In for a penny. “If you were trying to find a way to convince me I don’t want to spite myself just to show my father he was wrong, you found it.”
He grinned at her “It wasn’t my intent, but I’m hardly going to argue with results.”
Chapter 14
They touched down on an empty baseball diamond twenty minutes later after a return to neutral topics. The basket bumped against the ground, jarring Cami’s knees, though she’d bent them slightly to cushion the blow as Vince had directed. Joel, Jeremy, and the teens rushed to help them secure the basket and begin pulling the balloon down. Cami climbed out of the basket, laughing as she approached Sage. The kiss hadn’t been the only thrilling part of the ride, and she hoped she got another chance to go up. “That was awesome. I hope you weren’t too bored.”
“Joel entertained me. You’re glowing—it must have been a nice ride.” Sage’s eyes sparkled at Cami. “What did I say about meeting your match?”
“I don’t know about that, but the side trip should be fun.” Cami straightened her ruffled hair. They almost overshot their destination when the breeze had grown stronger than expected. “It was wonderful. I definitely want to try it again someday.”
“Good. Hey, you were probably too busy to pay attention to your cell phone up there, but Lana reached me a while ago and said we’d want to check out a news story. She sent you a link.” She pulled out her phone, flashed it. “Mine doesn’t have the Internet. Maybe you’ll have better luck.”
Cami pulled out her Droid and checked the screen, finding a message from Lana. Strange she hadn’t heard it, but she’d been a bit distracted for most of the trip. The cell signal had probably been stronger in the balloon than it was now as she barely had one bar. She pocketed the phone again.
“I’ll have to wait until we get back into town. The signal there’s better.” She eyed Sage, realizing the strain between them had lessened and hoped they could get back to being, well, not friends, but angry with each other, either. “Why don’t you have a smart phone? You’ve got scads of things to keep track of, and it’s only going to get worse. We’ll talk to Lana, have her get you one. We can set it up to sync with your terminal at the hotel.”
Sage shook her head. “No way. Those things confuse me.”
“You’ll catch on soon, and then you’ll wonder what you ever did without it.” Seeing the balloon back on the ground, she tugged Sage’s arm and they hurried to help pack it.
~*~
The parade was about to start when they all jogged up to the spot in the crowd Vince’s family had staked out. Cami greeted everyone, and kept her ears open for names, to try to pick up the ones she’d confused or forgotten since the previous evening. The event opened with the military bringing the flags, followed by the golf course’s float.
Cami leaned over to Sage. “We need to think about doing a float for next year. Maybe something highlighting your spa? Think about it; we’ll talk to Lana.” They would be employing a lot of locals and wanted to find a way to let residents feel the resort was part of the community.
“Speaking of, did you check out the link she sent you?”
“Oh, right.” Cami dug out her phone again and clicked the link, she called out praise for the high school band as they marched past in perfect rhythm. Gage made a comment which made his two friends laugh out loud. Cami smiled at them ribbing each other, then glanced back at the screen.
Her smile died as the news article popped up on the Chicago area gossip magazine.
DiCarlo heiresses squander time and money at summer retreat
Hotel magnate George DiCarlo has been in the ground only six weeks and already his daughters are sitting back enjoying their freedom. Many people have questioned their ability to put together the quality of hotel that has long given DiCarlo his good name. Concerns seem to be justified, as the daughters don’t appear to be working hard to get things ready for opening day in less than two months.
While vacationing in the Rocky Mountain town of Juniper Ridge this week, eldest daughter, Camellia DiCarlo, and second eldest, Sage Parker mixed with locals, enjoyed fair food, and got it going on with a few of the down-home country boys.
A picture of Cami and Vince standing beside her Z4 the previous evening, close enough they could have been kissing popped up next. The caption read, “Lawn mower extraordinaire seems to have caught Camellia’s fancy—and her lips—during a heated embrace in public before they took things to a more private venue.”
Directly below it was a shot of Sage sitting between Gage and Jeremy, laughing with them, her eyes lit up. “Sage seems unable to choose one of the handsome hunks—ski bum or photography buff.”
The article went on to question whether any of the sisters was taking their responsibilities seriously and what it portended for the business’s chance of success.
Cami was speechless, unable to decide whether she was more shocked, horrified, furious, or amused by the mix of ridiculous supposition and outright lies.
“What is it? You look ready to punch someone.” Sage reached for the phone.
Cami scrolled the article back to the top and handed the phone over, trying to keep her reaction under control. Sage wouldn’t be used to the horrible things the media came up with. “Don’t take it too seriously. Gossip rags are always searching for an angle.” The idea of the article winding up all over the country at grocery store stands made Cami’s stomach tighten in a knot, however. She’d have to call Lana as soon as she could pull away for a minute.
There was a noise almost like a whimper, and Cami saw Sage with her hand over her mouth. Her face had lost all color. “It says where we are,” she whispered. “I knew something was going to happen, I just didn’t know what.”
“And no publicity is bad publicity,” Cami said, though as they weren’t rock stars, it wasn’t true. She wasn’t buying into Sage’s prescience. She eased the phone from Sage’s white-knuckled grip. She wasn’t as sanguine as the comment made her sound—not nearly—but Cami was at least used to living in a fish bowl, and Sage was not. “Everyone pretty well knew where we are anyway. Most of the terms of the will were spelled out pretty clear, and we’ve been touting this new hotel everywhere.” Still, she found herself checking for cameras pointed their direction, and eyeing Jeremy with suspicion as he picked out a shot of the cheerleaders dancing by.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Vince asked as he leaned in to Cami from the other side.
She pasted on a smile and hoped she could ease the concern in his eyes. This was not the time. “Nothing much, minor hotel stuff. Nothing that can’t wait until after the parade, at least. Tell me about the horseback riding club. Do you know of anyone in the area who takes paying customers out for trail rides?”
He didn’t appear convinced that there was nothing to worry about, but he allowed the change of subject. Cami squeezed Sage’s elbow comfortingly when the worry continued to crease the woman’s brow, then buried her own concerns until she had time to think it over later.
When the parade ended and they had made the rounds of the park again, Joel dropped the girls off at home to pick up Sage’s car and the cake Mrs. Grady had made for them the previous day and followed them to Vince’s parents’ home. Cami rode with Sage while Vince swung by his place to grab the two elephant hybrids he said were dogs. Cami took the opportunity to call Lana and chat.
“It’s about time you called. It’s been hours since I sent you the link. I called four times in the past hour,” Lana said in lieu of hello.
“Sorry, I couldn’t hear it over the parade. Vince has been introducing me to lots of the local business owners. It’s been very productive.”
“Yeah, yeah, can we get back to the issue at hand?”
“Stop freaking out. Yes, I’m going to do my best to track down where the pictures and article came from, but it’s bound to create more speculation and interest in the hotel. I wouldn’t worry about it. I popped onto Twitter and left a note about enjoying the local color during the h
oliday. No one’s going to think twice about it.” If they were lucky, she thought.
“Yeah, you weren’t here for the Whitneys’ annual party, though, were you?”
“When was that?”
“Yesterday.” Lana huffed.” I can’t believe you’re there taking it easy and I’m dealing with the Whitneys and Carters. Seriously, this gets worse every year. Anyway, I overheard a rather well-projected whisper about Dad wanting to keep us all under the same roof so he could have someone babysit us. There was the expected comment about Blake being moved to the location as babysitter, and how Alex is supposed to be all but moving in as well—I had to ask Alex for confirmation. He denied it, though.”
The role of listening ear wasn’t new to Cami, so she said what Lana needed to hear. “You know Dad had total trust in you—he wouldn’t risk the business if he didn’t. You’re going to do a smashing job. We all are, and soon everyone else will know it. Settle down.”
“I don’t like it, Cami. Something feels off.”
“So noted. Now, go enjoy your holiday, put this aside. When you get back here next week we’ll review the damage, and anything else you’ve been able to glean on the gossip mart. Then we can handle any problems. But there won’t be anything major, so take it easy.”
“It certainly looks like you’re taking it easy.” Lana paused. “Sorry I’m such a worrywart. What’s up with you and Vince? Were you actually kissing him, or was that a photography trick?”
“No kisses.” She waited a beat. “Last night, anyway.” She couldn’t help but feel smug. Kissing was definitely one of his talents, and she had the feeling she hadn’t seen anything yet. She had every intention of learning more about his skill in that area before this was over.
“All right, that’s it! We’re so having a long chat when I get back. Ugg, here comes Clarissa Clearwater. Gotta go.”
“Bye.” Cami chuckled as she hit the end button. “Better you than me, sis.” Clarissa Clearwater would be sure to share every tidbit of gossip with Lana, but she would expect the same back in return. It would be a miserable tight wire for Lana to maneuver. Yet another reason Cami was grateful to be in Colorado for the next year.
“You aren’t worried, are you?” Sage asked.
Cami shrugged as they pulled in beside Gage’s truck. Sage and Lana were worried for all of them, though it didn’t stop her from seething over the article. If she could smooth the crease in Sage’s brow, acting as if she weren’t disturbed would be worth it. “No point in getting upset before we see where things are going. We were bound to get a few nasty jabs. This will all sort itself out in a while.” She would make sure of it.
Chapter 15
“So what’s been bothering you?” Vince asked as he walked Cami to the front door after the fireworks ended. It had been a wonderful day full of laughter, happy chatter and sufficient food to feed a crowd twice the size of the forty-plus that had gathered in the Talmadge’s yard. And the local fireworks had been spectacular.
“What?” Cami smiled, trying to make him think it was his imagination.
“Sorry, you can’t fool me. Something’s been on your mind since the parade. What were you and Sage reading on your phone?”
Cami debated for a moment before pulling up the article again. She handed it over to him. His brows lifted as he read, but he didn’t seem surprised or upset. “Interesting. It makes me sound like a glorified ditch digger. Not that there’s anything wrong with ditch digging in general, of course, and my employee list may be like a gnat vs a whale compared to what you’ll be hiring shortly, but it’s a living.” He chuckled. “And the bit about Gage being a ski bum—priceless! I can’t wait to show it to him.” He handed the phone back. “Is this article going to cause problems?”
Cami shrugged, not wanting him to know it disturbed her, even if it didn’t qualify as a serious crisis. “PR wise, it’s nothing much on its own. I’ll check it out, but I’m not going to lose a lot of sleep.” She slid the phone into her pocket. “It makes me wonder who was taking the pictures, though. Jeremy’s in one of them, so unless he had some help—”
His voice was hard when he cut her off. “Don’t go there. None of my family—and that includes Jeremy and Gage, who might as well be my brothers—would write something like this or try to make a quick buck at your expense. Earn money from business arrangements with you, sure. If you want professional photos of events or of your new facilities, Jeremy will be happy to help you out for a fee. And if you want to set up the deal for the skiers you were speaking with Gage about, he’ll certainly be on board, but no one’s going to hose you like this.”
Cami studied his face but saw nothing to hint he wasn’t being sincere. “Thanks. I appreciate your candor. And I believe both of those options have possibilities. Jeremy’s name was on the list of locals Dad mentioned we should consider making arrangements with. I’ll bring it up with Lana and Delphi.” She saw the defensiveness melt from his stance and decided to explain further. “Okay, I don’t know anyone here, so I don’t know who or what was out of place yesterday. With everyone in town for the holidays, even you probably don’t know. In fact, it could have been someone who happened across us and thought they could make a quick buck. Like I said, it’s not a big deal, it just made me wonder.”
“Well, so long as we’re clear.” Vince tucked some hair back behind her ear, brushing his fingers across her sensitive neck. “I didn’t mean to open a can of worms right now. I had a great time with you today.” He leaned in and rubbed his mouth across hers, lingering there until she slid into his arms, shifting her head to take a little more. She loved kissing this man.
“I wondered what your week looks like,” he said when he pulled back. “I told Gage I’d give him a hand with the mountain bike festival after I finish my daily rounds. I should be free by Wednesday night, though, if you’d like to grab a bite?”
She smiled. “I think I would. You know how to reach me.”
“And maybe we could take your car for a drive. I could make sure the engine is running right.” His eyes glimmered with hope.
Cami pulled away, turning to the car where Sage waited for her. “Only if I’m driving, Vince.”
“Someday.”
She laughed as she wriggled her fingers at him over her shoulder.
~*~
Vince smiled as the customer exited his office door and turned back to his paperwork, fighting the scowl that wanted to slide onto his face. The day had been insane, and the evenings were worse as he and Jeremy helped Gage with the mountain bike revelers. The festival ended the next afternoon, though, and Vince would be free to spend the evening with the lovely Camellia.
The thought of lingering over a quiet meal with her brightened his mood. Though he ought to focus all of his attention on work—summer was his busiest time and business was booming—Vince was fascinated by Camellia. The fact that her father had all but arranged their marriage should have turned Vince off, as it had his friends to two of George’s other daughters. But now he’d gotten to know Cami a little, he wasn’t going anywhere.
He considered most of the local eating establishments and rejected them in turn until he thought of a charming Italian place. Great atmosphere, quiet, with slightly more privacy than the average restaurant. It would suit his needs perfectly.
He smiled as he picked up the ringing phone. “Nature’s Garden. This is Vince, how can I help you?”
“Hey, it’s Cory. I’m here with Mrs. Stuart and she wants you to swing by and talk to her about adding a pond in her backyard.”
Vince loved doing water features. They were his specialty, though he didn’t get to install them as often as he’d like. “Great,” he flipped through his calendar. “How does tomorrow afternoon work for her? I can manage a consult about two.”
Cory conferred with the client and passed on the woman’s agreement.
Vince checked to see what else was on Cory’s schedule for the day. “Thanks, and Cory, don’t forget to check the Sullivans’ aza
leas. She said they were wilting.”
“I’m headed there now.” Cory said goodbye and hung up.
The kid was good at his job and reliable. In another year or so Vince might let him help with the design work. Visualizing the shape and flow of the Stuart’s yard, Vince imagined a couple of possibilities.
It didn’t take long for his mind to meander back to Cami. He smiled and returned to work.
Chapter 16
Cami continued to make contacts with local businesses, collecting brochures for companies who rented out and guided groups on ATVs, mountain bikes and horseback riding. She discussed package agreements for the ski resort with Gage, and met with local golf courses within an hour’s drive.
Job applications were rolling in. Cami talked with the new HR manager, who happened to be Sage’s half-brother, Harrison. He would be joining them on the mountain before the end of the week. If there was one thing Cami could say about her dad, he liked to keep it all in the family, more or less. She wasn’t sure if that was an advantage or not.
Lana arrived back at the house Wednesday night, an hour before Vince was due to pick up Cami for their date. Soon after her arrival, she came knocking on Cami’s open door.
“So what’s the 411 on you and Vince? A second date already?” Lana asked as she breezed into the room and perched on the corner of the bed.
Cami sat at her mirror and tweaked her hair. “It’s just a second date.” But she could see the smug gleam in her reflection, and a glance at Lana confirmed she saw it as well. Vince had called to verify the time he’d pick her up, but they’d both been on the run, and the conversation had only lasted a couple of minutes. She couldn’t wait to have more time with him.
“Spill. When did he kiss you the first time?” Lana demanded. “I can’t believe you refused to give me any details!”
They could have been back in high school, Cami thought, but she had missed the close camaraderie the two of them had lost as their lives headed in different directions and different cities over the past decade. “He took me for a hot air balloon ride on the Fourth. It was charming and exciting, and almost nauseating because we climbed over three-thousand feet.”
A Perfect Fit Page 8
