A Colorado Match. Deb Kastner

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СКАЧАТЬ first Melanie thought Vince had taken offense at Nate’s off-the-cuff jesting, but upon reflection, she decided it was more than that. Vince’s words were no less than an accusation, and sounded strained and harassed. Melanie’s gaze immediately switched to his direction.

      Vince was glaring daggers at his brother, and the muscle in the corner of his jaw twitched rhythmically, a probable indication that he was genuinely annoyed with Nate.

      “What did you do this time?” Vince demanded.

      For some reason Vince’s change in demeanor struck Melanie as odd and out of character for him. It was a complete turnaround from her initial assessment. He’d appeared fatigued, maybe, but not cross. He’d been perfectly polite with her, and his gaze was kind.

      As was her habit—possibly a bad one—she had already formed an opinion about the man she’d be working with. She’d had too much personality profiling training, she supposed.

      The first thing she’d noticed when she’d entered the lodge was how endearingly disheveled Vince looked. Although his smile was strained at the corners, his bright blue eyes were clear and friendly. His sports coat was several years out of style, and his hair looked like he’d combed it with a firecracker.

      Dark brown hair tumbled over his brow, and Melanie noted the single streak of silver coursing through it, a telltale sign as to how stressed and overworked the man really was; that, and the lines of fatigue that marred his brow, only slightly concealed by his rectangular black-rimmed glasses, probably the only contemporary piece of his entire wardrobe.

      Still, he was a good-looking guy, all things being equal. And if nothing else, his currently tousled appearance was a clear indication of how useful her services could be for him—or rather, for Morningway Lodge.

      “I can help you,” she assured him.

      Obviously his younger brother thought as much, or he would never have hired her. Vince simply didn’t yet comprehend what her business could do for his business. In her experience, a few simple changes in one’s business practices could translate to a substantial savings in both time and money—the investors’, the family’s bottom line.

      On BBS’s intake form for Morningway Lodge, presumably filled out by his brother, she’d discovered that Vince didn’t use a computer—for anything. Not even his financials. Given that information, she guessed he probably didn’t even know what a smartphone was, never mind how to use it to improve his business practices. Talk about the dark ages.

      “This is going to be good for you,” Nate insisted, and Melanie had to agree.

      Melanie was about to spread some serious light into Vince’s world, like the sunshine breaking through the clouds after a storm. All it would take her was six short weeks and a little cooperation from Vince.

      Mentally, she ticked off the most crucial items, knowing she would make copious to-do lists as soon as she’d taken a real look around, her being a perfectionist and all. She would organize his workspace and streamline his paperwork, mostly onto computer spreadsheets, saving him an enormous amount of time in the long run. She would show him how to enter his financials on a computer, giving him greater accuracy as well as saving him time. If she thought it would help him, she’d introduce him to a smartphone, or at least a digital organizer.

      “I’m not inclined to anger,” Vince said, his brow furrowed. He wasn’t going to make this easy for her, but tough cases were her specialty.

      She sighed inwardly. She suspected Nate had sprung this idea on Vince with no forewarning, and she couldn’t blame him for his annoyance and confusion.

      That being said, she could do without the extra hassle of trying to justify what she was here to do for him, or else face the serious possibility of losing this account entirely—not a good way to get a promotion in her company.

      Patience wasn’t exactly one of her virtues. She wasn’t the type to sit still and wait, especially with a very attractive promotion—which she’d worked hard for—just one project away. This one last assignment and then she’d have the luxury of a cushy desk job. The director of operations position was hers.

      It was so close she could taste it.

      If she fixed the problems at Morningway Lodge.

      She had the sneaking suspicion that Vince Morningway wasn’t going to make it easy on her.

      Chapter Two

      Vince was livid. Nate was grinning as smugly as the proverbial cat that had eaten an entire cage of canaries, and Melanie was staring at Vince as if he were her next challenging project.

      Which he wasn’t. He was already shaking his head to the contrary.

      “Just hear her out,” Nate appealed earnestly, which only served to make Vince even more stiff-necked about whatever was going on. If it was Nate’s idea, it was a bad one. He didn’t need Melanie to explain that to him.

      “Boulder Business Services,” Melanie said, jumping in on the tail of Nate’s comment, “offers consulting services to businesses ranging from small family-owned operations, to large corporate entities. I can assure you we’re the best firm in the business, and of course I can offer you a list of references if you’d like.”

      Not necessary.

      He didn’t need references because she wouldn’t be working here. He was convinced this was just another one of Nate’s shenanigans meant to get on Vince’s nerves, and it wasn’t going to work. Not this time.

      For Melanie’s sake, he would be polite, but only until he figured out a way to turn her down without hurting her feelings. She seemed to be a nice enough woman, and it infuriated him that Nate would put her in the middle of their feud without regard to her point of view.

      “Consulting?” he asked aloud, stalling for time while he thought of a solution to this problem.

      “From what I’ve read in my file, you are a bit behind the times in some of your business practices,” she explained, her voice gaining momentum as she got into her subject, about which she was clearly enthusiastic. “First we’ll deal with the smaller organizational issues within your office, like your desk and filing system. Then I’ll help you streamline the majority of your work onto your computer, which will do wonders in regard to running your office more efficiently.”

      She smiled confidently, first at Vince, then Nate, then back to Vince again. “I’m here to bring your business into the twenty-first century.”

      Surely she must be aware that she sounded like a television infomercial. He wasn’t buying any of it; but if he was, her charming, toothy grin would be mighty persuasive.

      What did that even mean, bringing his business into the twenty-first century? Did he really look that out of touch to her? Some hermit hiding in the woods?

      And what was up with Nate, springing this woman and her consulting business on him and then waiting for him to work out the details?

      Vince narrowed his gaze on Nate for a moment before he turned a polite smile on Melanie. “I appreciate your offer, but I don’t need any help. I run the business just fine on my own, thank you.”

      “All on your own,” Nate qualified.

      Vince СКАЧАТЬ