The instant Sunshine ushered Trevor and the twentyish female with him into the spa the following evening, her determination to regard him as an investigator, period, stuttered to a halt. Damn the man for being so magnetic and gorgeous. “You’re right on time,” she said, fighting the urge to swoon like a lovesick teenage girl.
“We have a lot to cover,” he replied, without an ounce of reciprocal heat in his eyes.
At least one of them was all about business. Which was what she wanted in the first place and should’ve put her at ease. Yet his ability to ignore the pull between them and her lack of the same galled her. Lips compressed, she pulled herself together. With any luck, their meeting would end quickly and she could go home.
“Depending on how the business operates and how complicated your inventory collection system is, this may not take long,” he commented, as if he’d read her mind. “Before we get into the details, meet Fern, my assistant.”
The tall, slender, very pretty assistant. Was he involved with her? Jealousy stabbed Sunshine. Ignoring the feelings she had no business having, she forced a smile, strained as it was. “Hi. I’m Sunshine.”
The woman beamed. “I know who you are, and I think you’re awesome. The truth is, I’m a bit of a fan girl. I was here in June for a mani-pedi bachelorette party. It was so fun.”
She sounded way too young to do the job she’d been hired to do. “That’s the kind of feedback that makes me smile. I do have a concern though,” Sunshine addressed both her and Trevor. “That party was barely four months ago. What if someone working here recognizes you?”
“It ties in nicely with you hiring her,” Trevor said. “She was here, decided she wanted to join the team, and applied for a job.”
His sidekick nodded. “That’s exactly how we’ll play it. Are you okay with me coming in tomorrow morning and reporting for my first day on the job?”
Not a bad plan. “That’ll work. I’ll introduce you to Maddy at the front desk. She’ll train you.”
“One box checked,” Trevor said. “How about telling us about operations and inventory.”
“Our operation is pretty standard and won’t take long to explain,” she said. “Inventory isn’t that complicated either—selected staff count and record the merchandise in the spa. I look over what was hot during the quarter and what wasn’t. I compare the numbers with the same time period for the previous few years and decide what we’ll need in the months ahead. When that’s done, I tally the merchandise and skin product reorders and add in new ones. I forward the information to my accountant, Claudine. She does the ordering based on my report.”
At the moment, he seemed satisfied enough, but Sunshine imagined he’d want more information later. “If it turns out we need more time tonight and overlap with the cleaning crew, we’ll sit in my office with the door shut and get it done.” That sounded almost suggestive and she hastily added, “If we haven’t finished. Which we may or may not be able to depending on your follow-up questions. What do I know about the workings of a private investigator?” Realizing she was rambling, she stopped talking.
Trevor’s lips twitched as if he wanted to smile. Then he went all solemn. “Let’s take a tour.”
Eager to get started, she gestured around the large room directly in front of them. “We’ll start here as you enter through the front door, then I’ll take you upstairs where the majority of the staff works. Feel free to hang up your coats on the rack to the right of the door. When you work here, Fern, there’s an employee area and locker for your things upstairs.”
She pointed out the check-in desk off the entrance. “This is where you’ll work. We keep the cosmetics and essential oils in the glass case adjacent to the check-in area. Some of those items are expensive, and it’s locked to cut down on theft. Not that we’ve had any. The costume jewelry and gift items are on the shelves to your left.”
In full tour mode now, she showed them the rest of the first floor and gestured toward the far side of the room. “Both the accountant’s office and mine are over there, along with the storage room containing supplies. By the way, starting Monday, we’re adding a new line to Nourish Cosmetics. Baby Your Skin is a line of products designed for sensitive skin. We’ll be offering samples at the front desk.”
They spent some time on the main floor, Trevor asking questions, jotting notes, and snapping photos. Sunshine stopped thinking of him as the man she lusted after and saw him as the investigator he was—sharp, thorough, and professional. Fern was the same. It was obvious the two of them had a working relationship, nothing more. “I’ll take you through my office and Claudine’s after I show you around upstairs,” she said, leading the way to the second floor.
“The bulk of our business is up here, where the massage therapists, estheticians, and manicurists work. The breakroom is at the end of the hall.”
Trevor insisted on visiting each room, including the employee areas and lockers and the room clients used when changing clothes. Fern seemed equally intent on the task at hand. After months of tearing her hair out with worry and at a loss what to do, something was finally happening. Such a relief. At the same time, Sunshine felt guilty for the implied mistrust of her employees. She couldn’t imagine any of them stealing, but there was no other explanation for the discrepancy between the brisk business and dwindling bottom line.
As they headed downstairs again, Trevor grinned at her. “You have a big spa with a lot to offer. I’m impressed.”
“Didn’t I tell you?” Fern said.
Sunshine basked in the praise. This time, her smile was real. “Owning my own spa has been my dream forever.” She credited sticking to her business path to success for making her vision a reality.
Back on the main floor, she led them to the offices. For cleaning purposes, neither room was locked. “This is where Claudine works,” she said outside the woman’s door.
“What kind of software does she use?” Trevor asked inside the office.
Sunshine supplied the name. “We use spreadsheets and an electronic cash book—that kind of thing.”
“I’ll need to access all of it. Do you have the login information?”
Unable to imagine her most trusted employee doing anything shady, she hesitated. “Is looking into our accounting system even legal?”
“It’s your company so yeah, it’s totally legit.”
“Do what you have to. But how can you do it without Claudine finding out? I really don’t want her to know about this.”
“Trust me, she won’t. I have my ways.”
Against her better judgment, Sunshine gave in. “I’ll need to look up that password. Come into my office.”
They entered the room, which was several square feet larger than Claudine’s. Trevor and Fern sat down across the desk from Sunshine. “While you get the information, I’ll contact my team to set up the hidden surveillance cameras,” he said. “For now, I want them in several places, including the breakroom and the accountant’s office. My team is standing by and will be here in fifteen minutes.”
Mindful of the time, Sunshine glanced at her watch. She was amazed that several hours had passed. “I hope it doesn’t take long. I know I said we could work in here, but I’d really like to finish before the cleaning company arrives.”
“That gives us about an hour. We’ll make sure it’s done before then. You shouldn’t be here when my people install the equipment. It’s a bad idea for you to know the exact locations of the cameras. Otherwise, you might glance at one and give it away.”
“You’re saying you want me to leave people I don’t even know in my spa?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be here to supervise. You don’t have to leave the spa, just stay in here till the cameras are installed.”
“This is my cue to call a ride to take me to my car,” Fern said while Trevor contacted his people.
Sunshine chatted with her undercover new employee for a few minutes before she stepped outside to wait for her ride. “I’ll see you in the morning, Fern.”
“I like her,” she told Trevor.
“She’s top notch at her job.” Although the blinds in Sunshine’s office were drawn, the approaching vehicle’s headlights were easily seen. “There’s my team,” he said. “As soon as we finish, I’ll come tell you.”
Sunshine didn’t mind staying in her office. She caught up on email and paperwork. Sometime later, Trevor knocked on her door. “My guys just left.”
“Perfect timing—any minute now, the janitorial crew will be here. I’m ready to go home.” She turned her computer off, stretched, and stood.
Trevor grabbed his chocolate leather jacket from the coat rack and shrugged into it. It fit him perfectly, profiling broad shoulders to die for. Loose-fitting jeans showcased his long legs, and dark brown suede high top sneakers added to his appeal.
They exited together, Sunshine focusing her gaze on the faint scar on his chin while they chatted about what to expect next. “When will I hear from you?” she asked.
“Fern needs time to gather information, but I’ll keep you in the loop.”
He continued to be all business, which helped corral her unwanted attraction—until they reached the last two vehicles left in the lot. Her Nissan and his—Sunshine eyed the sleek, yet rugged-looking black vehicle. “That’s one of the new Toyota hybrids. I see the logo.”
“It’s a RAV4. A smooth ride and great mileage.”
She added environmentally conscious to the list of things she admired about Trevor Holmes. “Thanks for agreeing to help me out with this,” she said as she used her remote to unlock her car.
“I appreciate the work. I’ll be in touch.” His eyes darted to her mouth, a glance that lasted only a moment. Yet she felt it like a caress.
Copyright © Ann Roth, shared with permission from Oliver Heber books.
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT YOU by Ann Roth
Miracle Falls #5
Two strangers, a night to remember, and a secret that could change everythingSomeone is stealing money from Sunshine Dehl’s spa, but who? Private investigator Trevor Holmes, a newcomer to Miracle Falls, comes highly recommended. There’s one problem: Almost two years ago, Sunshine and Trevor met at a vacation resort. Two strangers, spending an unforgettable night together before going their separate ways.They never planned to see each other again, but now she needs his help. Sunshine is hiding a secret no one knows about, something that could impact Trevor’s life. A secret she intends to keep. If only she wasn’t as tempted by him as she was that night.Trevor’s past isn’t squeaky clean either. A slipup several years ago almost cost him his career. He’s worked hard to restore his reputation and moved to town to start fresh. Taking this case could boost his business, but getting involved with Sunshine could do the opposite. Yet his attraction to her is as strong as ever.Neither intends to act on their dangerous feelings, and agreeing that the job is strictly business should guarantee that. But as Trevor closes in on the thief, the powerful chemistry between him and Sunshine builds and their tenuous hold on self-control slips. Soon they’re sharing kisses and more. As his feelings for her deepen, he opens up about his past. She’s falling hard for him. But fear of exposing her secret creates a barrier he’s unable to breach.Can Sunshine brave the risks of sharing her secret and find love with Trevor?
Romance Contemporary [Oliver-Heber Books, On Sale: August 1, 2023, e-Book, / ]
Buy THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT YOU: Kindle | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Ann Roth
Award–winning author Ann Roth lives in the greater Seattle area with her husband. After earning an MBA, she worked as a banker and corporate trainer. She gave up the corporate life to write, and if they awarded PhDs in writing happily–ever–after stories, she’d have one. In 1999 Ann won the prestigious Golden Heart award for unpublished writers for best long contemporary series. Since then she has sold numerous romance and women’s fiction novels, as well as a novella, a serialized online romance and many short stories.
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