together the best of everything.
Willow had spent almost two hours at Val’s side and still wasn’t sure why she was needed. The guests used the house and grounds, including a large oval pool and whitewashed, purple-wisteria-loaded cabana, as if they lived there.
Food and drinks loaded every surface in a honey-colored granite, blond wood and stainless steel kitchen where the visitors wandered in and out, helping themselves. More tables were set out in front of the cabana. Servers worked on refills, but Willow hadn’t seen any sign of a recognizable catering company. Supplies had already been there when she arrived.
“So, what d’you think?” Val said.
They stood in the foyer beside a table bearing a huge arrangement of tropical flowers. The front door stood open and a constant stream of arrivals and departures laughed its way past.
“Of the house?” Willow felt out of her depth and it annoyed her. She wasn’t usually intimidated.
“The whole place,” Val said, his blue eyes bright in a tanned face that made his blond hair almost surfer- white. “Chloe will be back before long I’m sure, and she’ll expect me to have entertained you.” He smiled widely. “You’re going to love Chloe. Everyone does.”
“I’m sure, but I came to do a job,” she reminded him. “It’s nice of you to want me to be comfortable, though.” In fact, she’d done very little other than repeatedly explain to those who didn’t know Val Brandt that she was not Val’s wife.
Willow reminded herself of the fall-off in her business and how much she needed one or two new and lucrative clients.
Val surprised her by slipping a hand beneath her elbow. He wasn’t a tall man, but she still looked up at him. The big smile had gone, replaced by the slight drawing together of his eyebrows and a serious intensity in his eyes.
“Let’s go back out to the gardens,” he said. “I’d like us to talk about what Chloe and I have in mind. First I wanted to watch you with people. See how you coped.”
“Really?”
Being watched, for any reason, was at the bottom of her welcome list. Lately she had a creepy feeling that eyes were trained on her whenever she was away from her office or flat.
She folded her hand around the cell phone in her pocket. Chris hadn’t called back and she wished he would, even if it could be inconvenient here. It hadn’t sailed past her that twice in one day a Mean ’n Green employee had been present at a death scene. That wasn’t a fact she wanted to get around.
“You fit in real well, Willow, real well,” Val said. He paused for a long kiss on the lips from a blonde in a green bikini.
They arrived outside the back of the house on the raised, white stone terrace again. Torches had been lit among beds of shrubs. A combo played mellow jazz that blended with the scent of warm flowers—and hot, perfumed skin. The night was cooling down, but a residue of humidity clung to the air.
Willow couldn’t miss the sexy cavorting in and around the pool, but behaved as if she hadn’t noticed a thing. She needn’t have bothered to put the swimsuit on under her dress since nothing would get her to take off any clothing here.
“You can see what our problem is, can’t you?” Val said.
Blank, Willow looked around.
“I see you do. We like the social life. Having the place filled with friends makes us happy. We pride ourselves on supporting the arts, and occasions like this are meant for those people to network. But we’ve had a bad time getting good help. For tonight Chloe hired some casual help we’ve used before and had everything delivered early, but we wanted to see you take over. Too bad she had to leave. She’ll be real pleased with you, real pleased.”
Since she hadn’t done anything, it was on Willow’s mind to ask why, but she resisted. “That’s good.”
“You’ve got a great, easy manner. You fit right in and know exactly the right note to strike. You’ve got a real calming manner, real calming. Most people couldn’t walk in here cold and start putting guests at ease. You’re a natural. And you look the part. A little arty yourself, maybe, and very easy on the eyes.”
This might not be one of the new customers she wanted to take on, Willow thought. Only weeks earlier, Chloe Brandt had contacted her with an offer she wouldn’t consider. Chloe wanted her to consider becoming their full-time assistant, and Willow wasn’t interested. She was hoping, however, that she might be able to pick up smaller jobs from them.
A tall brunette with a fabulous figure shown off in a low-cut, one-piece white swimsuit, strolled up, tying a length of white chiffon around her hips. “I am so late, Val, honey,” she said. “My shoot ran long. Tell me you forgive me. Where’s Chloe?”
“Willow, meet Vanity,” Val said. “Friend of the family since we were children. She’s a model. Chloe had an engagement, darlin’. She should be back anytime.”
“Poor Chloe,” Vanity said. “I’ll look after her when she does come home. She’ll be interested in meeting your new friend, Val.”
“Willow is a professional,” he said rapidly. “And she’s very good at what she does.”
Vanity, who had lovely Mediterranean features with deep brown eyes and olive skin to complete the package, gave Willow a speculative glance. “I’ll take your word for it,” she told Val.
“I’m Willow Millet.” Some things needed to be made clear and fast. “I own a company that caters to domestic needs. We take care of everything from shopping, cleaning and generally maintaining households and gardens, to large catering jobs and special events. We can also deal with personal assistant work—theater tickets, restaurant reservations—you name it and we can probably do it.” Willow considered her network of go-to people her greatest strength.
Vanity looked interested now. “How many regular employees do you have? It’s always the casual staff that make me nervous.”
“We have a full-time staff of six and several regular part-timers. We employ a large pool of what you call casual workers, but they are all well-vetted and we rarely have to call in first-time employees.”
Vanity smiled approvingly. “So you did the catering tonight? The food looks yummy.”
“I didn’t—”
“Willow also makes sure her events run smoothly,” Val interrupted. “She’s a natural hostess and you know how often Chloe isn’t up to all the noise and fuss. Look around. Everyone’s having one hell of a time.”
“I shall steal you away from Val and Chloe then,” Vanity said. “I have the worst time getting good help.”
“We found her so she’s ours,” Val said, laughing. “We’re going to keep her so busy she won’t have time for you or anyone else.”
Willow grew more uncomfortable by the second. This wasn’t her scene. She was happy supervising staff at an event like this, but she realized that she had no interest in playing hostess.
“Millet,” Valerie said suddenly, snapping her fingers. “Not
“Psychic,” Willow said reflexively. Darn her carelessness. “That’s the story they tell about us, anyway.”
“Mmm,” Vanity said, giving Willow a piercing look. “But you say it isn’t true? All the red-haired, green eyes stuff? You are all red-haired and green-eyed?”
This could get boring. “Actually not. But a number of us are. It’s just worked out that way.” She forced a little laugh. “The family has a penchant for a certain look in the people they choose as partners.”
“You did admit the psychic bit,” Vanity said and her dark eyes sparkled with interest.
“I said that’s the story about us,” Willow told her. “That’s all. New Orleans does love its little myths.”
Screams from the pool demanded attention. Two men held a streaming beauty aloft while she stripped off the top of her bikini and flung out her arms. Torchlight flickered over her large, white breasts before she kicked free and landed back in the water. A great deal of splashing and screeching followed, and a lot of underwater action. Willow turned hot.
Vanity bent to whisper in Willow’s ear. “Women like her embarrass me. How about you?”
“I’m not supposed to have opinions when I’m working,” Willow said. “But I agree with you.”
A shadow passed over her and she felt as if it slipped away into a group to the right. Willow’s skin tightened and she shivered. She looked to see what or who had caught her attention, but couldn’t make out anything remarkable.
