His gaze met her puzzled look. “It’s great.” He searched for a way out. After all, there were other employees who could accompany Sage. “When did you say we’d be leaving?”
“I didn’t. We don’t have plane reservations yet. I was hoping you could work on it.”
His thoughts immediately turned to the private jet he’d recently acquired. With it, there wouldn’t be any problems flying whenever they wanted to. But that was another part of himself that he couldn’t share.
“I’ll work on it. What day would you prefer?”
“The festival begins next Wednesday.” She glanced at her day planner. “I’d say Monday. Tuesday at the latest.”
He made a note on his phone.
Just then Happy woke up. He sat up on the end of the couch. He yawned and then shook his head.
Sage smiled. “Looks like someone had a good nap.”
Happy jumped down and with his tail wagging ran over to Trey.
“Hey, boy.” He pet him. “Looks like you’re starting to feel better.” Trey lifted his gaze to meet Sage’s. “Thanks for letting him stay here with us.”
“What’s the point of being the boss if you can’t bend the rules every now and then?” As though Happy sensed she was talking about him, he moved around the desk to visit her. “But of course when you’re all better, you’ll have to stay home.”
Arf!
Trey laughed. “I don’t think he agrees.”
And then a thought came to him—a way to get out of traveling with his beautiful boss, who made him forget his mission and made him long to take their relationship to a much more personal level.
Trey cleared his throat. “I really should stay here with Happy. With his condition—” which wasn’t that serious but it could have been “—Happy shouldn’t be left alone.”
“Does someone need a babysitter?” A familiar voice came from the doorway.
They both turned to the door to find Louise standing there with a stack of files in her arm and a smile on her face. Happy
ran over to her. His tail moved so fast that it was nothing more than a blur of motion. Louise knelt down and fussed over the dog. He stood up, pressed his paws to her knee and licked her cheek.
“I think the answer to your problem just walked in the door.” Sage smiled at Happy’s antics.
The dog sure had won over Sage. He hadn’t had as much luck with Sage. The woman was stubborn and resistant to any sort of help he might offer. Which just made the idea of them going on this trip together a very bad idea.
“I’m sure Louise has other plans,” Trey said.
“Plans for what?” Louise straightened and stepped farther into the room.
Before Trey could say anything, Sage launched into an explanation about the trip. Instead of looking put out by the idea, Louise smiled. She liked the idea of dog-sitting?
“I wouldn’t mind watching over the little fella,” Louise said as though she could read Trey’s thoughts. “Would you like that Happy?”
Arf! Arf!
Sage smiled. “Good. Problem solved. Thanks, Louise.”
“Yes,” Trey said, still trying to accept the inevitable. “Thank you. If I can ever repay the favor just let me know.”
There was an ominous twinkle in Louise’s eyes when she said, “I will.”
He didn’t even want to consider what it might mean for him. Something told him that it wouldn’t be as simple as picking up coffee or donuts. No, Louise was a sharp lady. When she called in that favor, it would be something meaningful.
“Before I go,” Louise said to Sage, “I was wondering if you had the profit and loss statements for the past five years?”