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"Have the desk send him in," I told her. Then turning to Ryder, I continued, "I presume this has something to do with the grant."
"Correct!"
"Sorry, I don't have anything more. But you can rest assured we are working day and night to bring the perpetrator to justice," Carter repeated his usual spiel, hurriedly collecting his paper and nodding crisply at Clint on his way out of the room.
"Gentleman!" Clint said, shaking hands with everyone except Courtney, who he eyed warily. "Hello, I'm Clint Tyree," he said, introducing himself.
"Yes, Mr. Tyree, I know you. I'm the one who sent the grant paperwork to you the other day," Courtney reminded him as her fingers danced over the keyboard, connecting the call with Ms. Hawkins on the large screen monitor.
After our brief introductions with Ms. Hawkins, I asked Clint, "So, now that you've had a chance to look over the application, what do you think? Any chance you can help us out?"
"Before I can answer your question, I need to have a look at the Golden Key Project,” Clint said, leaning back in his chair.
Realizing it was pushing noon already, I turned to Courtney and asked her to have lunch sent in. "Will do, Mr. Stratford. Is the Corner Deli, okay?"
“Yes, and the usual spread will be fine,” I told her.
Wearing a broad smile, she moved towards the doorway, then spun around and reminded everyone, "Oh! Almost forgot. What does everyone want to drink? We all ordered the usual, but when Clint ordered a Ginger and Lemon Oli Pop, she gave him a double take, “Never heard of an Oli Pop.”
“You should try one,” Clint replied. “Settles my stomach.”
After Ms. Hawkins finished advising us, our lunch arrived shortly after. We huddled around Clint, reviewing the grant specifications and spent the rest of the day explaining the Golden Key Project.
At long last, a few minutes before five o'clock, Clint gathered his documents and the edited version of software plans before jetting off for Seattle. His final words were, "I'll send you a contract in a few days. But unfortunately, I can't give you a price for writing the grant until I do some more digging."
After surviving a Monday from hell, I grabbed a quick brew with the guys and shot off a text to Meagan to check in. Instead of texting back she called, and the tone of her voice suggested she was on the brink of tears. "Chase, you remember tomorrow I have an appointment with the hypnotist?"
"Yes, sure... Is there an issue?"
"Jonathan has a runny nose, so Ariel can't take me, and Amy has an exam she can't miss. Would you mind driving me? My appointment is at ten."
"Can't wait. I'll pick you up at eight!" A warm smile dawned upon my face for the first time today.
Chapter Ten
Meagan
I always enjoyed the way the clinic smelled, fresh and not medicinal. The space felt welcoming, although it could have been full of difficult memories — struggling to walk again or even remembering my own name. But instead, I was comforted and reassured, knowing this was where I had embarked on my journey toward recovery. It was even better today because Chase was holding my hand, and Joyce would be the person to introduce me to Dr. Blackburn, my hypnotist.
"Megs, I couldn't be more delighted that it turned out this way. Though Ariel might have been a better fit for the job..."
"Your hand is far more tempting than Ariel's," I mused, giving his hand a squeeze. "She can't possibly do the things you can to me."
"That sounds like something out of a song." Chase chuckled as he gazed at Joyce, who was beaming from ear to ear while cradling my paperwork.
She enthusiastically greeted Chase, "It's so great to see you again!"
I was taken aback by the realization that they had already met. "Oh, right! Chase paid a visit to me while I was here... yet I still don't remember it."
"The exact reason I've referred you for hypnotic therapy," Joyce winked and pointed to the place on the forms that Chase and I needed to sign, permitting him to be with me during my session.
I raised an eyebrow at Chase's barrage of questions. "What's the deal? You sound like a detective interrogating a suspect."
He shifted in his seat, avoiding my gaze. "I just want to make sure you’re not getting yourselves into something you can't handle."
I nodded, suddenly realizing that I was just as nervous as he was. "Yeah, I get it. But we've been through worse, remember? We can handle anything."
Joyce noticed our unease and stepped in. "You two have nothing to worry about. Dr. Blackburn is one of the best hypnotists in the business. He's helped countless people overcome their mental blocks and regain their memories."
