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“Sorry,” she apologized again. “I was scanning the memo.”
He nodded, even though the expression on his face said he didn’t believe her for a second. “Soon as you’ve gone through it, come find me. I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts. Especially about point number five.”
Point number five, huh? She clicked open the email. Turned out, it wasn’t from James after all, but rather a Carli Tynan. The suggestions were all James, however. She recognized the first two as ones he’d made during the tour. Quickly she scanned down to point five.
Remove the Elk statue from the rear of the store. In addition to taking up a large amount of space, the crowd that gathers around it impacts other shoppers’ ability to maneuver in the aisles. Recommend statue be placed either outside on the grounds or in storage.
That rat! He’d promised Fryer would stay.
This was clearly revenge for her walking out. Completely unacceptable. It was one thing for him to be angry with her, but he had no business taking his anger out on a poor innocent elk. Fryer hadn’t done a thing except uphold tradition.
Retrieving the Boston number from the bottom of the email, she picked up her phone and dialed.
“I want to talk to James Hammond,” she snapped when the receptionist answered. There’d be plenty of time to regret her rudeness later. “Tell him Noelle Fryberg is on the phone, and that it’s important.”
Apparently, there was a part of her that didn’t expect him to answer, because she nearly dropped the phone when James’s voice drawled in her ear. “I’m in the middle of a meeting.”
Nevertheless, he took her call. She might have taken that as a hopeful sign, if not for his chillingly businesslike voice.
She got straight to the point. “Fryer,” she said.
“Carli sent out the memo.”
“She sent it out, all right. What are you doing removing Fryer? We agreed he was a popular attraction, and deserved to stay.”
“I changed my mind,” James replied. “I had some time to think on my flight alone back to Boston and decided it wasn’t a good idea. There’s enough chaos in that store without teenagers blocking the aisles and taking selfies.”
“On Friday you called that chaos organized.”
“My perspective changed.”
Noelle didn’t think she’d ever heard his voice so emotionless, not even on his first day in Fryberg. He sounded like the warmth had been sucked out of him and it was her fault.
She grew sick to her stomach. “I’m sorry about the other night.”
“I know. I received your text.”
She winced. “I know I shouldn’t have run out the way I did.”
“Forget it, Noelle. I already have.”
“You—you have?” Of course he had. Hadn’t he said at the restaurant that he was a rich man trying to seduce her? She was the one who’d gone and attached deeper meaning to his behavior. Maybe all the importance had been in her head. “But Fryer...”
“Business, Noelle. The store is a Hammond’s property now. It seemed silly to wax nostalgic about the previous ownership.” She could hear him shifting in his chair and pictured him sitting straight and stiff behind his desk. “Besides, I’m taking the chain in a different direction after the first of the year. Your elk clashes with the new brand.”
“But we agreed,” Noelle said. The protest came out a whine. Worst of all, it wasn’t Fryer she cared about. It was the chill in his voice. So cold and detached. She wanted the voice that scorched her skin.
“Disappointment’s part of life.”
Ouch. Then again, what did she expect his attitude would be? Relief? He was angry, and Noelle deserved every ounce of wrath thrown her way.
“James—” I’m sorry.
Too late. He’d hung up.
Noelle let the receiver slip from her fingers. What had she done? Handled the whole situation like a child, that’s what. One-night stand or not, James deserved a proper goodbye.
Everything was messed up.
“Argh!” Squeezing her eyes shut, she ground the heels of her palms into her lids. “What a freaking idiot.”
“Little harsh, don’t you think?” she heard Belinda ask. “I’m sure whoever you’re talking about isn’t that stupid.”
The blurry image of her mother-in-law carrying a newspaper walked into the office. She was dressed in her off-duty clothes—jeans and a soft hand-knit sweater—and looked so much like the day they first met, that Noelle immediately jumped up and ran into her arms. Immediately, Belinda’s arms went around her in a bear grip more comforting than she deserved. Noelle’s shoulders started to shake.
