And that they got to do it all again tonight . . . She’d never survive until then. How was she supposed to get through eight long hours in the office when she’d so much rather be with him?
Somehow she managed to dry her hair, get herself dressed and fed and filled with as much coffee as she could handle. Her eyes were gritty and her body buzzed from the need for sleep as well as the caffeine. Licking her lips, she discovered they, too, were sore. She’d put them through a hell of a workout the night before. Thinking about the workout caused her nipples to tighten—painfully. They’d also been through a hell of an ordeal.
Ella giggled to herself as she pulled into the parking lot at the store and turned off the engine. She was close enough to walk to work, and she did most days, but today was not most days. Today was . . . Well, today was already the best day she’d ever had, and she was saving all her strength and energy for more of the same tonight.
CHAPTER 10
There is no medicine like hope, no incentive
so great, and no tonic so powerful as
expectation of something tomorrow.
—Orison Swett Marden
Every muscle in Ella’s body protested the journey up the stairs and into the office, where she greeted Mary, their administrative assistant, and her brothers Will and Hunter before heading into her own office. Sitting behind her desk, she winced at the bite of pain from between her legs but tried to ignore the insistent throb as she powered up her computer. Maybe if she was able to get through her long to-do list by early afternoon she could take a half day and go home to nap before dinner with Gavin’s parents. She feared what she might look like by dinnertime if she didn’t get some sleep.
With her goal of a nap in mind, she finalized the plans for Friday night with a company-wide e-mail that reminded everyone that the festivities began at five with presentations from Ella and Lincoln, followed by dinner and dancing with a DJ until midnight. She had a phone call with the management of the Grange Hall to make sure everything was set for Friday, and then she called the caterer to check in.
All her meticulous attention to detail was paying off. Everything was ready to ensure a good time for the employees and their families before the holiday shopping crush began.
Next up was a check of inventory to make sure everything Charley had ordered for the store was in place and ready to replenish supplies as needed. The holidays were their second most profitable time of year, following leaf-peeping season, during which people came from all over the world to view the spectacular Vermont foliage.
They no sooner completed that season than the holidays were upon them. By mid-December they’d be living for January. They got a small break during mud season before the new batch of maple syrup began to arrive in the store, bringing with it hordes of customers looking to stock up. It was the same thing every year, and Ella enjoyed the rhythms and cycles of the seasons outside and in the store. She loved the predictable nature of what they did, ensuring that customers received the same welcoming experience every time they set foot into the store.
She checked her watch. Almost eleven. Thank goodness she was busy and the time was going by quickly. She got up to stretch and was heading downstairs to work the floor for a while when Charley came into her office, shutting the door behind her.
“Good morning to you, too.”
“You look like hell, and is that razor burn on your face?”
Ella’s hand covered her cheek.
“Other side.”
“Stop. Leave me alone.”
“Not until you tell me everything.”
“I’m not telling you anything.”
“I was good enough to unload on when things had gone to shit with him. I think I deserve some of the dirty details.”
Ella laughed, because how could she not? Charley was as outrageous as ever.
“Besides, it’s obvious you’ve been thoroughly ravished, so don’t try to deny it.”
“It is?” She pulled a mirror out of her purse and studied the patch of razor burn at her jawline, as well as her swollen lips and red eyes.