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“I’ll admit this isn’t exactly what I was expecting last night with my proposal.”
His proposal, which I accepted, was simple.
We agreed to get to know each other. To take things as they come and pretend we’re not gambling our futures on being discreet. He vowed not to lay a hand on me until I asked him to, but honestly, I’m not sure that’s a distinction that matters.
Bottom line, I’m entering into some kind of personal relationship with a person whose product I have a direct hand in approving, or not approving, as a function of my job. If we’re caught, it won’t look good.
To say I apparently haven’t learned my lesson is a big fat understatement. In all honesty, this is worse than what happened four years ago. Back then, I made a bad judgment call. One I didn’t think about for a second until it bit me in the ass. This time, it’s a premeditated bad judgment call. The idea of losing my job has even flitted across my mind.
I don’tthinkthat would happen, but still . . .
The only thought that eases my guilt a bit is that I’m not the last word on approving his NDA. It’s Eleanor.
“You’re having second thoughts?”
I am. On the other hand, everything Hayden said last night was true. There’s something undeniable between us, and not exploring that could be an even bigger mistake than we’re making.
Still, I admit, “And third and fourth and fifth ones. How about you?”
Hayden runs a hand through his hair.
“I did yesterday. But I plan to live in the moment for the rest of the weekend. We owe it to ourselves, to the incredible risk we’re taking, to at least do that. When you drop me off on Sunday”—a pit forms in my stomach at the thought—“we’ll at least have more information to decide on next steps.”
I smile. “Karlene tells people who say they hate math and data to call it information instead. That just reminded me of her.”
“So you guys are good friends?”
As I talk, my nerves begin to settle. Hayden is right. What’s done is done. My one night away from it all has turned into our weekend away from it all.
For better or worse, the decision is made. Best enjoy it while it lasts, seize the day and all that. Though the day isn’t the only thing I’d like to seize.
22
Hayden
That was one hell of a car ride.
I’ve ridden in cars with plenty of people in my life, many of them famous and/or beautiful, but this is the first time I’ve ever spent fifty-five minutes in a passenger seat feeling like I just won the lottery. I flipped a switch last night in that bar, and I refuse to look back. When we return to the city, I will tell Enzo everything. And hope he really meant what he said about being OK with whatever I chose.
But I don’t think Ada is with me yet. Even though she’s relaxed over the course of the drive, there’s still some tension in the set of her shoulders. Which is understandable given the situation.
“This is even nicer in person,” I say as we walk inside.
“Wait until you see the spa. Growing up, we never actually stayed here, but we used to come all the time for the Mother’s Day brunch. The first time I stayed over was on a girls’ wine trip two years ago.”
After we check in, I take our bags from the porter.
“Lead the way.”
A dining room gives way to a spacious great room. From here I can see the cottages dotting the landscape behind the lobby.
“Oh wow. It looks like a little European village. Reminds me of Graubünden. With fewer mountains.”
Individual cottages are positioned in a horseshoe with a small stream in the middle of them, spanned by an arched bridge. There are immaculate flowers and sculpted shrubberies as far as the eye can see. It’s idyllic and not at all what I was expecting from the quick look I had on my phone when I called to make the reservation.
Ada’s peering down at a map she pulled from a display, but she glances up at my comment.
“Where?” she asks.
