Page 18 of Not Your Average Vixen
He glanced at the card key, then tossed it into the trash. There was no time for mindless escapades with a vixen now.
He cleared his throat. “Janine, there’s been a change of plans. I need to leave for Colorado on the first flight out tomorrow. I’ll be gone the entire week.”
“Tomorrow?” she echoed, wide-eyed in disbelief.
“Yes, can you book the flight now?” he replied, then walked to the window.
Thetap-tap-tapof his assistant checking airline schedules ticked like a clock counting down.
“I can get you on a flight tomorrow morning, but there’s a weather advisory for Colorado.”
He nodded, then glanced at the photo on his bookshelf. “That’s fine. Book it. I need to get there as soon as possible.”
Janine came to his side. “I’m proud of you, Soren. I’m glad you’re going to spend the week with Tom and get to know his fiancée.”
He grunted a non-reply, and she chuckled.
She wouldn’t be proud if she knew her words had lit a fire inside of him—not to only take part in his best friend’s wedding—but to make sure the damned thing got called off.
3
Bridget
“Is he looking at you?”
“I think so.”
“Is he cute?”
Bridget glanced at the man sitting catty-corner from her in the bustling hotel bar. Dark hair. Broad shoulders. He cracked the hint of a smile when the bartender brought him his drink, and she would have sworn she saw a dimple hidden beneath a layer of sexy, dark scruff.
She crossed her legs, repositioned herself on the barstool, then angled her cell phone closer to her lips. “Yes, he’s cute.”
“Go for it, Birdie!” Lori cheered.
Bridget’s heart beat like a drum. Nothing seemed real.
Getting fired.
Catching Garrett with another woman.
Twenty-four hours ago, her life had imploded.
But here she was, sipping wine like she could be anyone or anything.
The last time she’d felt like this was, well, never.
“You’re there for one night, Birdie. All the weather reports say that the snow will let up and that the roads should be cleared by tomorrow morning. You’ll be out of Denver and on your way to Kringle Mountain before you have to worry about bumping into him at the hotel breakfast buffet.”
Bridget twisted the corner of her cocktail napkin. “What do you think I should do?”
“Flirt with him,” her sister replied.
Flirt?
When was the last time she flirted?
She’d met Garrett when he’d come into the bakery to purchase a cake for a coworker’s birthday. There was no flirting involved, not really. He was a nice enough guy. He came back the next day, then the day after that. For all she knew, the man kept things going as long as he did to ensure a steady supply of baked goods.
