Paris Is Always a Good Idea - Jenn McKinlay Page 0,25

I pulled on my favorite pajamas—a set Annabelle had given to me as a gag gift for my birthday—which made me look like a dairy cow, as they were white with big black spots all over them, with a pouch in the front that looked like udders. The joke was on Annabelle since I loved these soft, warm flannel jammies. Deciding a power nap wasn’t out of order, I climbed into the crisp white sheets, pulled up the heavy blanket and quilt, and fell into a deep slumber of the sort enjoyed only by drunks and babies.

* * *

• • • •

WHEN I AWOKE, it took me a moment to remember where I was and what I was doing. Ireland. Colin. I was stalking—er, tracking down—my old boyfriend. That’s right. I snuggled under my blanket, thinking about our first meeting.

I could see Colin striding down the hillside of the O’Brien farm, looking as rugged and ruddy as the terrain around him. The sun would shine on his auburn hair, highlighting strands of gold and copper. He’d see me waiting, the breeze tousling my loose hair and the hem of my long skirt.

Wait, had I packed a skirt? I knew I had my little black dress, but that wasn’t the same. No, I was sure I didn’t have a skirt. Shoot. Scratch that—I pictured myself in jeans and a sweater. He’d see me and stumble to a halt. We’d stare at each other for a heartbeat, no more, before we recognized each other as our one true love, and then we’d race into each other’s arms, and he’d hold me close and kiss me—

My phone went off, interrupting my daydream just when I was getting to the good part. Damn it. I picked it up and noticed there were several text messages, all from Aidan, sent while I was showering, in addition to another from Jason. I got a weird feeling in my belly. This could not be good.

chapter six

I SLID MY thumb across the screen and answered him.

“What’s on fire, Aidan?” I asked. “You never text me, and you’ve texted me six times and now you’re calling. Is something wrong?”

“Hey, world traveler,” Aidan said. He sounded chipper, but was it a little forced? I couldn’t tell. “How goes the trip?”

I thought about Darby and her pole. “Um . . . interesting, very interesting. But you haven’t answered my question. What’s going on?” I sat on the edge of my bed and pushed my hair out of my eyes.

“Nothing,” Aidan said. “I just wanted to touch base with you before you talked to anyone else.”

I went still. My heart started to pound. Had something happened to someone at work? Was that why Jason had been texting me? Had something happened to someone on my team? “Is everyone okay?”

“Everyone is fine,” Aidan said. “It’s just—”

“Just?” I prompted. I felt a knot twist in my stomach. I knew I shouldn’t care this much. I was technically on leave, but still. I tried to keep my voice normal when I asked, “Is everything all right with the Severin Robotics account?”

“I’m glad you asked,” Aidan said. “Hey, let’s switch over to video mode. I much prefer to see people when I talk to them.”

I glanced down in dismay. I had no makeup on, my hair looked like a home for wayward critters, and I was still in my cow pajamas. I quickly pinched my cheeks, finger combed my hair, and grabbed the blue chenille throw off the end of the bed and threw it around my shoulders like a shawl. I made sure I was backlit and the lighting was dim before I hit the button to accept Aidan’s video call.

“There she is!” Aidan’s big bearded face grinned at me.

Despite my annoyance at having to be on video, I grinned back at him. Although our personalities were very different, Aidan really was one of my favorite people. I could tell he was sitting in his office, with the lettuce tower behind him and the Boston skyline just visible through the window beyond that. I felt a pang of homesickness that I immediately squashed.

“Hi, Aidan,” I said. “So, what’s happening?”

“Nothing, really. Can’t a boss just check on one of his favorite people?” he asked.

His gaze skidded away from the screen. Uh-oh. I sat up straighter. “Aidan, what did you want to tell me before I talked to anyone else?”

“I’ve made a decision about the Severin Robotics account,” he said. “I know we talked about having