“Us?”
“Yes, August. Since I’ve only been here for two days, we’ll need you there in order to answer questions and provide them with the information they need. Our lawyers will be present, of course, but we’ve been assured that this is a friendly visit.”
Fuck. We’d had more than our fair share of run-ins with law enforcement, not to mention hours upon hours of questioning. Late nights searching for documents and early mornings filled with despair became routine around here after my dad was arrested for drug trafficking. For years, I’d been dealing with the brunt of it.
I grunted. “No such thing as a friendly visit when it comes to the feds.”
The sigh she let out was filled with exasperation. “This company has nothing to hide.” She said nothing further, but she arched her brows and homed in on me. The subtext was clear. She wanted my confirmation that her statement was true.
“I do not, and have never had any involvement in illegal activity,” I said. “I understand the full extent of my father’s crimes, but let me be clear: I had no idea.”
She nodded. “I believe you.”
Those three words made my heart twist. Was she being kind? Doubtful. She’d made it clear the moment she arrived in town that we were not friends.
“We both know you’re not smart enough to run an international drug trafficking operation.”
There it was. Of course she had to wedge in some bitchy insult. To underscore that I was the help here and remind me of how deep her disdain for me ran.
Clem took that moment to poke her head out from under my desk. Of course my dog, who avoided anyone and everyone, would be curious about the woman who’d just ruthlessly insulted me. She probably wanted some tips on how best to break my spirit.
Eyes widening, Chloe slowly knelt.
Clem trotted over to her and sniffed her hand while Chloe spoke softly to her. It only took a moment for her to move in close and nudge Chloe’s hand. As Chloe pet her, Clem lifted her head, looking like she was in heaven, and damn if I wasn’t irrationally jealous that my dog preferred her over me.
“What a beautiful doggie,” she said, nuzzling Clem’s nose. “What’s her name?”
“Clementine.”
Chloe lifted her head and froze, staring at me. Recognition dawned in her eyes, and I could almost see the memory play through her mind. Our first real date. Sharing stale popcorn in a cramped movie theater in Orono. The crisp fall air as we wandered along the river after.
Our eyes locked, and the air in the room shifted.
She stood up quickly, smoothing down her skirt.
“Cute dog,” she said, turning to leave. “Don’t let her pee in my office.”
Chapter 4Chloe
Itook a deep breath. This was one of my least favorite parts of the job. But, as Karl reminded me, local PR was essential to our success. Especially given the reputation of the company. So we needed to be here, putting a bright spin on things.
Week one had not gone according to plan. In fact, I was farther behind than I ever thought possible. We were all working around the clock, and I had my accounting and legal teams on Zoom every night, reviewing every detail.
I’d tried more than once to get face time with both the mayor and the chief of police, but they’d brushed me off. And I needed both of them on my side if we were going to make all this work.
So when the mayor’s office called and told me my presence was required at the town meeting tonight, I saw it as an opportunity to put my best foot forward.
My feet were sore and tired, and more than anything, I wanted to sit on my deck and look out at the gorgeous lake with a glass of shiraz in my hand.
But I was the boss, so I had to get shit done.
I squared my shoulders.
“Thank you for coming,” I said to Karl. JJ had stayed back at their cottage, obsessively poring over topography maps.
“Are you kidding? Small-town drama is the best part of this job.” He craned his neck, perusing the various people heading into the school. “And I’ve always got your back. If the townsfolk get their pitchforks and torches, like in Beauty and the Beast”—he thumped his chest—“I’ll protect you.”
Karl was obsessed. He discussed, quoted, or alluded to Beauty and the Beast multiple times per day.
We’d had many fun drunken nights debating aspects of the film, but there was one detail we agreed on. The beast was way hotter in his animal form. The human underneath? Meh.
We walked into the school. The building had once been a mill but had been converted decades ago. Children’s artwork lined the hallways we traversed on our way to the gymnasium. The large space was filled with row upon row of chairs.
“This is so exciting,” Karl whispered, practically bouncing on his toes. “Ooh, look. There are snacks.”
Sure enough, some brilliant person had dispatched children to sell snacks at a table set up just outside the entrance.
Karl pulled me toward a cherub-cheeked girl with blond pigtails who was scooping popcorn from an old-fashioned machine into red-and-white-striped bags.
“Popcorn?” she asked, her gaze locked on me. “All proceeds go to fund after-school programs.”
“Sure,” Karl said, reaching for his wallet. “I’ll take one.”
The little girl put her hands on her hips and scowled. “Only one? There are two of you. And they’re only five dollars each.”
“Five bucks,” I scoffed. “That’s a lot for popcorn.”
