Page 14 of Jack Frost, CEO

“What are you doing?” I try to peek over her shoulder.

“Texting Eaton to go see Mr. Foster.” Her fingers fly over the keys, but the screen is tilted so I can’t read it.

“Eaton, huh?” I stand on my tiptoes, trying to read the message chain while hating being short.

Stella blushes. “That’s not important. What is important is finding out why McIntyre canceled the meeting on such short notice…”

“We’ll come back to that. As far as the meeting goes, I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense.” By this time, our lattes are ready, so we grab them and a couple of muffins. “I worked up that portfolio myself. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement for all parties. There is nothing hinky or even remotely one-sided with the contract.”

“When do you leave again? Also, I can’t believe you’re leaving! The office won’t be the same without you. I swear you’ve turned this company around in such a short time. I will miss you!”

“I officially have a month left. However, I’ve unofficially been approved to return to Australia before Christmas to be with my nan. I haven’t been home for more than high school breaks since I left when my mother passed. I only got to go on those because Father didn’t want me at the house. To be fair, I didn’t want to be there either so it worked for us. I’m more than ready to see her again.” I smile at the thought of my nan.

“Well, I really will miss you. You have to promise to keep in touch.”

“I promise.” I clasp hands with Stella across the table. My phone chirps, and I look down. “I’ve been summoned back upstairs. Guess our break is over.”

Stella and I exit the elevator and split off in opposite directions. I head toward Jack’s office and stumble across Eaton as he’s leaving.

“Ah. Miss Mitchell. Welcome back. Enjoy your little break?” His megawatt smile does nothing for me and only irritates Jack, who’s presently standing behind him.

“Stop flirting with my assistant and work on what we discussed.” Eaton winks at me as he strolls to the lift..

“Come with me, please, Miss Mitchell.” Jack returns to his office, and I grab my steno pad and follow him. “I want you to book a cabin in Aspen for two weeks. I want you to schedule a meeting with Marcus at his earliest convenience. I also need all the prep files and any possible research brought to Aspen. I don’t want to lose this contract because of our negligence. Call my valet and have him pack my bags. Make sure you pack warmly—if you require additional winter wear, please call Saks and have it charged to my account.”

My pen stutters across the page. “Additional winter wear? Why would I need additional winter wear for you to go to Aspen?”

“Because you are going too.” His tone suggests the answer should be obvious.

“What do you mean I’m going too?”

“Miss Mitchell, you have been an integral part of this endeavor. For you to not be there, should something arise, would be nothing short of gross negligence of the highest order. Now, pack your bags. We’re going to Aspen.”

Chapter 12

Jack

Ilook around the tiny cabin and want to turn around and walk out. We are miles from the main resort, and the owner of this particular cabin is obsessed with everything Christmas—if the decorations are any indication. A fully adorned Christmas tree stands proudly next to a cheery fireplace below the wooden mantle with two stockings. Garland and ribbons festoon the banister to the second floor, where the bedrooms are, while glass nativities and Christmas villages rest upon almost every flat surface.

“Miss Mitchell. Is this payback for asking you to accompany me on this trip?” I flick a dismissive finger against a nearby snowman.

Maisie trudges behind me, covered head to toe in winter wear that is more appropriate for Antarctica than Colorado. She hangs her parka on a peg by the door before grabbing her satchel and slamming it angrily on the bar.

“No. This is all that was available at the last minute for the time you requested this close to the holidays. Why? What’s wrong with it?” Her harsh tone melts away when she sees the great room. “Oh, how lovely! They even put up a tree for us! That is so sweet.”

She flits about the space, admiring every piece of Christmas tchotchkes she comes across. I drop both suitcases and groan.

How can she honestly enjoy all this… this cheer?

“If we could get back to the business at hand?” I know my tone is short when Maisie glares at me a little before grabbing her satchel and pulling out her steno pad.

The second week she was with me, I bought her an iPad for notes. As far as I know, it’s still in the box at the bottom of a drawer in her desk. However, I have seen her go through at least thirty steno pads meticulously arranged by date.

She flings herself into a nearby chair, crosses her legs, and looks at me pointedly before flipping open her notes. “Marcus agreed to a meeting tomorrow, at noon, at Element 47, followed by drinks, if required. He is available only once if you want to meet him to ski for the next three days. Apparently, he’s scheduled events with his family and will not be available again until the very end of our trip. He will attend the meeting as long as it includes hot chocolate—his words, not mine—although I agree. And for the record, you will not be getting me on skis ever.” Maisie closes the steno pad a tad aggressively. “Thank you very much.” She stalks over to the table to pull files from the banker boxes we had couriered over from the private airstrip.

“How am I expected to meet at Element 47 when we’re staying this far from The Little Nell?” I know my words are clipped, and Maisie doesn’t deserve it. Still, I’m finding my control slipping around my little assistant.

Maisie glares at me over her shoulder. “We will have to ride the snowmobiles parked outside. Like I told you, this was the only cabin with an open booking this far into the season. It was this cabin or no cabin. And no cabin wasn’t an option, so here we are in this frozen hellscape. I would also like to add if you think you are getting me on one of those death machines, you are sadly mistaken. I will not be stepping out into that frozen wasteland any more than I have to.”

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