“I’ll let you get settled. My cell phone number is in the information pack. If you need anything, just ask.” Cassie sent him what she hoped was a sincere smile before leaving Noah to unpack.
At least for now, he was staying. And hopefully, if he enjoyed his visit, he would tell his friends about the pretty cottage beside Flathead Lake.
As soon as Cassie left,Noah called his brother. Even though his secretary had made the booking, Jack would have had something to do with the lack of Internet access.
His brother would have known it was unlikely Noah would spend each day on the lake fishing or hiking on the mountain trails. Noah’s laptop was an extension of his brain. It went everywhere he went and, like most things in his life, required little to no maintenance.
“Hi, big brother. Does this mean you’ve arrived in Sapphire Bay?”
Noah picked up his suitcase and carried it toward the front door. “It does. Did you know the cottage Charlotte booked has no Internet connection?”
“You’re supposed to be on vacation, not working.”
“The only reason I’m here is because of work. Have your contacts uncovered any new information about C.J. Davis?”
“No. Most artists leave a trail of social media posts about previous exhibitions and what they’ve been doing. Not C.J. It’s almost as if she suddenly appeared on the art scene this year.”
Noah understood the frustration in his brother’s voice. If it weren’t for the award’s application form, they wouldn’t even know she lived in Sapphire Bay. “Keep hunting. Any scrap of information might help me convince her to come to New York City.” Noah left his suitcase on the wooden veranda while he unlocked the door.
“I’ll let you know if we find anything.” Jack paused. “Are you staying in Acorn Cottage or heading into town?”
“I’m staying at the cottage. I’ll use my cell phone as a hot spot.”
Jack sighed. “I should have confiscated your phone before you left. Try and enjoy yourself. If you don’t find C.J., it’s not the end of the world.”
Enjoying himself hadn’t been a top priority for Noah in a long time. Being the chief executive of a multimillion-dollar online shopping company took hard work, perseverance, and a thick skin. His clients expected to purchase the best products in the world. It was Noah’s job to make sure that happened.
He stepped into the open plan kitchen and living room, and was pleasantly surprised. It was light and spacious, and had uninterrupted views of Flathead Lake. “Have you heard from Granddad?”
“He’s still in Switzerland speaking with our suppliers. Why don’t you give him a call?”
“He’ll be too busy to talk to me. I’ll see him when he gets home.” When most people were sitting back, enjoying their retirement, Noah’s grandfather was still keeping tabs on their company. At eighty-one years of age, Patrick Devlin was a force to be reckoned with. And for the last five years, that force had been aimed straight at Noah.
“Hang on a minute, Noah. I need to order my dinner.”
Jack was allergic to kitchens. The only food he ate was from restaurants and cafés around the apartment building where he lived. Luckily for him, there were enough healthy options to satisfy most people.
While Jack ordered his dinner, Noah carried his suitcase through to the master bedroom. Although the cottage wasn’t the luxurious retreat he’d expected Charlotte to book, it was warm, welcoming, and comfortable. And for two weeks, all his.
“Okay. I’m back,” Jack said into the phone.
“Chinese, Vietnamese, or Thai?”
“Thai, but that’s only because there weren’t as many people waiting in the line.”
“Has anything happened at work?”
Jack groaned. “You’ve only be gone for one day. The world doesn’t come to an end just because you aren’t here.”
Noah wasn’t interested in what the rest of the world was doing. All he cared about was Wilson Enterprises. “You haven’t answered my question.”
“That’s because you’re on vacation. But to save Charlotte from getting a phone call, no, nothing out of the ordinary has happened. Apart from not having the Internet, what’s the cottage like?”
“It’s clean, tidy, and has great views of the lake.” Noah walked back into the living room. White-washed pine walls and pale gray sofas were a neutral background to the brightly colored cushions and rugs. The wooden floor anchored the room to its surroundings and gave the house character. “It reminds me of Mom and Dad’s cottage.”
“It’s a long time since we’ve been there.”
Noah heard the wistfulness in his brother’s voice. Before their mom and dad died, they’d spent long, hot summers in their parents’ cottage on Shelter Island. They’d swum in the Peconic River and fished in the creeks. When they weren’t pestering their dad to take them on his motorcycle, they’d hung out at the local ice cream parlor.
