“Yes, very,” Paula admitted, blushing at the thought.
“Does he have any children?”
The question had crossed Paula’s mind, too. “Not that I know of.” She had seen no signs to that effect at his house. “But he does have a housekeeper, if that counts for anything.”
“Not as offspring,” Isabelle said with a chuckle. “But it does indicate a desire to keep the house clean, and that’s a good sign since there’s apparently no one to help in that regard.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Paula told her honestly. “I’ve also met his father.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, Sylvester McCord. You remember I worked on his recreation room.”
Isabelle’s eyes widened. “You mean the gentleman in the diamond business?”
Paula nodded. “That’s the one.”
“What about his son?” Isabelle asked inquisitively.
“What about him?”
“What’s his profession?”
“He works with his father,” Paula responded. She could tell by the look in Isa’s eyes where this was going.
Isabelle tilted her head. “Hmm…So maybe this is someone you should get to know personally.”
Paula looked at her thoughtfully. “I’m not sure either of us wants to go there, especially after I sort of put him off when we met earlier today by chance.”
“I doubt he’ll hold that against you,” Isabelle said. “If he did, he wouldn’t have hired you.”
“Point taken.” Paula tasted her diet drink. “Still, ours is a professional relationship, and I don’t want to mess that up.”
Isabelle narrowed her eyes. “You mean like with your last beau?”
She colored. “Kind of.”
The thought left a sour taste in Paula’s mouth. Things between her and Sheldon Burke had started off with a bang and much promise, but in the end it was obvious that he wasn’t the right man for her. She saw no reason to go down that road again too soon, even if Chase seemed like every woman’s dream from what little she knew and had seen of him.
“Don’t let one bad apple taint the entire tree,” Isabelle said, leaning forward. “Maybe it was a sign when he hired you.”
Paula knew her grandmother was big on signs and karma and all that, dating back to her youth in Johannesburg. But she didn’t share this belief, preferring to think that destiny was something you controlled rather than the other way around.
Still, she went along with it up to a point. “I guess I can accept that, just like any job I get might be in the cards, or should I say stars?”
Isabelle smiled. “There could be much more here for you than a job. The man seems to have the right foundation. If he has any common sense, he’ll realize you’re one good catch.”
“You would say that,” Paula said, expecting nothing less from the woman who always saw the best in her.
“I know what I’m talking about,” Isabelle said candidly. “Besides, it’s just as easy to marry a wealthy, handsome, lonely man as it is one who is poor and not so attractive.”
Paula’s eyes widened. “Who says he’s lonely?”
“Who says he’s not?” Isabelle retorted. “There’s only one way to find out.”
Paula chuckled. “What am I going to do with you?”
“I’m not the one you need to worry about, sweetheart.” Isabelle held up her hand, sporting a diamond wedding ring. “I already have my ring. Earl saw to that before he ran into harm’s way, leaving me something very special to remember him by.”
Paula marveled at the ring with tiny diamonds that still sparkled. She’d heard the story a thousand times about how her grandfather worked the railways tirelessly like so many others of his day and died doing what he needed for his family. But not before he’d expressed his deep love for Isa by giving her a diamond engagement ring for Christmas, following it up with the wedding ring the next summer.
Paula never tired of the wonderful tale. Indeed, it had been her wish since childhood to find that type of all-consuming, powerful love from a man who would give her a diamond ring at Christmas—or any other time of year—setting the stage for a lifetime of marital bliss. She wasn’t sure it would ever happen, even if her grandmother seemed to believe it was only a matter of time. Finding a man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with had proven elusive thus far for Paula.
She certainly wasn’t ready to say that Chase McCord could turn out to be her Prince Charming. And since he’d already found true love once, he probably wasn’t looking to get married again, particularly not to someone who had already let him know she wasn’t interested in him romantically. But things had changed since their initial meeting, hadn’t they?
For now, Paula just wanted to focus on giving his great room the type of makeover that would give Chase more than his money’s worth. If anything else happened between them, she was open to crossing that bridge once they got to it.
Chapter 3
Chase entered the offices of McCord Diamonds, Inc., located in a new business complex in downtown Silver Moon. The interior decorator he’d hired was still on his mind. He admired her enthusiasm for the job. Her attractiveness was a bonus, even if it certainly wasn’t a prerequisite for giving his great room a makeover. As a man who had always appreciated female beauty and had been without such in his life since his wife died, Chase couldn’t help but be intrigued by Paula in spite of her earlier brush off.
He greeted the receptionist, Celeste, and headed for his office before Monica Rice intercepted him.
“There you are,” she said.
“Yeah, right on time,” he joked, eyeing the thirty-six-year-old with gold-rimmed glasses and a brunette half updo. He handed her a folder. “Here are those insurance appraisals.”
“Thanks.” Monica gave the contents a cursory look. “No problems, then?”
“None that I saw.”
“Good.” She frowned. “Unfortunately we do have a problem with the new gemologist we hired for the West Slope store.”
Chase raised an eyebrow. “What’s the problem?”
“He’s more interested in hitting on me than designing jewelry.”
Chase chuckled. “Are you sure you’re not misinterpreting his intent?”
Monica pursed her lips into a pout. “I think I know a come-on when I see it, Chase.”
He recalled that Paula had thought the same thing about him earlier today without justification. What was up with women jumping the gun over a simple look of admiration? Wasn’t that part of the point of being attractive and put together? That didn’t mean the gemologist hadn’t stepped over the line and their zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment.
“I’ll talk to him,” Chase told her.
“Not necessary,” she said succinctly. “I think I can handle Mr. Zachary Lockhard.”
Chase caught the glint in her eye, suggesting to him that she was not entirely unresponsive to the man’s interest. Might even be another marriage in the making for his good friend. Maybe he should warn Mr. Zachary Lockhard to leave her alone or be prepared for a walk down the aisle.
“Well, be sure to keep me posted.” Chase glanced at the closed door to his father’s office. “Is Dad in?”
Monica scoffed. “Where else would he be?”
“Right.” His father was even more of a workaholic than he’d become since Rochelle’s death. Chase had little incentive now to step away from the business, with no social life to speak of other than a few dates that went nowhere. He hoped that would change someday. “I’d better bring him up to speed on a few things.”
Chase knocked once on the door, pausing a moment before opening it. His father was talking animatedly on the phone and waved him in.
Sylvester McCord was sixty-five, thirty years Chase’s senior. Tall and slender, his receding hair was gray, matching his deep eyes. As always, he wore an expensive suit, befitting his position as head of the company.
As president of McCord Diamonds, Chase was happy to be a pa
rt of something his father started from scratch and built into a very successful enterprise. He had visions of one day expanding to other states and even abroad. Chase sat across from his father’s large desk, thinking briefly about the redecorating project in his home that signaled a new beginning as he tried to get his personal life back on track.
Sylvester hung up and smiled at his son. “We’re getting in a new line of fine jewelry.”
Chase nodded. “Yes, that’s good. We’ll update our catalog accordingly and reach out to those looking for more than just diamond engagement rings and wedding bands.”
“My feelings precisely. But never overlook what will always be at the core of our business.” Sylvester flashed him a serious look. “People who are getting married depend on us to help them find the perfect rings to signify their bond of love.”
“Of course.” Chase glanced at the finger where his wedding band had been. He’d decided a few months ago that it was time to remove it, though he would always treasure the ring as a keepsake of his love for Rochelle.
“It’s almost time for you to head to Antwerp,” Sylvester said, eyeing him. “Are you ready for it?”
One to two times a year, Chase went to Antwerp, Belgium, known as the diamond capital of the world. As a member of the Independent Jewelers Association, he would make the trek to purchase diamonds for their stores and also act as a diamond broker for select customers.
“I’m always up for the trip,” Chase responded. It was true—though not as much as when Rochelle had been alive. They had always taken advantage of the opportunity to enjoy Antwerp as a romantic getaway. The last two times he’d gone, he’d been there alone and had felt totally miserable, reminded with each place he visited of her and the memories they’d created.
“That’s what I like to hear.” Sylvester leaned back in his chair. “By the way, how did the meeting go this afternoon with the interior decorator?”
“Good. She’s hired.”
“I thought she might win you over.” His father smiled. “She’ll do a great job.”
“I’m sure she will,” Chase said pensively.
“In fact, you might want to keep her around to redecorate the whole house.”
Chase lowered his brows. “I’m not sure I’m ready to take away everything Rochelle put her blood, sweat and tears into.”
“You’ll never take it away from inside you, son.” Sylvester put a fist to his chest. “It doesn’t mean you love her any less if the house is redecorated to represent that you’re moving on with life, like Rochelle would have wanted you to do.”
“I know.” Chase sighed. “I just want to take one room at a time and see how it goes.”
“That’s understandable.” Sylvester drummed his fingers on his desk pad. “So, what did you think of Paula?”
“She seems professional enough,” Chase said nonchalantly.
“Beyond that,” Sylvester probed.
“What do you mean?”
Sylvester grinned. “How did you like her as a woman?”
Chase chuckled uneasily. “Did you recommend her to date, or to redecorate my great room?”
“Both,” he said candidly. “If she can get it done for you on both counts, then that’s even better.”
“Dad, don’t.” Chase decided it was best to stop this train in its tracks in spite of his father’s good intentions.
Sylvester displayed a look of disappointment. “What? She’s a pretty lady, and you’re a chip off the old block when it comes to being urbane, educated and handsome. I just thought that if you two met, well…you could both help each other in more ways than one.”
“Thanks, but I’m okay right now on my own,” Chase clarified.
“I don’t doubt that for a minute. But you need more than just being okay. Having a woman in your life again who you can be serious about would make it worthwhile in ways that this business could never achieve, no matter the success.”
Chase couldn’t deny that he often felt empty and lonely. A woman’s touch that meant something was one of the things he missed most about Rochelle, along with the camaraderie found in a loving relationship. But Paula? Yes, she was certainly the type of woman he was attracted to physically. But her character was a whole different matter.
“Paula and I aren’t on the same wavelength when it comes to romance,” he voiced straightforwardly. Or was he being presumptuous?
Sylvester gazed at him with a cocked brow. “How can you be so sure?”
Chase stiffened. “We had a run-in beforehand, and clearly there were some issues.”
“Since when have you ever shied away from a challenge?” Sylvester asked.
“I’m not shying away from anything,” Chase said with a defensive edge to his tone. “I’d rather not confuse business with my personal life right now.”
“Okay, I get it. You can’t blame the old man for trying to do right by his son, can you?”
Chase smiled, happy to have him there for guidance and support. “No, I can’t.”
“You’ll find someone out there sooner or later to make your life complete again,” Sylvester told him confidently. “I did, and I couldn’t be happier.”
Chase had been just twelve years old when his mother was killed in a car accident. It was the first time death had really hit home for him. Losing someone he loved so much so early in life had been painful. His father, devastated, as well, had remained single for years before meeting Evelyn, a divorcée. They hit it off right away, had a whirlwind romance and tied the knot.
While Chase was pleased with his father’s choice in a partner to share his life, he wasn’t sure he’d be as fortunate. Rochelle had meant everything to him. Though he had no problem with dating women, having someone step into her shoes as a lover, confidante and maybe even wife and mother someday was hard to contemplate at the moment. But that didn’t mean he was totally opposed to the idea, either, if such a lady should materialize. Chase thought about Paula Devine in that regard, even though he knew very little about her aside from the fact that she was an attractive interior decorator and didn’t appear to have much interest in him as a man. Maybe they had both overreacted when they met and just needed time to figure out how they felt.
A week had passed since Paula last saw Chase. During that time, she’d used the photos and measurements she’d taken to study the layout of his great room and had put together what she believed to be a fantastic decor scheme. Paula stood at the door to his home with nervous enthusiasm, as was often the case when she was about to make a presentation.
When Chase opened the door, she noticed that he was wearing a dark designer suit that enhanced his suave good looks. He smelled really good, too.
“Nice to see you again, Paula,” he said smoothly.
“You, too.” She flashed her teeth under the heat of his gaze.
“Come on in.”
Paula followed him inside to the great room. She was keyed up and thoughtful about her plan of action. She hoped Chase would love her ideas and embrace her vision for the room.
Chase faced her. “Can I get you something to drink? There’s water, wine, punch, orange juice…You name it.”
“Nothing for now, thank you,” she told him. “Maybe I’ll have something after the presentation.”
“Okay, why don’t we sit down, then?”
Paula joined Chase at a cluster of chairs with a small table before them, setting her briefcase to the side. “I really admire the way your wife decorated this room,” Paula said honestly. “It has a great ambiance.”
“I appreciate that.” Chase’s chin jutted. “I know she would have been thrilled to hear it, too.”
Paula imagined they might have been friends had the opportunity presented itself, but obviously that would never happen. She would never get to know the woman who had given her love to the man Paula sat next to, but he was someone that she could become better acquainted with, even if strictly on a professional level.
“I hope you’ll like my idea for the
room as much as I do,” she told him evenly.
Chase clasped his hands. “It’ll be interesting to see what you’ve come up with.”
Paula laid her briefcase on the floor, opened it and confidently removed a sketch she’d created. She handed it to him, having already memorized each and every detail.
“First of all, I think the furniture should be arranged in a way that provides a more welcoming, lively environment rather than merely functional.”
“Hmm…” he said, studying the sketch.
“I think we should replace the chairs we’re sitting in with taupe leather chairs and replace this table with a pedestal cocktail table.” Paula stood up, moving toward the sofa and loveseat, feeling as though she had his full attention. “I’d like to swap these with a chenille sectional and bring in a new curved, glass-top coffee table with storage drawers, primavera end tables and Tiffany table lamps.”
“Sounds good,” Chase said, gazing at her.
Paula was encouraged by his reaction. “I believe adding a half-round pine curio near the entrance, a collage of artwork for that high wall and two Caribbean area rugs would complement the furnishings nicely,” she said. “I would finish things off by replacing the window treatments with linen-pleated window shades.”
Chase grinned. “Wow! Your suggestions are really creative. I’m impressed.”
Paula resisted a smile. “That’s nice of you to say, but this is my job, and I take it very seriously.”
“As you should.”
He met her eyes, making Paula feel warm inside. Better keep my mind on the issue at hand. I hope I can say the same for him.
She walked back to her briefcase and got out the cost estimate, handing it to Chase. “If you want to make any adjustments, it’s completely negotiable.”
Chase flipped through the two pages, giving them a quick glance. “It’s fine.”
“Great.” Paula thought about sitting back down, but wasn’t sure if she should get too comfortable. At least not before she’d turned her plan into reality.
Christmas Diamonds Page 3
