Flash Read online

  Madeline looked pleased. “I can see that. What a difference between this year’s Silver Galaxy Foods Night and last year’s. I intend to tell Charlie that we will definitely use Light Fantastic again next year.”

  It would definitely be tacky to pump one fist in the air and holler yes in a very loud voice, Olivia decided. She restrained herself. She gave Madeline a smile that held, she hoped, just the right degree of businesslike warmth.

  “I’m glad that you’re happy with the final result, Mrs. Silverthorne. Light Fantastic’s goal is always a satisfied client.”

  Madeline studied the array of servers lined up behind the buffet table. “It was a stroke of genius to put all the waiters in silver lamé jackets and ties. Whose idea was that?”

  “I believe it was Bolivar who came up with the suggestion.” Olivia decided not to mention that Bolivar had intended it as a joke. As soon as Bolivar had said it, however, she had instantly implemented it. “I’ll tell him you appreciated it.”

  “We must remember to do it again next year. I also like what you did in the dance lounge with those intertwining silver ropes—” Madeline broke off to smile at someone who had come up behind Olivia. “Jasper, dear. How good to see you. So glad you could make it.”

  “Thanks for letting me crash your party at the last minute, Maddy.”

  “Now, Jasper, you know perfectly well that you’re always welcome. I’m delighted you could make it this year.”

  Olivia whirled around to stare at Jasper. She did not bother to conceal her astonishment.

  “I didn’t know you would be here tonight.” She realized that she sounded less than gracious. She could not help it. She was irritated that he had not mentioned he planned to attend.

  She had to admit that he looked remarkably at ease and wonderfully sexy in the classic power suit, a tuxedo. The black jacket hugged the strong line of his shoulders. He looked amused by the frosty expression Olivia knew was in her eyes.

  “I told you I had an invitation.”

  “Yes, but I thought you said—” Belatedly Olivia recalled Madeline’s presence. She hurriedly swallowed the rest of her words. No need to let her client know that Jasper had told her only a few days ago that he did not plan to be here this evening. She wondered what had changed his mind. She had a feeling that he did not do anything without a clear-cut reason.

  “Thought I’d see what kind of work my new business partner did.” Jasper glanced casually around at the sparkling scene. “Very impressive. I’m surprised you didn’t issue sunglasses at the door.”

  The dry amusement in his voice floated straight over the top of Madeline’s head without ruffling a single silver hair. But Olivia heard it quite clearly. She raised her brows.

  “I’m glad you approve.” She gave him a very pointed smile. “Madeline was just telling me how much she likes the silver effect. She feels it underscores the company name in a very elegant way.”

  “Indeed it does,” Madeline said happily. “Jasper, I really am delighted to see you here tonight. I keep telling you that you don’t get out enough.”

  “You aren’t the only one who’s mentioned that lately.” Jasper smiled. “Always good to see an old friend, Maddy.”

  “Old friends?” Olivia repeated blankly.

  Madeline looked at her. “Oh, yes. We’ve known each other for ages. Jasper’s firm supplied financial backing and management expertise for our youngest son several years ago when Charlie Junior went into the software business.”

  “Oh.” Olivia could not think of anything else to say. It occurred to her that after a decade of venture capitalism in the Northwest, Jasper probably had tentacles throughout the local business community.

  “Silver Galaxy Foods was having a bit of a cash flow problem at the time,” Madeline explained. “We weren’t able to help Charlie Junior out much. But Jasper took care of everything.”

  “I see.”

  Madeline winked at her and then at Jasper. “So the two of you are partners in Glow, now, eh?”

  “That’s right,” Jasper said evenly.

  “Charlie Senior was talking about Glow just the other day.” Madeline’s musing tone belied the sharp speculation in her eyes. “He said he hoped that it would not be sold or merged now that Rollie is gone.”

  “Not a chance,” Olivia said.

  Jasper looked amused again. “You heard the lady.” “That’s very good news. We’d hate to see another old family firm put on the block.” Madeline smiled at Jasper. “But how on earth will you continue to operate Sloan & Associates now that you’ve taken the helm at Glow?”

  “I’m selling Sloan & Associates,” Jasper said.

  “How very interesting,” Madeline murmured. “Jasper, why don’t you and Olivia go on into the lounge and enjoy that very expensive band we hired?”

  The fond, almost maternal gleam in Madeline’s gray eyes alarmed Olivia. “Mrs. Silverthorne, I’m not a guest. I’m here in my professional capacity this evening.”

  “Nonsense.” Madeline waved a silver-gloved hand. “One dance won’t shatter your professional image. Everything is going very smoothly, thanks to all your advance planning. Run along now, I insist.”

  Olivia was about to protest again when she felt Jasper’s hand close very firmly around her arm.

  “Good idea, Madeline,” he said. He hauled Olivia toward the door. “Haven’t danced in years.”

  Olivia plastered a smile on her face and allowed herself to be steered through the crowds at the buffet tables into the adjoining lounge.

  The band, attired in silver lamé jackets similar to those the servers wore, launched into a slow, smooth, easy ballad. Jasper went straight out onto the floor and pulled Olivia into his arms.

  “I like the dress,” he said before she could demand further explanations of his presence.

  For some reason the compliment confused her. Automatically she glanced down at the simple column of heavy black silk she wore. The only touch of silver was the narrow trim on the discreet curve of the neckline and at the wrists of the long, close-fitting sleeves.

  “It was the only thing in my closet that had any silver on it,” she admitted.

  His mouth curved slightly as he took in the glittering decor in the lounge. “I wouldn’t have thought that there was this much foil and tinsel to be had in Seattle.”

  Olivia grinned in spite of herself. “I cleaned out my suppliers. I only hope none of my competitors is trying to do a twenty-fifth silver jubilee wedding anniversary tonight. I can just about guarantee that there is not a single silver candlestick or tray left in town to rent.”

  “I believe it.”

  “All right, let’s have it.” She stopped smiling and pinned him with a severe glare. “What are you doing here tonight? When I talked to you this morning you said nothing about attending.”

  “That was before I found out that the business press was planning to be here this evening,” he said.

  “Of course the business press is here. Mrs. Silverthorne invited the business page reporters from the Banner-Journal, the Seattle Times, and the Post-Intelligencer, personally. This is a major business affair. The whole point is to garner publicity for Silver Galaxy Foods.”

  “I found out late today that she also invited Andy Andrews.”

  “So?”

  “Did he ever get hold of you yesterday?”

  “No.” She frowned. “I was out of the studio most of the afternoon. Lot of last-minute stuff. He left three or four messages. I didn’t return any of them.”

  “Hmm.” Jasper glanced across the room, his expression thoughtful. “Maybe that’s why he’s still so interested in us tonight.”

  “What do you mean?” Olivia followed Jasper’s glance and saw a short, round man in an ill-fitting dinner jacket. He had a glass of champagne in one hand. In the other he held a large plate piled high with canapés, fancy cheeses, and smoked salmon. He was watching Jasper and Olivia. She could see the shrewd gleam in his pale eyes from halfway across the
room. “Is that Andrews? He looks like a teddy bear.”

  “Don’t let the innocent, slow-on-the-uptake look fool you. I’ve known Andy for years. He has a sixth sense when it comes to the gossip side of a business story.”

  Olivia gave Andrews her most charming smile and then turned back to Jasper. “He looks pretty harmless to me. I fail to see the problem here.”

  “You will if Andrews decides to do a story in Hard Currency with a headline like FEUD AT GLOW.”

  “I think you may be overreacting, Jasper.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I know what I’m talking about. I’ve been down this road in the past with other firms.”

  “Really?” She gave him a politely inquisitive look. “Are you dancing with me to show Andy Andrews that all’s well between the two partners of Glow?”

  To her surprise a dull red appeared on Jasper’s high cheekbones. Irritation gleamed briefly in his eyes. “That’s one of the reasons.”

  His answer tripped a switch somewhere inside her. Anger surged. The memory of the torrid kiss on her balcony flashed through her brain. She wondered if it had been prompted by something other than mutual attraction.

  “I see,” she said coldly. “Tell me, is pretending to romance potentially difficult business partners a routine technique in your line of work?”

  She regretted the reckless words as soon as they left her lips, but it was too late. Jasper gripped her hand so tightly she was surprised he did not mash her fingers. He continued to smile down at her, but she saw that there was a new and rather dangerous expression in his eyes.

  He bent his head closer, in what no doubt looked like an intimate manner to onlookers. He spoke directly into her ear.

  “No,” he said very evenly. “Pretending to romance difficult business partners is not part of my usual approach. In my professional opinion, it’s an inefficient, tiresome, and extremely frustrating method of controlling a company.”

  “I’m sure it is.” Olivia felt heat in her own cheeks. She hoped she was not blushing.

  He met her eyes. “If I decide to romance a business partner, you can be sure of one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I won’t be pretending.”

  The heat in his eyes kindled the smoldering embers that she had not realized had been left behind by his kiss. Olivia stumbled. She had to clutch wildly at his shoulder to steady herself.

  “Sorry,” she gasped. “I tripped over my own feet. Haven’t danced in quite a while.”

  “Let’s get something to drink.” He came to a halt, took her hand, and led her off the floor.

  Olivia caught another glimpse of Andy Andrews as they walked toward the silver-spangled bar. The journalist was skulking behind a silver palm and fountain display.

  “I don’t think we’re going to be able to avoid Mr. Andrews,” she said.

  “I don’t intend to avoid him. But I would prefer to make him come to us.”

  “I can’t hang around here very long, in spite of what Mrs. Silverthorne said. I’ve got a job to do.”

  “I know.” He brought her to a halt at the foiled bar. “Do you have time for one drink?”

  She hesitated and then shrugged. “I could use an espresso.”

  Jasper groaned. “Don’t you worry about building up an immunity to caffeine?”

  “It’s been a long day.” For some reason she felt obliged to defend herself. “And it won’t end anytime soon.”

  Jasper shook his head and then turned to the silver-jacketed bartender. “One espresso and one cognac.”

  “Make that espresso a double,” Olivia said.

  “Coming right up.” The bartender moved off to fill the order.

  Jasper leaned one elbow on the gleaming bar and glanced casually across the dance floor. Olivia knew he was watching Andy Andrews slink toward them.

  “When do you get off duty?” Jasper asked without shifting his gaze away from Andrews.

  “Technically, not until the Private Island docks back in Seattle tomorrow morning and the ship is unloaded and cleaned.”

  Jasper frowned. “You’re going to be up all night?”

  She grinned wryly. “Part of the job. I’ve got one of the cabins downstairs. Assuming there are no major disasters, I’ll probably try to nap for a couple of hours after the karaoke bar closes down. With any luck, that will be around three this morning.”

  “A couple of hours? Is that all?”

  “I have to be up at five to make sure everything is in place for the farewell breakfast buffet that will be served at eight. And then I have to supervise the disembarkation.”

  “Is your schedule always like this?”

  “I’m sometimes up very late because of an event, but most of them don’t go overnight and into the next day the way this one does. The good news is that I get to go home and crash after the guests have disembarked. Bolivar and some of the other members of the Light Fantastic staff are going to come on board to handle the cleanup.”

  “How long have you been running Light Fantastic?”

  “Almost five years.”

  “What did you do before that?”

  “I worked for a couple of different event design and production companies on a freelance basis, learning the ropes.”

  “It’s a strange business,” Jasper said reflectively.

  “I love it. Never a dull moment. Every event is different. Light Fantastic never repeats a production. Uncle Rollie always said it was the perfect career for me because it allows me to combine my creative side with my business side.”

  Jasper sipped his cognac thoughtfully. “Rollie told me once that when it came to business, you were as good as he was, just a lot younger.”

  “Did he really say that?”

  “Yes.”

  “That was sweet of him.” Olivia was warmed by the compliment. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say that I’ve got Uncle Rollie’s genius for business. But I can make a living with what genes I did get in that department. I’d starve, however, if I had to depend entirely on my creativity genes.”

  Jasper raised a brow. “Why do you say that?”

  She shrugged. “I enjoy creative design, and I love putting together ideas for an event, but I’m not a real artist. For me art is a strong interest but not a great passion.”

  “What’s the difference?”

  “Genius. True talent. Fire in the belly. Whatever you want to call it. I don’t have it. At least not for art.”

  Jasper watched her intently. “How can you tell?”

  “Because I married someone who did have it.” Why was she doing this, she wondered? Had she suddenly developed masochistic tendencies?

  But she knew the answer. Incredible though it was, Jasper had not yet mentioned Logan’s name in her presence. The failure to do so made him virtually unique. Sooner or later, most people found a way to bring up the legend of Logan Dane shortly after meeting her. Crawford Lee Wilder had seen to that.

  Olivia realized that she wanted to get beyond that hurdle with Jasper. She wanted him to know just whom he was kissing. Assuming he ever kissed her again.

  “That’s right,” Jasper snapped his fingers as if suddenly recalling an unimportant scrap of information. “You were married to that artist, weren’t you? Logan Dane.”

  Olivia took a deep breath. She felt blindsided by his monumentally casual reaction. “You, uh, knew that Logan was my husband?”

  “I read that stupid mix of fact and fiction in West Coast Neo. You should have sued Crawford Lee Wilder.”

  “It wouldn’t have been worth the effort,” Olivia said carefully. “The damage had been done.”

  “You’re probably right. Only the lawyers make out in lawsuits, anyway.” His mouth twitched. “You must have scared the hell out of Wilder, though.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “The guy was obviously intimidated by you. The article was his way of getting even.”

  “An interesting analysis.”

  “What the he
ll did you do to him, anyway?”

  “Crawford? Among other things, I dated him for a while when he worked at the Banner-Journal.”

  “No kidding?” Jasper’s chuckle was low, rich, and deep. “Wilder had to bring out the garlic and silver crosses to ward you off after only a few dates? This sounds interesting.”

  She eyed him warily. “Interesting?”

  “Very.” He met her eyes. “I’m a sucker for interesting.”

  “I see.”

  “So, will you go out with me? A real date this time, not take-out?”

  She tipped her head to one side and studied him intently. “You’re not taking my sordid past real seriously, are you?”

  He looked offended. “I didn’t take the Crawford Lee Wilder article seriously, but I’m very serious about the date.”

  “Are you?”

  He winced. “So much for the snappy repartee. I’ve been told that my social skills are a little rusty. Like Madeline said, I don’t get out much. I know my timing isn’t always the greatest when it comes to this kind of thing, but—”

  “Your timing is just fine.” She suddenly felt lighter and happier than she had in a very long time. “In fact, it’s great.”

  A curious warmth appeared in his eyes. “You really think so?”

  For a moment the silver-studded room seemed to slide away into another dimension. Olivia could still see the silvery decor around her. The mirrored balls continued to glitter. She could hear the music and the laughter of the crowd. But it was all happening in another, unimportant realm.

  The only thing that was important at that moment was the look in Jasper’s eyes.

  The clarion call of the media shattered the spell. Typical, Olivia thought.

  “Am I interrupting anything here?” Andy Andrews asked as he shoved a cracker heaped with salmon spread into his mouth.

  “Yes,” Jasper said without looking away from Olivia. “But since you’re here, let me introduce you to Olivia Chantry. Olivia, this is Andy Andrews. He’ll be crushed if you tell him that you’ve never heard of him.”