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While I was glad she was excited about our plans, I wasn’t sure how I liked her rushing away so quickly. I shook my head at my silly thoughts and forced myself to roll out of bed. I was shocked when I saw the time was already past nine. I was usually awake long before this and at work by this time. It had been a long time since I’d slept more than a few hours. Having River in bed next to me must have been the magic solution.
I chuckled and leaned back against the headboard. Had it really only been four days since I’d come face to face with her in the stairwell? The shock of seeing her here was something I wouldn’t forget. Now that I knew all the facts, it wasn’t hard to see how Andy had manipulated me from the very start. I would owe him a very long time for sticking his nose into my business.
My smile turned into a frown as I remembered the fear and hurt I’d seen on her face as I accused her of leaving me for no reason. I’d come to see I couldn’t have been more wrong. She had very good reasons and I was still hopeful to overcome all of those and get her back to the city and the life we’d left behind.
I needed to change a few things in my life to make sure I had the freedom to put her first. It was no secret that I’m a bit of a workaholic by nature. I think it was in part due to my dominant personality. It was almost impossible for me to see something that needed to be done and not see it through to the end. I needed to learn how to curb that impulse and prove to River that she would always be a priority.
If I was going to step back a little, I needed to ensure the right people were in place to take over the responsibilities I needed to hand off. Who could I promote? There were several capablepeople under me but none of them were ready to move up just yet.
As if my thoughts about work summoned them, my phone rang with my office’s number showing up in the caller ID.
As tempting as it was to not answer, I knew I had to. They’d agreed grudgingly to the extension of my long weekend, but I hadn’t had time to arrange things to go smoothly in my absence.
“Cade Knightly,” I knew my annoyance was clear in my voice.
“Hello, Mr. Knightly, this is Chrissie.”
Chrissie was my personal assistant and I was instantly alert. She wouldn’t be calling me unless it was important. I took a breath and tried to gentle my tone.
“What can I do for you?”
She hesitated and I knew whatever she was going to say wasn’t going to be good. “You have a meeting tomorrow, sir. I wasn’t able to reschedule it. I’m sorry, I tried but they are heading out of town tomorrow evening and won’t be back for three weeks. I thought I better check in with you before proceeding.”
Shit! How could I have forgotten the meeting with Mr. Hashimoto? I should have pushed to have it before I left work for a week but I never suspected I would need more time.
“I’ll call you back shortly and thank you for getting hold of me. That was the correct thing to do.”
“Thank you, sir,” she said with audible relief.
I hung up the phone and smacked my head when I thrust back against the headboard. Swearing, I gently rubbed the sore spot as I thought about the best way to handle the situation.
Hashimoto was an important account, and probably the biggest deal to date for the company. I considered who might be able to step in but no one was up to speed on the deal I’d created or the long term effects of garnering this contract.
I continued to rub my head. It was exactly predicaments like this that had me thinking about my staff prior to the call from Chrissie. I needed to grow my team and learn better who my assets were and how best to use their individual skill sets.
An hour later I still hadn’t figured out a good solution that didn’t involve me going back for at least a day. River’s arrival drove home the fact I needed to make a decision right away. I would have to return to the city that night to be on time for the meeting which would alter our plans.
She had a beatific smile lighting her face and was wearing a pair of skin-tight jeans that showed off her perfectly shaped bottom. I groaned inwardly. Her attire wasn’t making my news any easier to deliver. She set the tray down on the table and quickly removed the lids on the plates.
“Breakfast is served,” she said with a flourish, completely oblivious to my internal struggle.
I decided that my news would be better received on a full stomach and sat down and dug into my meal. She poured my coffee and then sat and joined me. Unlike our previous meals, she was practically chatty.
I nodded and smiled where appropriate but internally, I was focused on the right words to use to have her not get angry. I needed her to understand I didn’t want to break our date but I would have to. Maybe it might be better to wait and come back on the weekends until I had things better sorted at work.
I knew the moment I was back in the office there would be issues I wouldn’t be able to ignore. Rawhide Ranch wasn’t far but it wasn’t commutable either. Dating on the weekends till she was ready to come with me was logical. River had to understand I couldn’t just abandon my responsibilities with no notice even though I’d tried.
“You are awfully quiet.” River’s earlier enthusiasm was gone. “Is there something wrong with your breakfast?”
A small worry line formed between her brows. It’s the first one I’d seen in days and I didn’t like it. So much for pushing off the conversation till the end of the meal. I put my fork down and tried to dredge up a smile. I needed to tell her so we could figure out a forward plan.
“I have bad news and I’m afraid you won’t like what I have to say.”
The frown line deepened. Her happy smile was quickly being replaced by a wounded look. Crap!
“What is it?”
“There is a crucial meeting tomorrow my secretary wasn’t able to reschedule. I’m afraid I have to cancel our plans today so I can head back. I think it would be best if I stay and get some work done and come back on the weekend.”
