Free Velvet Touch by Velvet Touch Page A

balmy Hawaiian nights. On Holt's island one often had to build a
fire in the evening to take off the chill!
    "What will you do if that position doesn't come
through? What if nothing very interesting comes through by fall?"
    "Worried you're going to still have me hanging around
all winter?" She chuckled.
    "Is
that a distinct possibility?" he murmured.
    Lacey
laughed outright "Don't worry. I've got a couple of other ideas tucked
away."
    He looked fascinated, watching her animated face with great
attention. "Like what?"
    "You're really interested?" She lifted one
eyebrow rather skeptically.
    "I've already told you that you intrigue me." He
growled softly, the intent gleam in his eyes darkening.
    "This is something I’ve never discussed with anyone,"
Lacey began slowly, wondering what was prompting her to do so now.
    "I’m listening," he encouraged, reaching for a
chunk of sourdough bread and liberally spreading it with butter.
    "Well, I'm thinking of going into business for myself.
Perhaps doing some consulting. All sorts of companies need advice on setting up
and maintaining files, establishing microfilming programs for their records,
things like that Or perhaps I'll try something totally new like being a travel
agent or running a boutique. . . ."
    "You're really searching, aren't you?" Holt asked
gently, with an unexpected degree of genuine understanding in his deep tones.
He hesitated and then said quietly, "I went searching once. . . ."
    "I know and it didn't work. You promised we wouldn't
discuss that topic," Lacey interrupted softly.
    "I promised not to lecture. I was merely going to tell
you a little about myself. Aren't you interested?" He looked hurt
    Guilt
overwhelmed her as she realized she was making a habit of steering him away
from any personal conversation about himself. Impulsively she stretched a hand
across the table and touched his. "Yes." She smiled warmly, honestly.
"I want to know something about you. The only reason I shy away from the
subject is because I'm afraid you're only using it as a wedge to give me more
sound advice."
    His
fingers closed around her own and he answered her smile with an intimate,
knowing look. "I gave you my word earlier. I'll keep it No lectures."
    "So
tell me about your brief, wild flight to freedom," she challenged,
laughingly removing her hand as the salmon arrived.
    "Where shall I begin?
I've told you it's a long story. I practically grew up at the inn. My parents
traveled a lot due to my dad's job. He was always going to odd places around
the world. My grandparents often took me to stay on the island and somewhere
along the fine everyone just started assuming that one day I'd take over the
inn."
    "Did your parents
encourage that notion, too?"
    "Oh,
yes. My grandfather was a very aggressive, single-minded man. He wanted the inn
to stay in the family and he'd resigned himself to the fact that my father
wasn't going to take over the place. That left me. Mom and dad were happy
enough to get him off their backs and have him turn his attention to me as the
future heir!"
    "How
did you feel about it?" Lacey asked keenly, empathizing with a little boy
who found himself being groomed and directed from his earliest years toward a
specific goal.
    "I didn't
fight it I loved the place as a kid and worked here summers while I was in
school. By the time I graduated
from college it seemed logical to take over running the inn full-time. But
there was a hitch. It fumed out that my grandfather, in spite of his claims,
wasn't about to retire. It just didn't work having two stubborn Randolphs
trying to manage the place."
    "I'll bet!" Lacey could imagine Holt's
determination and will matched against an older version of himself. The
irresistible force and the immovable object
    Holt
lifted one shoulder in silent agreement, his expression wry. "To shorten
the tale, as you might have guessed, granddad and I quarreled more and more
frequently. I finally told him I was going to find something else to do