Page 6 of Never With You
Immediately, he flips to the back and laughs in his mocking way. “Seventy-eight items. I didn’t think it was possible, but you’ve upped it by twenty from the last trip checklist you gave me.”
“You can make fun of my lists all you want. It won’t change the fact that you rely on them.”
“Relyis too generous of a word. Endure is a better choice.” He flashes me a lovable smile that does nothing to soften my dislike for him.
“Now that I have to add rucking to my checklist, you’ll receive an updated copy before we leave for New Zealand.” My expression drips with fake kindness. “Or maybe I should pack your copy in my suitcase so you don’t lose it before we even land.”
“Didn’t Lyle tell you?” His face fills with discomfort, or is it pity?Please don’t let it be pity.Nothing is worse than getting Nate’s pity.
“Tell me what?”
“You’re no longer coming to New Zealand.”
“What? Why?” I spit out the words, desperate for answers.
“The New Zealand trip is small, and we don’t need much help. I prefer to run the whole event on a skeleton staff.”
At this moment, my dislike for Nate Farnsworth has escalated to hatred. And I’m not using the term lightly, like someone who flippantly claims they hate olives or the black gunk that gathers in the corners of your eyes from cheap mascara. The feeling in my chest is pure hate—the kind that elicits a visceral reaction. A heart-racing, stomach-tightening, blood-boiling, thought-consuming reaction.
“Youprefer to run on a skeleton staff?” A bitter laugh puffs out as I slam my laptop shut. “I should have known this was your idea.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Nate sits back with lifted palms, signaling innocence. “I don’t understand why you’re so upset.”
“Don’t give me your I-didn’t-do-anything-wrong look.”
“Seriously. I don’t know why you’re so upset. I don’t think it’s your time of the month, so this level of anger isn’t making sense.”
“How sexist of you to accuse a woman of only being upset when she’s on her period.” I smack the table with both hands and rise to my feet. “I’m upset because you kicked me offmytrip so you can pad your pockets.”
“Yes, I get a bigger sales commission if you’re not there.” My gaze turns hostile. “But”—his palms stay raised like two stop signs, in case I leap across the table and gouge his eyes with my pen—“that’s not why you’re off the trip.”
“Yes, it is. You wanted me gone to get a bigger commission. Just admit it. It’s the Bali trip all over again.”
“Oh, please!” It’s his turn to roll his eyes. “We’re back to the Bali trip? That was seven months ago.”
“It doesn’t matter. When Lyle hired me, he promised I could go. But then you inserted yourself and got me kicked off.”
Nate stands and walks over to my side of the conference table. “Do you know what your problem is?”
“Too scheduled and controlling.I heard you the first time.” I look into his condescending brown eyes.
“Besides that.” He takes a step forward, and I can smell his intoxicating cologne—which shouldn’t come as a surprise. Nate Farnsworth looks like he’d smell good. His chin dips, and his glare bores down on me. “You act entitled. You think just because you’ve worked on a trip, you deserve to go. And once there, you treat these incentive trips like they’re your own personal vacations.”
“That’s not true.”
“Oh, but it is.”
Another step brings him even closer. I’m tempted to move back but can’t give him the upper hand, so I stay put—wild heartbeats and all. Tension crackles between us, thickening the air with resentment.
“Remember the tantrum you threw in Egypt, all because you had to take one of the guests to the emergency room and miss out on the pyramids?”
I lift my chin, matching his intensity. “That washardlya tantrum. I asked if you could take her instead since you’ve already been to Egypt and have seen the pyramids. Any gentleman would’ve offered to go, but I’ve learned from experience you’re no gentleman.”
“You had the least seniority there, plus no relationship with the VIPs. Naturally, you’d be the one to leave and go to the emergency center. But that’s a perfect example of how you expect trips to be fun for you.”
“I work harder on events than anyone else there.”
“Well, you can work hard in Cabo, because that’s where Lyle is sending you instead of New Zealand.”
