“In my defense, I wasn’t sure I’d make it through this week without quitting or getting fired, so I didn’t want to get ahead of myself.” I shrug, and he pulls his hands from his face to give me a look that is filled with a whole lot of disbelief. “What? I’m just being honest.”
“All meetings that need to be rescheduled from today will have to be put off until I get back into town. I have a big deal I’m working, and it needs my undivided attention until then.” He pushes up off the couch, and I notice he has dark circles under his eyes, like he hasn’t slept for days. I wonder if they’ve always been there but just hidden by the glasses he normally wears.
“Righty ho, Ranger Joe,” I mutter under my breath, and he grunts in response before stepping around me. With no choice but to follow him, we make our way back toward the elevator, then stand there in awkward silence after he presses the button.
“What deal are you working?” I blurt, needing something to fill the quiet as we step into the elevator.
“If I told you, I’d have to kill you,” he says, and my head flies his way so quick it feels like I gave myself whiplash. “I’m just kidding.” He holds up his hands.
“I know, but I can’t believe you just attempted to joke with me.” I take my eyes off him when the doors open, but I don’t miss the sour look he gives me before I step off the elevator.
“Penny,” he calls out, and I turn to look at him, realizing he’s stopped a few feet behind me. “I’ll be back here this afternoon, and we’ll go over what’s going to happen next week with me out of the office.”
“Sounds like a plan.” I plaster a sugary-sweet smile on my face, then I head for my office with pep in my step, knowing I won’t have to deal with him in person for an entire week.
Lucky me.
Chapter 4
Wake-Up Call
The ringing of my phone pulls me from sleep, and I open my eyes, finding my room dark. My heart instantly starts to pound with worry as I fumble around for the device I left plugged in next to my bed. No one but my mom would be calling me before the sun is even up, and she would only call if there is something wrong.
Before I even have my cell fully in hand, I slide my finger across the screen and answer with a breathless “Hello?” putting it against my ear.
“Penny, it’s Jace,” my new boss’s deep voice rumbles in my ear, causing confusion to wash away the worry I felt seconds ago.
“Jace?” I rub my tired eyes. “What time is it?”
“Five.”
“Five?” I repeat, sure I heard him wrong, because there is no reason whatsoever that he should be calling me at five in the morning on the weekend.
“I need you to meet me at the airport in an hour.”
“What?” I push up to my elbow and turn on my bedside lamp as he sighs.
“I need you to meet me at the private airport just outside of Modesto in an hour.”
“Why?”
“I’ll explain why when I see you.”
“So you want me to meet you at the airport, but you’re not telling me why I need to do that until I get there?”
“Yes.”
“It’s Saturday.”
“I know.”
“I don’t work on Saturdays, Jace.”
“Now you do. See you when you get here.” He pauses. “And pack a bag with enough clothes for the week.” He hangs up before I can tell him where to shove it, and I pull my cell away from my ear and glare at the device in my hand like it’s all its fault.
“He’s insane if he thinks I’m actually going to meet him,” I grumble to myself before I drop my phone on my bedside table and turn out the light. After fluffing my pillow, I lay my head back down… then grit my teeth as I picture Paris slipping right through my fingers.
I doubt I could find another job that would pay me as much as I’m making now in the next week, and if it took me a week to find another job, that would be a whole week of money I’d be missing out on.
With a curse, I toss back the blanket and sit up on the side of the bed before I flip on the lamp. Grabbing my phone, I dial the number that just called me and wait.
“Yes,” Jace answers on the third ring.
“What kind of clothes do I need to pack?”
“What you’ve been wearing to the office this week should work.”
“Right.” I hang up before he can hang up on me again and hope he hates it as much as I do.
I get out of bed and go get my brand-new bright-pink suitcase from my spare room and rip off the tags before rolling it back and lifting it onto my bed. I never travel—or I’ve never traveled to anywhere I’d need a suitcase—so until I started planning the trip to Paris, I didn’t own one. Now, I’m glad I purchased this bad boy when I saw it on sale, or I’d be showing up with a backpack and a garbage bag full of stuff.
As I pack shorts, jeans, leggings, and T-shirts, and a couple summer dresses I wonder where we’re going and why Jace needs me with him. Thursday, when he came back to the office and we went over what would happen while he’d be gone, he didn’t bring up the big deal he’s working. And yesterday, while I was rescheduling meetings, I took a peek at his calendar for next week. Sure enough, it was blacked out with no information about what his plans are. So I really have no idea what is going on, but I do know someone who would.
Once I’ve got enough clothes for the week, I close up my suitcase and head to the bathroom with my cell. I stand at the sink with my thumb hovering over Christy’s number and glance at the time. I doubt she would be thrilled with me phoning her at five thirty in the morning on a Saturday, especially after she told me the last time we spoke that Ivy has been keeping her up all night.
With a shake of my head, I set my cell aside, then check my reflection in the mirror and take in my red-rimmed eyes that are a ramification of my late night. Because I knew I didn’t need to get up for work, I took a long bath, drank a huge glass of wine, then stayed up way too late watching a documentary on the volcano that destroyed Pompeii years ago. It was very interesting, but now I regret binge-watching TV for six hours instead of going to bed.
With a groan, I grab my toothbrush, then go through my morning routine before putting on my glasses, since I can’t wear my contacts. I get dressed in a pair of shorts, a tank, and an oversized hoodie. Shoving my feet into my flip-flops, I make sure my apartment is secure, then take my suitcase out to my car, dump it in the trunk, and get in behind the wheel.
I reach the small private airfield in less than fifteen minutes, and nervousness fills the pit of my stomach as I park in one of the many empty spots in the lot. The feeling has nothing to do with traveling alone with Jace and everything to do with flying.
Or at least that’s what I tell myself.
I tighten my ponytail, then grab my purse off the seat next to me and get out of my car. After a couple of tugs, I get my bag free from the trunk, then I drag in a deep breath as I roll it toward the simple-looking steel building.
As I reach the door, a woman wearing a fitted blazer and skirt with heels steps outside and smiles at me. “Penny?”