A Bid for Love (3 page)

“Excuse me.” The woman turned abruptly and walked away before Jared could think of anything else to say. Who was this woman? An interested bystander? Or one of the buyers who cared little for convention? Jared found himself hoping for the latter. Interest rose in his heart, though he tried to stifle it.

“Two hours,” he mumbled to himself. “It took her two hours to get it to look that way.”

“Jared, is that you?” said a voice behind him. The words were spoken in perfect English, but with a decidedly French accent. “It
is
you. Whatever are you talking about?”

“Darn carpet,” Jared said under his breath before turning to face an owner of a prominent Los Angeles gallery. Léon-Paul Medici was not only an owner but an astute buyer as well. “Léon, pleased to see you again. So what can I outbid you on this time?”

Jared forced his mind away from the puzzle of the woman and back to his work. He had to get that Buddha for Laranda.

* * * * *

Jared didn’t go directly to the Buddha when the two auction guards finally opened the viewing. First he went to see the other items on Laranda’s list, keeping a sharp ear out for any information he could use. He eliminated three of the other four art objects Laranda had marked, and one of the two paintings. They either weren’t suited for her gallery or wouldn’t likely bring a large enough profit. Then he systematically worked his way over the rest of the items. Only three caught his attention. On these he would bid, leaving the rest for the smaller, less discriminating galleries.

“That Buddha’s something else, no?” Léon said, appearing at Jared’s elbow.

Jared shrugged with practiced nonchalance. “It’s not the most expensive item here.”

“No, but it’s the one you came to bid on.”

Jared turned his head and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

“I know you,” Léon said, exaggerating his French accent. One dark eye closed in a wink. “You haven’t gone to look at it yet.”

Jared smiled. “Are you bidding for it?” If Léon was interested in the Buddha, the price would go to the ceiling. He represented serious competition.

“I was. It is an interesting piece. However, I am more interested in that.” Léon nodded toward the painting in front of them. It was an item that hadn’t received much publicity, but which would bring a great profit to the gallery that purchased it.

Jared nodded seriously. “It is very good. I think it’ll look excellent in your gallery—until you sell it for a hefty profit.”

“As the Buddha will in yours.” Léon smiled and held out his hand to seal their bargain. Jared felt like whistling again.

Together he and Léon made their way to the Buddha. A group of people were just moving away from the display as they approached. Only two women remained. One was in the last stages of pregnancy, and the other . . .

Jared caught his breath. With the expectant mother was the woman he had seen earlier by the pamphlet display. Her hair looked much the same, but now she was wearing makeup, so subtle that Jared barely noticed its effect. She was dressed in a form-fitting suit coat and skirt. Unlike many of the female buyers, her skirt reached nearly to her knees.

Léon whistled under his breath. “What I wouldn’t give to go out with her.”

“Who is she?” Jared asked.

Léon glanced at him in surprise. “You don’t know? But that’s right, you’re in New York. She’s the new head buyer for the Johansen Gallery.”

“San Diego?”

“Yes. She’s upset quite a few of my little bids. Quite surprising. Innovative. I tried to ask her out, but . . .” Léon shrugged.

“How old is she?”

Léon shook his head. I don’t know. Looks about twenty-five but has to be older than that. She was an assistant buyer at Johansen’s for at least five years before her promotion.”

They had come within earshot of the women, and Jared could hear Cassi pointing out features on the Buddha which stood on a pedestal in front of them. She obviously knew what she was talking about.

“See how the Buddha is so thin? Not your average Chinese Buddha. This is believed to have come out of Mathura in central India, which was where the more Indian style of Greco-Buddhist art evolved.”

“Greco-Buddhist?” asked the other woman.

“Basically that means the art of Kushan India. The other Greco-Buddhist center was Gandhara in northwest India, but the art there had more of a Western influence. This piece is very typical. See how his hands are, facing upward, his back stiff? That’s the meditation pose. The lotus flower on his pedestal represents divinity, fertility or birth, wealth, knowledge and, of course, enlightenment. It also represents purity, long life, health, honor, and good luck.” She chuckled. “So much to represent for such a little flower that often blooms from the mud. And this mark here is . . . hmm, that’s strange. It should be—”

Jared found himself waiting anxiously for her explanation, but Léon interrupted them.

“My dear Cassi, how good to see you.” Léon stepped forward and reached for the woman’s hand. Her wide-set eyes narrowed, but she shook hands with him. Léon held her hand longer than necessary, sidling closer to her. Jared noticed that she pulled her hand away as quickly as possible. As her hand returned to her side, she glanced up at Jared but showed no sign of recognition. Either she was a very good actress, or she didn’t remember him.

Léon continued his spiel. “And who is this mother-to-be? Another new buyer for Johansen?”

Cassi smiled. “No, Léon, this is one of my high school friends, Renae Benson. We’re just spending some time together.”

“She’s trying to give me a little culture,” Renae said bluntly, her voice rich with earthy amusement.

“Are you enjoying it?” Léon asked as he shook Renae’s hand.

 “I enjoy any time away from my four children,” Renae joked.

“Four?” asked Jared, surprised Renae was expecting her fifth child. There weren’t a lot of people who wanted many children nowadays. Jared was the third child of six, and he had always enjoyed the bustle of life that had surrounded his parents’ house.

“Yes, a boy and three girls. But who are you?”

“Ah, excuse my manners,” Léon said. “Cassi Mason, Renae, ah, Benson, wasn’t it?—this is my friend, Jared Landine, from New York. He represents the Garrettson Gallery.”

Jared reached to shake Cassi’s hand. He was determined not to mention that they had already met—at least until she herself remembered. Her grip was firm on his, not like the limp excuse for a handshake that Léon and most of the other buyers gave him. Yet her hand was also soft and delicate, seemingly fragile in his larger one.

As she had with Léon, Cassi pulled away quickly. Jared didn’t react, but wondered why she was so unfriendly. She turned slightly toward the Buddha, her thick eyebrows knitted in concentration while Jared shook hands with Renae, whose grip was only slightly less firm.

“Are you interested in this thing?” asked Renae. “It sure is ugly. I wouldn’t want it for my living room, not even if someone gave it to me.”

Léon laughed.

“I wouldn’t either,” Jared agreed with a smile. “But people are ready to pay a pretty price for this ‘thing,’ as you call it.”

“Are you one of those?” Cassi stared at him, her eyes so intent and dark that for a moment Jared was lost in them. Irritation at his reaction flooded through him, and his reply was sharper than he intended.

“Are you?”

Her eyes met his in challenge. “I am.”

“So am I.”

“There are other items here of value . . .” She was trying to make a deal.

“Are there?” Jared kept his voice hard and tried not to look into her eyes. “In which of them is your gallery most interested?” Jared’s words let Cassi know that he would compromise on other objects, but certainly not when it came to the Buddha.

She glared at him, her chin raised slightly. “Which do you suggest?” She didn’t give up easily.

“Come, come.” Léon broke in between them. “We shall see what shall be at the bidding, no?” Jared nodded and glanced over to the puzzled Renae, who had taken the conversation literally, completely oblivious to its subtle undertones.

“Until then,” Cassi said, nodding toward the men. “It was a pleasure to meet you.” Her voice was polite, but her eyes shot icy darts at Jared. She tugged on Renae’s elbow and they walked off, leaving the men staring after them.

“She’s a strong one, that girl,” Léon said. “But cold. Cold as a—how do you Americans put it?—a fish. That’s it. Cold as a fish. I asked her out, and she didn’t give me the time of day. Others have tried as well, but she doesn’t even acknowledge them. Either she’s totally missing the subtleties of flirting, or she’s a snob.”

Jared himself leaned toward the snob idea; she was certainly well-versed in the bargaining subtleties. “I can’t imagine you ever being subtle in regards to women, Léon,” Jared said, still staring after Cassi. Her curly hair stood out even from across the room, and he noticed that many male eyes trailed after her. What was it they saw in her? While attractive, she was certainly not as beautiful as many of the other women in the room. No, there was something else about her. Jared had to admit that she intrigued him. Imagine caring so little about convention that she ran around in old jeans before an important auction, not caring who saw her. She didn’t act like any woman he’d ever known—certainly not like Laranda, except for maybe the coldness. Jared shrugged and sighed, vowing to stay away from the woman. He didn’t like the way he seemed to lose himself when she was near.

“I wasn’t,” Léon said, turning his head to stare at Cassi.

“What?”

“I wasn’t subtle.”

Jared rolled his eyes. “Big surprise. Let’s go mingle, huh? I’ve got work to do.” Léon nodded and left in the direction of a group of women. Jared sighed again and turned back to the Buddha. Already another crowd of buyers had gathered. Time to eliminate a few more competitors.

CHAPTER FOUR

Just before four, Cassi and Renae left the auction display and retraced their steps down the gold carpet to the elevator. The hallway was crowded now as many buyers had come to the previewing. Cassi waited until they were alone in the elevator to speak.

“Arrogant pig,” she muttered darkly.

“Who?”

“That man we met.”

“You mean the French guy? I thought he was kind of cute. He seems interested in you. Why don’t you go out with him?”

“Him? Are you kidding? He wants to go out, all right. But he’s what’s known around here as a ladies’ man. I don’t trust him as far as I could throw him—which isn’t very far.”

Renae nodded. “Not husband material, huh? Too bad. He’s cute. But his blond friend was better looking anyway, even without a cute accent. Jared Landine, wasn’t it? I noticed he didn’t wear a wedding ring. What about him?”

Cassi gritted her teeth. Why did it seem that all her married friends felt they had to constantly find her a man? It wasn’t her fault men weren’t attracted to her and didn’t often ask her out, and it certainly made things worse when her friends tried to pawn her off on every man under sixty who had a heartbeat. So what if this guy was practically gorgeous? What did that matter when he acted like—

“An arrogant pig. He’s the arrogant pig!”

“What!” Renae shook her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see that. I’ve a feeling I missed a lot during your conversation. Now, why is he an arrogant pig?”

“He . . . he . . .” Cassi floundered. “He wouldn’t even try to deal with me. It was like he thought I was an inexperienced buyer and didn’t care to discuss it. Probably because he saw me dressed like a kid today. Oh, why couldn’t I have waited for the papers? Why am I so impulsive?”

“Don’t you think you’re exaggerating just a bit?” Renae ventured. “I didn’t think he was rude or anything, just determined. Kind of like you. Did you ever think that maybe he’s under orders to get the Buddha, just like you are?”

“Well, I don’t care if he is. I don’t like the man, and I’m going to leave him in the dust. I’ll get that Buddha yet, even if I have to resort to certain tactics.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. I’ll think of something.” Cassi paused. “Better yet, you think of something. You were always good at coming up with ideas for me to carry out. We need a way to keep him away from the auction.”

“Like how, spiking his coffee?”

Cassi bit her lip in concentration. “That would be a good idea. Except what if I gave him too much, and he died or something?”

“You’re serious!” Renae gawked in amazement.

Cassi’s face fell. “Not really. But I live a good fantasy life. When it comes right down to it, I want the Buddha, but I’m not willing to do anything dishonest. I guess I’ll just have to beat him the old-fashioned way.”

“How?”

“Bidding.”

“Oh.”

They looked at each other and sighed.

* * * * *

That evening Cassi and Renae ate at a nice restaurant, where Renae seemed almost at a loss because she didn’t have to cut anyone’s meat or wipe a horde of small mouths. “You can cut mine, if you want,” Cassi offered, making them both laugh.

“I think I’ll manage, thanks,” Renae said dryly.

After a peaceful dinner, they went to the movies. “I want to see anything except a Disney cartoon,” Renae said. “That’s all my kids ever want to see.”

Cassi laughed. “I wished we lived closer, so I could take your kids to Disney movies. I need some excuse to see them. I usually wait until they come out on video and watch them in my house where no one can see.”

“But you said you saw one last week. Were your brother and his children visiting?”

“No, I saw it because I’ve been working with the Cub Scouts, and I took them to the movies for an activity. It was great.”

Cassi had only worked with the boys for few months, and already she loved the volunteer job. The boys were active, excited, and each one had fallen in love with her. They were a great boost for her ego and had given her something to live for besides her work.

When they arrived back at the hotel, Renae called her husband while Cassi readied for bed. “Is everything all right?” she asked when Renae hung up.