Perfect Partners

it’s a little too soon to talk about it, but I want you to know I’m still prepared to go through with the deal. I’ll continue to run the company for the next year, just as I have for the past ten years. Then, when I’ve got the financing in place, I’ll cash you out. How does that sound?”
    “The turnoff is up ahead on the right.”
    Joel’s jaw tightened. “Thanks.”
    He slowed the Jeep and obediently turned off the river road onto an even tinier one that led into the trees. The structure of glass and wood at the end of the lane was a cabin in name only. By anyone’s standards it was a lovely and expensive home.
    “You can park behind the Porsche,” Letty said.
    “Nice place,” Joel said, casting a knowledgeable eye over the sleek lines of the house. “I didn’t know professors got paid enough to afford Porsches and weekend cabins like this.”
    “My father is one of the country’s leading experts on medieval philosophy. By temperament and training, he is himself a fine logician. My stepmother has written some of the most important papers being published today on syntactic and semantic analysis.”
    “So?”
    Letty was amused. “So they are both brilliant analytical thinkers. It gives them an edge when it comes to making financial investments.”
    “I’ll keep that in mind the next time I want some advice on the stock market,” Joel said. He opened the Jeep door and got out. Then he started around the hood to open Letty’s door.
    Letty saw what was happening and scrambled out on her own. She did not want Joel getting the impression that just because he worked for her, he was expected to wait on her hand and foot. She had a feeling things were going to be difficult enough as it was between herself and Joel Blackstone.

    Letty walked hesitantly into the gleaming kitchen and saw Stephanie at the sink. “Can I help?” she offered, already knowing what the answer would be.
    “No, thank you, Letty.” Stephanie smiled her cool, serene smile as she peeled shrimp. “Everything’s under control in here. Why don’t you go out and visit with your father and Joel?”
    Everything was always under control with Stephanie. Letty wondered what it would take to ruffle the glassy smooth surface of her stepmother’s glacial poise. “All right. If you’re certain there’s nothing I can do.”
    “I’ll call you if I need you,” Stephanie promised.
    “Well, if you insist. What are you preparing?”
    “Black linguini with shrimp and mussels.”
    Letty blinked. “I don’t believe I’ve ever had black linguini. Do they use food coloring to make it black?”
    “Heavens no.” Stephanie looked startled. “Squid ink.”
    “Oh.” Letty retreated from the kitchen.
    Stephanie would not call for assistance, Letty knew, because she would not want anyone else in her pristine, orderly world. Too much risk of a mess, no doubt.
    Stephanie was a gourmet cook. This did not surprise Letty, because she had learned very quickly that everything Stephanie did, she did with a high level of expertise. What amazed Letty about Stephanie’s cooking was that she turned out truly exotic fare without creating so much as a ripple of disorder on the surfaces of her steel and white tile kitchen.
    Morgan was talking to Joel near the seven-foot windows when Letty entered the living room. He glanced at his daughter.
    “Ah, there, you are, my dear. We were just about to open a bottle of Yakima Valley sauvignon blanc. I think you’ll like it.” He turned to Joel. “Letty hasn’t spent much time out here in the Northwest yet. We’re trying to educate her palate.”
    “I am told Seattle is a foodie town,” Letty said dryly.
    Joel shrugged. “I don’t know about that, but we like to eat. And we like to eat well.”
    “So I have been given to understand. All right, Dad. I’m ready to try your latest discovery.” Letty sat down on one of the white leather sofas. She noticed Joel stayed near the window, gazing out over the night-darkened forest.
    “This one is a genuine find, I’m pleased to say.” Morgan went to work at the small bar built into the far end of the living room. “Great depth and finesse. Very subtle. Quite sophisticated, actually.”
    “Sophisticated” was a word Professor Morgan Thornquist would never have applied to a bottle of wine in the old days. Letty was still coming to terms with the changes she was witnessing in her father.
    Some of them were good, she conceded. He had shed the extra