Sweet Fortune

as he set it back down on the counter. “You don't have to be afraid of what will happen once your father allows me to buy into Benedict, Jessie. I'll take care of you and the company. You have my word on it.”
    Jessie stared at him, unable to tear her glance away from the intensity in his topaz eyes. She could almost feel his hand gliding down the length of her spine. She shivered and wondered if Mrs. Valentine was right about her having some faint smidgen of untrained psychic awareness. The very air around her seemed to be vibrating with an almost palpable aura.
    The downstairs door buzzer broke the spell. Jessie jumped and her elbow struck the fork she had just put down. The implement bounced off the counter and clattered onto the floor.
    “Now see what you did?” Jessie glowered at Hatch as she leapt off the stool and went to answer the summons.
    Hatch ignored the fallen fork.
    “Who is it?” Jessie asked into the speaker.
    “Jessie, it's me. David. Got some good news.”
    Jessie smiled. “I think I already know what it is. But come on up and tell me anyway.” She pushed the button to let him into the building and turned her head to speak to Hatch over her shoulder. “It's my cousin, David. Aunt Glenna told me he's been accepted into graduate school. Parkington College, no less.”
    Hatch's brows rose. “Ah, yes. David, the philosopherwimp.”
    Jessie rounded on Hatch furiously. “Don't you dare call David a wimp. That's what Dad calls him and I will not tolerate it from either of you.”
    “Take it easy, Jessie. I only meant—”
    “It makes me sick the way you wheeling-and-dealing corporate types look down so condescendingly on the academic world. As if your way of making a living was somehow superior and more manly than teaching and studying. I swear, Hatch, if you say one insulting word to David under my roof, I'll kick you right out the door, in spite of what you may or may not know about investigating cult finances. Do you hear me?”
    “I hear you. The neighbors probably do too. For the record, I don't have anything against the academic world. When I called David a wimp I was referring to his habit of asking you to go to your father for financial assistance. I'll bet graduate school is going to cost a bundle. Naturally he's come straight to you. That's what everyone else in the family does, isn't it?”
    Jessie glared at him, her cheeks burning because he was hitting close to home. “I'll have you know David hasn't asked me to go to Dad for more money.” Mentally she crossed her fingers and prayed that was not the reason David had decided to visit her.
    “He will.” Hatch forked up another ravioli just as the doorbell chimed.
    Jessie swung around on her heel and marched to the door. She threw it open to reveal her cousin, an intense young man of twenty-two.
    Even if one did not know about David's aspirations to pursue an academic career, one could have guessed his future from his attire. He favored jeans, slouchy tweed jackets, and black shirts. He wore round tortoiseshell frames that enhanced his look of earnest, insightful intelligence, and his unkempt blond hair gave him an air of ivory-tower innocence. Glenna had always stressed to everyone else in the family that David was a very sensitive individual.
    “Come on in, David. You know Hatch, don't you?”
    “We've met.” David nodded tentatively at Hatch, who inclined his head coolly in return.
    Neither man made an effort to shake hands. Hatch did not even get off the stool. He went back to eating ravioli, looking faintly bored.
    “Glass of wine, David?” Jessie offered quickly. “To celebrate?”
    “Thanks.” David accepted the glass and glanced around rather diffidently for a place to sit. “Sorry to bother you, Jessie. Didn't know you had company.”
    “That's all right. Hatch wasn't invited either.” Jessie smiled serenely, her eyes sliding away from Hatch's mocking gaze. “We were just talking business, weren't we, Hatch?”
    “In a way,” Hatch agreed.
    “We were definitely discussing business,” Jessie said tartly. “What else would you and I have been talking about?”
    “I can think of a wide variety of subjects. But they'll keep.”
    David glanced quickly from Hatch's face to Jessie's. “Well, this is certainly interesting. I take it the Big Plan is on track?” He sat down on the stool next to Jessie's.
    “What's the Big Plan?” Jessie asked as she resumed her seat.
    David raised one shoulder in an