Brushing Off the Boss: A Half Moon Bay Novel (Entangled Bliss) Read Free Page A

the deadline, he was not going to tell anyone why he’d moved here. He would prove to everyone that he was a true artist and that the commission had not been a fluke, no matter what his dad said. There had been an offer to buy the gallery last month, but he’d told the management company to tell the buyer it was no longer for sale. He had something to prove to himself.
    This was Jack’s big chance to make something of himself in the art world.
    Something that hasn’t been given to me.
    There was no way he would ever get sucked into letting money rule his life. Chasing the dollar almost killed his father, and he had no life outside of his work.
    Not for me. No way.
    “Sir?” Jack looked up at the waitress who was standing beside him, with her order pad ready.
    “I’ll just have the seafood chowder, thanks.” Jack stifled a yawn. “Sorry. I need to have an early night and grab some sleep.”
    He caught Sienna looking at him as he reached for his water glass. If he drank any wine, he’d probably fall asleep at the table.
    “You do look tired.” Her voice had lost the icy edge and the angry color on her cheekbones had faded. Maybe it was that other guy who had been bugging her.
    “Yeah, I love riding my bike, but the last three days were pretty hectic. I wanted to get over to the coast to—”
    “Well, it’s good to see you here.” Sienna cut him off before he could finish. “I’m sure we’ll be catching up some more.”
    “Hope so. Are you still in Nebbiton?” He’d assumed that Sienna still worked in the hardware store where they’d first met.
    “No,” she said slowly. “I’ve moved down this way.” She held his gaze, her beautiful dark eyes fixed on his.
    He lowered his voice. “I’ll give you a call later in the week when I get settled. Same number?”
    Sienna looked at him over the top of her glass, but her expression was guarded as she nodded slowly. “Same number.”
    Georgie cleared her throat loudly, and he reluctantly broke eye contact with Sienna and settled back in his chair.
    “Don’t drown like our great grandmamma. That was one of Uncle Renzo’s favorite stories,” Georgie said. Jack looked across the table at her as her laugh rang out, before he switched his gaze back to Sienna. Damn it, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Sienna had a wry grin on her face.
    “And you, as gullible as usual, always fell for Uncle Renzo’s story,” she said, nudging Georgie with her elbow.
    Jack must have looked confused, and Sienna leaned closer to him as she explained. Her perfume was sharp and floral, and he took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh fragrance after a day on the road smelling dust and tar.
    “When we were in high school, Uncle Renzo brought us down here to the pier at Monterey for a birthday dinner, and he told Georgie a story about his grandmother falling asleep at the table when he was a little boy, and drowning in her chowder.”
    Jack grinned as Sienna continued the story. “He had her sucked in, hook, line and sinker, for the whole night until she started to cry, and then he took pity on her.”
    Sienna smiled as she looked at Jack. Her long, delicate neck arched gracefully as her head turned slowly from side to side, and Jack got another whiff of her perfume. Her eyes were hooded, and Jack sensed she was waiting for something.
    He couldn’t smother the next yawn that overtook him when he finished his meal. Jack pushed his plate away and put his hand over his mouth. “Sorry.”
    “Boring you, are we?” Sienna smiled, and he held her gaze for a long time before she looked down again. Her long dark lashes hid her expression.
    “Not in the least, but I’ll have to get some sleep or I’ll drown in the chowder too.” He joked to lighten the tension between them; could almost hear the attraction crackling between them. He was looking forward to spending time with her, as soon as he got himself organized.
    “I hear you’ve been in business back in New York.” Sienna