An Unexpected Viking: Sveyn & Hollis: Part One (The Hansen Series - Sveyn & Hollis Book 1)

by Kris Tualla

  “It was a good day,” she hedged instead. “What about you and George?”

  “We’re practically an old married couple now.” Stevie’s smiled turned wistful. “Maybe I’ll be getting some sparkly finger jewelry for Christmas.”

  Hollis laughed. Stevie was superstitious about using the word ring when it came to pending engagements. “We did finish at the hoard late on Friday, by the way,” she said.

  Stevie perked up. “So everything is here now?”

  “Yep.”

  “And now we start entering everything in the blue bins into the data base.” Stevie tipped her head. “Together, right?”

  “And we have to decide what objects to initially display by the end of the month.” Hollis took a gulp of her coffee and turned back to the pot. “I’m definitely gonna need more of this.”

  As they walked down the hallway to the storage room with Sveyn following right behind them Stevie asked, “When are you going out with Everett again?”

  “Not for a few days. He had to fly to Denver this morning.”

  Stevie stopped walking. “Oh, no!”

  Hollis turned around to face her. “He’s coming back on Wednesday. He just has to schmooze some potential donors tomorrow.” Hollis resumed her path, and spoke over her shoulder. “You know what it’s like working for a non-profit.”

  “That I do,” her petite friend said behind her. “What exactly does Calico Labs do, again?”

  “Human longevity.”

  “Right.”

  Hollis scanned her key card and the storage room door unlocked. “Ready?”

  Stevie held up her huge coffee mug. “As I’ll ever be.”

  *****

  Hollis and Stevie brought their laptops to the storage room so that they could register all of their display choices on the spot. What was not going on display was repacked in the bins to be processed later.

  Hollis estimated that to properly register the items in the three-hundred-ish bins would take six months or more. That meant she shouldn’t have to make any life decisions for at least that long.

  The right side of the stainless steel counter was designated as Europe and the left side as America. As they opened the blue-lidded bins, they laid out the prime items at the appropriate ends and worked toward the middle.

  Sveyn proved helpful as he listed out what was in each bin before they opened it, allowing Hollis to suggest they pass on one now and then.

  “How do you remember what’s inside?” Stevie asked.

  “I kind of remember what was packed with what,” Hollis lied. “And we used translucent bins for a reason.”

  “Hmm.” Stevie pushed the blue-topped bin aside and reached for the one Hollis indicated. “You must have some sort of photographic memory or something.”

  Hollis winked at Sveyn. “Or something.”

  Tuesday

  October 20

  “Hollis?” Miranda appeared in the door of the storage room. “Are you in here?”

  “We’re back here!” Hollis stepped out from behind a shelf.

  “There’s a delivery for you in my office,” Miranda said as she walked toward the pair. “And I have news for you, Stevie.”

  Stevie stepped out from behind Hollis. “What?”

  Miranda held her lips between her front teeth; the rest of her face was smiling. Once the tall brunette stood in front of Hollis and Stevie she clasped her hands together.

  “It’s official. The Jane Austin tea for JASNA members only will be held on the Sunday afternoon after Thanksgiving—and two days before the wing opens to the general public!”

  Stevie began to bounce. “Ooh—I’ll have to text George right away!”

  “How much are the tickets?” Hollis asked.

  “We are requesting a one-hundred-and-fifty dollar donation per attendee, and we are limiting the number to fifty.”

  Stevie already had her phone in her hand. “Once word gets out that they can hold a signed copy of Mansfield Park, those will go fast.”

  “It’s going to be lovely,” Miranda continued. “We’ll have it in the Glass Pavilion so weather isn’t a factor.

  “When do tickets go on sale?” Stevie’s fingers moved over her phone’s keyboard.

  “Friday, we hope. The tech guys are setting up the page now.” Miranda turned her happy attention back to Hollis. “Now aren’t you curious about what you got?”

  *****

  Hollis stood in the center of Miranda’s office, shocked by the deep red roses on her desk. There had to be at least four dozen of the long-stemmed beauties in the crystal vase.

  “Are these from Everett?” she mumbled as she stared at the visually stunning array.

  “They are not from me, unfortunately,” Sveyn said softly.

  “As tempted as I was, I didn’t open the card,” Miranda chided.

  Stevie walked forward. “Open it, Hollis. Or I will.”

  Hollis moved slowly. Never—not once—in her life had anyone ever sent her roses. Matt always called them trite and predictable, and gave her daisies on the few occasions that he gave her flowers at all.

  What an ass.

  Hollis leaned into the blossoms, inhaling their sweetly distinctive scent. Each flower was at the perfect moment of beauty: open, but not too far. The rich red color of the petals deepened to dark burgundy at their base, and were held together by curling green fingers.

  Stevie cleared her throat.

  Hollis looked over her shoulder at her friend. “I’m savoring the moment, Stevie. I’ve never gotten roses before.”

  Her eyes rounded. “Never?”

  Hollis shook her head. “Matt was an ass.”

  “Well you hit the motherlode with this guy,” Miranda declared. “This is certainly not a cheap arrangement.”

  Hollis sniffed the fragrance once more, then lifted the white envelope. The stiff, textured paper sounded thick as she unfolded it.

  My dear Hollis,

  I hope you enjoy these roses. As beautiful as they are, they pale next to your beauty, both inside and out.

  I apologize again that I was not my best on Saturday ~ I was so certain that one of the sensors would pick up some type of energy, that you received the brunt of my desperate disappointment. Please forgive me, and give me the chance to make it right.

  Hopefully yours,

  E

  Hollis handed the note to Stevie, who read it out loud. Both she and Miranda sighed wistfully when she finished.

  “You have to respond,” Miranda said.

  “And before he comes back,” Stevie stated. “Don’t leave him hanging.”

  Hollis looked at the pair of women. “How?”

  Stevie tapped her chin. “Whatever you do should relate to what he’s done here.”

  “So flowers?” That didn’t sound right.

  “Well, not just any flowers,” Miranda opined. “It would have to be roses, too.”

  “Are you saying I need to send roses to Everett?” Hollis clarified. “Sorry, but that seems silly.”

  “White roses mean a new start,” Stevie suggested as if Hollis hadn’t spoken.

  “And they’re also popular at funerals,” Hollis pointed out. “I am not sending Everett a bouquet of death flowers.”

  Miranda turned her narrow-eyed consideration to Stevie. “Wait—what’s that show where they hand out roses?”

  “That dating show, the one where the guy or girl narrows down their choices every week.” Stevie shot Hollis an accusing look. “You watch that show. Is Everett familiar with it?”

  “I don’t know.” Yes.

  “Well, there’s your answer.” Stevie folded her arms. “You will send him a single red rose, and ask if he’ll accept it.”

  Miranda clapped her hands. “What a fantastic idea! I love it.”

  As hokey as it sounded, Hollis thought the idea had merit. And the more she thought about it, the more sense it made.

  Sveyn leaned against Miranda’s desk on the other side of the bouquet. “Sh
e’s right, Hollis. As much as it pains me to say this, it is a very clever response.”

  That sealed it.

  “All right. I’ll do it.” Hollis smiled shyly. “I’ll send him a rose today and ask him if he’ll accept it.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  After Hollis carried the roses to her own office, she looked online for florists in Denver and picked the one that was closest to the Calico Labs facility.

  “If I send you a jpeg of my message in my own handwriting, can you print that inside the card?”

  “Totally,” the gal on the phone assured her. “We do that all the time.”

  It took Hollis four tries before she was satisfied that the message looked perfect, and then she scanned the note and sent the image to the florist.

  “Did you get it?” she asked when she called to confirm.

  “Oh my god, I love that show!” the gal gushed. “This is so romantic!”

  That meant a lot, coming from a florist’s assistant.

  “And you can deliver it today?” Hollis pressed.

  “Yes, of course. Within the hour.”

  Hollis smiled when she hung up the phone.

  “You look happy, Hollis.”

  She looked up at Sveyn, who was half-sitting on her desk. “It’s a different happy than with you.”

  He tilted his head. “How is it different?”

  How do I explain it?

  It was like the difference between a crush, and something she had heard about, but never experienced before.

  And that makes absolutely no sense at all.

  “Everett’s an exciting new flirtation, although one with long-term possibilities,” she began. “And I know that this sounds crazy, but you’re a solid and safe presence. Unconditionally mine. Though you could be gone in a blink.”

  Sveyn shook his head. “It is not so crazy.”

  “Yes it is.” Hollis stood. “And that said, I have to get back to work.”

  *****

  Hollis and Stevie were in the new wing, measuring specific areas and marking those dimensions on their sketched schematic for the Kensington collection displays when Hollis’s cellphone vibrated in her pocket.

  “It’s the florist in Denver,” she told Stevie. “Probably confirming the delivery.”

  “Ooh. Such fun!” Stevie’s eye twinkled. “Go ahead and answer it.”

  Hollis swiped Answer on her screen. “Hello?”

  “Is this Hollis McKenna?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hi, this is Jackie from Denver Floral. I’m afraid there was a glitch in the delivery you ordered.”

  Hollis looked at Stevie and frowned. “What sort of glitch?”

  “Was it with your credit card? Sometimes they deny out of town charges,” Stevie whispered. “They think it’s fraud.”

  Hollis waved at her to be quiet. “I’m sorry. What sort of glitch?” she repeated.

  “The receptionist said that there was no one by that name working in that building.”

  “Oh.” Did Calico Labs have multiple locations?

  “What would you like us to do?”

  “Umm, let me call them myself and see if I can straighten this out.” Hollis looked at her watch. “What time do you close?”

  “We can’t take this delivery order after three o’clock and guarantee it will arrive today.”

  Two more hours.

  “Okay. I’ll call you back before then if I can get a better address.”

  Jackie hesitated. “And if you don’t call back?”

  Everett was supposed to fly back to Phoenix the next day. She could just give him the rose in person.

  “Then cancel it, I guess,” Hollis said apologetically. “I’m so sorry.”

  “It was such a cute idea. I hope it still works out.”

  “Me, too.” Hollis hung up.

  “What happened?” Stevie prodded. “Was it your credit card?”

  “No.” Hollis’s brows pulled together. “The receptionist at Calico Labs said no one by that name worked in that building.”

  Stevie rested her hands on her hips. “Is there another building, then?”

  “Wouldn’t you think the receptionist would consider that if there was?”

  “Not if she’s new. Or stupid.”

  Hollis huffed a laugh at that. “I’m going to my office to call them. I’ll be right back.”

  “Do you want me to come?” Stevie’s voice was hopeful.

  “No, thanks. If I get assertive with Ms. Stupid it’s better if there are no witnesses.”

  Hollis turned around and walked away. Of course this was a mix-up. And the stupid rose situation had already taken an hour out of her day—a wasted hour that the impending wing opening would not be forgiving of.

  “I’ll have to work late now,” she muttered.

  “And I will be with you,” Sveyn countered.

  Once in her office, Hollis decided to call Everett directly. She could thank him for the roses without giving away her planned response and maybe get more information about his office location in the process.

  “Straight to voicemail.” She tried again. Same thing.

  She looked up at Sveyn. “He said he would be in an important meeting all day with potential donors. I’d have my phone off, too, if I was in that situation.”

  “It is a shame that I am tethered to you or I could go looking for him,” he groused.

  “That would be helpful, I’ve gotta be honest.” Hollis sighed. “I guess I’ll call the company myself before I run out of time.”

  *****

  “Calico Research and Development. This is Cassandra. How may I help you?”

  “Hi, Cassandra. My name is Hollis McKenna and I tried to have flowers delivered to Dr. Everett Sage a little while ago.” Hollis thought she heard a little gasp. “But the florist was turned away. Can you help me with that?”

  “Yeesss…” Cassandra’s voice lowered. “Dr. Sage no longer works here.”

  “Since when? Today?” Hollis asked. “He said he was meeting with potential donors.”

  “No, Dr. Sage has been gone for some time.” She was practically whispering.

  Hollis’s heart stuttered painfully. “I don’t understand.”

  “Would you mind holding for a moment while I look for that?” Cassandra asked, returning to her bright, smiley voice.

  “Umm. Sure.”

  Tinny New Age music filled her ear. Hollis looked at Sveyn. “Can you hear any of this?”

  “Some of it yes. Shall I get closer?”

  “Yes. Please.” Hollis tilted her phone slightly away from her ear.

  The music stopped abruptly.

  “Ms. McKenna?” Cassandra was back to whispering.

  “Yes.”

  “I only have a moment, but since you sent him flowers, I think you have the right to know.”

  This was clearly not going to be good news. Hollis glanced at Sveyn. The Viking’s expression was grim.

  “To know what?” she asked.

  “Dr. Sage was fired about four months ago for going off the company’s mission statement.”

  Hollis understood the concept but, “How did he go off the mission statement?”

  “He started researching myths and icons—crazy stuff like that—instead of sticking to biology and chemistry.” Cassandra’s voice got even softer. “He started saying that longevity, and even immortality, could be possible by using ancient incantations. Or that objects held power.”

  No wonder he was so upset when the Blessing proved inert.

  “How do you know all of this?”

  “My roommate was dating him at the time, had been for a few months, and he went ballistic the night they fired him.” Cassandra sighed. “He was ranting and blaming everyone else, and it scared her so much, she broke up with him.”

  Hollis could not begin to imagine the calm, controlled, and handsomely gray-haired doctor ever acting like that. “And this happened four months ago?”

  “I’m sorry. I
have to go. Good luck.”

  The line disconnected.

  Hollis looked at Sveyn. “Well this is disappointing.”

  “Do you believe her to be truthful?”

  Hollis considered that. “I believe her to be truthful as far as what she was told. But whether she was told the truth is now the question.”

  “And you will discover this by asking Everett.”

  Hollis regarded the apparition’s stern expression. “Unless you have a better idea.”

  Hollis decided not to tell Stevie what she had learned in case the information turned out to be baseless. She didn’t want to needlessly harm Everett’s reputation, preferring to give him the benefit of the doubt.

  For now.

  Besides, he would see her missed calls on his phone and probably call her back when his meeting—or whatever he was doing—was finished.

  Instead, she simply told her petite co-worker that the receptionist made a mistake and the rose was being redelivered.

  “Now, let’s get back to work. These dumb flowers have taken up enough of our day.”

  Stevie flashed a puckish expression. “Well if you don’t want them…”

  Maybe I don’t.

  “I didn’t say that.” Hollis looked over the items Stevie had decided on while Hollis was on the phone in her office. “Where are we now?”

  *****

  Everett didn’t call Hollis back, but he did text her several hours later: Sorry I missed your call. It’s been an intense day. Outlook for funding is good. Tell you more when I see you.

  She stared at her phone, wondering how to respond. Texts were not the best choice for introducing awkward subjects, especially in a new relationship when the nuances of word choices could be misunderstood.

  Before she could think of what to say, Everett sent: Did you like the roses?

  Hollis smiled in spite of her concerns. Her office smelled like an English garden. The JASNA crowd would be giddy.

  Yes, thank you SO much! I was blown away.

  They’re beautiful and they smell heavenly.