regular physical fitness routine. She might be careless about her filing habits, he reflected, but she looked as though she was highly disciplined about her workout.
Goal-oriented
. Like himself, he thought
Her interesting, fine-boned face was framed by glossy red-brown hair that she wore in a casual twist. The sleek designer frames of her glasses emphasized the perceptive awareness in her wide hazel-green eyes.
Jasper sighed. He knew only too well that it was his dangerous lot in life to be attracted to intelligent women. The older he got the more pronounced the taste had become.
"Sorry about the greeting you got when you arrived. We're a little busy at the moment." Olivia waved a graceful hand to indicate the busy scene on the opposite side of the windowed wall. "We've got four major events coming up in quick succession. One of them is a reception for Camelot Blue investors and clients."
He inclined his head. "That explains the giant glowing blue sword-in-the-stone and the fake cave."
"Uh-huh." She sprawled lightly in her chair. The casual pose belied the glint of wary assessment with which she watched Jasper.
"What else is on the schedule?" he asked politely.
"Let's see." She held up one hand and ticked off items on her fingers. "We've got the annual Silver Galaxy Foods Night event, which will be an overnight cruise this year. A fund-raiser for Eleanor Lancaster—"
He raised his brows. "As in Eleanor Lancaster, the candidate for governor?"
"One and the same."
That event had to have been a major coup for Light Fantastic, he thought. The conventional wisdom and virtually every newspaper pundit in the state were busy predicting that Eleanor Lancaster would easily win the election. The event firm that produced her fund-raisers would be in a very nice position when the client became Governor Lancaster.
"I'm impressed," he said.
"Don't be." Olivia gave him a cheerful, conspiratorial grin. "I've got an inside track. My brother, Todd, is her policy consultant and speechwriter."
"Convenient."
She raised one shoulder in an elegant shrug. "Business is business."
He wondered how far she took that bit of philosophy. What exactly
had
she done with the fortune in Logan Dane paintings that Crawford Lee Wilder claimed she had inherited after Dane got run over by a bull?
"I think I've got invitations to every event you've mentioned so far," he said.
"Planning to attend any of them?"
"No. I don't get out a lot."
Olivia looked amused. "You'll probably be invited to the last big production on my list this summer, too."
"What is it?"
"The annual Glow, Inc., company picnic."
He smiled slightly. "You're right. I expect to be on the guest list. And I will definitely attend that event."
He turned back to the view out the office window. There was a fair amount of purposeful activity taking place in the studio, he noticed. An array of tools, art supplies, and electrical equipment littered the floor. The young man who had been introduced as Bolivar Chantry was deep into the guts of the control panel that had recently gone awry.
Zara Chantry was busy at the drafting table. Her wealth of golden blond hair glowed in the light that filtered through the huge factory loft windows behind her. Jasper wondered why she looked vaguely familiar.
Two androgynous figures, both artistically thin and terribly trendy, were at work in one corner. They appeared to be constructing huge foil flowers for a large silver foil vase. Jasper recalled that the pair had been introduced as Bernie and Matty. He was not positive which name went with which person, though. Maybe when he figured out which was the male and which was the female he'd get that part straight.
"Have a seat," Olivia said behind him.
"Thank you." Jasper turned to survey the one unoccupied chair in the office. It was heaped with a variety of vendors' catalogs.
Olivia followed his gaze. "Sorry about that." She started to get to her feet. "I'll clear those off for you."
"Never mind.
Goal-oriented
. Like himself, he thought
Her interesting, fine-boned face was framed by glossy red-brown hair that she wore in a casual twist. The sleek designer frames of her glasses emphasized the perceptive awareness in her wide hazel-green eyes.
Jasper sighed. He knew only too well that it was his dangerous lot in life to be attracted to intelligent women. The older he got the more pronounced the taste had become.
"Sorry about the greeting you got when you arrived. We're a little busy at the moment." Olivia waved a graceful hand to indicate the busy scene on the opposite side of the windowed wall. "We've got four major events coming up in quick succession. One of them is a reception for Camelot Blue investors and clients."
He inclined his head. "That explains the giant glowing blue sword-in-the-stone and the fake cave."
"Uh-huh." She sprawled lightly in her chair. The casual pose belied the glint of wary assessment with which she watched Jasper.
"What else is on the schedule?" he asked politely.
"Let's see." She held up one hand and ticked off items on her fingers. "We've got the annual Silver Galaxy Foods Night event, which will be an overnight cruise this year. A fund-raiser for Eleanor Lancaster—"
He raised his brows. "As in Eleanor Lancaster, the candidate for governor?"
"One and the same."
That event had to have been a major coup for Light Fantastic, he thought. The conventional wisdom and virtually every newspaper pundit in the state were busy predicting that Eleanor Lancaster would easily win the election. The event firm that produced her fund-raisers would be in a very nice position when the client became Governor Lancaster.
"I'm impressed," he said.
"Don't be." Olivia gave him a cheerful, conspiratorial grin. "I've got an inside track. My brother, Todd, is her policy consultant and speechwriter."
"Convenient."
She raised one shoulder in an elegant shrug. "Business is business."
He wondered how far she took that bit of philosophy. What exactly
had
she done with the fortune in Logan Dane paintings that Crawford Lee Wilder claimed she had inherited after Dane got run over by a bull?
"I think I've got invitations to every event you've mentioned so far," he said.
"Planning to attend any of them?"
"No. I don't get out a lot."
Olivia looked amused. "You'll probably be invited to the last big production on my list this summer, too."
"What is it?"
"The annual Glow, Inc., company picnic."
He smiled slightly. "You're right. I expect to be on the guest list. And I will definitely attend that event."
He turned back to the view out the office window. There was a fair amount of purposeful activity taking place in the studio, he noticed. An array of tools, art supplies, and electrical equipment littered the floor. The young man who had been introduced as Bolivar Chantry was deep into the guts of the control panel that had recently gone awry.
Zara Chantry was busy at the drafting table. Her wealth of golden blond hair glowed in the light that filtered through the huge factory loft windows behind her. Jasper wondered why she looked vaguely familiar.
Two androgynous figures, both artistically thin and terribly trendy, were at work in one corner. They appeared to be constructing huge foil flowers for a large silver foil vase. Jasper recalled that the pair had been introduced as Bernie and Matty. He was not positive which name went with which person, though. Maybe when he figured out which was the male and which was the female he'd get that part straight.
"Have a seat," Olivia said behind him.
"Thank you." Jasper turned to survey the one unoccupied chair in the office. It was heaped with a variety of vendors' catalogs.
Olivia followed his gaze. "Sorry about that." She started to get to her feet. "I'll clear those off for you."
"Never mind.
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