Lady's Choice by Jayne Ann Krentz

of David and Elly Kirkwood."
    "If I lose my money, Travis, it will be because of you, not David and Elly."
    Travis swore and surged to his feet. "Oh, no, you don't. You're not going to blame this on me." He began to pace the length of the gray carpet. "Don't you dare try to blame this on me," he repeated huskily. "You should never have put money into Flame Valley and you know it."
    In a way he was right and Juliana did know it. She lifted one shoulder carelessly. "Win some, lose some."
    Travis swung around at the far end of the room and leveled his finger at her. "You can't afford to lose that much cash, Juliana. Not if you want to expand Charisma Espresso. No one knows your financial situation better than me, and I'm telling you that you can't take this kind of loss. All your plans for Charisma will be set back three or four years at the very least."
    "Okay, okay. You've made your point. I can't afford the loss. Not much I can do about it now."
    Travis shoved his hands into his back pockets. "Is that all you can say?"
    "No point crying over spilt espresso."
    "You're looking at the end of all your plans to finance Charisma's expansion this year, and that's your reaction?" Travis asked, staring at her in disbelief. '"No point crying over spilt espresso'? I don't believe I'm hearing this."
    "Be reasonable, Travis. There's not much I can do now, is there? The damage is done." She took a swat-low of brandy and gazed forlornly into the dark fireplace. "I'm ruined."
    "Let's not get melodramatic. We've got enough problems as it is."
    "You don't have any problems. I have the problems. And frankly, Travis, if you can't offer anything helpful to the discussion, I'd just as soon stop talking about my dismal business future. It's depressing."
    "Helpful?" he snarled. "What kind of help do you expect from me?"
    She slanted him a sidelong glance. "Well, Travis, you are the problem, in case you've forgotten.
    That means you're also the solution."
    "I didn't get Flame Valley Inn into this mess," he growled furiously. "Kirkwood and Elly did it all on their own. With a little help from you and your parents and good old Uncle Tony, of course. Don't expect me to solve everything by paying you back after I take over the resort. I've got investors to pay off first, remember? A half dozen of them, and they'll all be standing in line waiting for their money.
    I've made commitments to them. And I can personally guarantee that none of them are going to be feeling charitable."
    "You're right. I don't expect you to pay me off when you and your investors take over the inn."
    "Well, what do you expect out of me?" Travis roared.
    She pursed her lips primly, "You're my personal business consultant," she reminded him. "You are paid to keep me out of hot financial waters. You are paid to guide and advise me. I'm putting my complete faiths total trust and all my hopes for the future in your hands. I feel certain you'll save my hide."
    "Juliana, what the hell am I supposed to do?"
    "Save Flame Valley Inn from the clutches of Fast Forward Properties, Inc."
    Travis looked thunderstruck. For a moment he just stood there in towering silence, staring at her as if she'd lost her mind. Juliana held her breath.
    "Save the inn?" Travis finally repeated blankly. "From myself?"
    "From yourself and that pack of hungry wolves you're leading."
    "Am I supposed to do this for you?" He looked as if he was having trouble following the conversation.
    "I'm one of your clients, aren't I? I hired you to help me put together a workable plan to expand Charisma. As far as I'm concerned, we still have a valid consulting contract. And the bottom line is that we can't expand my firm unless you rescue Flame Valley from Fast Forward Properties.
    Therefore, yes, I'm expecting you to do this for me."
    "You," Travis announced softly, dangerously, "are crazy."

    "No. Desperate." If only he knew how desperate, Juliana thought. She wasn't fighting to save the inn or Charisma's future. She was