I turned off my phone on purpose and didn't use it again until I was back inside Tucson proper. Though my dad never gave me the credit I deserved, he probably thought I didn't realize he had tracking apps installed on all company-issued phones. I was aware of his apps and how to get past them, and I also had a spare phone that I could use for covert purposes. When I wasn't working, my time was entirely my own.I slid out of the leased SUV and gave my phone a moment to connect and update all the apps before using it.Located in a cramped, low-slung plaza just off the main road, the coffee shop I had parked in front of was a small, independent establishment with an eccentric menu and decor.Strolling inside, I placed an order for a café breve and generously tipped the barista when it arrived. Out front of the store were a handful of small, circular tables in bright primary colors. I took my drink outside and sat at the farthest one since it was too tempting to pass up.Arizona had surpr
When I got to the hotel's restaurant, the maitre d' told me that the table I wanted would be free in about half an hour, but he was sorry about it.I gave him a smile and told him, "No problem." "I'll be there as soon as the bar opens."The horseshoe-shaped hotel bar was sleek and modern, but not very interesting. The only thing that was even slightly interesting about it was a single person sitting on the other side.Her hair was the first thing that caught my eye. It was longer than usual and a thick, shiny shade of rust. It fell over her shoulder in soft waves. Her cocktail dress was a beautiful shade of plum and draped around her in a way that reminded me of Grecian dresses. One hand played around with the stem of a wine glass that was still 3/4 full of what I thought was rosé. She drew something with the other hand in a small notebook that was open in front of her.As I got closer to the bar, I took another look at both women's hands. No rings. So then. I may have just found the
The last glass of champagne was a mistake.As I walked back to the table from the bathroom, I was very aware of how light my head felt and how shaky my steps were. I thought about how proud Aiyssa and Teagan would be of me for once drinking too much, and it made me smile even though I was drunk.I felt butterflies start to flutter in my stomach as I carefully climbed the stairs to the dining room. Even though I was often teased, I wasn't a good person. I wasn't so drunk that I didn't know what would probably happen next. I knew that when I got to the table, the bill would already be paid and that Ale would invite me to go back to his room with him.In the few dates I've been on in the last few years, this was usually where things went downhill. Either I politely said no, which made my date mad, or I said yes and had a boring sexual encounter, which was followed by a few weeks of nagging and then nasty phone messages when I said no to more of the same.This time, though... This time, I
I thought Olivia was only half right when she said "the middle of nowhere" I was in a small, quiet, mountainous part of New England. It wasn't a big city, but it was on the map, and it had a hotel for long stays. That meant that something was going on or had been going on not too long ago.The hotel didn't look like much, but at first glance, it seemed like it was run by someone who knew what they were doing. Everything was clean, the person working at the front desk was friendly and helpful, and the room was nice enough for the price.After putting my things on the table in my room, I grabbed my camera, phone, and keys and got back on the road right away. I had rented a burnt-orange Land Rover Discovery Sport and driven it on purpose through some mud before I got so far north that everything was still half-frozen. It would fit with my usual cover story as a freelance photographer because it was tough enough to handle any terrain and dirty enough to look real.Based on the information
WynetteAfter I hung up the phone, I gave my forehead a light massage with one hand. The overnight clerk at my front desk wasn't going to be coming in. That shouldn't have come as much of a shock. He lived quite a distance out from the town center, on a side road that was not on anyone's list of top priorities to clear. It was necessary for him to call in frequently if there were nor'easters like the one that is currently bearing down on us. Because Mary, who worked the day shift, was such a fan of overtime, we never had any issues with this. However, Murphy's Law seemed to be operating at full strength this week. Mary was sick with the flu, and Louis, who worked a rotating schedule, had family visiting from out of town and was unable to work any extra shifts.It wasn't a problem for me to make up the difference, but at that moment we were very close to having the house completely packed. The building of the resort that the pack was going to build had begun, but because there were not
WYNETTEMy break finally arrived, and by that time I'd had plenty of time to think about whether or not I should extend an offer to Ale. My anxiety was so intense that it made my chest sing.As I nervously swiped at my blazer, the word "stupid" roared through my thoughts. It's possible that Ale means what he says about wanting to date me, and certainly, there might be things in the next few years that will keep him here.Nothing in any of that spoke to the viability of a romantic connection between us. Hadn't I just finished explaining to Teagan how unable our mother was to maintain a relationship with a partner? Hadn't I just been brought back to the realization that none of my siblings or I had been able to maintain even the remotest semblance of a normal, long-lasting relationship? Teagan was so certain that it was impossible for us to find a partner in love that she decided to get into a contract marriage for the purpose of convenience.Why should that rule not apply to someone li
WynetteI was on his mind. As I poured us both coffee from the little pot in the back office, the thought lifted my spirits and made me feel buoyant. I had been just as hesitant to take myself away from his arms as he had been to let me go, but I had to get to work, which was something that was brought to both of our attention by the screech of the phone that broke up our hug.Ale, on the other hand, displayed a wonderful lack of concern as he released me to attend to the phone and made himself at home at the tiny table that was crammed into the corner of the room. I came to the conclusion that he was more akin to the rakish space captains or cosmic pirates that populated Teagan's favored genres than any of the stately gentlemen that were featured in my most cherished romance novels. Despite this, when I looked over my shoulder to ask him how he liked his coffee, he was staring at me with the same kind of concentrated focus that heroes in stories of every genre give to the love intere
Wynette I was on his mind. As I poured us both coffee from the little pot in the back office, the thought lifted my spirits and made me feel buoyant. I had been just as hesitant to take myself away from his arms as he had been to let me go, but I had to get to work, which was something that was brought to both of our attention by the screech of the phone that broke up our hug. Ale, on the other hand, displayed a wonderful lack of concern as he released me to attend to the phone and made himself at home at the tiny table that was crammed into the corner of the room. I came to the conclusion that he was more akin to the rakish space captains or cosmic pirates that populated Teagan's favored genres than any of the stately gentlemen that were featured in my most cherished romance novels. Despite this, when I looked over my shoulder to ask him how he liked his coffee, he was staring at me with the same kind of concentrated focus that heroes in stories of every genre give to the love int