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  Joel tried valiantly to squash the picture he had conjured up in his own head. He failed. “Yeah. Sure.” Damn. At this rate he was going to need another long run before he would be able to sleep.

  “What I have come to realize lately, Joel,” she continued with a burst of earnest intensity, “is that passion is exactly what's been missing in my life. It's missing in every area of my life. My career, my past, my future. Everything seems to have gotten into a rut. I want out.”

  “Out. I see.”

  “Lately I've begun to feel as though I'm sitting on the sidelines of my own life. Normally I'm a very goal-directed person, but I feel as though I've lost my way or something. I need to revitalize and redirect myself. Great-Uncle Charlie has given me the perfect opportunity to do just that, and I'm going to grab the chance. Thornquist Gear is going to change my life.”

  Joel was torn between wanting to insert his male member between her scarlet-tinted lips and the equally strong desire to throttle her. Thornquist Gear was his.

  “Letty, have you really thought this out? I know the idea of being president of your own company probably sounds exciting, but it's not that easy. You have no background in retailing, let alone in the sporting goods business. Hell, I'll bet you haven't even done much camping.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “So?”

  “Letty, camping equipment is one of our staple product lines. We cater to campers. We sold over a million and a half dollars' worth of tents alone last year.”

  Her eyes widened. “I don't see why I have to be an expert with the product in order to sell it. I'm interested in management and growth and the creation of a thriving enterprise. I'm excited about running a big business, not setting up my own tent.”

  Joel swore under his breath. “You don't know what you're getting into, lady. Running a growing corporation is not a game. It's not even a good way to amuse yourself while you get over a broken engagement.”

  Her mouth tightened into a mutinous line. “I am fully aware that I am about to embark on a major career change, and I am prepared to devote myself completely to learning everything I need to know to be successful. I am a very fast learner, Joel.”

  “You think you can just sit down behind the president's desk tomorrow or the next day and start running things? You think it's going to come naturally?”

  “Of course not.” She smiled. “I told you I've done a great deal of research.”

  “Oh, great. Research.”

  “I am a librarian, you know.”

  “Don't remind me.”

  “Now, Joel, there's no need to get so intense over this,” she said soothingly. “I think that may be one of your problems, you know. You're very intense. As it happens, I have read several articles on the subject of women in business, and they all point to one component that seems to be crucial to success.”

  “What the hell is that?” he demanded.

  “A mentor.”

  That stopped him in his tracks for an instant. “A mentor? Jesus Christ, what are you talking about?”

  “A mentor. You know, a teacher. Someone who takes you under his wing and shows you the ropes. That's how most people make it up the ladder in the corporate world, Joel. They have mentors who guide them and bring them along.”

  “I never had a mentor,” he snarled.

  “Of course you did. Great-Uncle Charlie was yours. You just didn't think of him that way because you weren't familiar with modern corporate jargon.”

  “Shit. You think Charlie was a mentor?” Joel's hand clenched into a fist around the towel. “Let me tell you how it was with me and Charlie Thornquist. Ten years ago I walked in off the street looking for a job. He hired me to run the little shop he had on First Avenue in downtown Seattle because he wanted to go fishing more often. He showed me how to work the cash register and how to lock up at night, and then he left town for two weeks.”

  Letty fixed him with a fascinated gaze. “Really? What happened next?”

  “When he came back to town to check up on me, I told him I thought we ought to start stocking a couple of different lines of sleeping bags. He said fine and took off for a deep-sea fishing trip. I didn't see him for a month.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “When he got back from that trip, I said the new tents were selling like hotcakes and maybe we should look into renting ski equipment for the season. He told me to do whatever I wanted. After that, I did. I made Thornquist Gear what it is today, damn it.”

  Letty gave him a pleased look. “Which makes you the perfect mentor for me.”

  “Me. Your mentor? Are you out of your mind?” He thought about picking Letty up by one slender ankle and dangling her over the railing. He'd be damned before he'd teach her how to run his company.

  “I think it's going to be a perfect partnership, Joel.”

  “I think I am going to take a shower and go back to bed.” Joel swung around and stalked down the hall to the bed room. He knew for a fact he was not going to get any sleep tonight.

  Letty awoke the next morning with a sense of well-being that she had not felt in a long time. She lay quietly for a while, gazing out the bedroom window as a clear dawn broke over the mountains.

  She still could not believe she had conducted such an intimate conversation with Joel Blackstone last night, but in retrospect she was glad she had done so. What she had confided in him was nothing less than the truth.

  She was going to find whatever it was that had been missing in her life, and she was going to find it in Seattle running Thornquist Gear.

  Letty jumped out of bed and burst into the white tile bathroom. She was feeling so exuberant this morning that she thought she could even find it in herself to be a little more tolerant of Stephanie.

  Not that she had much choice, Letty thought. She had a baby brother on the way, whether she approved of it or not.

  Matthew Christopher. It seemed strange to know the baby's name and sex before it had even arrived. But, as Stephanie had explained, she'd had certain tests done because of her age. In addition to assuring herself that the baby was healthy, she had also learned it was a boy. Stephanie was thrilled and so was Morgan.

  Letty could not imagine either her father or Stephanie changing diapers, but she knew she was going to have to accept reality.

  In the meantime, she was going to be busy reshaping her own life.

  A few minutes later, dressed in neatly pleated gray tweed trousers, a pale yellow button-down shirt, and her trusty penny loafers, Letty went down the hall. She stepped into the kitchen and blinked as the morning sunlight bounced off the gleaming stainless-steel and tile surfaces.

  “'Morning,” Joel said from the corner. He sounded surly.

  Letty frowned in concern as she took in his brooding, haggard expression. “Didn't you get any sleep last night after all?”

  “I'll live.” He was halfway through a cup of coffee. He sat hunched over the mug as if preparing to do battle for it. His tawny eyes glittered with the restless intensity Letty was beginning to associate with him. He was watching her as if she were a bug in a jar.

  Letty remembered the intimate things she had told him in the middle of the night, and she felt herself flushing. “You really should try to find out what's causing your insomnia.”

  “I know what caused my insomnia last night.”

  “Oh.”

  She was saved from having to think of a more intelligent response when Stephanie breezed into the kitchen looking cool and poised in a black and white maternity dress. Her deftly applied makeup was flawless.

  “Good morning, everyone.” Stephanie paused, frowning. “Oh, I see you found the coffee machine, Joel. I usually make the coffee. But since it's already done, you may as well help yourself, Letty.”

  “Thank you.” Letty reached for a mug, aware that although Stephanie was putting on a polite front, she was a little irritated that Joel had dared to invade her kitchen. Letty wished she could think of something soothing to say, but she rarely knew
quite what to say to Stephanie. It was like dealing with a woman from another planet. They had nothing in common. “Would you like me to pour you a cup, Stephanie?”

  “Absolutely not,” Stephanie said. “I'm not taking any caffeine during my pregnancy. I'll have fruit juice.”

  “Yes, of course. Fruit juice.” Letty felt like an idiot because she didn't know the latest rules. Out of the corner of her eye she caught Joel watching her with a sardonic expression. She ignored him as she tried a sip of the coffee.

  “Something wrong?” Joel asked when she made a face.

  “I think it's burned. Shall I make a fresh pot?”

  “I'll make a fresh pot if it's necessary,” Stephanie said quickly.

  “It's not burned,” Joel said. “It's a dark roast. Letty probably isn't used to the flavor. That's the way we like our coffee to taste out here, isn't it, Stephanie?”

  “Yes, of course.” Stephanie smiled condescendingly. “You'll get accustomed to it, Letty.”

  Morgan appeared in the doorway. “Good morning, everyone.”

  Everyone murmured a response. Stephanie busied herself preparing breakfast with her usual awesome efficiency and skill. Letty was wondering if she would be allowed to at least set the table when the white wall phone buzzed.

  Stephanie closed the refrigerator door and reached for the phone. “Hello?” Her eyes flew to Letty. “Yes, she's here. Just a moment, please.”

  Letty glanced up, alarmed. “Who is it?” she mouthed.

  “He's says he's Philip Dixon,” Stephanie murmured, holding the phone out to Letty.

  Letty took a step back and frantically waved away the phone. “Tell him I'm not here,” she whispered. “Tell him I've gone for a walk or something. Please, I really don't want to talk to him.”

  Joel stood up. “I'll handle this.” He took the phone from Stephanie's hand. “This is Joel Blackstone. I'm Ms. Thornquist's CEO. What can I do for you, Dixon?”

  Letty stared at Joel in astonishment. Her father and Stephanie did the same. The kitchen was suddenly very quiet until Joel spoke again.

  “No, I'm afraid that's not possible, Dixon. It's an image thing. I'm sure you understand. Ms. Thornquist is now the president of Thornquist Gear. In her position she can't take calls from some asshole who's dumb enough to get caught with his dick stuck in the mouth of a grad student who's trying to suck her way to an A.”

  Joel hung up the phone without waiting for a reply and returned to the table. He seemed oblivious to the stunned silence in the room. He sat down and picked up his mug of coffee.

  Letty finally managed to find her voice. She cleared her throat weakly. “‘Asshole’? ‘Dick’? What happened to a ‘compromising situation’ in which a certain ‘male member’ was inserted between ‘scarlet-tinted lips’?”

  “You said you wanted me to be your mentor,” Joel muttered. “That makes me the teacher and you the student, right?”

  “Well, yes. Right.”

  “So listen up and pay attention as we go along, because I won't repeat this stuff and there will definitely be a quiz. That was lesson number one. It was called How to Avoid Unwanted Phone Calls.”

  “I think,” said Letty, “that I had better take notes.”

  3

  Excuse me,” Letty said, as she came into the living room. “I didn't mean to interrupt you.”

  Stephanie looked up. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, hands resting gracefully on her knees, obviously meditating. The afternoon sun was streaming in through the windows. “It's all right. I'm through. I meditate for half an hour every afternoon. It's very soothing for Matthew Christopher.”

  “I see.” Letty was at a loss. She struggled for a way to keep the conversation going. Joel had left for Seattle early that morning, and Letty was restless. “How are you feeling?”

  “Very well, thank you.” Stephanie was obviously going to take the question literally. “I saw the doctor last week for my regular monthly checkup. She said all indicators were completely normal.”

  “That must be reassuring to hear.”

  Stephanie nodded seriously. “She's an excellent doctor. One of the best obstetricians in the state. Board certified in two specialties, of course.”

  “Of course.”

  “She's administered all the latest tests. Ultrasound, alpha-fetoprotein screening, and amniocentesis. They revealed no problems or abnormalities.”

  “I see,” Letty said.

  “Morgan and I have toured the neonatal facilities at the hospital we chose. All the equipment is first class and state-of-the-art. They are fully prepared to deal with any complication that might arise.”

  “I take it you're not going to have Matthew Christopher delivered by a midwife at home?” Letty regretted the small joke instantly.

  Stephanie looked horrified. “Good Lord, no. This baby will have the best and most advanced care available.”

  That did not surprise Letty. She wondered if Matthew Christopher realized how much money, time, and attention were being spent to ensure that he arrived first class.

  Morgan came into the room, a mug of coffee in his hand. “Finished with your meditation, my dear?”

  “Yes, I am.” Stephanie allowed Morgan to assist her to her feet. “It's three o'clock, time for my afternoon protein allotment.”

  Morgan glanced at Letty. “Why don't we take a walk while Stephanie is having her snack?”

  Letty smiled, relieved at the excuse to get out of the house. Stephanie's emphasis on control and order was getting to her. “Great.”

  It was the first time Letty had had an opportunity to be alone with her father since she arrived for Great-Uncle Charlie's funeral service. It felt good to have him to herself for a while. It brought back memories of how things had been before Morgan made that fateful trip to Seattle two years ago.

  He had flown out to attend an academic conference dealing with the uses of logic in the study of linguistics. Letty had been delighted to see him go. She'd been worrying about the fact that, since the death of her mother, her father was turning into an old man much too quickly. The spark had gone out of him.

  The spark had definitely been reignited in Seattle. Letty had been pleased at his renewed enthusiasm and animation. But she had been stunned when he announced he was accepting a position at Ridgemore College.

  Three months later she had been even more astonished to get a phone call from Morgan in which he told her he planned to be married.

  And now there was a baby on the way.

  It would have been a lot easier to handle, Letty decided, if she had been able to find some common ground with Stephanie. But Stephanie was as remote as an Amazon queen. She certainly bore no resemblance to Letty's mother, who had been the perfect faculty wife.

  Mary Thornquist had been warm, open, and charming. She had not held a doctorate, and she had not written any impressive papers, but she'd had a knack for creating a home. She'd also known how to deal with Morgan when he grew too stuffy or pompous. There had been a lot of laughter in the Thornquist household.

  “How do you like Ridgemore?” Letty asked as she and Morgan strolled along the blacktop where Joel had taken his late night run.

  “Very much. My lecture load is light. Got an office with a window. Plenty of time to write my papers. And no Friday afternoon faculty sherry hours, thank God.”

  Letty winced. “I know you never enjoyed attending those.”

  Morgan smiled at her. “I've had enough of ivy-covered halls and moribund traditions. And so have you, I think. I'm sorry Dixon proved to be a bastard. But I'm glad you found out before the marriage.”

  “So am I.”

  Morgan paused. “Did you really walk into his office and find him with his—”

  “Don't say it, please,” Letty muttered.

  “His you-know-what in some grad student's mouth?” Morgan amended.

  Letty felt herself turning a bright red. “Yes, and I wish to heaven I had not confided that little snippet of information
to Joel Blackstone. I don't know what got into me last night.”

  “Maybe you just needed to talk. Knowing you, you probably didn't confide the details to anyone at Vellacott.”

  “No, it's not something one wants to discuss with one's co-workers. Lord knows why I chose Joel Blackstone as my confidant. I guess I was just tired because it was the middle of the night and my common sense was half asleep. At any rate, I certainly learned my lesson.”

  “What lesson?”

  Letty glared at her father. “You know what I'm talking about. I could not believe what Joel said to Philip on the phone this morning. Last night when I made the mistake of pouring out my heart and soul to him, Mr. Blackstone seemed quite gentlemanly. Very understanding. I had no idea he could be so crude.”

  Morgan chuckled. “His tactics may strike you as crude, but something tells me he's effective. Charlie said everything Thornquist Gear is today was the direct result of his putting Blackstone in charge ten years ago.”

  “I'm not questioning Joel's executive ability. It's obvious he's got plenty of it.” Letty straightened her shoulders. “And I intend to learn everything I can from him.”

  “Everything?”

  Letty nodded enthusiastically. “Everything. He's going to be my mentor while I learn how to run Thornquist Gear.”

  “This should be interesting.”

  “What's that supposed to mean?”

  “Just what I said.” Morgan's bushy brows came together in a thoughtful frown. “Interesting. Blackstone isn't like any other man you've ever known, Letty. He's no ivory tower type. He doesn't deal in theory; he deals in hard facts.”

  “I realize that.”

  “I seriously doubt he's had any sensitivity training,” Morgan said dryly.”

  Letty smiled ruefully. “I'm sure you're right.”

  “He doesn't play the game by the book. He's the kind of man who makes up his own rules.”

  Letty was alarmed. “Are you saying he's probably unethical in his business dealings?”

  “No. I'm just warning you that his idea of fair play will probably be considerably different from your own.”

  “If I find out that he's dishonest or underhanded, I'll fire him immediately.”