“I know you’re on vacation, but I figured you should know. I'm really sorry, but I figured this fell under the 'call you if there's an emergency' clause. I sent you an email with all their notices.” Susan sounded dejected. She knew as well as I did that this would be a devastating blow to my business. Without consultants, I didn't have the concierge personalization part of my travel agency. It would take weeks to hire and train new ones.
“You did the right thing.” I took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Who left?”
“Lisa, Joan, Amber, and Stacy. Diane said they called, but she turned them down.”
“Shit,” I whispered. Joan and Amber were my best up-sellers. “This is bad. I'll be on the next flight home.”
“What about your vacation?” Susan asked, surprise in her voice.
“If I don't have consultants making these bookings, then I don't have a business. Without a business, no vacations.” I stood up and grabbed my empty suitcase, throwing it on the bed. “This is low, even for Travel, Inc.”
“I'm really sorry, Olivia,” Susan said. I knew she meant it too.
“It's not your fault. I'll call you once I have a flight,” I told her. Clicking off the phone, I stopped and stared at my suitcase, my vision blurring with tears.
I couldn't believe Logan had done this to me...again. I was about to spend an wonderful evening with him, and he’d already managed to ruin it. Again. I wondered if he was even planning on telling me what he had done or if he was just looking for a good time.
I angrily threw some clothes in the suitcase before getting distracted and instead turned to my computer to open up the email from Susan. All four resignations were there. I hit print and called Maddy.
“Maddy, Travel, Inc.'s trying to ruin us. I have to get home. Will you get me on the next flight back? I don't care how much it costs.”
“Sure,” Maddy answered. “I'm actually at my computer now. What's going on?”
“Four of our consultants just quit. They have jobs at Travel, Inc. now,” I said softly. It felt horrible to say it out loud.
“What?” Maddy squawked. I heard the phone hit the desk and then the scramble for her to pick it up. “How is that possible?”
“I don't know, but I'm going to get to the bottom of it.” Shock had now graduated to anger.
“The earliest I can get you is a flight out at nine tomorrow morning,” she said. I could hear her clicking on her computer. “There are warnings that it might be delayed due to weather, but you're all booked.”
“Thanks. I don't care as long as I can get home to fix this mess. I'll forward you what's happening,” I said, picking up the freshly-printed letters.
“Do you need me to come too? Tyler and I can be packed and ready to go in no time,” she offered.
“No,” I told her. “I can handle it. No reason for all of us to suffer. Besides, this vacation has been so good for Tyler. You two stay.”
“Okay,” she said with a hint of relief in her voice. “Weren't you supposed to have dinner with Logan tonight? I thought Tyler said something along those lines...”
“We were. I'm going to go ask him about this now.” My hands shook with fury. I couldn't believe he would do this me.
“Don't kill him,” Maddy replied, only half-joking. “But if you do, I'll help you hide the body. This storm will make the perfect cover.”
I smiled quickly and hung up the phone. With proof of what his company had done, I stalked out in the hall to confront Logan. It felt like a strange repeat of the past, only this time, I'd let him know just how I felt.
Chapter 15
2 Years Earlier...
I stretched out, surprised to find myself in my own bed. I vaguely remembered Logan asking me about my keys, but I didn't remember putting myself under the covers. I lifted the sheet and found I was still wearing my dress from the night before.
I stumbled out of bed and into the kitchen. For a moment, I hoped I would find Logan asleep on my couch, but the living room was empty. However, sitting on the kitchen counter was a piece of paper. Logan's messy handwriting filled the page.
Dear Olivia,
Thank you for the wonderful evening. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun with someone. It was one of the best nights of my life.
Here is my personal phone number. Feel free to call me anytime.
-Logan
I smiled down at the note. Warm, fuzzy feelings floated through me like marshmallows in hot chocolate. For once, things seemed to be working out the way they were supposed to. I could finally feel success coming my way.
I turned on the coffee machine and went to start the shower. I still smelled like him. I almost didn't want to lose that scent, but the rest of me did not smell so nice. Plus, my hair and makeup now looked like something out of a scary movie. I stepped under the warm water, feeling the night wash free.
I'll have him again, I thought to myself. It made me shiver with anticipation. I wanted to wrap myself up in his arms again. I replayed the night in my head, humming happily as I washed my hair. I loved the way his eyes had glowed with want, but there was something more there. I knew I was falling hard for him.
Be honest, I scolded myself. You fell for him the moment you saw him. I knew it was true. I wasn't the type of girl who believed in love at first sight, but then, I also wasn't the type of girl who had sex in the backseat of a limo on the first date, either. We had just connected so well. I could see us actually working out.
My phone rang in the other room, but my hair was full of shampoo suds. I realized I had been standing under the water for twenty minutes without doing anything but thinking of Logan. I ducked under the water and quickly finished up my shower. I hoped the call was from Logan, even though it hadn’t been the requisite three days the movies all claimed he should wait.
With a towel wrapped around my head, I picked up my phone. I had one missed call, but it unfortunately wasn't from Logan. It was from WorldofTravelAgents.com, one of the bigger companies interested in buying my business. I hesitated for a moment before calling them back, apprehension and excitement running through me.
It wasn't official that Travel, Inc. was going to buy me out, but given what happened last night, I was pretty sure it was going to happen. One didn't sleep with the COO and not get certain perks. I was going to have to tell the other companies that Travel, Inc. was buying me out eventually. I decided to give into my excitement from last night and share the news.
“Hello, Mr. Carmichael,” I greeted the man who answered. “Just calling you back.”