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Cammie had never—absolutely never—seen this side of Fernsby. It was uncanny that sheer happiness had freed him. Or had victory over his nemesis brought it out?
She wasn’t about to miss this opportunity. Not for anything.
She jumped out of her chair and hugged him.
Then, miracle of miracles, Fernsby, the staid, stern butler, waltzed her around the library.
Who even knew the man could dance?
* * *
Dane had expected Fernsby to start in on him the moment he walked through the door, pulling him aside to ask what the heck had happened with Cammie. Because they obviously weren’t all lovey-dovey the way Fernsby had predicted. They were still miles apart at two separate desks.
If Fernsby even noticed, he didn’t say a thing. He was too happy.
Fernsby and happy had never before gone together in his lexicon. But Fernsby danced Cammie around the library, his face lit up with irrepressible joy.
Dane must be dreaming. Or it was a nightmare. He couldn’t tell which.
Suddenly releasing Cammie, Fernsby seized Dane, waltzing him around the room just as he’d waltzed Cammie.
It was like something out of My Fair Lady. The horror remake.
Yet Dane couldn’t help laughing—loud, uproarious sounds welling up his throat.
Fernsby grabbed Cammie again, whirling them both hand in hand as if they were dancing around a maypole. Until Fernsby abruptly let go, and the only way Dane saved himself from falling was by latching on to Cammie and dancing across the floor with her.
All he wanted to do was hold her close, kiss her luscious lips, and drag her upstairs to his bed.
The maniacally happy Fernsby—or maybe just maniacal—danced his way out of the room. Cammie pulled away from Dane.
And that was that.
* * *
Fernsby stopped outside the door, overhearing Camille say, “I’m so happy for him. But we still need to find that assistant.”
He’d given them the most romantic setting, the perfect food, the best champagne, all of it whispering romance into the air. And now… nada.
Fernsby muttered, “A butler’s job is never done.”
What had he said to the Mavericks? Ah yes, that he was the only butler who could handle a boss too big for his britches.
Dane obviously still needed a kick in the pants.
* * *
Maybe he should have carried her upstairs the moment Fernsby frolicked out of the library. Or kissed her senseless. Maybe waiting her out was a mistake.
But his cell rang. Cammie pushed him toward the phone lying on the desk. “You’d better get that.”
He grumbled, wondering if it was just an excuse to pull out of his arms.
But then he looked at the screen. “It’s Daniel Spencer. It must be three o’clock in the morning back home. What the hell?”
Her eyes widened. “It’s got to be important.”
He put the phone on speaker and demanded, “Why are you calling me at three in the morning? You should be sleeping.”
“Because I knew you were in England,” Daniel said, as if that revealed everything. “And this can’t wait. I’ve been going over the numbers all night.”
“Which ones?”
“I’ve found the perfect property right on Lake Tahoe.” He laughed, sounding as if he were buffing his fingernails on his shirt. “We all agreed that Tahoe is healing—the beautiful waters, the clean air—and that we want a place relatively on its own away from the big casinos.”
“Tell us everything,” Cammie said, Daniel’s excitement vibrating all the way across the air waves and grabbing her. Or maybe that had been the dance around the library.
“It’s on the waterfront with an amazing stretch of beach and its own dock. It backs into the forest, with hiking trails, and there’s a ski resort and snow park close enough to send kids on bus trips for the day.”
Cammie pelted him with questions. This was her show. “What’s on it now?”
“An old resort, defunct for ten years. There’s sewer, power, all the infrastructure.”
Cammie gasped, hand over her mouth. “Are there any hazardous waste issues? Asbestos?”
“Nothing disclosed. Though we’ll still do a survey. It’s on the market only because a real estate development company was renovating, and they’ve run out of money. We’ll probably need to tear down the existing structures and start over, but that’s no big deal. That’s what the development company should have done instead of working with what was already there. You run into all sorts of trouble with that. But we need to jump on this now. It won’t last long.”
Dane leaned over the phone, fists on the desk. “We’ll get right on the plane and head back to you ASAP.”
“Good. Like I said, this won’t last long.”
“Thank you, Daniel,” Cammie added, smiling at the phone as if Daniel could see her. “I knew you’d find the perfect spot.”
“It’s what I love to do. I can’t wait.” Then he was gone, probably wanting to get to bed after pulling close to an all-nighter.
Dane wanted to waltz around the room all over again.
