Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Did she have fun scolding me?
It felt like she had fun scolding me.
“I’ll keep it in mind. Did the questions get approved beforehand?”
“Harvey and I personally vetted them, and he jotted down some answers for you to work from. You’ll find them on the next page.” She tucked her hair behind her ear and pulled onto the dual carriageway. “Many residents seem concerned about lake access, and that looks to be a big focus for the reporter. Lake Buckley was once a stocked fishing lake that required a permit, but after the previous owner stopped enforcing trespassing notices, some people took it upon themselves to fish without the proper documentation and the stock has been completely destroyed.”
I scrolled down, scanning the questions. “So, the people who fished there previously want to know what the plans are. It says here that we plan to restock the lake and bring back the permits. What are they concerned about?”
“It appears the lake was open to the local residents. They want to know if that will be the case.”
“This says we don’t know.”
“We don’t know. I emailed Jordan Baldwin last night to confirm and he said we can’t guarantee access outside of those who are renting the lodges. Perhaps in the off-season, but we’re building this to be a true peaceful escape.”
“And if you’re paying a premium for that escape, you don’t want to be dealing with locals fishing next to your lodge at the height of the season,” I said, nodding slowly. “Perhaps we can consider it for the offseason when prices will be considerably lower. Is there an area of the lake where there aren’t cottages we could use during that time?”
“Yes, but we may have to request that they pay a small membership fee during those months to gain access.”
“All right. I’ll read this over and let you focus on the road.”
“Thank you, sir.” She reached for her tumbler in the cup holder and picked it up for a quick sip, and I took it to put it back in when she struggled. “Oh, thank you.”
With that, I let it be the last words and focused on the documents on the tablet in front of me. I’d already known it would take some time to adapt to this new way of working, but I hadn’t expected it to be like this right off the bat.
I was used to arriving at the office and having Chloe ready to brief me on the day. That was impossible now. I didn’t want her to brief me at the cottage, either, because then it’d really feel like there was no work-life separation for either of us.
It was one thing if we were working in the extension in the office, somewhere we’d only go for work hours, but if we were leaving like we were today…
The tablet was a good idea, but I didn’t want to think about how long it’d taken her to put this together. She certainly hadn’t done it in the fifteen minutes between her texting me and us rushing out to the car.
So much for her refusing to work last night.
I was going to have to talk to her about being worse at her job wherever she ended up. Otherwise, her next boss was going to take advantage of her, and I was the only bastard who was allowed to do that.
“You should do your hair, sir. We’re only five minutes away.”
I checked the GPS screen in the dashboard and locked the tablet, flipping the front cover back over. “Good spot.” I tucked the tablet in my door and reached back for the little box, then set about fixing my hair so I resembled a human and not a lazy teenage boy.
Honestly, I hadn’t even thought about doing my hair before I’d left.
“You do have a tie with you, don’t you?”
“What if I said I didn’t? Would you let me go without?”
“No. I’d make you wear the one Harvey bought you for Christmas last year.”
The very thought of that lime-green tie adorned with a pattern of ducks in Santa hats made me shiver.
I put the wax back in the box and set it on the backseat. “Don’t tell me that monstrosity is in the car.”
“In my bag, actually.”
“What are you doing with that in your bag? It should be burnt.”
“I thought making you wear it would be the quickest way to ensure you don’t forget your tie in the future, sir.”
“I can’t believe you can say that with a straight face.”
“You’d be surprised what I can say with a straight face,” she said. “We’re here. Please put on your tie if you have it.”
I pulled it out of my pocket and stretched it out, smoothing the fabric. “You’ll have to do it for me.”
“I’m beginning to feel taken advantage of.” She pulled up at the rundown sign that welcomed us to Buckley Lake Cottages and turned to me. “Pass me the tie and turn here.”