Chapter 0141
+25 BONUS
With help from Maria’s on–again work fling Mike, we could undoubtedly find some kind of incriminating evidence on Elena’s computer that would save me while implicating her. Emails with the caterers, perhaps?
The only problem, of course, was my suspension. Technically, I was banned on Hatfield Supply property until this cleared up. If it cleared up.
Maria noticed my sudden dip in enthusiasm. “What’s wrong?”
Megan shifted her focus to me now, as well. “We’ve got a plan, right? Things are looking up?”
“I’m suspended.” I reminded them.
I
“Mike and I can snoop without you,” Maria offered.
“And take the blame, besides. I can’t let you do that.”
Elena had seen what went down with Peter. She wasn’t the smartest person in the office, but she had major points in the conniving manipulation department. She’d be watching her own back.
“I’m sure I can chat her away from her desk,” Maria said. “Long enough for Mike to swoop in and do his thing.”
“Elena knows how close we are,” I said. “She’d never take the bait.”
“So you need the help of someone who she wouldn’t be able to say no to,” Megan suggested. She crunched on a pizza roll, then waved the uneaten half toward me. “You still got the CEO on speed dial?”
“No way in hell I could involve Logan in this. Him being implicated was the absolute worst thing that could happen. He was the only one who would be able to save Maria and Mike if they were caught snooping.
No. Who we needed was someone with charm in spades. Someone Elena might be suspicious of, but wouldn’t be able to resist talking with, if the right incentive was flown around.
“I have someone else in mind,” I said.
Maria narrowed her eyes in suspicion, even as a smile tugged at her lips. “Knight in Shining Armor #2?”
“Oh my god. Dylan?” Megan said, leaning forward. “Call him!”
Grabbing my phone off the table, I looked up from it to the two sets of eager eyes watching my every
move.
No way would I be able to have this conversation with these two listening to my every breath!
Things hadn’t exactly repaired themselves between Dylan and I in the days of our not talking. This phone call was guaranteed to be awkward as hell.
I also felt like a real jerk for involving him in this. I had originally intended to keep him out of my troubles nowadays. But this wasn’t just my happiness at my job at stake. Hell, it wasn’t even just my job!
If Jillian Hanson sued the company, everyone, including Logan, would be in hot water.
Abruptly, I stood and rushed into the bathroom.
10
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Chapter 0141
“Hazel!” Maria said, giving chase. Megan laughed from the couch.
I closed the bathroom door and locked it.
“I’m still going to listen!” Maria called through the door.
“As long as I can’t see your excited glances!” I shouted back.
“You’ll still know they’re there!”
I ignored her as best as I could and dialed Dylan. I cleared my throat as it rang, mostly expecting it to go. to voicemail. Dylan was a busy lawyer, after all. Even though it was late, he was probably off doing important things.
The phone clicked, I was ready for the robot to come on, to tell me to leave a message after the beep.
Instead, Dylan said, “Hazel?”
Oh, shit. “Uh… hi…”
He paused a moment. I thought desperately of what to say to fill the void.
“Hi, yourself. It’s been a while. Everything okay?”
“Sort of?” Where did I even begin? “Have you talked to Logan lately?”
“Did something happen?” His voice hardened. That meant no, he hadn’t talked to Logan.
“Dylan,” I said. “Are you sitting down?”
Ten minutes later, I had conveyed most of events from our parting until this very moment, giving special focus to Sabrina and Elena, and this terrible plot that landed an innocent man in the hospital.
“Jesus,” Dylan whistled. “First of all, you should have called me sooner. But now that you have, I won’t hold that against you.”
“Does that mean you’ll help me?” I asked, my heart jumping into my throat.
Dylan laughed. “Have I ever turned you down yet?”
My hope skyrocketed. With Dylan in my corner, things didn’t seem quite so bleak anymore.
“Tell me what you need me to do,” Dylan said.
“Okay.” I clutched the phone with both hands. “Thank you, Dylan. I mean it.
On the other side of the bathroom door, Maria cheered,
Logan stood just inside his front door, properly dressed in one of his newest fitted suits. He’d forgone a tie, leaving the top button undone instead.
This is what you wanted, he reminded himself. Beyond this door was a car waiting to take him to the five- star restaurant to meet his date for the evening.
His grandfather had been enthusiastic about this one. I’ve been wanting for a long time to have you meet her,” he’d said on the phone.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0141
Logan didn’t want to keep her waiting, yet he couldn’t quite make himself reach for the doorknob that would take him outside.
Every time he almost moved, he thought of Hazel. Of her kind, caring eyes looking at him. At the soft press of her body when he’d held her. Of the heat of her mouth as they kissed.
He needed to forget her. That was what he was doing here, getting over her. They were an impossible match. They both needed to move on.
For the sake of his family name, and his legacy, he needed to step outside, go on this date, and find a woman- any woman who complimented him.
Coward, he chastised himself. He forced his hand upward and opened the door. 1
The driver stood by the opened back door of the luxury sedan. Logan entered the car, and the driver closed the door behind him.
As the driver entered his own seat, he mentioned to Logan, “I’ve heard word that your date is just arriving.”
Logan checked his watch. Damn it. His hesitation was going to make him late.
“Get me there as fast as you can,” Logan said.
The driver nodded and started the car.
Out on the road, Logan’s phone buzzed in his jacket pocket. Retrieving it, he read the caller’s name on the screen: Dylan.
Another person Logan needed to reconcile with. But not tonight. Not right now.
“He clicked ignore, and the call went to voicemail,
He nearly tucked his phone away when it buzzed with a text, again from Dylan. He opened it.
“You are the world’s biggest idiot,‘ it read, and nothing else. No three dots to indicate further clarification. Just that, a simple sentence. A truth.
“Tell me something I don’t already know,” Logan grumbled and set his phone to silent.
Maybe he was an idiot, but he was one with obligations. His personal desires could go straight to hell, frankly, for all the trouble they’ve caused him.
Logan thought he’d married for love, and it blew up in his face.
Now was time to do right by his family and marry the right person for his position.
““Faster, please,” Logan told the driver and returned his phone into his pocket.
