Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Charlie

“ A re you… cleaning?” Trevor’s suspicious voice interrupted my thoughts as I was gathering potential mountain gear into a box.

I’d gone through the selection of recent online orders in my office, discovering several unopened boxes. Finally, I’d have some use for the gadgets.

“I’m just packing,” I said, ripping open another box.

The flashlight! That would be handy.

Trevor threw himself into an armchair, groaning. “So… excrement is hitting the fan next week and you’re galloping off into the sunset?”

I blew a sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m fighting George on quite a few things right now, I thought I’d give him this one.”

“So, you’re going to spend a week alone in a hot tub, drinking smoothies and get a new idea that’ll save all of our asses?”

I’d done my best to sell the plan to him and Lee, but Trevor could see through my bullshit. He didn’t know the half of it, though. I wasn’t going to tell him I’d bought two tickets and Bess would be there. This plan was already on wafer-thin ice.

“ Alone , in the hot tub?” Trevor repeated, watching me intensely.

“What?” I fought a swell of nausea.

“So it’s just a coincidence that Bess from production was gifted an all-expenses-paid week at an art retreat in the Rockies? A crazy coincidence.”

“Where did you hear that?”

“Teresa.”

“She talks to you?”

I knew Bess was friends with the tall, dark and scary designer, but I’d never expected Teresa to tell Trevor. She didn’t really hang out with us, only glared at us disapprovingly.

Trevor shifted in his seat. “Well, I know how to make her open up.” He coughed into his fist.

Something about his manner gave me pause. “Wait. Did you two…”

“A little bit, on 4 th of July.” He coughed again, this time all chesty and disgusting, like a dying man.

“Seriously? She’s a colleague. You know better than that.”

Trevor looked hurt. “Are you saying you’d never slip your USB in a company laptop?”

“Our laptops have no USB ports,” I said, buying time. It shouldn’t have been a hard question. I looked him in the eye. “But no, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Fair enough.” Trevor shrugged, launching into another coughing fit.

“And you need to quit smoking. Right now.”

“Tomorrow,” he said, handing me his lighter.

I pocketed it.

Trevor finally caught his breath. “You’re going to the mountains with this woman you’ve been crushing on for two years, but you’re not going to make a move? You’re a better man than I, Charlie.”

“She doesn’t even like me,” I said defensively.

“But if she did…” He raised his brow. “I bet you’d be willing to lower yourself from that high horse. Onto a medium-sized pony, maybe. And refrain from judging me.”

“I’m not judging you,” I insisted. Because he was right. If Bess liked me, I’d probably break all my rules.

“Whatever.” He stood up. “Go to the mountains and save the company, Charlie. We’re all counting on you.”

Fuck , I thought as he left. Everything was hinging on this crazy plan. I already knew no amount of fresh mountain air and hot tubs would unlock my brain. I’d already used every trick and was drawing blank after blank, but I couldn’t admit that to anyone. I’d pinned my hopes on Bess. She was the best problem-solver I knew. The solution was hiding somewhere in that beautiful head of hers. I just had to keep my stupid crush under control and focus on the job.