Free Bluegrass Seduction (The Bluegrass Billionaire Trilogy Book 1) by Alice Ward, Jessica Blake Page B
Authors: Alice Ward, Jessica Blake
project,” he commented before going back up on Trigger. “Coming?” he asked.
“I’ll be along shortly,” I said, wanting a few minutes to think about Worth without my dad so close.
I watched Dad ride down the trail and my cell rang. It was Worth.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Right now? I’m sitting in the woods and watching the sun set. Dad and I went for a ride and he just left. How about you?”
“I’m in my car, headed home and can’t get you out of my head. Have you bewitched me?”
I turned my face to the sky, warmed by his words. “Geez, this doesn’t sound like you.”
“Why not?”
“You sound all sappy, not your normally uncharismatic self,” I teased him.
“Uncharismatic, am I? I believe there are a few ladies who might disagree with you on that count.”
“I really don’t want to hear about them, you know,” I said sternly.
“In the past. Listen, are you up for a movie or something?”
I smiled to myself. “What sort of something?”
His voice grew lower, deeper. “Whatever you’d like. I’m putty in your hands.”
“You didn’t feel like putty,” I said slyly.
“Listen to you! Where’s my sweet, innocent Auggie?”
“This is goofy. I feel like I’m fifteen,” I giggled.
“Hardly. Seriously, I’d like to talk to you about the idea we were throwing around this morning. I can come get you or we can meet.”
I thought a moment. “I’m in my riding clothes and have to put Carlos away. Why don’t I meet you at the Chopstick on Hurstbourne in about an hour? You can buy me dinner since I haven’t eaten.”
“I’ll see you there. I’ll be the guy with the goofy grin.”
I hung up and felt goofy myself. Carlos got a hurried brush down and I jumped back into the shower before throwing on some jeans and a pale yellow, cropped sweater with seed pearls around the low neckline. Sure enough, Worth was waiting for me when I reached the Chopstick and I ordered beef and vegetables. He was very attentive and I realized how much I’d missed him during the day. “This is good,” I said. My reference had nothing to do with the food.
“I know,” he said, understanding my meaning completely. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“So, what was it you wanted to talk about?” I stabbed a bit of broccoli with my fork.
“Have you given any more thought to that charitable foundation for the nursing home?” he asked me.
“Well… as a matter of fact, not only have I thought about it, but I talked to Dad and he agreed to help by making the contacts among his friends. Actually, I’m quite sure I’m going to do this. It just feels right.”
“Really?” he asked. “Well, I have your first victim.”
“Victim?”
“The first person to solicit contributions from. Mrs. Jessup’s son, David.”
I cocked my head, not understanding what he was getting to. “I don’t understand.”
“Just call him. I have a feeling you’ll find him quite helpful.”
“Why? He and his wife put her there in the first place. Why would he want to let go of part of that money to help?”
“I can’t tell you, just do as you’re told. Don’t use my name.” He was being mysterious.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Well, I’m not going to approach him unless you let me know why he would have a change of heart. I don’t want to look like a fool.”
“You won’t, take my word for it. He will welcome it with open arms.”
I put down my fork. “What have you done?” I asked with suspicion.
He stopped eating and reached across the table to take my hand. “Auggie, listen to me. There are things I cannot talk about, you know this. You’ll have to get used to that fact and not question me about every little thing I tell you. Just trust me. Can you do that?” He seemed as though this was critical.
I thought a moment and answered, “Yes, I suppose I don’t have any choice.”
“That’s not what I said, Auggie. I didn’t ask if you would trust me, I asked if you
“I’ll be along shortly,” I said, wanting a few minutes to think about Worth without my dad so close.
I watched Dad ride down the trail and my cell rang. It was Worth.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Right now? I’m sitting in the woods and watching the sun set. Dad and I went for a ride and he just left. How about you?”
“I’m in my car, headed home and can’t get you out of my head. Have you bewitched me?”
I turned my face to the sky, warmed by his words. “Geez, this doesn’t sound like you.”
“Why not?”
“You sound all sappy, not your normally uncharismatic self,” I teased him.
“Uncharismatic, am I? I believe there are a few ladies who might disagree with you on that count.”
“I really don’t want to hear about them, you know,” I said sternly.
“In the past. Listen, are you up for a movie or something?”
I smiled to myself. “What sort of something?”
His voice grew lower, deeper. “Whatever you’d like. I’m putty in your hands.”
“You didn’t feel like putty,” I said slyly.
“Listen to you! Where’s my sweet, innocent Auggie?”
“This is goofy. I feel like I’m fifteen,” I giggled.
“Hardly. Seriously, I’d like to talk to you about the idea we were throwing around this morning. I can come get you or we can meet.”
I thought a moment. “I’m in my riding clothes and have to put Carlos away. Why don’t I meet you at the Chopstick on Hurstbourne in about an hour? You can buy me dinner since I haven’t eaten.”
“I’ll see you there. I’ll be the guy with the goofy grin.”
I hung up and felt goofy myself. Carlos got a hurried brush down and I jumped back into the shower before throwing on some jeans and a pale yellow, cropped sweater with seed pearls around the low neckline. Sure enough, Worth was waiting for me when I reached the Chopstick and I ordered beef and vegetables. He was very attentive and I realized how much I’d missed him during the day. “This is good,” I said. My reference had nothing to do with the food.
“I know,” he said, understanding my meaning completely. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“So, what was it you wanted to talk about?” I stabbed a bit of broccoli with my fork.
“Have you given any more thought to that charitable foundation for the nursing home?” he asked me.
“Well… as a matter of fact, not only have I thought about it, but I talked to Dad and he agreed to help by making the contacts among his friends. Actually, I’m quite sure I’m going to do this. It just feels right.”
“Really?” he asked. “Well, I have your first victim.”
“Victim?”
“The first person to solicit contributions from. Mrs. Jessup’s son, David.”
I cocked my head, not understanding what he was getting to. “I don’t understand.”
“Just call him. I have a feeling you’ll find him quite helpful.”
“Why? He and his wife put her there in the first place. Why would he want to let go of part of that money to help?”
“I can’t tell you, just do as you’re told. Don’t use my name.” He was being mysterious.
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Well, I’m not going to approach him unless you let me know why he would have a change of heart. I don’t want to look like a fool.”
“You won’t, take my word for it. He will welcome it with open arms.”
I put down my fork. “What have you done?” I asked with suspicion.
He stopped eating and reached across the table to take my hand. “Auggie, listen to me. There are things I cannot talk about, you know this. You’ll have to get used to that fact and not question me about every little thing I tell you. Just trust me. Can you do that?” He seemed as though this was critical.
I thought a moment and answered, “Yes, I suppose I don’t have any choice.”
“That’s not what I said, Auggie. I didn’t ask if you would trust me, I asked if you