Coming Up Roses

by Anie Michaels

  We made our way to everyone around the room until Riley was the only one who hadn’t spoken.

  “Riley? What have you got?” I smiled at her as I asked the question.

  “Well,” she replied slowly, one of her hands coming up to her brow as her eyebrows creased. “Tomorrow I’m meeting with the head of Daniel’s Homes. We’re consulting with him about a fundraiser. It’s just a first impression, so I don’t have a ton of info yet. Thursday I’m meeting with the president of Vision Media to consult on holiday events for the end of the year. Between those two meetings I’ve got caterer and venue scouts, and a few lunch meetings with clients to hammer out more details on upcoming events.”

  I knew without asking that between all those meetings she’d be tied to her desk making phone calls, answering emails, and returning messages. And in between all that she’d plan more meetings and take more clients.

  She worked hard.

  “Let us know if there’s anything we can do to help,” I offered.

  “Of course.” She smiled, but it was weak and forced. “Thank you.”

  I looked down at my list of topics to cover in the meeting, which already had most items checked off, and went through the rest, addressing them in order of importance.

  “Okay,” I said on a sigh a few minutes later. “That wraps up everything I wanted to cover. Anything else?” I looked around the room, satisfied with all the gentle head shaking and smiling. “Great. My door’s open if you need anything this week.”

  With that, everyone stood and started to make their way out of my office.

  “Riley, can you hang back for a minute?” I asked, trying to sound as non-threatening as possible.

  “Um, sure,” she replied, obviously surprised by my request.

  When everyone else had left and the door swung closed, leaving us in privacy, I turned back to her.

  “How was the event last night? Everything go well?”

  “Yeah. There weren’t any issues. I think it was a success. The Mission raised over fifty thousand dollars, which was ten more than their goal, so they were very pleased.”

  “That’s great. I’m only asking because you don’t seem like your usual self this morning.”

  She sighed loudly, and her shoulders slumped forward slightly.

  “I’m sorry. I’m feeling really cruddy. I took some meds this morning that said non-drowsy, but I think they lied. I’m fine, just trying not to get any sicker than I’m afraid I already am.”

  Ah, that explained it. Now that she mentioned it, she did look a little pale. And the crescent-shaped space under her eyes was darker than normal.

  “I’m sorry you’re sick,” I offered sincerely. Riley never complained about anything and I knew she wouldn’t have just then if I hadn’t pressured her into explaining. “Perhaps Jasper could handle some of your workload today and you could go home a little early and get some rest.”

  A laugh escaped her.

  “You’re not supposed to be encouraging your employees to go home early from work.”

  “While that may be true, you’ve never left early or called in sick. And I’m not forcing you, obviously. I just wanted to let you know it’s okay if you need to take a day off to get better before you get worse.”

  “Well, thank you. I’m okay for now. Just a little spacy. If it gets worse, I’ll think about taking off early.”

  “Sounds good. Let me know if I can do anything to help this week.”

  “Thanks, Rose.”

  “Anytime.”

  She left my office and made her way through the long tables that filled the great room outside it. I watched as she approached Jasper’s desk. He turned and smiled at her and for just one moment I found myself jealous of their relationship.

  They were friends. That much was clear. I’d watched as the two of them left for lunch with Rachel some days. They had an easy relationship, and I wasn’t exactly sure how far it extended outside of work, but I had a feeling they were closer than just work friends.

  No one ever invited me to happy hour, or out to lunch, but I expected that—being the boss and all. And even though being the boss was one of my greatest aspirations, being lonely was an unfortunate consequence. All my close friends were out of state—mainly in Arizona where I went to college.

  The rest of the work day passed quickly, but I had noticed Riley leaving shortly after lunch looking even worse than she had that morning.

  I watched as everyone left the building, one by one, until I was the last person. That was pretty typical. First to arrive, last to leave.

  Since it was Monday, my schedule dictated my next stop was the gym. I went to the gym five days a week, usually Monday through Friday. Weekends were usually reserved for events, so I never planned to go to the gym on those days.

  Making sure my computer was secured, I left my office and flipped off all the lights, then headed to the elevator. I sighed as I rode to the first floor. Another successful Monday down.

  Chapter Two

  Rose

  T

  uesday morning had gone much like Monday: breakfast, news, get ready for work, walk to office, arrive first, watch everyone else trickle in. Without the added excitement of coffee and staff meeting of Mondays, Tuesday mornings were comparably slower.

  But when nine-thirty arrived, and I still hadn’t seen Riley, I started wondering where she might be. I clicked over to our company calendar where all the primaries posted their meetings and schedules and saw her morning free, which meant she usually would have been to the office by then.

  I made my way to Jasper’s work area and was greeted with a smile.

  “Morning, Rose.”

  “Hello, Jasper. Have you heard from Riley today?”

  “She’s not in her office?” His tone was a mixture of concern and confusion.

  “She hasn’t come in yet. I checked her schedule and there’s nothing there. Could she be at a meeting with a client or something she forgot to mark down?”

  He shook his head and turned to his computer, bringing up the same schedule I was referencing.

  “No, Riley doesn’t forget to mark things down.”

  “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

  From across the room I could hear the phone in my office ringing.

  “Will you try and track her down for me? Something’s not right,” I called the words over my shoulder as I rushed to my office. It was slightly unusual to hear the phone ring at all. The receptionist intercepted all my calls and the only people who used my direct line were usually my staff. I scrambled into the room and leaned over the desk, grabbing the phone with one heel off the floor. “Rose Finch, Rose City Events.”

  “Oh, Rose, I’m so glad you picked up.”

  “Riley? Is that you?” Her voice was scratchy and raw. “You sound horrible.”

  “I feel horrible.”

  “Oh, Riley, I’m so sorry. Do you need anything?”

  “A new throat? Perhaps a new nasal cavity while you’re at it.”

  “On it,” I joked, appreciating her sense of humor even if she sounded as though she was dying.

  “Thanks. But seriously, I do need something.”

  “Besides the next few days off to get better? Because that’s non-negotiable.”

  “One day,” Riley offered.

  “Three.”

  “Two.”

  “Fine. Two. But I need Jasper to take over all my meetings. He’s up to date on all the accounts and should do just fine. I just wanted to run it by you first.”

  “Of course. That’s fine. Anything you need.”

  I heard Riley sigh on the other end of the line and my heart strings tugged a little. She was clearly stressed about being sick and missing work.

  “You’re the best, Rose. Really. I’m so sorry I can’t be more help. This hit me like a Mack truck.”

  “Clearly. Is anyone there to help? Did Camden stay home?”

  “I made him go to work but only on the condition that I’
d call him or his mother if I needed anything.”

  “Well, add my name to the list. If you need anything, just call.”

  “That’s very sweet, but unnecessary. I’m just going to go back to bed. Forever.”

  “Well, don’t worry about anything here. We’ve got you covered. And if two days isn’t enough time off to get better, take as much as you need.”

  “Thanks, Rose. Calling out sick isn’t supposed to be this pleasant of an experience.”

  “You’re delusional. Go to bed.”

  She laughed, and I smiled. When she ended the call, I thought for a moment, my mind zipping through possibilities, weighing options, pros, and cons.

  Jasper gave me an expectant look when I approached him again. “That was her on the phone. She’s sick and won’t be in for a few days.”

  “Damn. She wasn’t doing great yesterday either.”

  “I noticed. She asked that you take over her schedule until she comes back. Will that work for you?”

  He turned back to his computer, Riley’s schedule still on the screen.

  “I think I can handle it all just fine, but we may want to reach out to Daniels Homes and reschedule. That was an important account for her and I think she’d prefer to handle it herself.”

  “Why do you say that?” I asked, my interest piqued. Riley was usually very diplomatic and professional.

  “He works closely with her best friend, Hadley, and I just know it was something she was looking forward to handling. They’ve been discussing a partnership for months now.”

  My mind went to work again, mentally going through every option and trying to figure out the best course of action.

  “You think she would have a problem with someone else handling the first meeting?”

  “No, I don’t think she’d have a problem with it per se. I just think she’d prefer to do it herself.”

  “So, you don’t want to handle it?” I could understand his hesitation. He wanted to do right by Riley and I could appreciate that.

  “I wouldn’t have a problem with it on my end. I don’t think it’s out of my scope of capability.”

  “Okay, Jasper, I’m going to tell you what we’re going to do.” Pulling the chair out of the desk I was standing in front of, I took a seat facing him. “I’d like for you to take over everything on Riley’s schedule for today and tomorrow except the meeting with Daniels Homes. I will make sure it gets handled.”

  “Are you going to reschedule?” he asked, not unkindly.

  “No, I don’t want to bother the client or Riley. I’ll take the meeting myself. Hopefully that will show the client they’re a priority, and Riley will believe I represented her well.”

  Jasper’s eyebrows rose at my words.

  “I’m pretty sure Riley will be grateful.”

  “She deserves the opportunity to get well without worrying about her accounts. I’ll make sure to explain to the client that she is the best primary planner I have and I’m only stepping in because it’s an unusual circumstance. I’m sure it will be fine.”

  “I am too. Riley will be shocked you took the meeting, but in a good way, I think. It will mean a lot to her.”

  “Well, like I said, she’s the best I’ve got. Speaking of which, you’ve grown a lot under her leadership. Soon you’ll be sitting at the Monday meetings with the primaries if you keep working as hard as you have been.”

  “Wow, thanks, Rose. That’s really great to hear.”

  He looked genuinely shocked by my praise. It wasn’t that I was stingy when it came to doling it out, but I generally showed my gratitude in other ways. Like with coffee and pastries.

  “Let me know if there’s anything you need help with while Riley’s out, okay? Anything at all. We can rearrange some things to get you help if you need it.”

  “Thanks, I’ll do that.”

  He smiled as I stood, and I found myself smiling back.

  When I’d returned to my desk, I clicked open the meetings Riley had scheduled later that day with Daniels Homes. The meeting wasn’t until 3 p.m., but the location had me narrowing my eyes.

  “Washougal?” I said to no one, completely confused. “Why in the world would she be meeting someone in Washougal?” Washougal was far away. Well, far away in city girl standards. Especially if you were a city girl without a car. In fact, Washougal was in another state. I’d be crossing into Washington for this meeting. Twenty miles may as well have been a thousand. That was easily a thirty-dollar Uber ride. The money wasn’t an issue—just another tax write-off—but the location was questionable.

  As far as I knew, Washougal was an empty town—there was nothing there. It was just a dot on a map. Why in the world would Riley be going there for a meeting?

  Deciding it wasn’t worth the time or effort to keep worrying about it, I made an appointment for an Uber and then continued on with my work day, checking things off my list as I went.

  A few hours after lunch I found myself in an Uber with a quiet but friendly driver, who could have been a murderer based on where he was taking me. The middle of nowhere. That was where I currently found myself. In the back of a stranger’s car, in the middle of nowhere. As soon as we crossed the state line into Washington, civilization started to disappear. Ten minutes later and buildings became scarce. Trees lined the roads and I wouldn’t have been surprised to find out we’d been driving into a national forest.

  “Are you sure we’re going the right way?”

  “Navigation doesn’t lie,” he replied, not unkindly. “Google is smarter than all of us.”

  “But... I’m afraid we’ll start hearing banjos soon.”

  “I’m just going to the address you provided.”

  “I’m just hoping I’m not heading to a meeting with a serial killer.”

  “Well, just so long as I get you where you’re going...” His words trailed off and I realized he wasn’t fully concerned with my safety, just getting me to my destination in a timely manner.

  The road winded along, taking us deeper into the wooden wasteland, until finally the car took a right-hand turn and began bouncing violently as we continued down a road made of gravel and potholes.

  This can’t be right.

  “Are you sure this is the way?”

  “I’m sure this is the way to the destination you asked to be taken to,” the driver replied, not sounding as friendly as he had ten minutes ago.

  The trees became thicker and the space between them thinner, making it difficult to see anything but trees. The car slowed, even though we were already hardly moving, and suddenly we were in a clearing. The road didn’t come to anything in particular. It simply ended.

  “Here you go,” my driver said, putting his car in park.

  “Where in the world am I?”

  “You seem to be at a vacant lot along the Washougal River.”

  “I’m so confused.” I peered around the driver’s seat and sure enough, there was a river in the background. There was also a very large maroon truck with the words Daniels Homes on the side parked as close to the water as it could get, so that gave me a little bit of comfort. But quite literally, the only other thing around was a port-o-potty.

  “Have a good rest of your day,” the driver said, clearly trying to get me out of his car so he could be on his way.

  I pushed the door open and stepped out, only barely making it a safe distance from the car before it started reversing back down the long stupid gravel road.

  Take me with you.

  Turning, I looked around the large clearing, hoping for some clue as to why I was standing in the middle of Mother Nature.

  “Hello?” I called out, hoping someone would answer me. “Mr. Daniels?” Surely, he had to be around somewhere if the giant truck with his name on it was any indication. I moved toward the truck, taking in the scenery. If I wasn’t so confused about the location, I would have been enthralled by it. It was quiet and serene. The only thing I could hear was the sound of the river crashing over rocks. />
  As I neared the water I heard a rumbling noise, some rustling, and as my gaze followed the sound, something tight gripped my arm and yanked me to the side, pulling me away from the noise. I would have yelped, did in fact, but it did no good because a hand came up to cover my mouth, stifling my cry.

  Strong arms were wrapped around me, and those arms clearly belonged to a very large person. A man, if I was correct. They usually didn’t make women that large. Or strong.

  “I’m really sorry,” he whispered as he hauled me away, and then suddenly it was dark. And smelly. Foul smelling, in fact. And his giant body was pressed very close to mine, but not only because his arms were around me, but because we were in a very tight space.

  A port-o-potty to be exact.

  “I promise I’m not trying to hurt you,” he whispered as he spun me around to face him. “My name is Aiden. This is my property. If I take my hand off your mouth, do you promise not to scream?”

  My eyes were darting wildly back and forth between his, my heart hammering away at my ribs, my lungs laboring to take in all the oxygen that little port-o-potty could hold. But his eyes were kind and he didn’t look as though he wanted to hurt me. I nodded slightly.

  Our gazes locked as he slowly took his hand off my mouth.

  “I’m really sorry,” he whispered again. “I was out there waiting for someone to arrive for a meeting and when I turned around two bear cubs and their mama were heading my way. This was the only place I could get to hide.”

  My eyes were wide at his story, but I couldn’t have moved if I’d tried.

  His one arm was locked around my waist, and his other hand, after it had fallen from my mouth, came to rest on my hip. Both of my hands were against his chest, which was covered in a soft, red flannel shirt.

  “Are we in a port-o-potty?”

  The blue tint of the plastic made it hard to discern the color of his eyes. He had brown hair that needed a trim and a beard much in the same fashion. He looked exactly as I imagined a man who lived in the mountains would look. All he needed was a giant axe and he’d be Paul Bunyan. He was half Greek god and half sexy lumberjack. It was a little overwhelming. Especially since his big arms were still wrapped tightly around me.