Encounters

It’s still early when I get up. Very early. That’s what happens when you lock yourself in a room at an inn and finish putting together the proposal in half an hour. Then you’re left with so much free time you don’t know what to do with it and you end up going to bed while the sun is still up.

At least I’ve slept like never before and recharged my batteries. I’ll need it for the day ahead. The staff interviews and the accounts won’t exactly be a fun job.

I decide to go for a run. At this hour everyone will still be asleep and I won’t have to stop every few minutes to greet people.

I’ve been here a very short time, but most already know who I am and why I’m in town, so they flag me down wherever I go to talk.

Some are more discreet than others, but the underlying question is always the same: they want to know if I’ve gotten Mr. Odell to accept the deal.

I suppose they’re hoping to benefit from this sale.

The town will grow once we take charge of the Odell business. If only he could see that too.

After several minutes of running, I remember how much I’ve missed this.

In recent months, even back home, I haven’t been able to run as often as I’d like and the stress has been piling up almost without me noticing.

I needed to release it somehow. Is that why I’m so drawn to Haven?

Well, I can’t deny that my worries vanish the moment I’m with him, though deep down I know it’s not just that.

My body responds to him even from a distance; it’s something primal I can’t control.

One look from him and I’m caught. And when he touches me, my willpower disappears.

He could ask me for anything in that moment and I’d be incapable of refusing.

I don’t like anyone having that kind of control over me, but at the same time, the prospect of fighting against it—win or lose—excites me.

With Haven I’m a sea of contradictions and, until I sort myself out, I need to keep him at bay.

I know it won’t be easy because he seems very determined to win me over, but that only makes it more interesting.

“For God’s sake,” I complain aloud. “How am I going to do this when I can’t even sort out my own head?”

“I hope talking to yourself isn’t a regular thing. It would be a shame if people thought you were crazy and acted accordingly.”

“Plenty of people talk to themselves and don’t end up in an asylum for it,” I say after recovering from the fright. I wasn’t expecting to run into anyone. “You’re up early, Joe.”

“I’ve gotten used to not sleeping much.” He matches his pace to mine so we don’t have to stop. “I get up at dawn and go to bed in the small hours. It’s about making the most of the day.”

“Health matters too,” I remind him. “If you don’t get enough sleep, you could get sick.”

“Says the woman who’s out running before the sun has risen.”

“Touché.”

“Worries or early bird?” he asks. He turns around and runs backward without any fear of tripping. My instinct urges me to spin him back around, but I hold back.

“Right now, worried you’ll end up on the ground for not watching where you step.” I laugh when he stumbles.

“Jinx.” He pretends to be annoyed, but returns to his original position.

“Well,” I feign offense, “if I’d known, I wouldn’t have warned you and let you fall.”

“You would have liked that.” He brushes his arm against mine and smiles. “Admit it.”

“I would have laughed, yes.”

His eyes go nearly as wide as his mouth and a burst of laughter escapes me. In the end, maybe running into someone won’t be so bad after all. Especially if it’s Joe and he’s as refreshing as he is right now.

“I’m starting to see why they sent you to negotiate with the old man. You’re ruthless.”

“For laughing?”

“You’ll have to make it up to me,” he fires off shamelessly, ignoring my question.

“What?! Why?”

“For laughing.” He smiles smugly.

“I don’t owe you anything.”

“Oh, yes you do,” he states firmly. “And you owe me dinner.”

“I owe you?”

“You don’t expect me to pay after you’ve laughed at me, do you?”

“That laugh is going to cost me dearly.”

I try to keep a straight face, but with the gestures he makes while talking, it’s impossible. I love people with this kind of humor.

“I could be persuaded to split the bill if you have a few drinks with me afterward.”

“Dinner and drinks?” I pretend to think it over before speaking again. “I think that’s a bit too much penance for a single laugh.”

“That’s easily fixed.” He moves toward me and I sense his intention, so I bolt, reaching the inn door before he can catch me, and stop to catch my breath. My heart is racing. “God,” he struggles to speak, “what a runner. I’ll have to practice more for next time.”

“There won’t be a next time,” I warn him, trying to steady my breathing. I’m winded too. “My body’s not built for exercise this intense.”

“I could prove you wrong,” he says, laughing at the double meaning of my sentence, “but I’d probably earn myself a slap for my boldness, so first we have dinner, then those drinks, and at the end…”

“At the end, everyone sleeps in their own bed,” I finish for him.

“At the end, everyone sleeps in their own bed,” he repeats, sounding defeated, though his smile tells me he’s joking.

“I need a shower before facing Mr. Odell,” I sigh. “Thank you for brightening my morning.”

“My pleasure.” He bows with a flourish. “You have my number in case you need further cheering up.”

“That’s enough for today.” I smile.

“I’ll pick you up at seven.”

He leaves without giving me the chance to refuse. I suppose dinner with him won’t be so bad. He makes me laugh and that’s a good enough reason to accept. It’ll help me unwind after spending the whole day with Haven and his father at the factory. I think I’ll need it.

I meet them in Mr. Odell’s office. The son has managed to convince his father to join us this time, though judging by his disgusted expression, he’d rather be anywhere else.

And even though his attitude may make things uncomfortable, I’m glad he’s agreed, even reluctantly, because being alone with Haven would be worse.

“I’m not going to walk through the factory for hours.” He strides briskly ahead of us. “So stay sharp because we won’t be going back, girl.”

“That won’t be necessary,” I assure him.

“Let’s have dinner together,” Haven whispers when his father opens the door to the sewing room—the only room I got to see on my first visit.

“I already have plans.” I love being able to say that and seeing the surprise on his face.

“With whom?”

“That’s none of your business.” I walk into the room so he can’t keep pressing the matter. “Mr. Odell, how many people work for you? And I don’t mean just here in the factory, but indirectly as well.”

Over the following three hours, either he or his son answer my questions and I jot down everything I consider relevant for the proposal.

I focus exclusively on the purpose of this meeting and they seem to notice because they even offer up interesting data for my research.

I don’t want to get my hopes up about Mr. Odell because he’s still as surly as ever, but perhaps he’s considering the possibility of accepting the partnership after all.

At the very least, he doesn’t seem as utterly closed off as before, and I think Haven has something to do with it. A lot, actually.

“When would you have that proposal ready, girl?” he growls. I’m starting to think he doesn’t know how to speak without doing that.

“I need to review the account books first.”

“First thing tomorrow morning they’ll be available in the meeting room,” he informs me. “Now, off my property. I’ve put up with you long enough.”

“Dad,” Haven scolds him, “what did we agree on?”

“Haven’t I done what you asked? Now the visit is over—I don’t have to keep being nice to her.”

“Your kindness overwhelms me, Mr. Odell.” I smile when he looks at me with annoyance.

However, I can tell he’s trying to hold back a smile and I sense it’s all a front. Though that doesn’t mean I’ve won him over—there are still rough edges to smooth out.

“There are still many more meetings to come, Dad,” Haven tells him.

“And I’ll be pleasant for as long as they last.”

He warns me with a look not to say anything, and this time I let it go. Let’s not push too hard and end up back at square one.

When I see they intend to keep arguing between themselves, I decide it’s time to slip away. If I’m quick, Haven won’t notice until it’s too late. Because I know he’ll want to interrogate me about the plans I mentioned and I don’t feel like discussing it with him.

“See you first thing tomorrow,” I say without intending them to hear clearly. It’s just an excuse to say I warned them, but they didn’t catch when I left.

However, Mr. Odell does hear me and grunts, but doesn’t abandon the argument with his son.

This time I let a smile escape. Despite everything, I have the impression I’ll end up growing fond of him.

God forbid, but that’s just how empathetic I am.

I put myself in his shoes and I know how hard it must be to give up part of the business his wife loved so much.

I don’t blame him for being reluctant, even though his initial evasions annoyed me considerably.

I found them unprofessional and rather childish.

I’m already outside when Haven catches up. I don’t stop, though I know that’s what he expected. He falls into step beside me and watches me in silence for at least three hundred meters. In the end, I’m the one who speaks because his scrutiny is making me nervous:

“What is it?”

“What plans do you have?”

“That’s none of your business.” I glance at him briefly while repeating the same words as before. “Whether I go out or stay at the inn, I don’t owe you an explanation for anything, Haven.”

“I know, but I was hoping to have dinner with you tonight.”

“Well, you can see that’s not possible.”

“Are you avoiding me, Debra?”