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“Are you listening to me?”
Addie’s question cuts through the nonsense in my always-busy mind.
“Of course I am.”
She gives me a skeptical look. “I was saying we should go to Aspen.”
I toss the idea around in my mind. Natalie isn’t due to deliver our first child until March and my sister Ellie is due in April, so both of them would be able to fly the two hours it takes to get to Colorado. The house is huge. It would easily accommodate the Quantum crew as well as Nat’s sisters, my sisters, their families and my parents—all the people we’d need to make this the perfect Christmas for Natalie. “That could work.” I just hope that everyone else will agree with the plan.
Aileen comes into my office. “What could work?”
Addie fills her in. “Christmas in Aspen. Flynn’s house there is enormous and close to skiing, shopping, five-star restaurants and anything else we could want or need.”
“Ohhhh.” Aileen’s expressive eyes glitter with excitement. “Sign me up. The kids would love to have snow at Christmas. It was so hit or miss when we lived in New York.”
The more I think about Aspen, the more I love the idea. Could it really be that simple? Leave it to Addie to cut to the chase.
Aileen offers a shy smile. “I don’t mean to imply that we’re invited.”
“Of course you are. It wouldn’t be Christmas without everyone there.” Aileen and her kids have made Kristian so happy. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her or the kids. They’re family to me now. That’s how it works with us.
Addie frowns. “Do we have to invite Rafe?”
Leah comes into the room, scowling at the mention of Rafe. “Don’t you mean he-who-shall-not-be-named? Maybe he’ll go home to France for Christmas and we won’t have to invite him to whatever we’re doing.”
“Christmas at Flynn’s place in Aspen,” Addie tells her.
Leah plops down in a chair. “Hell yes. That sounds awesome, but Marlowe will want to bring him.” As Marlowe’s assistant, Leah has the 411 on her boss.
“Ugh.” None of us can stand the guy that Marlowe is crazy about, which puts me at odds with one of my best friends for the first time in the nearly fifteen years we’ve been close. None of us get what she sees in the smooth-talking Frenchman. Natalie tells me I don’t need to get it. According to my wife, Marlowe is the only one who needs to get it. Which is fine—until I have to spend Christmas with him.
“Time with my love in Aspen, sign me up.” Leah blinks and seems to snap out of her fantasies of alone time with Emmett in Aspen. “But it’ll be fun to have everyone else there, too.”
Addie cracks up laughing. “Nice save.”
Leah smiles. “I can be diplomatic when I need to.”
That makes me laugh. Diplomatic is the last word I’d use to describe Leah, one of the funniest people I’ve ever known. She’d been Nat’s roommate in New York when I first met them, and it’d been Natalie’s idea for Marlowe to hire Leah as her assistant. And now Leah is madly in love with Emmett, who walks around with a dopey grin on his face these days, all thanks to Leah.
Love has been in the air in the Quantum Productions office this year. Each of my friends and partners has ended up with someone I would’ve hand-chosen for them, except for Marlowe, that is. I keep hoping she’ll see the light with Rafe and dump his pretentious ass. I swear he’s dating her more for what she can do for his career than because of the magnificence that is Marlowe. He works for the company that distributes Quantum films in France, which is how she met him.
There’s just something about him that seems off to me, and I know Hayden, Kristian, Jasper and Emmett feel the same way. If I can prove he’s using her to get ahead, I swear to God I’ll bury him. Maybe the time in Aspen will give me more info to build my case. Not that I want to be the one to clue her in, but I’d rather it come from a friend who loves her than the media or someone who’d be looking to exploit her celebrity for their benefit.
As the women discuss the details of Christmas in Aspen, I ponder the added benefit of a few days with Rafe and the chance to look for a crack in the armor. It’s there. I’m convinced of it.
“Flynn.”
Addie’s exasperated voice snaps me back to the meeting. “What?”
“You’re daydreaming today. I asked if we’re in agreement about Aspen? If so, we’ll take it from here and make the plans.”
“Absolutely yes to Aspen.” A week in the mountains with my love and our favorite people? Suddenly, I can’t wait for Christmas.
