Page 34 of A Foolish Work Flirtation

I let out a deep breath. “No, I agree with them. It’s best for the students. And Kate needs more than thirty days to recover. The tricky thing is convincing her boss that I can do the job until she returns.”

“Kate said her boss is unreasonable and expects perfection.” Ivy’s voice is sharp and critical.

I smile, thinking about how prickly Alex can be. “That might be an exaggeration. He wants things a certain way, but his company is massively successful.”

“I know it’s hard to put yourself out there. But you might get something out of the adventures. I hope you do. When you return, Foster and I can help you financially if needed.”

I don’t want her to worry. “I’ll be fine. If worse comes to worst, I can waitress for a few months.”

Ivy gasps. “That sounds dreadful. I won’t let that happen.”

She can be overprotective. “Ivy, I’ll be fine. I promise. Now go and make breakfast for your husband.”

Ivy laughs. “Foster is making me breakfast. Merry Christmas. Stay safe. I love you, sis.”

“I love you too.” The line goes dead.

I sit up and stare into the darkness. I’m excited to learn to scuba dive. I’m afraid but excited. I am contemplating doing a blog about my adventures. As a teacher, I’ve had to be careful about posting anything too personal. But now, I can share my adventures without worrying about what others will think. It’s surprisingly freeing. I feel a rush of pleasure and then remind myself to try and get a few hours of rest.

Before I know it, I’m thinking about Alex, and sleep is a long way off.

10

An Adventure (Alex)

After speaking with the pilot, I step into the cabin and look for Imogen. Stopping briefly, I let her beauty and openness draw me forward.

It’s been an insane forty-eight hours. I spent the entire time trying not to think about her. Her wide smile and cheery optimism are like a thousand small piercings in my protective gear. But somehow, I want more from her. I want to know what she thinks, why she is so tentative at times, and why she hides away in a classroom in the middle of New York City.

I sit opposite her, relaxing back into the leather seat. “Bespoke Adventures has a chalet in Switzerland near Gstaad. The best way to access it is to be dropped off by helicopter and ski in.”

She moistens her lips. “Aren’t we heading to Antigua?”

I hold her gaze. “We have forty-eight hours before we need to be in Antigua. Skiing off-trail and staying in an off-grid chalet will give you an idea of what we are all about.”

I’ve seen that look countless times when someone is afraid to try something that they want to do. They need a steady mix of reassurance and confidence.

“I’ve never skied in the Alps.”

I stretch out my legs. “And your point is…”

She glares at me. “I don’t have the right gear.”

I flick my hand. “Sonia organized for the equipment to be sent to Saanen. It’s the nearest airport to Gstaad for private jets, and we’ll take a helicopter from there.”

She places a hand on her chest. “Shouldn’t you have warned me that we’ll be skiing today?”

“It was a last-minute thought. You don’t need to prepare. It’ll be fine.”

The steward comes along and pours two coffees. He says, “I’ll serve dinner in twenty minutes.”

I nod. “Thank you.”

As the steward retreats, Imogen says, “How can we possibly ski? It’ll be pitch-dark by the time we get there.”

I smile. “We’ll have headlamps. Our eyes will adjust. And I’ve had someone prepare the chalet so the lights will be easily seen.”

As I sip coffee, she asks, “Are you trying to scare me into not doing this?”

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