Romantic Acquisition Page 0,36
he was doing. Why hadn’t he called her, she thought about four o’clock that afternoon. She accepted that she was hurt by his lack of communication. She knew he didn’t report to her but they’d spent so much time together, even before they’d left for Houston and he’d always told her where he was going and when he’d be back.
Sarah walked into the conference room during one of her staring periods and handed a large, bulky envelope to Kate. “How is the rest of the country doing?” she asked, leaning against the conference room table. Kate immediately noticed a glow to the young woman’s appearance. Apparently, romance was good for her.
“It was interesting to see all the other stores. Usually I go through them in a different pattern. Seeing the stores with Carlo was an eye opening experience,” she said. Kate looked down at the envelope. “What’s this for?” she asked.
“I had a message this morning from Carlo’s secretary at ATI. She asked that we pull those documents together and deliver them today. The address is on the paper,” Sara explained and pointed to the piece of paper taped to the envelope.
Kate picked up her purse, tamping down the excitement that instantly flared up at the idea of seeing Carlo again. “Well, then, I guess I better head out. If you two are okay with Sarah continuing in my stead, I’ll see you in about an hour,” Kate said.
Both Jeff and Peter nodded their heads and Sara smiled, obviously eager to help.
Kate went back down to the parking lot and got back into her car. She looked at the piece of paper and read the directions. “I’ve never heard of this place,” she said and re-read the directions, not sure if she understood them completely.
She shrugged and turned on the engine and backed out of the parking lot. The instructions were very easy to follow, giving her specific distances to track before turning one way or another.
She followed the directions as precisely as possible. When she got to the final line, Kate looked down at the address written on the paper, then back up again to the parking lot. The numbers were the same but this couldn’t possibly be the place she was supposed to drop off the documents. This was a pier.
She looked around, wondering if she’d made a wrong turn but the directions were very simple and direct.
Pulling out her cell phone, she called Sarah. “Are you sure you gave me the correct address?” she asked her secretary.
Sarah confirmed the address from the e-mail. Kate was in the right place.
“Okay, thanks. I’ll look around for the number twelve,” she said and hung up.
Kate found a parking space and got out of her car. Scanning the docks, she realized that each of the docks were numbered. All the way to twelve. The boat at the end of dock, number twelve, would never be considered a boat. It was a ship, she thought to herself.
Sighing, she walked down the pier and stood beside dock number twelve. As soon as she approached, a seaman descended the stairwell and greeted her. “Ms. Avril?” he asked politely.
Kate hid her shock. “Yes. Is this where Mr. Attracelli is?”
“He’s currently in the forward library,” the crewman said.
“Oh,” was her only response to that. “Well, could you deliver these papers to Mr. Attracelli? He’s expecting them,” she asked, handing the documents to the man and hiding her depression that she wouldn’t be able to see Carlo.
The seaman didn’t even glance at the papers but bowed slightly as he said, “I was asked to escort you to Mr. Attracelli.”
“Oh, I don’t think I need to deliver these in person,” she explained, looking up at the imposing yacht and all it’s darkened windows. It looked very intimidating to her. “But I understand he needs them immediately,” she said, still trying to hand them to the man.
“Right this way,” he said and stood back so she could precede him onto the ship.
Kate gave up. She realized that the man had his instructions. Besides, she’d like to see the interior of the ship. She’d never been on a genuine yacht before. So she walked up the stairway and followed his directions to the ‘forward library’ as he’d put it.
Kate opened a door and was delighted by the soft green and cream interior. This was a genuine library with books of all sizes inside glass enclosed shelves. The dark wood was glossy and polished. She saw Carlo and a few other