Drape Expectations Read Free Page A

research, Caprice had learned Alanna had begun her professional life as a journalist in Mississippi. She’d met Barton Goodwin when she’d interviewed him for a story and they’d married a few months later. Apparently, Barton had invented a new kind of scaffolding for construction sites, and his company had established enterprises worldwide. He’d moved them to Kismet to be closer to Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and New York. With his sudden heart attack, Alanna had inherited a fortune.
    From her research, Caprice had surmised Alanna didn’t seem to have much to do with the day-to-day running of Goodwin Enterprises, but she did sit on the board of directors. Maybe she wished she and Barton had had children. Often when women reached their late thirties, they thought about that more. However, Caprice was just guessing. She didn’t know Alanna and doubted she’d get to know her. The widow seemed to be the type of woman who usually kept her guard up—a mint julep with more bite than sweetness.
    Caprice took her electronic tablet from her purse. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to return upstairs and make that list for you of the pieces you can remove—that is, if you’re interested in hiring me.”
    â€œAce would be disappointed if I didn’t.”
    â€œI can e-mail you a proposal tonight.”
    After considering Caprice’s services once more, Alanna nodded and gave Caprice a fake smile. “Make your list. I promise I’ll consider each suggestion seriously.”
    Caprice doubted that she would. But if they could compromise, they could make this house staging a real success.
    When Caprice returned to the living room twenty minutes later, she found Alanna seated at a rolltop desk in the side parlor adjacent to the larger room. Mirabelle was no longer in sight and she wondered if Alanna had “tucked” her away.
    This room possibly served as Alanna’s office. She didn’t mean to sneak up on Alanna, but the woman seemed focused on something at her desk. As Caprice looked over Alanna’s shoulder, she spied a photo of a little girl who looked to be about six.
    Caprice’s charm bracelet, which she wore almost every day now, must have jingled as she shifted her tablet in her hand because Alanna started, then quickly slipped the photo back into the desk drawer. Caprice wondered who the child was.
    That was none of her business.
    She asked Alanna, “Do you have an e-mail address where I can send the proposal and my list of notes?”
    Alanna rattled off her address. As she did, the porcelain-and-gold decorative phone on her desk jangled. Alanna said, “Could you excuse me a minute? I’m expecting a call.”
    â€œI can see myself out.”
    Alanna shook her head. “There is something else I’d like to ask you.”
    As Caprice wondered what that could be, she moved away from the parlor into the living room to give Alanna privacy.
    Still, she could hear the conversation, although Alanna kept her voice low.
    â€œIt worked. That’s what matters,” Alanna said. After she listened a few moments, Alanna murmured, “It’s not sabotage when it’s for his own good. Keep me up to date.”
    Without even a good-bye, she set the handset on the receiver. Glancing at Caprice, Alanna manufactured a smile and joined her in the living room.
    Wanting to get back home to her animals, thinking about taking Lady to the dog park before she put together Alanna’s proposal, Caprice said, “You wanted to ask me something?”
    Alanna studied her. “Are you and Ace good friends?”
    Caprice picked up her purse from the settee, where she’d left it, and made eye contact with Alanna. “I don’t know if we’re good friends. We’ve talked to each other about some things that matter. I like his daughter a lot. Last summer, I found a stray dog who was pregnant. When she had her litter,