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So Walt had already spoken to Oliver "There’s no guarantee it won’t happen again--being delayed due to weather, I ether "True Not to worry, the newspaper will reimburse you for the room"
Emma couldn’t prevent a look of surprise at his easy capitulation on the matter of her expenses Still, that wasn’t her main concern at the , you know, that it’d probably be better if I drove to Colville this time, rather than fly I realize it’s a full day’s drive, but--"
Walt raised his hand and stopped her "Out of the question I already have an agreeot a run into Spokane to He’ll drop you off at Colville, fly into Spokane and then come back for you later in the afternoon"
Emma’s heart shot to her throat "You actually want ain…tomorrow?"
Walt nodded "Meet Oliver at the airfield sahted down In less than twenty-four hours, she was going back up into the wide blue yonder with Oliver Ha to his co her "Remember, I want that first article before you leave this afternoon We’re already in the second week of Deceestured at soarland draped on his
"It’ll be on your desk," she proh draft on her laptop coe, she stueon, preoccupied by the fact that she’d be flying again so soon She’d learned that--especially with the help of drugs--she could handle being in a small plane She didn’t like it, never would, but in all honesty, the flight hadn’t been as bad as she’d feared
Exa her reluctance to repeat the experience, she was forced to ad itself, it was Oliver Hamilton she wanted to avoid
Chapter Seven
A fruitcake is to a chef what love is to a gigolo--an item we both desperately try to avoid
--Michael Psilakis, executive chef and owner of Onera, New York City
Oliver wasn’t in the best ofdiscovery: Eo Until hethe opposite sex Better than fine
His late-afternoon conversation with Walt had further eroded his ego Apparently, upon their return fro with him a second time Fortunately, Walt had said no; a deal was a deal and Oliver didn’t plan to let her kill his chances of advertising his air-freight business in the local paper
Okay, he’d admit it’d been a mistake to kiss her, a mistake he didn’t intend to repeat If this was how Elance at his watch told him she had five minutes to show up If she wasn’t at the airport by seven, he was leaving without her He would’ve kept his end of the bargain, and she’d just have to explain to her boss that she’d been late He’d only signed this new contract a feeeks ago, flying Alaska salmon packed in dry ice to restaurants in Spokane and Portland It was a regular job and he couldn’t afford to mess up the opportunity
Just as he was about to board the plane, E her briefcase and a large takeout coffee
"You’re late," he snapped
"I most certainly am not" Then, perhaps to reassure herself, she stopped and checked her watch "I’ve got five hteousness "At least by my watch"
"Well, not by ht because--or so he assu to stick to his policy of ignoring her; he’d siot up on the wrong side of the bed thisvoice
He pretended not to hear Oscar was already in the plane, ready and waiting to take off The terrier poked his head out the passenger door as if to ask as taking so long
"Listen," Eht?"
"Fine, whatever"
She rolled her eyes and climbed into the plane with absolutely no coet her to relax She’d probably switched drugs and had sed so else could explain this cheerful state of h she’d denied it yesterday He studied her and sniffed on the off-chance he could s at ," heto the task at hand He walked beneath the wing, stepping in front of the engine to examine the blades
Emma’s headphones were in place, with the small microphone positioned by her ht check
His faithful--or should that be faithless?--co his head when Oliver cli bed in the cargo hold
"You didn’t wear perfume this tiet sneezed on again"
"Well, good for you"
Her eyes narrowed "I don’t knohy you’re in such a bad ize for Oliver, his terrier stood up and poked his head between the two seats When E, she stroked his face Traitor that he was, Oscar seeine started did the dog go back to his bed