Page 56 of Vacation Friends

“The other board members and I are still trying to figure this out. If I can find this spy before the board casts their final vote, then I’ll look like a hero. But if I accuse someone without evidence, then I look paranoid and unstable. I can’t afford that. I really need to think this over.” He raked a hand through his hair.

“I guess you do.”

He looked up at her, something changing in his gaze. “And speaking of how I look . . . you need to stop hanging around this new group of people.”

Maddie’s mouth gaped open. “Excuse me?”

“I know your new friends are probably nice, but they’re . . . well, for lack of a better word, they’re underlings. It doesn’t look good for the fiancée of the future CEO of Benchmark to be hanging around people in their position.”

Her mouth fell open wider. “I can’t believe you just said that.”

Josh reached for her arm, but Maddie pulled away before he could touch her.

He dropped his hand and muttered, “I don’t mean it that way.”

“Then how do you mean it?”

“I just mean that this retreat is important to me. To my career.”

She resisted an eye roll. “You’ve mentioned that before.”

“Madison . . .” He tilted his head.

“I need to be going.”

Not waiting for a response, Maddie turned on her heel ready to leave.

Before Maddie reached the door, Josh grabbed her arm and yanked her to a stop.

“I didn’t mean it like that.” His voice was raised but controlled.

She paused, trying to compose herself before responding. Then she slowly turned. “Then what did you mean? Because what I heard is that the group of people who saved my life isn’t good enough for the one and only super important Josh Harding.”

“When you say it that way . . .” He sighed and rolled his neck as if trying to crack the tension.

“When I say it that way, you sound like a horrible person.”

He lowered his gaze back to meet hers, his voice more mellow now. “I’m sorry, Madison. I’m so tightly wound. There’s so much on the line—everything I’ve worked for. I’m afraid I’ll do something wrong and blow it.”

Her shoulders softened a little. “That’s not an excuse for treating people badly.”

He tugged her closer. “I know. And I’m sorry. Your new friends are perfectly nice. Hang out with them as much as you want.”

Even though he said the words, she wasn’t sure he meant them. Either way, she hadn’t planned on changing.

“I know we’re still trying to work things out between us,” he continued. “And I really do want to make this work. I’ve been a terrible fiancé lately.”

Maddie didn’t disagree with him. He had been.

“I’m going to do better,” he continued. “I just need to get through this week. It’s been so much pressure . . .”

“I imagine it has been.” The words were truthful. He had so much stress on him right now.

“Can you be patient with me for just a little while longer?” He gave her those puppy dog eyes that Maddie had first fallen for.

She felt herself softening even more. “I suppose.”

He pulled her into his arms. “Thank you. I appreciate that. I appreciate you.”

---