The Billionaire Athlete’s Christmas Fling - Leslie North Page 0,44

numbers,” Chase pointed out. “What’s your plan?”

“I’m calling security, too. I want to see Tana Birch in my office; right now.”

Chase paced to the window, at loose ends. He held up the article and squinted at the grainy picture. It was small, maybe two inches across, and it showed a married couple. At first, it didn’t look anything like her—but her eyes and the curve of her mouth were unmistakable.

How could she not have told him about this? About getting arrested, about all the theft… Was it possible she didn’t know? He didn’t see how it could be, since she’d changed everything about her life in response to the past. But maybe...

He cursed silently. It would be best if the guy had no incriminating evidence. Oh, stop—this isn’t evidence, Chase told himself. This is a newspaper clipping. And if he was going to do anything about it, he had to do it now. They needed to take a beat before they took actions they’d come to regret—especially Chase.

“Jonas,” he said urgently, and his brother looked up at him. “There has to be a mistake.”

Jonas looked past him, toward the door. There was no one there—he was just looking into the distance. “It’s really too bad,” Jonas said, stress evident in his voice. “I was going to offer her the job today.”

Chase couldn’t catch his breath. Of course Jonas was going to offer Tana the job. She was a perfect fit. Kind, smart, and a top-notch skier—they couldn’t ask for anyone better to lead the ski program. And now this?

“Wait a minute.” He stepped in front of his brother’s desk. “We don’t have the full story here. Shouldn’t you start with Tana? Get her side of the story before we get everybody in here? Jonas, listen to me.”

Jonas was furiously texting on his phone. He didn’t appear to have heard a single thing Chase said.

Ron Winthrop walked into the room, out of breath and adjusting his tie. “Jonas. Chase.” The company attorney shook both their hands, looking from one brother to the next. “What’s going on? It sounded urgent over the phone. I’m glad I happened to be driving out this way.”

“One of our ski instructors has been accused of stealing an expensive piece of jewelry from one of our guests.”

Ron blinked, his mouth dropping open.

“Accused is the main point, I think,” Chase put in. “Nobody has any proof.”

Jonas’s eyes flicked down to the newspaper printout in Chase’s hand. “We’re going to need that article.”

No. Chase wanted to rip it into tiny pieces and light it on fire. But if he did that, Jonas would just research it for himself. “Fine.” Chase put the paper down on Jonas’s desk, fury rising in him in a fiery wave. “Ron, I just want you to know that this is something out of this person’s past. It’s not a conviction.”

Ron stared at him. “Got it.” He looked at Jonas again. “What is it you want me to do?”

“I want you to sit in on the discussions we’re about to have and make sure the lodge is protected, as much as we can be. I don’t want to upset my grandmother with this.” Jonas shook his head. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. But we only have an hour to deal with this before the guest acts against us. I’d like to avoid that.”

“This is way overboard,” Chase tried to get his brother’s attention again. “Jonas, take a breath.” How much did Jonas know about Tana? For that matter, how much did he know about Tana?

His brother’s set jaw told Chase he wasn’t going to back down. “Chase, you need to leave. You’re too involved to be impartial in the matter.” Apparently, his brother knew more than he thought.

Fear crept across Chase’s gut with icy fingers. What if Tana wasn’t who she seemed? He didn’t want to go there. Not without all the facts. Not without talking to her. But it would have to be later. Right now, he needed to get outside. Find a place where he could breathe. And think.

Chase left Jonas’s office and headed for the lobby. Unfortunately, he ran smack dab into Tana, flanked by two staff security officers. She looked terrified and kept shaking her head. Their gazes locked for one brief second, and then she was out of view. And Chase couldn’t follow her.

18

“I’m sorry, I just don’t understand what this is about,” Tana said, fear gripping her, a sense of déjà vu rocketing through her body. Why