Uncommon Emotions Part 5

Raven's eyes sparkled. "I was right, you are a softy."

*49 "More like a sucker," I snickered. "Anyway, five more dogs and two years later, I decide there has to be a better way to deal with this. So, I organized a fundraising shindig and got the businesses in town to donate everything. We did well enough the first year to keep the shelter from ever having to euthanize another pet and now local businesses bid for the chance to host the event each year. They raise enough for operating expenses and expansion as well as donations to other shelters."

"That's not only a great idea, it's impressive as h.e.l.l."

"Purely selfish, I a.s.sure you," I brushed aside her compliment. "I love these guys, but I couldn't handle taking in every dog that didn't get adopted. When I got a call about several cats that needed a home, something had to be done."

"Heaven forbid you take in cats," she teased, placing a hand on my shoulder and leaning toward me. I caught a whiff of rosewater and, for a moment, my knees felt like they would give out. Being an entirely new sensation, I didn't know if I should step back to distance myself from the source and risk crumpling to the floor or simply continue to stand here being a.s.saulted by the unfamiliar feelings. Fortunately, Augustus, my foxhound mix, chose that moment to whip his body around and stumble into me for a rub. The motion forced me back a step, and I used the excuse to grasp him to regain my figurative balance.

"Whoa, somebody needs a little attention." I rubbed his hindquarters.

"Jealous boys, I see." She looked down at the two males, who doubled as the biggest attention seekers in the bunch.

"They're hams, these guys. My ladies are perfect angels." I indicated the others.

"I can see that. They must be fun to have around."

"They are that. Any pets?" I swept everybody into motion toward the kitchen for a continued tour.

"Two horses. It's why I live out this way," she referenced the remote by Seattle standards part of the 50*

eastside where we were. "I bought my place for the land, the barn, and the corral. Now, if I could just get my house to look like this, I'd never leave."

"Oh, thank you. I've been thinking about adding a corral for horses, but I figured I've got enough with these guys."

"Do you ride?" She faced me, excitement animating her features.

"Not regularly, but I love to ride when I get the chance."

"Say you'll join me sometime? I don't know many people who like to ride, and if I take one horse out without the other, talk about jealousy when I get back to the barn."

Another acceptance screamed inside my head, but something kept me from blurting it out. She was my client, well, the niece of my client, and I should keep things professional. There's a difference between possibly sitting together at a basketball game for which we both have tickets and going to her home to spend several hours exploring the countryside on unpredictable beasts.

She seemed to sense my reluctance. "I'm about ten minutes away, and it would be great to get your input on remodeling or starting from scratch with my place."

I stared at her for a moment longer, unconsciously making my decision. "That sounds fun. We'll definitely have to take a ride."

"Something tells me that I'd better pin down a specific day or it will always be a someday sort of thing with you."

Any second I expected to start feeling defensive about how easily she'd read me, deny her guess, and shut down her attempt at becoming friends, but miraculously the self-preservation didn't occur. "You might be right."

She smiled like she'd just discovered a secret about me.

"Next weekend? Not only will we get to ride, but we'll keep you from working. Don't think I haven't noticed that you're in the office most weekends. I'm amazed to see you here now."

*51 I couldn't help but laugh at how well she seemed to know me. "You must be just as guilty if you're noticing that I'm in the office on the weekends."

"Definitely guilty. Kelly always gives me a hard time about it. She claims that my working weekends makes me crankier every day of the week, not just on Monday mornings. But now that it's summer, I make it a point to take as much of my weekend off as I can manage."

The mention of Kelly felt like she just snapped her fingers in front of my face. That's right. Raven's not entirely the incredibly sophisticated, amazingly smart, uniquely together woman she appears to be. I wanted to slap myself for being so critical of her, but the affair with Kelly went completely against type for her. Not that I knew her that well, but it was such an anomaly from the rest of the character traits she presented every time we were together.

I took a step to the side, nearly stumbling over Dria who liked to keep her little terrier body close to my feet. The movement broke the cycle of verdicts running through my head about this woman. Raven clasped my arm to make sure I didn't fall but dropped her hand when I made a show of righting myself. She studied me cautiously, obviously confused by my sudden change in demeanor. I tried to hide it under the guise of continuing our tour.

When we'd looked through the rest of the house, I took her out back to the extra building that could serve as a barn if I ever got livestock, or a guest house if I ever had guests, but currently acted as a combo gymnasium and game room.

"Oh, wow!" Raven exclaimed on the walk over. I thought she was talking about the three bold yet temporary splashes of color on the side wall of the building, but she wasn't facing that direction anymore. She'd started toward my open garage. "That's a '63?" She reverently ran a hand over the hood of my car.

A chuckle escaped before I could answer her. "'65, I liked the back end better."

52*

She moved to the rear to get a look. "It's a beauty."

"You like old cars?"

"It's kind of a thing with me. My first car was a '64 Mustang. Then I upgraded to a '68 Camero SS. I don't know why I got rid of either."

"Yeah, I'd have to agree. You're crazy for letting those cla.s.sics get away," I joked.

"Go ahead, give me grief. I berate myself daily. This is a true cla.s.sic right here, topped only by the '57 Thunderbird, maybe."

"Please!" I argued playfully. "Nothing beats a Stingray, especially when you get your hands dirty doing most of the work."

Her appraising eyes turned back to me. "You're a modern marvel, aren't you? General contractor, auto mechanic, dog rescuer-"

"Corporate raider, thief of jobs-"

"All right, I can see I won't win this one." She waved a hand, pushing aside the argument.

I looked down at the car and made a decision. "I haven't been able to drive it for a while, but I finished putting in a transmission earlier. I'd planned to meet the messenger, you, at the gate, and get back here to enjoy the work. Now that I actually know the messenger, you, want to go for a spin?"

What sounded like a blissful moan left her mouth, causing a swimming sensation to flood my senses. I must not have gotten enough to eat today because these reactions were so unlike me. "Even more than I wanted to look at your house. Are you sure you don't mind company for your test drive?"

"No, and I'd like it even better if you drove."

Her face registered excited shock. "Tell me you're just the nicest person on the planet and not letting me drive because you're about to recommend that Uncle Archie shut down the business?"

*53 "You'll find out when I present to the board, I guess," I quipped.

She took the proffered keys and slipped behind the wheel. Her hands ran over the dash, along the steering wheel, around the gear shift, and across the immaculate interior. It seemed as if things weren't real to her until she touched them; this wasn't the first time I'd noticed. After kicking over the engine, she turned what amounted to an illegal grin my way. She could be jailed for the potency of that smile. I had no choice but to return the grin as we edged out of the garage.

My first full weekend away from work and, so far, nothing about it was going as planned. Looking over at Raven, I honestly couldn't care less.

Chapter 8.

M ired in hour three of a.n.a.lysis, I wasn't all that bothered about it today. Especially when I felt that shoulder brush against me again. Raven was reaching for last year's financials and inadvertently tilted toward me.

"Sorry," she murmured, settling back in her seat.

Like I was going to protest. It wasn't just that we'd spent the better part of Sat.u.r.day afternoon driving around and getting to know each other. No, it had started with Kelly's kiss. That kiss had more than surprised me, it had awakened my senses. I'd never been more aware of my personal s.p.a.ce than I was right now. To distract my imaginings, I asked, "Are you seeing the same line item appear prior to 2002?"

She flipped through page after page of expenses. "Yes, but it's not nearly as large as what we've been questioning.

How did you pick up on this?"

"Number crunching is my life."

"Ahh, a person who really knows how to live." She b.u.mped her shoulder against me on purpose this time.

"You're a little twisted, aren't you?" I risked that she'd understand my sense of humor and not get offended.

"Just a little?" Okay, she definitely gets it.

"Do I need to ask who your favorite Sesame Street character was?"

"Big Bird," she responded immediately.

*55 "Liar." My accusation started a round of laughter, and I felt dismayed by how much I already liked her. It wouldn't be the first time I got along with one of my clients, but definitely the first time I'd consider extending the friendship past the contract period.

"Hey, Auntie R," a cheery voice called out just before a young woman sailed through the doorway. "Oh, excuse me.

Kelly wasn't at her desk, so I didn't realize you were busy.

Hi, I'm Ray." She waved and brushed her long brown hair back over her shoulder in the same motion. The wide smile she wore reminded me of someone else in the room.

Raven and I stood from the table together as she introduced me. "Joslyn Simonini, meet my favorite niece."

Ray chortled at the introduction but accepted her aunt's warm embrace. "She means her only niece."

"Doesn't mean you're not my favorite, kid."

"Hi, Ray, nice to meet you." I shook her hand in greeting.

"Nice to meet you, too." She responded before turning her flashing brown eyes to her aunt. "Quick question since you're busy. Can I steal you for dinner sometime this week?"

"Is that code for take me out to dinner before I kill my parents while I'm on summer break?" Raven touched her forehead to her niece's. The simple display of affection spoke volumes about their closeness.

"They're driving me crazy." Her statement didn't come with the usual petulant exasperation of youth. "I want to be an actor, so what? Can't you talk to my dad at least?"

"Hon, they're parents; it's their job to worry. You could appease them with a fallback major, you know." Raven managed not to sound authoritative or condescending when giving this advice.

"Like this company isn't my fallback? Come on, it's everyone's fallback." The young woman sighed dramatically before her eyes snapped back to her aunt's.

56*

"Not yours, I mean, but everyone else in this family. I already spend my summers here. Uncle Nathan tries to make me commit to an employment contract every year before I go back to college. I think Dad's been bribing him."

"Well, you are a whiz with computer security, youngster."

Ray gave her an exasperated look that said she thought absolutely everyone was good with computers. "So, dinner?

What do you say?"

"Sure, we can try that new Indian place over by your house. How's Thursday?"

"Cool for me. Thanks, Auntie R."

Kelly interrupted from the doorway with a message for Raven. "Dwayne Lightfoot is on line one for the third time today."

"Excuse me a moment." She looked tempted to roll her eyes but went to pick up the phone instead.

Kelly joined us and squeezed Ray's shoulder in greeting.

She turned to me and asked in a hushed voice, "Did Raven find the cash flow statements from 2000-2002?"

"She did, thanks. I think we're going to need '95-'99 as well."

"Oh sure, I can get those out of storage on my way back from lunch."

"That would be great."

"Are you new to Aunt Raven's staff?" Ray asked me.

Kelly snickered and jutted an elbow into Ray's side. Ray glanced down at her arm before shooting her a questioning stare. "She's the, umm..."

Ray stared expectantly at her before her eyes widened.

She faced me again with surprised amus.e.m.e.nt and an accusing finger. "Oh, oh! You're the slasher?"

"Raven!" The admonishing tone came from behind us.

We turned at the sound. Raven was just setting down the phone. I didn't have time to make sense of what she said *57 before she continued, "Joslyn's here to help this company.

Please don't refer to her that way."

"Sorry," Ray apologized to her before turning and repeating to me, "Sorry. It's just that by the way everyone else is talking I expected some huge East German mama who cleans her fingernails with a buck knife."

The funny image she painted helped to jar me out of my bewilderment. "Hate to disappoint, but I'm short, Italian, and I don't even own a pocketknife." Even the responding chuckle couldn't deflect my confusion from earlier. "Did she just call you Raven?"

"She's my namesake." Raven grasped the back of her niece's neck. "She likes to butcher her father's gesture by referring to herself as Ray."

"Raven sounds like I'm trying to sound Hollywood. Ray is believable and unique," Ray reported like she'd done a ton of research on the subject.