“You know what I mean. Did you meet any cute guys?”
Jade grinned and gave Velma an innocent look. “Yes. There are always a lot of cute guys but this time I met one who had some substance to him. We’ll see what happens. Any problems show up after I left Friday?”
“Substance? Do you mean this guy is loaded so you can quit working and live a life of ease?”
“I mean he’s an engineer and does glass blowing and he’s sensitive and warm and I like him.”
“Oh, well, I guess that can be good. Is there much money in glass blowing? I mean a retriever can be warm and caring but they don’t take you to the Bahamas.” Velma gave her a knowing look.
“So you have Jack signed up to take you to the islands, finally.”
Velma sighed and shook her head full of shiny brown curls. “No. But I can dream.”
“Dream up the tickets and I’ll pop for the meals.” Jack Cooper leaned against the door and crossed his arms. His short stocky body was topped by a jovial face and blond thatch for hair. “The power supply is due to arrive at ten so Wolf should have his beloved Menace up and running by lunch.”
“If I had two tickets I’d take a cute guy with me, Smarty Pants.” Velma stomped out the door and down the hall. “Men!”
“You keep doing things that aren’t in your job description and I’ll have to fire myself.”
Jack wiggled his head as if he were bashful. “Not necessary. We need you for your great smile and fantastic sense of humor.”
Jade gave him a quick stern look. “That sounds ominous. What happened that requires my fantastic sense of humor?”
“Alfred Winks ordered a set of ivory pool balls. The good news is that he offered to pay twenty-five hundred. The bad news is that he wants them by September. That’s only two weeks away.”
“Tell me you didn’t accept his offer.” Jade wanted to slap Winks for killing her good mood. Instead she decided to drill her eyes into Jack’s.
“Hey, don’t panic. I told him I had to have a commitment from Lee before I’d accept the offer. I figured he would bring it up last night at dinner.” Jack looked as if he wanted to crawl under the desk.
“He’d have to pay twice that amount for the real thing and I don’t intend to turn around and go right back to Frisco even if Lee could get them tomorrow. I take back my praise for your extra effort. Stick to your job description, especially where Alfred Winks is concerned. And what makes you think I had dinner with Al last night?”
“He said you could accept his order when he saw you.”
“Good. He’s never going to see me so that solves it. Any other foolishness to get rid of so we can do real work?”
“Nope. In fact, Wolf said Kentucky Prime sent their cutting boards two weeks early, for a change, and their whiskey barrels look really good. No knots or cracks.”
“Great! That’s an auspicious start to our week. I’ll give Mrs. Chandler the good news and her prize roses will be put to bed before winter. She swears that the whiskey in the walls keeps the insects out. Whatever makes her happy. Oh, by the way, what about the new lights for the store room?”
“Morgan called yesterday morning and they’ll be in some time this week. I’ll install them the minute they come in. Scout’s honor.”
This time Jade chuckled to herself. “Good enough. I don’t want Wolf taking out the back wall because he doesn’t see it coming. If you need me, I’ll be in receiving.”
He saluted, spun around, and headed down the hall.
Before Jade could get out of her chair her cell phone jingled. “This is Jade.”
“What a beautiful voice you have in the morning. I’ll bet no other woman sounds like you do this early.” Matt Dixon sounded like he was purring.
“And good morning to you. The way you described your life to me, I didn’t expect to hear from you for a week. This is a wonderful surprise.” Jade wanted to laugh out loud with the pleasure she was feeling inside. Suddenly the day was gorgeous.
“I’m just glad you’re still speaking to me. If it’s okay with you, I’ll call you every couple of days, when I can. Of course, you can call me any time you want to. I’d love it.”
“What if you’re in the middle of glass blowing?”
“Like I told you, I don’t do that stuff any more, at least not on one of my own projects. It costs too much. But don’t worry about it. When I’m working with a team my phone is always on messages only. I won’t even carry the thing when we’re working the glass. I can’t afford the distraction and a blob of hot glass could destroy a phone in the pocket like a flash.”
“Better the phone than your skin.”
“True. So how goes your company? Everything all right?”
“It’s peaceful as I’ve ever seen it around here, which means we’re probably due for some monumental foul up.” She leaned back and tried to dredge up something she could say which would prolong the conversation.
“Spoken like a true pessimist.”
“My dad used to say the same thing about me but I seldom panic and he used to go into a frenzy about something on one of his projects at least once a week. I don’t hear from him much so maybe he’s retired. Are you still in Frisco?”
“No, actually I’m in Joseph, in your fine state, right now. I delivered the shipment I got from Lee and I’m taking orders from a couple of the foundries here. The lady who ordered the rubies and sapphires is ecstatic with what he got her so that looks good for the future. I dropped them off to her in Half Moon Bay before I headed up here. She’s in Rafael Omano’s stable.”
“His stable? What is she, a horse?”
“Actually, he contracts with creative types and they become his exclusive full-time people. He’s got a guy who writes music for him and the woman I told you about does sculptures only for Omano’s estates. I guess he has about six places and they’re all over the world.”
“You mean they can’t sell their stuff to anybody else?”
“Not without his permission, but they live on his estates and travel with him, sometimes, and it’s quite a life of luxury.”
“Yuck! That still sounds like slavery to me. I’d hate it.”
“Me, too. Well, I’d better let you go. I see my client waving at me. Be good to yourself. I think of you all the time.”
“And I think of you.”
By quitting time Velma had eight new phone orders and Jade had entered all of the orders which had come in the mail. The e-mail orders appeared in her final day’s computer report and made her feel pretty secure. “What would we do without the computer?” She gave her computer tower an affectionate pat and went through the shut down procedure.
It amazed her when she thought about the fact that her company was only comprised of six people during the week plus six more who came in on Fridays when they were needed for a big shipping day. The number of shipments to customers seemed to grow from month to month and they would soon find themselves in the holiday frenzy. It had taken Jade five years to establish her contacts with companies all over the United States and a few around the Pacific to service her thousand plus regular customers. Her company wasn’t making her rich but it supported four families and a handful of individuals and she had very little debt. Life was good.
She said good night to each employee as she locked up and ended up in receiving. “Any problems, Wolf?”
“No. Even driving in the stores area isn’t exciting any more. I can actually see where I’m going now. Jack hooked up some temporary lighting until the good stuff comes. He took all the thrill out of it.” Wolf’s straight white teeth gleamed while he walked out of the dark storeroom and locked it.
“Good. I don’t need that kind of excitement on the part of any of my people. Give my best to Lupe.”
He waved and headed for his old pickup while Jade locked the door to the dock. She climbed into the driver’s seat of her old station wagon and froze when she heard someone walk up behind her. Jade locked her door and was rolling her window up
when a meaty hand grabbed the top of the glass.
“That’s pretty dumb, Al. You could lose a hand that way.”
“You know, for a pretty gal you have the manners of a rattlesnake.” Alfred Winks’ gravelly voice made Jade’s skin crawl.
“Hold that thought. It ought to make you back off and leave me alone. I’m sure there are all kinds of glamour girls out there who would love to warm your bed for you.” Jade refused to look at Winks but she kept one eye on his hand.
“Is that what your problem is? You’re mad at me for enjoying the ladies? You could become my prime entertainment and then you wouldn’t have to share me with anybody.”
“Give all those ladies my regards and leave me the hell alone or I will get some legal help and hit you with a restraining order.”
His voice was a contemptuous snarl. “Based on what?”
“It’s against the law, now days, to stalk a woman who has publicly stated that she wants you to leave her alone. I know you’re a little out of touch but your lawyer can look it up.”
“Look, I’m offering you a hell of a lot of money for a simple little errand. All you have to do is get me a set of ivory pool balls and I’ll even double my price. I’ll give you five grand and you can pick it up in cash, if you want to, when you drop them off. What’s wrong with that?”
“First of all, Wolf would be delivering them and I don’t want him running around with that much cash on him and, secondly, I can’t guarantee that I can get real ivory at any price. It would take a couple of months, most likely. Actually, I just don’t need the business that badly, Al. Send one of your flunkies to Hong Kong and he can probably get them cheaper. Now move your hand or lose it.” Jade was ready to hear a crunch and a scream but the hand was gone. A second later it crashed against the glass before she could pull out but she didn’t look for any cracks until she got back to the farm.
Jade didn’t hear from Matt until Wednesday night when she was climbing into bed. “I miss you, Jade Holloway. What would you like us to do to get together?”
“I’d love to see you but I’d like to get to know you before we do anything more than talk. Can you handle that?”
“Of course, I can. I don’t want this to be a one-night stand. Do you want to meet here or should I stop there? I’m not talking about moving in on you. You do have motels around there, don’t you?”
“Yes we do, but I also have a guest room. We don’t have to worry about my uncle and housekeeper being underfoot. We pretty much ignore each other when we have guests.”
“All right. I’m on my way to Seal Rock in the morning to take some orders for some equipment and then I’m heading for the Bay. I can stop there on my way south or you can meet me down in Arizona. What’s your pleasure?”
“If you can stop here on your way down we’ll be glad to see you, whenever you get in. Just give me a call when you’re a couple hours away and Tilly will make you a pie. Her cooking is legendary.”
“You make it impossible to say no. I get to be with a lovely woman and eat real food. I may not survive the euphoria. I’ll call before I come.”
“Anything exciting happening with your artists?”
“I’m working on a proposal I think Lee can help me with. I’ll tell you all about it when I get there. I’ve got an early appointment so I’d better let you go. The thought of seeing you will keep me awake but at least I’ll be warm. Good night.”
After he hung up Jade wondered if she would sleep. She drifted off until visions of how he might look naked while he led her to the meadow behind the apple tree woke her the next morning. She hoped his next call would come soon.
* * *
On Friday afternoon the crew finished the packing a little early and the shipping agent picked up the packages ten minutes later so Jade was able to get home a little before five. After she drove into the yard she felt so restless she decided to go for her walk before dinner. Instead of finishing her usual circuit around the house she wandered along the fence until she came to a trio of trees, two walnut and one apple. Jade climbed up onto an apple branch which resembled an enormous L and picked the red fragrant sphere just above her head. She rinsed it with water from her pint bottle and took a big bite. The snap and sudden sweetness satisfied in a way nothing else could. There was something about feeding herself in the wild that made her feel whole, at peace, secure.
“Why don’t you come on down here and talk to me? You look like a little kid up there. I can’t take somebody seriously who looks like a little kid.” Alfred Winks’ voice sounded as nasty as ever.
Jade felt herself go cold all over. Where was Uncle Cedric? Right now she’d settle for Tilly with a shotgun in her hands. “What the hell are you doing, sneaking up on me on my own place? I don’t want you here and I told you too many times to stay away from me. Now I’m ordering you off my place.”
Her cell phone jingled. Jade picked it up and said a prayer of thanks that she didn’t have to push a button to answer it. It was voice activated. “This is Jade.”
“You sound angry. Is everything okay?”
“I’m sure glad you called. I have a trespasser here and if he doesn’t leave right now I want you to come and haul him off. Yes, I will sign the complaint, Sheriff. Thank you.”
“Jade, are you in trouble? Is there somebody I should call.”
“Oh, I doubt that will be necessary, Sheriff. I’m sure he’ll cooperate once he realizes I’m ready to file charges.”
Winks’ face had turned beet red. He seemed to have trouble getting his breath.. “Damn it, Jade. I just want to talk to you. Since when is that a crime? I think you have a screw loose. Forget it!” He stomped off toward his fancy pickup and waved Cedric away when he passed him on the meadow. Cedric had a .30-.30 in his hands and was shouting something at Winks.
“Matt? Matt, are you still there?”
“Yes, I am. I’m going to call the local dispatcher and get you some help.”
“Wait! Don’t! I’m sorry I scared you but it did get the guy to leave and he really was scaring me. I’m sorry I upset you. My uncle is here now and he has his rifle. I’ve had some trouble with this neighbor and this time I’m going to the sheriff’s department with it. I’m fed up. Try to relax. I really want to see you and I don’t want you to have an accident worrying about me. We’ll be waiting for you. Where are you?”
“I just passed a junction south of Cottage Grove. I tried to call before but couldn’t get through.”
“You haven’t got far to go.” She told him the exact landmarks to lead him to Agate Farm and then hung up and jumped down to where her uncle was staring up at her.
“You mean that bastard had you treed? We’ve got to do something about him, Jade? I don’t like him prowling around here like he owns the place.”
“I was already up there when he showed up and I was enjoying the peace and quiet until he ruined it. Don’t worry, I’m going to Nelson with this, this time. I’ve had it. But, right now, I’d better go tell Tilly we’ll have a fourth for dinner. Thanks, Uncle. Really. He had me spooked.”
CHAPTER THREE
Jade couldn’t believe how her heart was thumping by the time she had freshened up, pulled on a fresh plaid shirt, and helped Tilly with the dinner table. She told herself to settle down and act like an adult. She was thirty-one years old! So why did she feel like she was eighteen and having her first serious crush on a guy? It was embarrassing.
She forgot all that the minute Matt drove into the yard and did his cat-like walk to the porch. Jade hurried past her uncle, giving him a grateful smile, and walked out to greet her guest.
The minute he saw her he smiled as if he had known her a long time. Tingles of fire slid up her back to her heart. “May I?”
His eyes told her what he was asking. She leaned up in time to meet his kiss. She deepened it and was rewarded with several more. “Boy, am I glad to see you. There’s nothing like kissing a gorgeous guy after fending off a creep.”
Matt’s eyes sto
pped shining and dark shadows crossed his face. “Who is this guy who was bothering you? Former boyfriend?”
Jade snorted at the idea. “Hardly. On my dumbest day I wouldn’t give him a first look. He owns the next ranch over that way.” She pointed to the west. “It’s a big ranch he plays with in the summer months. He doesn’t know a cow from cabbage but he knows how to be totally obnoxious. That may be his only talent. Anyway, I called our local sheriff and told him about Winks constantly coming on to me and he said to come down there in the morning and fill out a complaint. It’s the only way to get a file started so I can get a restraining order next time. Come on. Let’s forget people like that and enjoy Tilly’s cooking.”
Tilly and Cedric seemed to warm to Matt instantly, especially after he told her she had to be the best cook he had ever met. “I feel like I’ve been living on hard tack and bad water after tasting your food. I liked my mother’s Korean cooking but sometimes it was too hot for me. I’ll have to wait on that beautiful pie you’re cutting. I forgot to leave room for it.”
“If you don’t mind my asking, what is it you do? Jade said you blew on glass sometimes and you made safety equipment for other folks who do the same. I don’t rightly know what you do with glass you blow on. I know Jade has that pretty bowl in her special case and I can’t figure how you make stuff like that but what is a body supposed to do with it after you make it?” Cedric’s eyes were glued on Matt’s face.
Matt smiled and glanced away. “Glass blowing is just art for beauty’s sake. I don’t work on the stuff some people use for drinks at parties or to put flowers in. I leave that to factory people. Glass blowing is generally the kind of art that doesn’t have to have any use except to nourish the soul.”
“Hmmm.” Cedric didn’t look convinced.
“Haven’t you ever seen a painting of some scene that just gladdened your heart? You’ll have Matt thinking you have no fine sensibilities.” Tilly looked exasperated.
“I’ve seen plenty of paintings. Some of them gladdened my heart and other parts of me, too.” A smile sneaked up the side of his face.
Jade Page 4
