My chopping became more vigorous as I thought about everything that had gone down.
“Is that who he really is?” Sarah asked. “Was Aspen a catfish?”
I stabbed the chocolate.
“Yeah, I think so. It wasn’t like he was a sweet, outgoing guy while we were there, but he was definitely more relaxed than what I’ve seen lately. I think he left his smile in Colorado. Butagain, that was him in vacation mode. It’s easy to seem like a decent person when you’re relaxing.”
“Yeah, but being kind is much harder when you’re dealing with an international incident with America’s sweetheart, and her army is after you,” Sarah added. “Hold on, do we need to cut the guy a break?”
I pulled a face as I finished chopping. “Absolutely not. Rough roads don’t excuse shitty behavior. You can deal with adversity and still be decent to the people around you.”
“All I’m saying is maybe the pressure is getting to him.” Sarah reached for a chocolate chunk, and I slapped her hand away. “Who knows, maybe there’s a chance that deep down he’s a decent guy?”
I considered it as I scraped the chocolate off the cutting board and folded the chunks into the dough. The version of Harrison Ashford I’d gotten to know in Aspen was a one-of-a-kind catch that had me swooning from the first moment I saw him.
Our casual fireside flirtation was just silly fun at first. A handsome guy sitting down next to me and asking if I knew what a hot toddy was? A lark! A moment of connection and nothing more.
I never assumed our double entendres would lead to a week in the presidential suite with him.
Or the fact that I’d wake up after six glorious days and nights together to find his luggage gone without any explanation.
Was Harrison Ashford a decent guy? Nope. But he was paying my hefty salary, and in time I’d be able to walk away from him, just like he did to me.
To my very own brighter future, without the shadow of a stupid-hot bosshole looming over me.
6
GWEN
The scramble to properly welcome me to Ashford made it clear that Harrison could move mountains.
Well,someof them, at least. They didn’t actually have my office ready when I showed up at eight thirty. But Denise, the lovely woman who welcomed me, swore it would be good to go by lunch and set me up in a gigantic conference room until that time.
Everything else I’d need to do my job, from the new hire paperwork to the laptop and phone to the badge with my name on it, was waiting for me. My time as an afterthought at McPherson was over.
At Ashford, I mattered, even on day one.
“We feel terrible that your office isn’t ready,” Denise frowned at me apologetically. “It’s not like us at all, but the speed of your onboarding was a little, um,unusual.”
I grinned at her as I arranged my things on the long table. “Unprecedented times…”
“Indeed,” she agreed. “But that’s about to change, thanks to you.”
Ishould’vefelt nervous because of the out-of-the-gate pressure, but the only sensation coursing through me was excitement.
Because I knew my plan was solid. And if his marketing team was any good—which I knew they were, because I’d done my research—I was sure they would back me.
Which would come in handy since the grump who was going to be signing my paychecks would hate it.
“There she is!”
Denise and I turned toward the door when we heard the sing-songy voice. It was another woman who looked to be a few years older than Denise, with a salt and pepper updo and a kindergarten teacher vibe. She was even wearing a fuzzy pink cardigan with a brooch.
Sort of the last type of person I expected to see employed by someone as cutthroat as Harrison, but the man kept surprising me.
“Is it blasphemous to call you our savior, Gwen?” The woman walked toward me with her arms outstretched and took my right hand in both of hers. “I’ve already heardwonderfulthings about you! I’m Harrison’s executive assistant, Susan Miller.”
I tried to hide my frown of confusion. She’d heard wonderful things about me from whom? Because there was no way Harrison was singing my praises.
