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“Sabrina and I created those documents, yes, but neither of us leaked them,” he’d stated, his voice steady despite his internal desperation. “Our security is top-notch, and I stake my reputation on that. Moreover, blaming Sabrina would be counterproductive. All of us can agree we need to find the real culprit to ensure the leaks stop. My brother could fire her to superficially appease you, but it wouldn’t solve the problem. Our commitment to finding the real source is a testament to our integrity.”
It had been enough. Brian Renner had scowled through the entire meeting, but the men in charge agreed to keep their contract with Taylor Industries… for now.
The warm air hit Freddy’s face as he stepped onto the bustling city sidewalk. He loosened his tie, feeling the weight of the past few hours lift from his shoulders. His mind drifted to Sabrina, and a small smile tugged at his lips. He could focus on her now. Pulling out his phone, he shot off a quick text:
Freddy: Meeting went well. I’m picking up something special.
Freddy checked his watch. He had just enough time to swing by that specialty cheese shop before it closed. Sabrina loved their sheep’s milk cheese. It certainly wouldn’t fix anything, but it should convince her to let him in and start the conversation. He’d spend all night at HQ if he had to. She was worth whatever it took to convince her that she belonged here, with him, with TI, on Whitetail Mountain–all of it.
He navigated the crowded streets, weaving between harried business people and tourists gawking at the towering skyscrapers. The little bell above the cheese shop’s door jingled as he entered, the rich aroma of aged cheeses enveloping him.
“Good afternoon!” The shopkeeper greeted him warmly. “What can I get for you today?”
Freddy nodded, his eyes scanning the gleaming display case. “A wedge of the Lamb Chopper, please. And maybe... hmm, how old is your aged gouda?”
“We’ve got an eighteen month, a three-year, and a five-year.”
“I’ll take a wedge of the five-year, please. Oh, and a good triple cream, too, please.” While Sabrina loved Lamb Chopper, Freddy preferred the crunch crystals and bright flavor of a well-aged gouda. Considering how much they fought over the triple creams they both loved, it was probably best their taste in hard cheese differed.
“I’ve got a few rounds of triple cream in their own rinds, or I can cut a wedge from a larger wheel,” the shopkeeper offered.
“Let’s go with a half-pound wedge from the larger wheel.” Maybe sharing would be easier if there was more of it. Then again, maybe they could share it in bed tonight, if he could convince her to come back to his place. Surely knowing she stillhad her job would go a long way toward assuring her that going back to Nebraska wasn’t the solution she thought.
As the shopkeeper wrapped up his selections, Freddy’s phone buzzed with a text from Patrick. He’d been stuck schmoozing and shaking hands while Freddy was able to make a quick escape.
Patrick: Good job in there, bro. Heading back now. You going back to your place?
Freddy typed a quick reply.
Freddy: Thanks. Stopping for cheese. Then I’m going to HQ to talk to Sabrina.
He’d ignored Patrick’s side-eye as they’d waited for the meetings to begin, and then both of them had been too busy to discuss personal drama. Freddy knew his brother would have questions for him, but they could wait. He wanted to talk to Sabrina first. She was keeping her job, and Taylor Industries was keeping its contract with Dynamic Solutions. That had to count for a lot.
He paid for his purchases, the familiar weight of the cheese in his hand oddly comforting. As he stepped back onto the sidewalk, he couldn’t help but wonder how Sabrina would react to the surprise. Would she smile that crooked grin he loved so much? Would her eyes light up the way they did when she solved a particularly tricky bit of code? At the very least, it might be easier to remind her how good the night had been and how great their relationship could be as he offered up her favorite cheese.
Freddy’s steps were light as he headed back to his car, the cheese shop bag swinging gently in his hand. His mind buzzed with thoughts of Sabrina, imagining her reaction to the surprise. A hint of her shampoo lingered in his memory, and he foundhimself walking a bit faster, eager to see her again. It would all work out. It had to.
The parking garage loomed ahead, its concrete facade a stark contrast to the bustling city streets. Freddy fumbled for his keys, the cheese shop bag crinkling as he shifted it to his other hand. As he approached his car, a flicker of movement caught his attention from the corner of his eye.
Before he could turn to investigate, a sharp, blinding pain exploded at the back of his head. The world tilted sideways, his vision blurring into a chaotic swirl of colors and shadows. The cheese shop bag slipped from his grasp, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
Freddy’s knees buckled, and he felt himself falling. His thoughts scattered like leaves in a storm, fragments of confusion and fear swirling through his mind. He tried to call out, but his voice refused to cooperate.
The last thing Freddy registered was the cold, rough surface of the parking garage floor against his cheek. Then darkness engulfed him, and he knew no more.
Chapter 22: Sabrina
Finishing the to-do list of items for her mom, Sabrina pulled up the manual she was currently working on and tried to keep making progress on it, but the clock sounded louder and slower than usual. Her stomach flipped and flopped, and the chair felt wrong beneath her. No matter how she adjusted herself, Sabrina couldn’t settle in and focus.
She opted to stay in her room to work, but she missed her big computer set-up. She checked her phone. Wrote a sentence. Checked her email. Deleted the sentence. Tried to picture Freddy working solo, without her beside him. Wrote a newsentence. Only to check her phone and start the entire sequence all over again.
Eventually, she finished that document and opened another. Her stomach churned as she continued working through as many documents as she could, but Sabrina was struggling. Her mind kept straying to Freddy and their night together, but she didn’t want to leave him with a mess of work when it was time for her to go. She figured there was a fifty-fifty chance Patrick would let her know she was terminated the minute he got back. Hopefully, he’d let her stay the night. Generally, the Taylors were a nice and reasonable family like that.
The brief text Freddy sent about the DS meeting going well didn’t lessen her anxiety. Why hadn’t he said more? If Patrick wasn’t going to fire her, she’d still need to quit. Maybe Freddy meant they were giving her a nice severance that would help her start fresh back in Nebraska.
She shook herself and tried again to focus on the document in front of her, trying to push away the memories of Freddy’s hands on her skin, his lips against hers. It was one night, she reminded herself. A moment of weakness that couldn’t happen again.
The clock ticked later. She heard the front door open and close and moved to crack her door, listening to hear if it was Freddy. Instead, she heard Patrick greeting Holly.
