Love Captures the Heart (Sully Point, Book 3)

  Love Captures the Heart

  Book Three in the Sully Point Series

  by

  Nicole Smith

  Copyright 2012 by Nicole Smith

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction.

  Any resemblance to any person or persons, living or dead, characters, events, locations, or businesses is purely coincidental.

  Chapter 1

  Jason Earlington grappled with the large fish on the end of his line. Grinning, he felt the spray of the sea on his skin, the sun beating down, and the strong pull of a big one on the hook. He loved this kind of fishing, battling it out with the denizens of the deep.

  By the time he had reeled in the monster tuna, and gotten it stored away, he was ready to go back to shore. That last one had been a work-out, even for him, with his gym-enhanced body. He turned to set the fishing rod aside and stumbled into the girl who was cleaning up the area.

  "Sorry, didn't see you there," he said to her.

  She looked up at him. Her big brown eyes seemed appraising as she said, "No problem. We're heading back in and I wanted to start cleaning things up early. You got a nice-sized one today."

  He laughed. "I guess you see a lot of them in your job, but it was exciting for me."

  She smiled back at him. "I'm glad you had a good time."

  He watched as she walked away, noticing she had a curvaceous figure in jeans and a t-shirt. Her blond hair was up on top of her head in a tight bun. He wondered what it must be like to have a job out here every day, to be able to be out on the water having a great time. Probably it wasn't as much fun for the help as it was for the customers, he thought. Still, she seemed happy enough, with a ready smile and helpful attitude. On the other hand, this kind of job couldn't pay much.

  Jason found the closer they got to the shore, the more his mind wandered back to his own work and the problems he was having there. Hopefully, his meeting with a new personnel agency on Monday would help solve some of them. The firm needed more draftsmen as soon as possible. He sighed. It was so hard to get away, even if only for a weekend. He always ended up worrying about work, or designing in his head. He was an architect of major buildings, and he'd worked hard to get where he was today--top of his field and in high demand. An Earlington design was a coup many were after. Right now, he was riding a wave of expectations based on previous work. As the young woman working on the boat passed by him again, he felt envious of her life of no pressures. But this wasn't his kind of life. He shrugged off any feelings of wishing things were different. He had a good life that was making him fantastic money, and a reputation for excellence. What more could a man want?

  * * * *

  Monday morning rolled around in its inevitability, and Jason was up early to work out at the gym in his building. He had a nine a.m. meeting with the head of the personnel agency he hoped to use. He'd heard good things about them and he was desperate to get some people hired. But they needed to be the right people, and not screw-ups like the last guy he fired.

  He finished up with a steaming hot shower and felt invigorated, his whole body in tip-top shape. Wrapped in a towel at his waist, he ran a comb through his wavy brown hair and was done. He had no patience for hair styling--and was lucky enough that his hair fell into pleasing waves on its own.

  By the time he'd put on his dark gray suit, and a green tie with silver stripes, he'd finished drinking his morning protein shake. It wasn't exactly tasty, but it was filled with nutrients and didn't take long to make. He headed out with a black leather briefcase in one hand, and gave a brief wave to the doorman. His offices were only two blocks away and he walked briskly, mind already sorting through his schedule for the day.

  At nine he was sitting in the conference room, ready for his receptionist to bring in his appointment. He worked on a list of problems with his next project and had his head down, looking at the tablet computer when he heard the door open. "Just a minute," he said distantly.

  "Of course. I'll make myself comfortable," said a woman's voice.

  Funny, he thought. That voice sounds familiar. He looked up to meet brown eyes he'd seen before--on a boat at Sully Point. What the hell--?

  The woman looked startled and then began to smile. "I guess today you'll be fishing for people rather than tuna."

  "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

  She shook back gleaming blond hair that fell across her shoulders. "I'm your nine a.m. meeting, Mr. Earlington. Yesterday, I was on a boat with you--my brother Cody's boat. He was short-handed, and I was home for the weekend in Sully Point, so I helped him out. In my regular life I own the personnel agency you wanted to meet with today."

  He found confusion giving way to chagrin. He'd dismissed her as having some low-paying job and she was instead head of her own company. The intriguing figure he remembered was now wearing a very feminine looking business suit. And with her golden hair down and out of the bun, she looked quite beautiful. "Excuse me, it threw me, remembering you from a place so different than work. I'm Jason Earlington," he said, getting up to move around the table and shake her hand.

  "And I'm Holly Grainger. It's nice to officially meet you."

  He noticed her hands, while small, had a firm grip and felt strong. He sat back down. "You have an excellent reputation, Ms. Grainger. Let me explain what I need."

  * * * *

  Holly was amused and interested in equal parts. To find Mr. Earlington was the Jason from the fishing boat was unexpected. He'd been just that little bit of a snob on the charter. His face when he recognized her here had been an amusing mix of surprise and confusion. She found him a fascinating puzzle. Earlington buildings were the rage right now, and some people spoke of him as the next Frank Lloyd Wright. His reputation was of a brilliant, demanding man, who was driven to succeed.

  Physically, he had a magnetism that would draw in any woman. Around 5' 11" and sporting a trim physique, his wavy dark brown hair would have been a highlight--until you got to the eyes, she thought. Piercing green eyes, the color of an old-growth forest. Those eyes were framed by dark lashes and sat above sculptured cheek bones. Attractive wasn't the right word for him she decided. Striking and very masculine, yes, and very much in charge. Funny how she hadn't heard of him being matched up with any woman in the gossip columns. Either he didn't like women, or he was a complete workaholic. She was betting on the latter.

  Holly was good at keeping track of several lines of thought at once and now focused on what she'd been hearing from him. "The last people you fired, were they incompetent in their skills or did they not have the proper work ethic?"

  He gave her a brief smile. "That is a perceptive question. It was more of a work ethic problem. Time spent on social media instead of the work that needed to get done. Lateness, long lunches. There was no understanding of what a deadline actually meant. It was very frustrating."

  "I can imagine. Do you have a preference for people right out of school? I noticed the last people you hired were quite young."

  "Only because I assumed they'd be up on the latest--wait, are you trying to tell me their ages had something to do with it?"

  "I've found if you want a settled, hard worker it is best to go with someone who has some experience. And in your field, in drafting and drawing, has that much changed in the last ten years?"

  He leaned back in his chair, twirling a mechanical pencil in one hand. "Yes and no. Plans still look like plans have looked. But we do so much on computer now, more than was done before. The drafts people have to be familiar with the new programs to some extent--at least to have been exposed to them."

  "I can get you several people in their
thirties right now who have the kind of computer exposure you're talking about. With the economy the way it's been, and the job market, there are experienced people out there. People who know what it is to work, and not goof off. I'd recommend we draw from that age group or even older, as long as they have the computer skills. And perhaps even if they don't. I would imagine a course to brush up on the training they need could be found. How soon do you need them and how many?"

  He looked puzzled. "How did I not even think of hiring older people? That was a blind spot on my part."

  She gave him smile. "It's my job to think of things like that."

  "Well, it's good you did. I need two people right now, in the drafting department. Plus, I need a new assistant. The assistant doesn't have to be experienced in the drawing programs on the computer, but they should have some amount of familiarity with the field."

  "All right, Mr. Earlington. I think I can get you what you need within the week. I'll interview them myself first, with this job in mind. If those interviews go well, I'll send them on to you. May I ask--are you a demanding boss?"

  He raised an eyebrow, and looked at her with those intense green eyes. "Now, why do I think what you're really asking is if I'm the type who yells and screams at his employees?"

  She smiled but said nothing.

  "No, I don't do that. I tend to get quieter and colder, the angrier I get. Flying into hysterical rages is not my style."

  "Good to know. Now let's talk compensation."

  * * * *

  Jason found himself bemused by Holly Grainger. First seeing her on the boat and then here, the dichotomy was profound. She presented as a highly competent businesswoman and there was a...reassuring...feeling when she talked. As if she could and would solve whatever problems he had. He was beginning to see why she'd come so highly recommended.

  "And remember," she was saying. "We don't get final payment from you until you have a month of satisfied work from the new employee. If the employee doesn't work out, the final fee is waived."

  "That seems very generous," he said with a slight frown. "How can you afford to do it?"

  "You might want to ask instead, 'how many times have you had to waive the final fee?'"

  He motioned with a palm up. "Yes, how many times?"

  "None."

  Jason sat up straighter in his chair. "None? That seems impossible."

  "Not impossible. Improbable maybe." She leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. "You see, Mr. Earlington, I have a gift. I am very, very good at matching people to jobs. And so far, I haven't been wrong."

  "That is impressive Ms. Grainger." He found himself leaning forward toward her, and noticing the expanse of a shapely exposed leg through the clear glass top of the table. He frowned. It wasn't like him to get distracted by a woman during a business meeting. But she had some kind of charisma that drew him closer. "I think we have a deal then. I'll look forward to seeing who you find to send to me."

  "You'll be seeing them very soon." She stood up and picked up her buff-colored briefcase.

  As she turned to go, Jason asked, "Do you do it often?"

  "Do what?" She turned back to look at him, brown eyes with gold highlights looking puzzled.

  "Work on your brother's boat. Do you enjoy it?"

  She laughed. "Not very often at all. I enjoy being out on the water. I find it relaxing and a great way to get away from the worries of work."

  Jason nodded. "Yes, I feel the same way about it."

  "Cody, my brother, and his wife just had a baby, so he begged me to help out. Being out there made me realize it had been too long since I'd been on a boat just enjoying the day."

  "So your home is there in Sully Point?"

  "My family home, yes. I live here in the city, in one of your buildings actually."

  "Oh? Which one?"

  "The Helix. It's a lovely place."

  Jason nodded. It was still funny to him that people referred to his buildings by names that were totally unlike the actual name and sometimes were only slightly related to the structure. The 'helix' building was not nearly so curved as the DNA double helix people referred to, but the name had stuck. Holly must be doing quite well at the personnel business, because he knew rents in the Helix were high.

  "Thank you. I look forward to working with you."

  "As do I." She smiled and left the conference room.

  It's funny how she seems taller than she actually is, Jason thought. And it wasn't just her spike heels that left such an impression. It was the force of her personality, her charisma.

  He returned to his day's work, putting her out of his mind, never dreaming he'd be hearing of Sully Point before the day was done.

  * * * *

  Holly caught a cab to her office and walked in filled with energy and determination. She had sensed Jason Earlington was not at all convinced she would get him employees that would last. She knew such a challenge drove her desire to get him the perfect matches for employees.

  "Lana," she called out to her assistant. Lana came into her office and sat down, pad at the ready. Holly smiled at her. She considered finding Lana her best job of matching. The woman was in her mid-forties, still took dictation by hand in a steno book, yet was up on the latest word processing programs and was computer savvy. Lana tended to mother her just enough to help and not too much to irritate.

  "So you met him. What did you think? Did he live up to the hype?" Lana asked.

  "And then some. Yes, he's definitely a presence. Handsome, but not in a pretty boy way, more intense and striking. Green eyes that can spear you with a look, silky-looking dark brown hair with waves you want to run your fingers through, an excellent body in an expensive suit--"

  "Stop," Lana said laughing. "Enough. Sounds gorgeous."

  "He's hot as hell, that's for sure. But his looks aren't going to enter into our work with him. I have in mind two people from our languishing list. John Spivey and Maribeth Gleason. I need to see both of them today if possible."

  Lana nodded. The languishing list was a list of people who should have good jobs but didn't yet. People who were languishing, continuing in a miserable condition--Lana had looked it up to be sure when Holly named that list. Those who were in dire need of a job actually.

  "I also need to find him an assistant, preferably one who is familiar with the business of architecture, drafting, and building, something along those lines. I think we'll need to go to our renaissance list for that one. I don't have anyone in mind yet, so I'll want to review files."

  Lana knew the list of people who were good at a lot of different things was not too long these days. "I'll bring you all the files now, but I'm afraid there aren't too many. Does he want a man or a woman?"

  "Hmm. That is the question, isn't it?" Holly murmured.

  "What?"

  "Oh nothing. I don't think it matters. The person should be willing to work long hours."

  "Okay I'll round up the files." Lana stood up and then didn't move to leave. She asked, "Were you attracted to him?"

  "Of course. But he's a client and you know my rule. No sex with clients."

  Lana laughed. "One of these days you're going to meet the man who can make you forget all your rules. That will be interesting."

  Holly smiled at her. "Don't give me any ideas. Besides, don't I have sex with enough people as it is?"

  Lana gave her boss a gentle look. "Yes, but it's not the same as falling in love with a man you want to spend the rest of your life with, not the same at all."

  "Just because you married the love of your life doesn't mean we all get to have that."

  "No, but you have to at least let the possibility exist for you. And didn't you swear off sex for the past few months?"

  Holly sighed. "Actually yes, and it was six months. It's been very weird. I think I've sublimated my sex drive into my work."

  "I'm sure it will come roaring back if given the right opportunity."

  "I guess I'll see. Okay, no more talk of my empty
sex life. Time to work."

  Lana saluted her. "Okay boss." She turned and walked from the room.

  Holly laughed. Yes, she appreciated Lana and the way she talked about the things Holly might ignore. But she was afraid Lana was wrong about finding the right person. She was twenty-nine years old and had never found that special feeling with any man she'd been with over the years. She looked at her sister Anna, married to Sam and mother of a two-year old, and at her brother Cody who'd found his one right person in Julia. Their new baby was the icing on the cake of their relationship. Maybe love couldn't strike any more times in the same family.

  She knew she had a fear of commitment stemming from her mother dying when she was a child. The idea of loving someone as much as her father had loved her mother and then losing that person terrified her. Shaking off those thoughts, she decided it was time to focus on finding the right people to work for Mr. Earlington.

  * * * *

  Jason was surprised when the receptionist told him Rob Tremaine was waiting to see him. He knew of the man from the financial community but had never met him. "Send him to my office," he told the girl.

  When the older man entered, it was with an air of confidence, suavity, and money. Jason motioned him to a chair and then sat across from him in the other chair. "What can I do for you Mr. Tremaine?"

  "First, call me Rob. I'm hoping we'll be working together on a project."

  "Fine, Rob, what kind of project?"

  "I want to put up a housing development in a small town. I don't want it to be your run of the mill place, however. I want innovative, creative designs that cover a range of prices, from low end to high."

  Jason held up a hand. "I hate to interrupt, but I should make something clear. I design buildings, big buildings. It's been a few years since I've designed a house."

  "Think of this more as designing a community. Sully Point is a--"

  "Sully Point? Is that what you said?" Jason asked sharply.

  "Yes, Sully Point, Massachusetts. My daughter Julia and her husband--"