “When I worked at my father’s law firm, I needed ways to spend all the money I was earning—and the faster, the better. Buying vehicles seemed to do the trick.”

“I’ll bet,” Daniela agreed.

As they passed block after block of elegant Victorians cradled by columned wraparound porches and neat manicured lawns, Caleb asked, “How long have you lived in the King William District?”

“A little over three years,” Daniela answered.

“Do you like it?”

“I
love
it. The rich history, the quaint charm of the little shops and restaurants. And everything is within easy walking distance.” A soft, reminiscent smile touched her lips. “I’ve wanted to live here ever since I was a teenager, and my mother took us to our very first art exhibit at the Blue Star. I remember having to park a few blocks away from the gallery because the lot was full, and as we walked past these amazing Victorian houses, I remember wishing I lived in one of them. I think that’s when my affinity for all-things-antique was born.” She sighed deeply. “Perhaps someday, after I’ve retired from…
whatever,
I’ll open my own antiques store. I think I’d like that very much.”

Caleb watched her as she spoke, his gaze almost tender. “Sounds like a great way to enjoy your retirement,” he agreed. “If you’re in the area, I’ll be sure to drop in and buy a few things from you.”

Daniela laughed. “You’d better!” Sobering after a moment, she studied his handsome profile with keen interest. “So what about you, Caleb? What are your retirement plans?”

He sent her a lopsided grin. “Who says I ever plan to retire? I may decide to teach until I’ve got one foot in the grave.”

Grinning wryly, Daniela shook her head at him. “Even then, your female students would
still
swoon whenever you walked into the classroom.”

He chuckled, the sound so warm her stomach began to melt. “I wouldn’t go that far.”

“
I
would.”

Smiling, he glanced over at her. “All joking aside, to answer your question, I have been giving serious thought to life on a ranch after retirement.”

“Really? You mean as a cattle rancher?”

“Sure. I enjoy working on my father’s land, more than I ever thought I would, in fact. I could easily see myself settling into the quiet, simple life of a rancher, getting away from the hurried pace of the city and waking up to golden sunrises every morning.”

“Mmm,” Daniela murmured, closing her eyes on a deep, languid sigh at the vivid image his words painted. “That sounds heavenly, Caleb.”

“I’m glad you think so,” he said, and something in the deep rumble of his voice told her he really meant it.

She opened her eyes to look at him. “Speaking of your father’s ranch, how far is it from here?”

“We’ve got another forty-five minutes,” he replied, meeting her inquisitive gaze. A half smile quirked the corners of his mouth. “Are you in a hurry to get there?”

She chuckled dryly. “If you knew how nervous I am about meeting your father tonight, you’d know better.”

“Don’t be nervous,” Caleb told her. “My father’s bark is much worse than his bite.”

Daniela eyed him suspiciously. “Do you really mean that, or are you just saying that to make me feel better?”

He cut her a sideways glance. “What did I tell you in my office yesterday?”

She gave a low, sultry laugh. “You said quite a few things yesterday,” she drawled. “Shall I repeat them all?”

Caleb cleared his throat, his lips twitching. “What I told you is that I never say things I don’t mean. If I tell you not to be nervous about meeting my father, then take my word for it.”

“All right,” Daniela conceded with exaggerated reluctance, “but if you’re wrong, it’s going to be a
long
ride back for you, buddy.”

He merely grinned at the threat.

Soon the Jag was cruising out of the city and through rolling pasture land surrounded by steep, looming hills blanketed in the deep green of pine forests. With at least two more hours of daylight left, the sun remained high on the horizon—a vibrant, glowing orb.

For the next forty-five minutes, Caleb and Daniela talked, about anything and everything. They swapped tales about growing up in San Antonio, and discovered commonalities ranging from favorite foods to places they’d frequented as teenagers. As they laughed and conversed, their roles as teacher and student ceased to exist, nor did their eight-year age difference matter. They were simply two people enjoying each other’s company as they became better acquainted. If there was any way Daniela could have extended the length of their trip to the ranch, buying herself more time alone with Caleb, she would have—in a heartbeat.

And that should have scared her.

Eventually the road narrowed into two twisting lanes that wound through the foothills of the mountain range. Caleb negotiated the steep curves with the skilled ease of someone who could drive the route in his sleep.

“We’re almost there,” he told Daniela.

She nodded, anxiety knotting in her stomach. But as she turned her head and stared out the window, nerves were all but forgotten as her attention was captured by the natural beauty of their surroundings. Perched high on a bluff before them was a rambling hacienda-style ranch house and several smaller outbuildings, and below that lay the valley, lush and green like a rumpled velvet blanket against the backdrop of rugged mountains that rose from the earth like proud, silent sentinels.

“Oh, Caleb…” Daniela breathed, soaking in the wondrous sight before her. “Your retirement plan just received my ringing endorsement.”

He chuckled softly. “It has that effect, doesn’t it?”

She nodded vigorously. “How long has your father lived here?”

“He bought the ranch as an investment property twenty years ago. He only began using it as his primary residence earlier this year, after he got sick.” As Caleb spoke, he steered the car uphill, past several barns and outbuildings and a large roping arena, where a few ranch hands lingered, herding cattle into a holding pen and tending to other tasks that required completion before the day’s end. The men, their faces covered in sweat and grime beneath the brim of dusty Stetsons, grinned and called greetings to Caleb when they spied the Jaguar. Caleb waved in response and continued up the road until they reached the main house, where he parked in one of the three detached garages.

As he cut off the ignition, the butterflies in Daniela’s stomach returned. She was seized with the terrible fear that Crandall Thorne would take one look at her, see her for the fraud that she was and have her unceremoniously escorted from his property. But that wasn’t even the worst part of it. The worst part was that Caleb would never speak to her again—except, maybe, to tell her what an indescribably horrible human being she was.

As if sensing her apprehension, Caleb reached over and gently cupped her cheek in his big, warm hand. “It’s going to be okay,” he said quietly. “Just be yourself.”

Daniela felt a fresh stab of guilt.
Just be yourself.
Hadn’t Kenneth told her the very same thing yesterday? What a cruel joke.

Swallowing hard, she forced a nod. “I’ll be fine.”

Caleb smiled, then climbed out of the car and walked around to open her door and help her out. He put his hand on her back, a warm, light pressure that guided her toward the sprawling two-story ranch house with a red-tiled Spanish roof and a wide, curving porch. They had barely reached the front door before it was swung open by a tall, handsome woman wearing a red cotton sundress with a matching belt cinched around her broad waist.

She beamed a welcoming smile at them. “It’s about time you two made it!” she exclaimed in warm, lilting tones that hinted at a Southern accent.

With a lazy grin, Caleb leaned down slightly to plant a kiss upon the woman’s upturned cheek, which was the color of dark caramel and looked just as smooth. “Evening, Ms. Rita,” Caleb drawled with unmistakable affection in his voice. “You’re looking pretty as a picture. Is that a new dress?”

The woman’s smile widened with pleasure as she glanced down at herself. “What, this old thing? Shoot, no. It’s just something I pulled out from the back of the closet for the special occasion.”

Before Daniela could wonder what special occasion she referred to, the woman’s dark gaze, alight with avid curiosity, landed on her. “This must be the young lady your father has been expecting.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Caleb turned to Daniela at his side, his hand returning to the small of her back in a gentle, subtly possessive manner she found rather pleasing. “Ms. Rita, I’d like for you to meet Daniela Moreau. Daniela, this is Rita Owens—the only woman on earth patient enough to have put up with my father for thirty years and counting.”

Grinning and wagging her head at Caleb’s introduction, the woman clasped Daniela’s hand in the solid warmth of her own. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Daniela. Welcome to our home.”