“I know,” I chuckle, tightening my hold. “I could stay like this all damn day. But we need to get up, call the garage. We’ve got work to do.”
She pouts, lips jutting in a mock sulk before she breaks into a giggle and tosses the sheet aside. The sight of her bare, flushed body scrambling for clothes on the floor makes my cock twitch like it’s forgotten the night’s over.
“Fine,” she says, wriggling into her blouse. “I’ll start the coffee. You make the call.”
“Deal,” I mutter, dragging myself up with far less grace, tugging yesterday’s clothes back on. Every muscle protests—partly from the hard floor, mostly from the way we fucked each other raw.
My phone’s still plugged into the wall. A buzz of notification saves me the trouble of dialing: the garage texted. The car’s fine. Just scratches. Ready for pickup. Good news, since the meeting is less than two hours away.
I look up. She’s bent over the counter, hair loose, humming while she fiddles with the coffee pot, still glowing from last night. And for the first time in years, the idea of leaving the cabin feels like the worst plan in the world.
“Here, it’s piping hot.” She comes up beside me, hands me the mug, and we look out the window, enjoying the last few moments of peace before getting back into the work madness. The tall pine trees are coated with a fresh powder of white snow, and a few birds take flight through the air.
This is a sight right out of a dream. This is what I’d imagine when hearing of a winter wonderland.
“Thanks,” I reply, taking a sip. “Since the garage is only a few blocks away, we should start walking to make the meeting on time.” I can see the sadness wash over her face. It’s not ideal having to leave our mini, unexpected vacation, but we still have a job to do.
After fetching our things, which isn’t much since we had no time to prepare for the trip or be stranded overnight, we leave the rental and head down the road.
It takes us around twenty minutes to reach the garage, and I see my car already sitting outside with a note under the windshield wiper. Giving Lizzy a curious look, I read it aloud.
“The key is in the wheel well. Had to close early. No need to pay since there was nothing wrong with it. Just consider the tow as a gift. Merry Christmas.Well…that was incredibly thoughtful.”
We immediately hop in and hit the road. With only an hour left of the trip to Rochester and the meeting starting soon, I can’t afford to waste any more time in this practically empty town.
The hour flies by as we talk, and I get a show as she sings along to the radio’s Christmas songs. It’s becoming clear that it’s nearly impossible to be in a sour mood when she’s around.
When we pull up to the destination, I see Bill standing outside the doors, and he waves with a large smile.
“Hey, I hope the trip was alright for you,” he says as I step out of the car and walk over to get Lizzy’s door. “And who is this?”
“This is Elizabeth Morgan. She’s the one behind the emails.” Lizzy shakes his extended hand. “And the trip was…interesting, but we are here and ready to talk business.”
He ushers us inside, and sitting at the long table is an older gentleman with white hair, and beside him is a younger man in a suit. “Hello, I’m Jonathan Clark. I’ve heard so much about you,” I greet Mr. Goldman.
He smiles and introduces the other man as his lawyer, and after taking our seats, the meeting begins, going as well as expected. It starts with the basic rundown of his farm and production, and ends with the money side of things.
It hurts me knowing that he loves his company but can’t handle the workload any longer. It’s hard to see a passion fade.
“So, what do you think, Mr. Clark?” Mr. Goldman says in a shaky voice. “I have to say, without that meaningful email, I may not have considered selling.”
My eyes shoot to Lizzy, and I smile, subconsciously thanking her. “I think that if you are all on board, I’ll get the paperwork started and sent over for your signature. Just make sure your lawyer is here to witness.”
With everyone’s agreement, we shake hands and are back on the road before we know it. I feel as though I have whiplash from how quickly and smoothly the meeting went. Before this, it was always a back-and-forth battle of negotiations.
Lizzy goes on about how incredible the meeting went and how she wishes this trip would never end, and I couldn’t agree more. However, we have a whole life to get back to, and within seconds of being in the car, mine is now calling my cell phone.
Hitting the answer button on the Bluetooth stereo, I greet Chase. “Hey, how’s everything back home?”
“Fine, fine. Tell me how the meeting went. And why haven’t I been able to reach you?” His rushed tone makes me chuckle.
“The meeting was a success. We made our first sale for the new year. As for the other thing, it’s been a trip. Our car went into a ditch and had to get towed, and we ended up staying in some cottage for the night, but we are on our way home. My phone died on the ride, and there was hardly any service.”
While the service part was a lie, I couldn’t tell him that Lizzy and I had our own little vacation away from all the madness that is Clark M & A.
“Jesus, man. I’m glad you’re alright. So, should I expect you later?”
Chase’s question cuts through me. I’m not ready to take on the responsibilities just yet. Before I answer, I look over to Lizzy, whose once-lit face seems a bit dim. She is feeling the same way I am.
