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“We took the liberty of ordering lunch to be delivered by a local restaurant,” he says. “I just have to give them a time.”
I glance down at the phone in my hand.
“Shall we say noon? We’ll take a look at the brewery now and the plant after lunch?”
Hayden glances at Paul, who nods.
“Excuse me for a moment,” the older man says. He leaves, presumably to call the restaurant.
“I hope everyone is okay with sandwiches?” Hayden says. “We got a variety.” And then to me, he adds, “I was sure to toss in fresh mozzarella with tomato and basil.”
Oh, he’s going to get it. The rest of my team must think he’s some rich eccentric. But I know better.
That’s the exact thing I ate at his deli.
When I shoot him a look, Hayden simply smiles. A devastating, white-toothed, Mr. Sexy Eyes smile.
That bastard.
* * *
It feelslike I’ve spent the whole day walking on eggshells—no, more like daggers—and we still have a whole day ahead of us. With his stolen glances and not-so-subtle innuendos, Hayden is not making this easy.
“Do you think we’re in good shape for the day, then?” I ask my team, struggling to keep a straight face.
“I could use a few minutes with the numbers from the cross-contamination study,” Randy says. This facility is a unique one. Although Angel, Inc. uses a third party manufacturer for their pill antidote, the proprietary nature of the product requires on-site manufacturing. Essentially, this is both a brewery and chemical plant in one facility, though the operations are housed in separate buildings. There are other buildings on the campus too, including one they planned to use to make wine fairly soon, although that process is still waiting on the final formula from the lab located in Jersey.
The one Hayden was at the night I . . . the night of the storm.
“I don’t want to hold everyone up,” says Randy. About fifty years old with long grey hair, he looks more like a band member than an FDA statistician. Probably because, when he isn’t working, Randy’s actually a drummer for an Elton John tribute band.
“We have two cars,” Carolina says. “The rest of us can squeeze into one of them if you need to stay for a while.”
Within a couple of minutes, we’ve worked out a plan. The rest of us will check into the hotel, and we’ll meet Randy in the lobby in an hour to head out for dinner and drinks.
We’ve been alone in our makeshift war room, papers and empty coffee cups everywhere, for about an hour. I was starting to think I might not see Hayden again for the rest of the night, but apparently I’m not so lucky, because he suddenly appears at the door with Paul.
Admit it, you’ve been watching that door for the better part of an hour, looking for him.
While Paul greets the team, Hayden barely tries to hide the fact that he’s trying to catch my eye. When he does, his look is almost predatory, and I’m undoubtedly the prey.
“Any recommendations for a good place to grab dinner and drinks?” Jayel asks. He’s the oldest member of our team, with just a few years on Randy. Also brilliant. He was actually on the team that interviewed me when I first came to the FDA. This is the second time I’ve been the RPM on a case with him, and as I told him the first time, it feels really strange to be managing someone who ranks well above me. I mean, the guy went to Harvard Medical School and was the chief resident at Columbia University. Among other things.
But that’s how people on my level get the experience we need to move up, and since RPMs rotate, I could find myself answering to him on another case in a few months. Still, it always feels a bit odd to lead a team of people who are older and more experienced. I was an absolute nervous wreck the first time I acted as RPM. I called my dad almost every single day.
These days I only need his opinion every other week.
I look up.
Hayden is still watching me as the conversation continues around us.
“Sounds perfect. Is that good with y’all?” Carolina has lived in New York for ten years, but her Louisiana accent is still as strong as ever.
“You should come with us,” Randy says to Paul, who gave him the suggestion.
“Oh, I don’t know. Tanner and I were planning to grab something. I don’t get to talk his ear off too often in person.”
“Both of you, then,” Jayel says. “Maybe we can mix business with pleasure and shave off a bit of time from tomorrow’s schedule.”
