Pat Warren - Sunshine

“David, this is Janice Eber,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound as nervous as she felt. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”

Spooky, David thought. Downright spooky to have the woman he’d been thinking about call just then. “Janice, good to hear from you. How are you holding up?”

“I’m doing fine. Personally, that is. But with the business end of things, not so well.”

“How can I help?”

“I’m not sure. I’m sitting at Kurt’s desk in his office, and I have to admit I’m overwhelmed. I don’t understand the books, a second mortgage on our home, some investments. Kurt’s office manager, Tom Sikes, is more than willing to explain everything, but...”

He caught the pause, the hesitancy, and understood. “But you don’t know him and you’re not sure you can trust him.”

He’d about summed it up, though she hadn’t spoken those exact words aloud. “More or less.”

“Would you like me to meet with Tom Sikes, go over the papers and then explain everything to you?”

She felt relief flood her. That was exactly what she wanted. “If you’re sure you have the time. I know you’re some distance from here and I hate to ask. You must be busy.”

“It just so happens I’m visiting a client in Whitewater tomorrow morning. I could be in Tyler about one. Could you ask Tom to prepare for my visit, to have the latest audited reports and tax returns available, and give him permission to show me all the books?”

“Yes, certainly.”

“Leave the mortgage information and Kurt’s insurance policies on the desk also and I’ll check into those.”

She was feeling better by the minute. “Fine. Feel free to look through the entire desk and files. Anything else?”

Leaning back, David smiled. “Yes. Invite me to dinner tomorrow evening. I should have a pretty good idea of how you stand by then, unless I run into something out of the ordinary.”

Dinner. Janice hadn’t thought that far ahead. But it was the least she could do. “Consider yourself invited. But understand that I mean to pay you as would any other client.”

“We can discuss that over a glass of wine.”

Now they were drinking together. Janice felt her pulse quicken, something that hadn’t happened in a very long time. As the thought held, she felt herself flush with guilt. She was a widow, a woman newly widowed. She would do well to keep that in mind and keep this meeting businesslike. With no small effort, she put a touch of formality into her voice. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Something had been bothering her since he’d answered. “David, what’s that noise I hear in the background?”

“Oh, that.” He laughed. “That’s water gurgling. I’m sitting in my hot tub. It’s a great way to unwind after a long day at a desk.”

She was caught off guard. “A hot tub,” she repeated.

“I’ll have to show it to you sometime.”

Her errant mind went wild. She pictured him sitting in the sunken tub, hot bubbling water swirling around his muscular chest. They’d gone sailing together one balmy afternoon, and Janice remembered that David’s chest was generously sprinkled with dark, curly hair. Was it still like that? she wondered.

Flushing, Janice stood up so quickly she nearly toppled Kurt’s chair. Whatever was the matter with her? Grateful that David couldn’t see her red face, she struggled for a nonchalant tone. “Tomorrow then, David. I appreciate your help.”

“It’s my pleasure. See you then, Sunshine.”

Sunshine. Talking with him had warmed her like a ray of sunshine. Hanging up, Janice shook her head to clear it. She would definitely need to get a grip on herself by tomorrow. Her emotions had been unstable since that fateful phone call about Kurt. That would explain why she was acting so peculiarly, thinking thoughts she’d long ago discarded.

Quickly, she put the things David had requested on top of Kurt’s desk. Fumbling through several drawers, she scooped up a couple of folders, notes and address books she thought she might look through at home later. She grabbed her coat, purse and manila envelopes and went to find Tom Sikes to set up David’s visit.

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