Into His Private Domain

“You’ve been reading too many novels.” He chuckled. “I’m quite happy to enjoy my share of the Wolff family coffers.”

“And by the way,” she said, “what is the family business?”

“Railroads originally, back in the 1800s. We’ve diversified since then. Most of the Wolff ancestors were good at making money from money.”

“And now?”

“We took a hit, like everyone… when the economy tanked. But my father and my uncle are shrewd businessmen. We have interests in shipping, manufacturing, even agriculture to some extent.”

“But you make furniture.”

He nodded. “Indeed.”

She put a hand on the piece of walnut he’d been sanding. Already, the finish was smooth to the touch. “Indulge me,” she said, wondering if she was being far too nosy. “How much does a cradle for a royal cost?”

He shrugged, an enigmatic smile teasing the corner of his mouth. “Seventy-five thousand dollars… give or take. Depends on the exchange rate on any given day.”

“Seventy-five…” Her mouth hung open. She didn’t know what she, Gracie, did for a living, but it was a good bet she didn’t make half that amount in a year. She didn’t know why she was so sure, but she was. Maybe because hearing him say the number out loud was shocking.

He took pity on her. “I have a charity that I created a long time ago. My furniture pieces are one of a kind… and for whatever reason some people are willing to shell out big bucks for them. So I make the furniture, cash the checks and put all the money to good use.”

“What’s your charity?”

His face closed up. “You wouldn’t have heard of it.” Any good humor he’d exhibited had evaporated. “I need to get back to work.”

“Tell me what else you make,” she coaxed. “And for whom.”

He let out an exaggerated, aggrieved sigh. “An armoire for a Middle Eastern sheikh. Windsor chairs for a Boston heiress. A desk for a former president….”

“That’s amazing,” she said simply. “You must be phenomenally talented. Is this what you studied in school?”

His expression darkened. “I earned a law degree at my father’s urging. But I found out pretty quickly that I wasn’t cut out for litigation. To show my dad what a badass I was, I enlisted in the army and did some time in Afghanistan.”