Page 64 of Last Summer

“Nathan,” Ella starts to object. He shouldn’t be sharing anything about their discussions, at least not until the article’s published.

Miles looks at Ella. He has something to say and doesn’t want to say it in front of her. Nathan touches her shoulder. “Would you give us a moment?” He shows her his keys.

Reluctantly, she takes them.

“I won’t be long.”

Nathan leads Miles to his car, where they converse, heads close and voices lowered. After a few moments, they shake hands and Nathan claps Miles on the shoulder. Miles gets into his car and Nathan returns to her side.

“Couldn’t head inside, could you?”

There was no way she was going inside while Miles was still on Nathan’s property.

“Why did you promise to bring him up to speed?” she asks when Miles leaves. “You signed a contract with us. You shouldn’t be talking about it.”

“I’m not sharing anything with him.” Nathan sinks his hands into his front pockets. “He needed something to chew on or he wouldn’t have left, not with you here.”

“Do I have anything to worry about?”

“No.” He shakes his head and gently touches her arm. “Will you stay? Dinner’s cooking in the Crock-Pot. We can spend the rest of the afternoon on the assignment, see if we can finish this up.”

“Thanks. I’d like that.” She waves her phone. “I have to make a few calls first. Do you mind?”

“I’ll unhitch the trailer and meet you inside.”

CHAPTER 19

Ella settles inside her car, grateful that Nathan’s Wi-Fi is strong enough to reach out here, and checks her phone. Eight missed calls from Damien. She’ll get to him later, because right now, she needs to call her editor.

“Talk to me, Ella,” Rebecca greets.

“We have a problem. Nathan leaves for Alaska tomorrow.”

“Wrap it up, then. Use your notes from before. Can you get a draft to me by Monday?”

Five days.

“There’ve been some, ah...developments.” Like she doesn’t have her notes or her memory, developments. “Miles Jorgenson showed up today. He’s pissed Nathan gave us the exclusive. Apparently, they’re friends.”

“Nathan signed a contract. He can’t talk with anyone until we go to print.”

“I know, but I don’t trust Miles, not around a story this big.”

“What are you saying?”

“I want to go to Alaska with Nathan. I’ll wrap up the interview there. He’s heli-skiing so I can get some great action shots for the article.”

“Nathan agreed to this?”

“Yes.” Lie. But she should be able to convince him to invite her along now that she’s convinced they had an affair. She wants the details. Nathan also owes her. He agreed to help her with her memories when she first got here.

“Go then,” Rebecca agrees. “I’ll give you until Thursday, but that’s a hard deadline.”

She victory-punches the air. “You’ll have it in your in-box first thing.”

“Paul was in my office asking about it this morning. Both our jobs are riding on you getting this right. We had to scramble last summer. Don’t let me down again.”

“You have my word.”

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