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“She’s going to call you and ask to head to Portland. I can handle the job here myself, but I need time.”
“To enact some kind of plan? I trust Cleo, and if she is saying she needs to leave, I don’t plan to strand her there while you try to win her back.”
“It’s not like that,” he pleaded. “She’s running from something she doesn’t have to run from. I just need time to show her that she’s more than enough.”
“She doesn’t think she is?”
“She doesn’t.”
“Wait, so she thinks you are too good for her? We may need to intervene with some kind of medical attention. Did she hit her head while she was away?”
“Very funny,” Nick said with a deadpan tone. “No one is harder on Cleo than Cleo. I need to show her that what we all have here isn’t some exclusive club that requires perfection.”
“Perfection is certainly not a requirement, considering who we all call family now.”
“I know that, and you know that, but Cleo needs more time to see it. Just help me get that time.”
Layla was silent for a long moment as she thought it over. “I’m not going to lie to Cleo. She and I hit it off so well during her interview and the hiring process. I intend to keep her on as an employee for as long as I can. She’s exceptional. I won’t start that working relationship off on a lie. But I might be away from my phone for a little while.”
“Send her to voicemail,” he chuckled. “That’s good enough for me.”
“Do me a favor, Nick, don’t run her off. I like her.”
“I’m doing my best.”
“Do you plan to call Brian about this? I know he’s traveling for the next couple of days, but he’s been very focused on the outcome. He needs another safe spot for people to travel through, and the farm could be perfect. You’re just tying up the last few loose ends on that.”
“I’m taking care of that too. First thing tomorrow, I’ll be getting some answers.”
“Okay,” she said with a sigh. “Your family really keeps things interesting.”
“You love it.”
“I know. That’s what worries me. Call me if you need anything.”
Layla was like a ship’s captain. Reliable and steadfast. And the best part about her was how many random passengers she picked up and took along with her. He considered telling her more and asking for her advice. She’d surely have some that would point him in a good direction. But Layla was Cleo’s boss, and that separation between her personal life and business was important to her. It was already enough that he had shared how he felt about Cleo, but he wasn’t worried about that. This wasn’t some fling. It was the real deal. Now he just needed to find a way to make it all work.
CHAPTERNINETEEN
Cleo
She knew his knock. How weird was that? Without looking through the peephole, there was no doubt in her mind that Nick was on the other side of her hotel room door. Probably because they’d done this for a month at the last hotel. Early in the morning, he’d get up and do that exact knock to see if she wanted him to bring her back a coffee. Now it was different. He wasn’t supposed to be asking her anything.
Opening the door felt precarious and not just because her eyes were ringed red from a night of tears. She didn’t want to smell his scent or see the scruffy shadow of a beard he had after a couple of days without shaving.
“What?” she asked through the door, keeping her voice unemotional.
“Coffee?” he asked, in the same way he did for so many mornings before this.
“What are you doing?”
“Getting you coffee. Then I’m coming back when you’re dressed and ready so we can go over to Clark’s work. I have an idea for how to talk with him.”
“Nick, I’m not doing this.” She pressed her forehead to the door.
“I’m not asking anything of you besides helping me out with Clark. I can’t pull it off without you. You’re key to having a conversation with him.”
She sighed and covered her heart with her hand. It was aching. Actually throbbing with disappointment and sadness. “I’m still trying to reach Layla. She wasn’t answering last night.”
