Holiday with You - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,2

more social.

“Don’t be silly, Audrey.” She sighs. “You ended your relationship amicably. I don’t see why I have to pick a side. I adore you. You’re my child. Stan is fun. He posted a video the other day of a—”

“Mom,” I interrupt before she continues professing her love for the son who will never be hers. “I need to pack.”

“Pack?” Her tone changes to intrigued. “Are you leaving for work or the gym?”

“Work. It’s an emergency trip.” More like a tantrum from my boss, but let’s call it a business trip for the sake of sounding professional.

“Please tell me they’re sending you to one of the hotels in the Maldives this time. Can I go with you?”

“You can come with me.” I extend the invitation, knowing she’s going to shut me down when she learns there won’t be colorful drinks with umbrellas decorating the glasses. If I’m lucky, I’ll get coffee with creamer. “I’m going to Winter Valley.”

“Where is that?” The slight squeak in her voice means she has no idea how to decline the invitation without hurting my feelings.

“Some obscure town in Colorado.” I head to my closet. “Listen, if you don’t have a warm jacket and winter gear, I would recommend you pass.”

“Do I have time to shop?” Her question is almost a mumble. “I can go this Saturday with my friends.”

“Sorry.” I try to sound disappointed, but I’m not. “I should be back by Friday.”

Love her dearly, but she would see this as a vacation rather than a work trip, and I don’t have time to humor her. I plan to go in, get the job done, and be back home no later than Friday. Aurora always says everything is for sale. Three days will have to be enough to convince Ms. Grant to sell and get her to sign a contract. Aurora and her legal minions can take care of the rest.

“We’ll plan a trip for next year,” she says enthusiastically. “Now, don’t forget to call me when you arrive at your destination. I’ll miss you, sweet pea.”

“I love you, Mom.”

While I’m trying to figure out what to pack, I receive a text from Aurora.

Crazy Boss Diva: Be in Colorado by 9 a.m. tomorrow

That’s impossible. She’s insane.

Audrey Reed: I’ve already booked a non-refundable ticket for the earliest flight at 10 a.m.

Crazy Boss Diva: Rearrange your schedule. Make it happen.

At times, I wonder if Aurora Sledge’s whole purpose is to drive me crazy. Push my buttons. One thing is for sure—every time she does something this stupid, I hate her just a little more. And wonder if she hates that she needs me so much.

Chapter Two

Colin

“I asked for white cupboards and dark counters,” Mrs. Riley protests as my guys unload the cabinets we’re installing today in her Aspen estate home.

It’s only nine o’clock on Monday, and I already regret getting out of bed.

No, I suggested maple wood with dark counters, but you told me that Mrs. Johnston, your neighbor, had dark, almost black cupboards so that wouldn’t work.

She’s not my first difficult client. Running one of the most prestigious construction companies in New York, I’ve learned a trick or two. Contracts are vital. Penalties are your friends. Commitment means nothing to some people.

They decide on a color scheme or a look one day, and the next, they’re browsing Country Living magazine and changing their ever-loving minds.

I pull out my tablet, search for the contract she signed three weeks ago, and find the signed and initialed blueprint where she agreed on the colors.

“Mrs. Riley, when you finalized your choices, you selected these specific cabinets,” I say firmly.

She gives me a pinched expression and shakes her head.

“Roland,” she calls out. “Roland, come to the kitchen. We have a problem.”

Roland Riley, a man who might be in his sixties and currently wearing a suit coat but only boxers, glares at her. “I’m in a videoconference. What do you need?”

“The cabinets are incorrect. They claim we signed for this color, but I’m sure we changed our mind, and you called to fix the problem.”

He looks at her, then at me, and sighs. “I don’t have time for this—”

This isn’t my first rodeo in this neighborhood. These people like to renovate and change their minds weekly. It helps my business but not my mental health. I’d rather be in Lower Manhattan sipping coffee while my partners and I have the weekly meeting with our team.

I spent almost ten years building the firm from the ground up, and this is where I’m at.