Page 20 of The Best Wild Idea
“A good amount,” she says, adding a nervous laugh. “Ms. Hart was pretty shocked about everything, which is to be expected, you know,considering.”
“And the part about taking the trip? Specifically with me? What’d she say? Is she asking for a fake death certificate with my name on it to be faxed over so she can do it alone?” I’m only half kidding.
She chuckles. “Yeah, she wasn’t too thrilled about any of it.”
I sigh and recline my chair to stare up at the ceiling, then set the pen down in favor of rubbing my temples, right where a vicious headache is about to set in. I can feel it.
“She didn’t ask for a fake death certificate, but she did ask for her own flights,” she admits. “Separate from yours.”
I sit up straighter, then rise to my feet and begin pacing the room, turning the phone to speaker mode.
“The entire trip?” I knew it was going to be bad, but notthatbad. I can hear Ryan’s footsteps rummaging around outside my office door. I take my voice down a notch before continuing. “That wasn’t what Grant wanted though. I’m supposed toescorther. Ensure her safety. Keep an eye on her. I can’t do that if she’s—”
“I know,” Monica interrupts. “I let her know the arrangements couldn’t be changed this late. You’re confirmed to fly out first thing in the morning.”
“Together?”
“Together.”
There’s a long pause on my end of the line as it all sinks in.
A whole year of holding my breath is coming to an end.
“She’s agreed to go,” Monica confirms again through what sounds like a smile. “But first, she asked for the itinerary so she could just call these hotels herself to claim that you died and couldn’t go with her so she can get the letters without you. I only let her know which countries and hotels you’re heading to, but you’ll have to break the news of the activities once you get there. She might not board the first flight if she knows what’s waiting at the other end of it.”
My relief turns into a full-blown laugh. Leave it to Jules to push the envelope, headstrong forever.
“Any changes to the plan?”
“No. You’ll pick her up at seven tomorrow morning with your driver. The flight crew will be waiting when you arrive.Wheels off the tarmac at eight. First stop is Bern where a car will be waiting at the airport to take you to the helicopter. From there, you’ll fly to Interlaken. It’ll be a long travel day, but your crew is ready for it, and now so is she.”
“Thank you,” I say, now ready to hang up. “You’ve done an impeccable job, Monica. We’ll be in touch along the way.”
“I’ll keep things running smoothly on my end. You just enjoy the trip. Take care, Silas. It’s been a pleasure.”
Once we hang up, I type another name into my phone. One I haven’t had a reason to call in well over a year. Realizing how odd it is that someone so important to me — someone I used to talk to on a daily basis — now seems impossible to call.
I stare at the photo attached to Jules’ contact info on my screen.
Striking blue eyes — so light that they’re nearly white around the center ring. Thick blonde hair trailing down to her waist. And a smile so wide that, nine times out of ten, I nearly forget my own name when I see it.
I want to call her.
Ishouldcall her.
To ask if there’s anything else I can do to help her get ready for the trip that she never wanted to take with me at all.
My thumb hovers over the green call button and I wag it back and forth while I imagine how the conversation might go.
She could change her mind about going if I say the wrong thing, or if just hearing my voice repulses her, like it did a year ago when we last saw each other.
I can’t risk it. I toss the phone out of my reach to save myselffrommyself for the rest of the night. Deciding, for my own good as well as hers, that it’ll be better to let her digest what lies ahead of us without me interrupting her any more than this plan unfolding tonight already has.
Besides, she’s about to get another surprise that she also wasn’t expecting tonight.
I hit my intercom button to get the next phase rolling.
“Sir?” Ryan’s voice fills my office.
