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hooves.
    Soon they were moving past Hawk's. The falling sun was gentler on the old buildings, but even with that advantage the place looked run down. The battered fence railings sagged and the Dutch doors running across the barn looked weary. Somehow, even the dirt yard seemed to be on its last legs.
    "What do you know about Hawk's?” Trent asked.
    His tone had shifted and the inquiry didn't sound like his usual banter. It was a simple enough question, and one he had a right to have answered, but she held back from telling him the truth. She didn't know anything about the business. Telling him that was out of the question because it would put him closer to figuring out she'd accepted his father's offer out of desperation.
    She had to turn the tables on him. “What do you know about it?"
    "It's a beat-up set of buildings on a beautiful tourist island that has many wonderful hotels and too many candy shops."
    In spite of herself she chuckled. Trent surprised her by laughing, too.
    Without the tension in his features, he was even more handsome. A few strands of his sun-streaked hair caught in the breeze and fell across his forehead. He pushed them aside with a sweep for his long fingers. She noticed the tiny lines around his eyes and knew he must spend a lot of time laughing.
    Realizing the death of his father had to be the reason for his unpredictable moods, her heart filled with shame. She should've been more thoughtful, more considerate of his grieving. She shouldn't be plotting against a man who'd just lost his father.
    Guilt caught in her throat and as quickly as she'd started, she stopped laughing. Trent caught the change in her mood and gave her his full attention. What she saw in his eyes was not grief, but interest. Maybe even more than that. Attraction?
    Thankfully, the slowing of the taxi gave her an excuse to look away as the horses strained to pull the carriage up a steep incline. A golf course spread out to their right and an immense lawn stretched out on the left. Tall black street lamps led the way up the hill to the hotel.
    The Majestic was one of the most beautiful buildings she'd ever seen. Excitement for the adventure ahead began to build, but she held it in check. After all, she wasn't there to completely let go and enjoy herself. Keeping a clear head would be the only way to get what she wanted. In a word—opportunity.
    Louise glanced at Trent to watch his reaction to the building. She saw nothing in his face, but that didn't surprise her. As the son of a wealthy businessman, he was probably used to having dinner at the finest restaurants.
    The driver pulled up behind three other carriages. A short man, dressed like a footman, helped a fragile woman down from her taxi and then led her over to the red-carpeted stairs. The silver dress she wore matched her hair and contrasted beautifully with the black suited man taking her arm. To Louise it seemed that everyone and everything around them was stunning.
    An elegantly dressed couple sauntered along the verandah above. Would Trent take her there after dinner for a leisurely stroll? She wanted to believe her hopefulness was because that sort of thing served her strategy to keep her job, but she reluctantly accepted that her attraction to the businessman next to her was nearly uncontrollable.
    So what? She was a big girl and she'd been attracted to men before. Being attracted to him didn't mean she'd lose sight of her goals. It might actually help if her attention to him seemed sincere. Sure she could handle herself, she turned to him and smiled.
    The expression wasn't wasted.
    Trent didn't exactly smile back, and the telltale signs of frustration lingered on his tightened mouth as he climbed from the taxi. She chuckled at him, so he offered her a half-hearted scowl as he took her arm and led her up the stairs to the hotel.
    * * * *
    AN UNSUAL COMBINATION of yellow, green, white, and red surrounded them in the lobby. Late afternoon sunshine streaked across the