The Old Fashioned Way (A Homespun Romance) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Geeta Kakade
defensive note.
Daniel sighed. Now she was assuming that his dog was like the image she had of him. Cold, polished, uppity.
They both turned as Sarah Trenton hailed them from the house.
"I'm staying for dinner," Daniel said casually.
"Why?" Abby Silver wore her keep-out look again.
"Because I have some time to spare, and I thought I'd look at the books and see if I can offer some constructive suggestions. That way I won't feel I've robbed you of the money you paid for the seminar."
Abby's face flamed. "You don't have to do that," she said stiffly. "We'll manage."
It was a long time since Daniel had come up against so much stiff-necked pride. Usually he had a hard time protecting himself from people who wanted his help.
"I know I don't have to do that," said Daniel Hawthorn. "I want to do it."
"I can't pay you," Abby said bluntly.
"I didn't ask for any money," Daniel pointed out coldly. She stared at him her eyes narrowed, as if trying to analyze his motives. Why was he agreeing to stay and help? Hostile women weren't his style at all.
Abby's head said this was the best thing that could have happened to her. Her heart...Abby let out a tiny sigh...her heart was misbehaving, the way it had since she had first set eyes on Daniel Hawthorn.
Nothing was more important than protecting herself from this avalanche of emotions. Nothing, except helping Gran.
Daniel heard the tiny sigh. It told him he had won this round.
Daniel looked around the table. Before they'd sat down to dinner, he'd met the other two partners. Hamish McArthur was a retired chef, whose hobby was wood carving. His wife, Agnes, loved sewing. Both conducted classes, as well as turning out merchandise for the store. They lived in the house with Sarah and her granddaughter.
Daniel wondered if the uncomfortable feeling inside was a throwback to the times when he'd been with his grandparents. Meals had always been eaten in silence.
Sarah smiled at him and said, "Do you live in Los Angeles, Mr. Hawthorn?"
"Please call me Daniel," he said. "Yes. I've lived in the Los Angeles area since my college days."
"Abby tells us you're a very important businessman. How long have you two known each other?"
Daniel stared at the dark head, bent over her plate. "A while," he said cautiously.
Sarah sighed. "It's so nice when old friends visit, isn't it, Abby?"
Her head came up. Green eyes looked at him and then away, "Yes."
"If you'd like to use the telephone to call your family, or the motel you have reservations at for tonight, please go ahead," Sarah suggested.
"I don't have any family, and I didn't make any reservations," she heard Daniel said evenly.
Sarah smiled as if she'd guessed that already. "Where do you live in Los Angeles?"
"I have a suite in the Castilian."
"That must be very lonely." Sarah exchanged an eloquent look with Agnes. "No wonder you look so thin."
The conversation was becoming too personal. It was time to change the subject. "Abby told me you were having problems with the store. I stopped by to see if there was anything I could do to help." Opposite him he saw Abby open her mouth. Daniel said quickly, "As the Busy Bee has four owners, I want to ask all of you if it would be all right for me to take a look at the store accounts. I've already talked it over with Abby and got her opinion."
He looked at her and saw the anger shooting out of her eyes.
"How kind of you." Sarah beamed at him. "We couldn't possibly bother you while you're on your vacation."
"I have no definite plans."
"Maybe it would work out," Sarah said slowly after exchanging a quick look with her friends. "You look in need of a good rest. You could stay here and we could take care of you while you help us."
"I planned on staying in a motel in town." He didn't need taking care of.
"Helping has to be a two way street," Sarah said firmly. "If you won't let us
Daniel sighed. Now she was assuming that his dog was like the image she had of him. Cold, polished, uppity.
They both turned as Sarah Trenton hailed them from the house.
"I'm staying for dinner," Daniel said casually.
"Why?" Abby Silver wore her keep-out look again.
"Because I have some time to spare, and I thought I'd look at the books and see if I can offer some constructive suggestions. That way I won't feel I've robbed you of the money you paid for the seminar."
Abby's face flamed. "You don't have to do that," she said stiffly. "We'll manage."
It was a long time since Daniel had come up against so much stiff-necked pride. Usually he had a hard time protecting himself from people who wanted his help.
"I know I don't have to do that," said Daniel Hawthorn. "I want to do it."
"I can't pay you," Abby said bluntly.
"I didn't ask for any money," Daniel pointed out coldly. She stared at him her eyes narrowed, as if trying to analyze his motives. Why was he agreeing to stay and help? Hostile women weren't his style at all.
Abby's head said this was the best thing that could have happened to her. Her heart...Abby let out a tiny sigh...her heart was misbehaving, the way it had since she had first set eyes on Daniel Hawthorn.
Nothing was more important than protecting herself from this avalanche of emotions. Nothing, except helping Gran.
Daniel heard the tiny sigh. It told him he had won this round.
Daniel looked around the table. Before they'd sat down to dinner, he'd met the other two partners. Hamish McArthur was a retired chef, whose hobby was wood carving. His wife, Agnes, loved sewing. Both conducted classes, as well as turning out merchandise for the store. They lived in the house with Sarah and her granddaughter.
Daniel wondered if the uncomfortable feeling inside was a throwback to the times when he'd been with his grandparents. Meals had always been eaten in silence.
Sarah smiled at him and said, "Do you live in Los Angeles, Mr. Hawthorn?"
"Please call me Daniel," he said. "Yes. I've lived in the Los Angeles area since my college days."
"Abby tells us you're a very important businessman. How long have you two known each other?"
Daniel stared at the dark head, bent over her plate. "A while," he said cautiously.
Sarah sighed. "It's so nice when old friends visit, isn't it, Abby?"
Her head came up. Green eyes looked at him and then away, "Yes."
"If you'd like to use the telephone to call your family, or the motel you have reservations at for tonight, please go ahead," Sarah suggested.
"I don't have any family, and I didn't make any reservations," she heard Daniel said evenly.
Sarah smiled as if she'd guessed that already. "Where do you live in Los Angeles?"
"I have a suite in the Castilian."
"That must be very lonely." Sarah exchanged an eloquent look with Agnes. "No wonder you look so thin."
The conversation was becoming too personal. It was time to change the subject. "Abby told me you were having problems with the store. I stopped by to see if there was anything I could do to help." Opposite him he saw Abby open her mouth. Daniel said quickly, "As the Busy Bee has four owners, I want to ask all of you if it would be all right for me to take a look at the store accounts. I've already talked it over with Abby and got her opinion."
He looked at her and saw the anger shooting out of her eyes.
"How kind of you." Sarah beamed at him. "We couldn't possibly bother you while you're on your vacation."
"I have no definite plans."
"Maybe it would work out," Sarah said slowly after exchanging a quick look with her friends. "You look in need of a good rest. You could stay here and we could take care of you while you help us."
"I planned on staying in a motel in town." He didn't need taking care of.
"Helping has to be a two way street," Sarah said firmly. "If you won't let us
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