been good with Travis, even if there were a lot of uncertainties hovering in the air between them.
"You're wasting your talents behind the wheel of that Buick," Juliana declared as Travis accelerated cleanly out of a turn. "One of these days you'll have to get yourself a real car."
"The Buick suits me. We understand each other."
"Don't you like driving?"
"Not particularly."
"But you.do it well," Juliana observed.
'It's just something that has to be done and I try to do it efficiently so that I don't get myself or anyone else killed in the process. That's the extent of my interest in the matter."
Juliana sighed in exasperation. "You've been in a rather strange mood ever since you appeared at Charisma to tell me you wanted your month. And tonight you're acting downright weird. Are you sure you want to go to birthday party?"
"I've been planning on it for weeks." He braked gently for another curve.
"Yes, I know, but I don't want to force you into this. I mean, a lot of men are not real big on family get-togethers."
"It's a little late to change my mind now, isn't it? Well be at the resort in fifteen minutes."
"True. You'll like my family, Travis. I would have introduced you to EUy and David before this but Elly's been out of town for the past three weeks. She's been visiting other resorts to get some ideas for Flame Valley. My folks flew into San Diego earlier today to pick up Uncle Tony and drive up the coast to the resort. They should be there by the time we arrive and I know they'll want to meet you.
David is—"
"Juliana?"
It worried her more and more lately when he spoke in that particular tone, she was discovering. She did not understand him when he was in this mood. "Yes, Travis?"
"You don't have to sell your family to me."
"Okay, okay. Not another word on the subject. I promise."
He smiled fleetingly, with visible reluctance. "And if I believe that, I ought to have my head examined."
"Hey. I can keep a promise."
"Yeah, but I'm not sure you can keep your mouth shut."
"You got any serious objections to my mouth?" she demanded.
"No, ma'am," he said fervently. "None." He paused. "Has your cousin been married to this David Kirkwood long?"
"Almost three years. They make a wonderful couple. Perfect together. Elly was involved once with someone else about five years ago. I never met the man and she refuses to talk about him, but I know he traumatized her. For a while I was worried she wouldn't let herself love anyone again.
And then along came David."
"And they're happily running this resort?"
Juliana smiled. "Flame Valley Inn. One of the most posh on the coast. Wait until you see it, Travis.
It's beautiful and it's got everything. Golf course, tennis courts, spa, fantastic ocean view, firstclass luxury rooms and a wonderful restaurant. My father and my Uncle Tony, that's Elly's father, built it over twenty years ago. They wanted to cash in on the spa craze,"
"And now your cousin and her husband run it." It was a statement, not a question.
Juliana slanted Travis a quizzical glance. "That's right. My father sold a lot of his stock in it to Uncle Tony four years ago but he still holds a minority interest . Uncle Tony was supposed to take over running the place full-time but about three years ago he developed some heart problems and the doctors insisted he start taking it easy. Elly and David took over and they've been running the place ever since. They love it."
"So your cousin's husband has been making most of the decisions about Flame Valley?"
"For the past couple of years, yes. David has a lot of big plans for Flame Valley." Juliana propped her elbow on the door sill and lodged her chin in her hand. "Unfortunately I think he moved a little too quickly on some of those plans, though."
"Too quickly?"
The small show of interest was all Juliana needed. Her brows snapped together as she frowned intently.
"David and Elly have a lot of ambitious plans for Flame Valley. If they work out, the place will
"You're wasting your talents behind the wheel of that Buick," Juliana declared as Travis accelerated cleanly out of a turn. "One of these days you'll have to get yourself a real car."
"The Buick suits me. We understand each other."
"Don't you like driving?"
"Not particularly."
"But you.do it well," Juliana observed.
'It's just something that has to be done and I try to do it efficiently so that I don't get myself or anyone else killed in the process. That's the extent of my interest in the matter."
Juliana sighed in exasperation. "You've been in a rather strange mood ever since you appeared at Charisma to tell me you wanted your month. And tonight you're acting downright weird. Are you sure you want to go to birthday party?"
"I've been planning on it for weeks." He braked gently for another curve.
"Yes, I know, but I don't want to force you into this. I mean, a lot of men are not real big on family get-togethers."
"It's a little late to change my mind now, isn't it? Well be at the resort in fifteen minutes."
"True. You'll like my family, Travis. I would have introduced you to EUy and David before this but Elly's been out of town for the past three weeks. She's been visiting other resorts to get some ideas for Flame Valley. My folks flew into San Diego earlier today to pick up Uncle Tony and drive up the coast to the resort. They should be there by the time we arrive and I know they'll want to meet you.
David is—"
"Juliana?"
It worried her more and more lately when he spoke in that particular tone, she was discovering. She did not understand him when he was in this mood. "Yes, Travis?"
"You don't have to sell your family to me."
"Okay, okay. Not another word on the subject. I promise."
He smiled fleetingly, with visible reluctance. "And if I believe that, I ought to have my head examined."
"Hey. I can keep a promise."
"Yeah, but I'm not sure you can keep your mouth shut."
"You got any serious objections to my mouth?" she demanded.
"No, ma'am," he said fervently. "None." He paused. "Has your cousin been married to this David Kirkwood long?"
"Almost three years. They make a wonderful couple. Perfect together. Elly was involved once with someone else about five years ago. I never met the man and she refuses to talk about him, but I know he traumatized her. For a while I was worried she wouldn't let herself love anyone again.
And then along came David."
"And they're happily running this resort?"
Juliana smiled. "Flame Valley Inn. One of the most posh on the coast. Wait until you see it, Travis.
It's beautiful and it's got everything. Golf course, tennis courts, spa, fantastic ocean view, firstclass luxury rooms and a wonderful restaurant. My father and my Uncle Tony, that's Elly's father, built it over twenty years ago. They wanted to cash in on the spa craze,"
"And now your cousin and her husband run it." It was a statement, not a question.
Juliana slanted Travis a quizzical glance. "That's right. My father sold a lot of his stock in it to Uncle Tony four years ago but he still holds a minority interest . Uncle Tony was supposed to take over running the place full-time but about three years ago he developed some heart problems and the doctors insisted he start taking it easy. Elly and David took over and they've been running the place ever since. They love it."
"So your cousin's husband has been making most of the decisions about Flame Valley?"
"For the past couple of years, yes. David has a lot of big plans for Flame Valley." Juliana propped her elbow on the door sill and lodged her chin in her hand. "Unfortunately I think he moved a little too quickly on some of those plans, though."
"Too quickly?"
The small show of interest was all Juliana needed. Her brows snapped together as she frowned intently.
"David and Elly have a lot of ambitious plans for Flame Valley. If they work out, the place will
Similar Books
American Detective: An Amos Walker Novel
Loren D. Estleman
Broker, Trader, Lawyer, Spy
Eamon Javers
Hammer & Nails
Andria Large
Red Handed
Shelly Bell
Peak Oil
Arno Joubert
The Reluctant Suitor
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
Love Me Crazy
Camden Leigh
Redeemed
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Jitterbug
Loren D. Estleman