Hidden Talents

End.”
    “And leave him here overnight?” Serenity added persuasively.
    Dolores hesitated. “I think that can be arranged.”
    “Good-bye, Dolores. And thanks.”
    “Good luck, Miss Makepeace. Lord knows, we're all going to need it.”
    Serenity heard the grocery's door bells chime as she replaced the receiver. She ignored them while she contemplated her desperate scheme. There was no denying that her ploy to get Roland to Witt's End was based on a rather lame dare. It didn't stand much chance of working unless Roland just happened to be looking for an excuse to come to dinner in the first place.
    Serenity recalled the well-concealed warmth that she had glimpsed once or twice in Roland's eyes when he had looked at Caleb. She could only hope that she had not misread his true feelings toward his grandson.
    A movement in the office doorway interrupted her thoughts. She turned around to see a familiar figure attired in a leather jacket, jeans, boots, and Outback hat.
    “Oh, no,” she muttered. “Please. Not now.”
    “Hey, hey, hey, Serenity love. How's my little redheaded Titania today?” Lloyd swooped through the doorway, grabbed Serenity and enveloped her in a bear hug.
    Serenity braced herself against his chest and shoved herself back out of his arms. “What are you doing here, Lloyd?”
    “Had a couple more thoughts on how to handle my study of Witt's End. Wanted to go over them with you. I think we can work out a compromise vis-à-vis the mail order catalog project. If you'll just put your plans on hold for a few months, I can get my interviews and observations done.”
    “I can't talk to you about your study now, Lloyd, I'm very busy at the moment.”
    “This won't take long, love.” Lloyd threw himself down into a chair and propped his boots on her desk. He took off his hat and tossed it onto the desk beside his boots. “All I'm asking is that you listen to my plans.”
    “I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Lloyd. I've got too much to do and I have no intention of changing my plans so that you can pursue your stupid study.”
    “Listen, Serenity, I've got it figured out. All you have to do is delay your catalog project until next summer.”
    “I'm not going to delay it one minute.”
    Lloyd's grin vanished. “Serenity, I've got a career riding on this study.”
    “The future of Witt's End is riding on my mail order catalog plans.”
    “Bullshit.” Lloyd's eyes narrowed. “This is personal, isn't it? It's got nothing to do with the future of Witt's End. You're trying to punish me for what happened six months ago. I never realized you were so vindictive, love.”
    Serenity ran her fingers through her hair. “Believe me, I'm not trying to get even for what happened.”
    “I don't believe you.” Lloyd smiled with understanding. “You were hurt.”
    Serenity glared at him, exasperated. “I was pissed off. Look, we've both agreed that we're not exactly meant for each other.”
    “Okay, maybe we weren't meant to hear wedding bells, but we can be colleagues.”
    “Colleagues?” Serenity repeated very sweetly. “The way we were colleagues on that paper you published?”
    Lloyd's teeth flashed in another disarming grin. “Hey, hey hey. Tell you what. We'll do this study of Witt's End together. I'll put your name on the paper as co-author. How does that grab you?”
    “It doesn't. Even if I was inclined to help you, Lloyd, I have to be honest and say up front that I don't believe for one minute that you'd put my name alongside yours on any paper you got published.”
    “Well, truth is, a grocery store owner wouldn't have much credibility with the editor of a major academic journal, but I'll acknowledge your assistance in the notes. How's that?”
    “Gee, Lloyd, that's a really dazzling prospect.” Serenity drummed her fingers on the back of her chair. “If I had publishing ambitions, that is. Which I don't. And if I was willing to postpone my plans for Witt's End, which I'm not. All things considered, I'm not going to be able to be of much assistance to you.”
    “You don't mean that.” Lloyd gave her his most winning smile, mouth curved with just the right laconic twist, eyes lit with an intimate, knowing gleam. “You'll do it for me, love. For old times' sake.”
    She batted her lashes. “Old times' sake? You've got to be kidding.”
    Lloyd's smile tightened. “Serenity, I'm going to level with you. I've got too much riding on a study of Witt's End to let you get in my way.