Undercover Fiance

“Knock first,” Janine snapped. She pressed a fist over her pounding heart.

“Sorry. Are you okay?” She flashed an adoring smile at Daniel.

“I’m busy right now. What do you want?”

Kara made a hissy noise through her teeth. “You don’t need to bite my head off. I just wanted to tell you breakfast is ready. Chef made those caramel rolls you like so much.”

Janine laid her head on her folded arms. Frazzled nerves or not, she had no right to take it out on her sister.

“I’m sorry,” she called, but Kara was already gone. Rolling her eyes in self-disgust, she rose. Daniel’s too-bland face annoyed her. “In case you were wondering, the answer is Yes, I’m always a grump. Especially in the morning.”

“I wasn’t wondering. But thanks for the warning.”

“Are you always this chipper and perky?”

“Without fail.”

In the family dining room the heady aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air. The comfortable room and mouth-watering scents soothed her frazzled nerves. Her appetite roared to life. Seeing Kara acting extra careful, her shame deepened. She hated her hot temper and tendency toward snappishness. She worked hard at allowing petty annoyances to roll off her back, she longed for sweet serenity, but those seemed like impossible goals to reach. “I’m sorry for yelling. You didn’t deserve it.”

Kara passed off the apology with a careless wave. “No problem.” She faced Daniel. “And you!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. “You saved Ninny’s life. I’m so glad you’re here!”

A trace of color appeared on his cheekbones. He hovered a hand over Kara’s back then patted between her shoulder blades. His sheepish expression fascinated Janine. He couldn’t possibly be embarrassed.

Janine glanced at the doorway then lowered her voice. “Listen,” she told Kara, “there’s something you need to know.”

“Yeah, no kidding. Why didn’t you tell me you had a stalker? I never knew your life was in danger. How long has this been going on?”

Janine indicated the sideboard. Serving bowls and covered hot trays held the food. “Help yourself, Daniel.”

“Well?” Kara asked. She selected the biggest caramel roll and plopped it onto Daniel’s plate.

Janine hesitated. Many of Kara’s best friends were staff members—any of whom could be Pinky. “You have to swear that what I tell you doesn’t go beyond this room.”

“What about Ross and Megan?”

At the mention of her brother and other sister Janine winced. She envisioned the entire family swarming in to do battle. “You didn’t call them, did you?”

Kara lifted a shoulder. “I did, but Ross is out of town and Megan is helping Tristan feed cows.”

“No more calls.” Keeping an eye on the doorway, Janine told her tale. Telling it still wasn’t easy. Kara’s show of horror made it worse. By the time she finished, Daniel had refilled his plate and Kara had eaten her breakfast. Janine managed to choke down some fruit, oatmeal and part of a caramel roll.

“Erotomania?” Kara whispered. “Is he a rapist? A pervert?”

Daniel answered. “It’s a love fixation, not sexual desire. If Pinky was a pervert, Janine would know it by now. I dealt with one—”

“Please,” Janine interrupted. “I’ve heard enough stories to give me nightmares for a year. Take his word for it, Kara.”

Kara wagged a finger between her sister and Daniel. “So you guys aren’t really dating. It’s all a trick to get this Pinky guy to show himself?”

“Right.”

The young woman popped a piece of roll in her mouth and chewed, her expression thoughtful. “Wait a minute! I know who you are. You’re J.T.’s boss. You own the karate studios. Frankie told me about you.”

“The studios are a sideline. Stopping stalkers is what I do.”

Janine recognized the gleam in Kara’s eyes. Kara loved people without discrimination. She especially loved good-looking men. No doubt she was, at this very moment, figuring out a way to date Daniel. Seated side by side at the table, they made a stunning couple. Janine cleared her throat, loudly.

“He has a job to do. I need your cooperation.”

“I’m happy to do anything you need.” She directed the words toward Daniel.

I bet you are, Janine thought.

Kara sobered. “The colonel won’t like this, Ninny.”

Well aware of how her father would react, Janine said nothing.

A knock caused all three to look toward the doorway. Janine recognized a maintenance worker. “Yes, Jason, what can I do for you?”

“I’m sorry to bother you, ma’am.” Hands shoved in his pockets, he lingered under the doorway. “Mr. Hernandez asked me to find you. A guy showed up at the garage. Says he’s from the EPA.”

The Environmental Protection Agency, Janine thought with an inner groan. Bureau of Land Management property and national forest surrounded the resort. The EPA kept a close eye on any potential contaminants or environmental hazards. They were going to demand an accounting of every single chemical burned inside the garage.

“Tell Juan to send the gentleman to my office.”

Jason nodded and scooted away.

“How long has Jason worked here?” Daniel asked.

“I hired him in November.” Janine smiled. “But he isn’t Pinky.”

Kara’s laughter echoed the sentiment.

“Why not?”

“For one thing, he’s only a kid. For another, he’s a very sweet boy. He works hard and Juan likes him. He says Jason is a mechanical wizard.”

“We’ll see.” Daniel filled his cup with fresh coffee.

Janine didn’t like his tone of voice. Her own paranoia about her staff was bad enough—to have two of them peering suspiciously at people who were doing their jobs was too much.

An unmistakable voice rang in the hall, approaching the dining room. Janine stiffened. Breakfast felt like a brick in her belly. No time to argue with Daniel now. She had other problems. Her father was home.

Relegated to the background, Daniel observed the Dukes. His first impression was that Colonel Horace Duke didn’t look as if he were seventy-seven years old. His hair was silver, but he had a lot of it. Ruddy-faced, lean and muscular, he stood well over six feet tall and carried himself as if steel instead of bone formed his spine. He had a big, booming voice. His pale blue eyes radiated fearsome light. He appeared as hale and hearty as he did in the numerous photographs covering the dining room wall above the sideboard.

Elise Duke hugged her daughters and inquired about their health. Sleek and ageless, she didn’t look motherly, but her demeanor certainly was. She used both hands to grasp Daniel’s hand in greeting and he fell headfirst into her aura of charm. A funny pang centered below his breast bone. As a kid, he’d spent many hours fantasizing about having a mother exactly like Elise.

“Sit down, Colonel,” Janine said. She stood nearly nose to nose with her father, but twisted a hank of hair so hard Daniel was surprised she didn’t have a bald spot. “I can’t think with you trying to bully me into a corner.”