“He worked his charm on you too.”
“He worked it on you first, my friend.”
Lauren groaned. “This is not happening. Were we serious? We can’t have been serious, right? Not in only four months.”
“Um, well...”
The pause continued so long that Lauren pressed her hand to her thudding heart.“Syd?”
“The last couple months you guys have gotten pretty serious. The last time we spoke you even mentioned not returning to Boston at all.”
Lauren gaped. That couldn’t be true.
“You were in pretty deep, Lauren.”
It was just talk. There was no way she would’ve given up her dream job. She moved her hand to her throbbing temple.
“Listen, you shouldn’t be worrying about all this right now. You need to focus on your recovery. Resting is job number one.”
“Oh, sure, I’m so great at that.”
“They might have to tie you down. I’m coming up there, just for today.”
“No, you aren’t. You’re packing for your trip and... doing whatever sisters of the groom should be doing.” Her brain was a sieve. “I’ll be furious if you drive up here today, and the emotion drain would be terrible for my concussion.”
“You don’t play fair.”
“Finish your zillionth mile on the treadmill and start packing—you probably haven’t even started.”
“Guilty as charged. Okay, but promise me you’ll rest. And stay off your phone—unless you need to talk, in which case you should call me, day or night.”
After promising, Lauren ended the call and stared at the phone for a full minute. Some of the answers she sought were housed in this thing. The photos, the texts. But the thought of taxing her already overloaded brain had her dropping the device into the bag.
The mystery of how Jonah Landry had wormed his way into her heart would have to wait.
Chapter 6
March 18
It was getting more real by the moment.
Lauren surveyed the passing landscape as she exited the highway and hit a country road leading to New Hampshire’s lake region. Boston seemed a continent away. Good-bye skyscrapers, peopled greens, lively pubs, and stunning architecture. Hello barren trees, rolling hills, and low stone walls that seemingly served no purpose.
It was only nine months. She could survive nine months in the wilderness, couldn’t she, when her dream job awaited? And so soon after attaining her hospitality management degree.
She could handle nine months as temporary manager of Pinehaven Resort. Oh, at first she’d been thrilled by the opportunity. Sitting in CEO Olivia Stafford’s upscale office, Lauren had been eager to do whatever was necessary for the coveted position at Glitter. Work with complete autonomy under the umbrella of Boston’s most prestigious corporate event planner? Yes, please.
“With Ella Franklin retiring at the end of year,” Olivia had said, “we’ll have an opening for an event planner. We think you’d be a good fit.”
Lauren kept a neutral expression when she wanted to jump to her feet and scream at the top of her lungs. A lifetime of self-regulation kept her seated. “It would be an honor to work for Glitter.”
“But first I’d like you to have some real-world experience. Management experience, I mean. I’m sure you’ve learned a lot serving for Elite.”
“I have.” For seven years Lauren had taken college classes while working full-time for a catering company, which was how she’d entered Glitter’s orbit. They often hired Elite to cater their events.
Lauren leaned forward in her chair, hoping Olivia was about to offer her a paid internship at Glitter that would allow her to attain the aforementioned experience and also make rent.
“I have an old friend who’s seeking a temporary manager for the small resort she and her husband own. He had a heart attack recently and needs a reprieve from the daily operations.”
