Flirting With The Boss. Tina Beckett

to let this bank play Scrooge especially with Christmas coming soon. The first thing on the agenda for the first of next year is reworking these loans.”

      Erin smiled. “You know, the other bank officers aren’t happy with your decision.”

      Lori took a sip of her drink. “Yes. Mr. Neal has already decided to retire.” She thought about the generous retirement package her father had given him. He wouldn’t be giving up his lifestyle.

      “Oh, I almost forgot,” Erin said. “I located Kaley Sims. She’s working for a management company in Durango. I have the phone number.”

      “Good. Would you put in a call to her and see if she’s willing to talk with me?”

      “Of course. Anything else?”

      Erin was so efficient at her job, Lori wasn’t sure what she would have done without her.

      “There is one thing. In looking over my father’s properties, I found a place called—” she searched through the list “—Hidden Hills Lodge. I’m not sure if it’s a rental property, or what. It doesn’t show any reported income.”

      “Maybe it was a place Mr. Hutchinson had for his personal use. Do you want me to find out more about it?”

      Lori shook her head. “No, you have more than enough to do now.” Maybe she would look into this herself. She had a great GPS in her new car. Surely she could find her way. She stood. “I’m going to be gone the rest of the afternoon. If you need me, call me on my cell phone.”

      Maybe it was time she delved a little further into her father’s past and the opportunity was right in front of her.

      Later that afternoon, Jace got out of his truck as snow flurries floated in the air, clinging to his coat and hat. He took a breath as he walked to the bank. Okay, he’d been avoiding going anywhere he might see Lori Hutchinson. He couldn’t seem to keep his hands off the woman, but since he needed her signature on some changes in the project, he didn’t have a choice.

      He walked through the doors and Erin greeted him. “Is Miss Hutchinson in?”

      “No, she’s not. She left about noon.”

      “She go home?”

      “No, I’ve tried to reach her there. I also tried her cell phone, but it goes to voice mail.” Erin frowned. “I’m worried about her, especially with this weather.”

      Suddenly Jace was concerned, too. “And she didn’t say where she was going? A property? Out to the site?”

      “That’s what I’m worried about. I think she might have gone to the Hidden Hills Lodge.”

      “Where is this place?”

      Erin sat down at her desk and printed out directions from the computer. Jace looked them over. He wasn’t sure about this area, only that it was pretty rural.

      He wrote down his number and handed it to Erin. “Give me a call if Lori gets in touch with you.”

      He left as he pulled out his cell phone and gave Claire Keenan a call, asking if she’d watch Cassie a little later, then he hung up and glanced up at the sky. An odd feeling came over him, and not a good one. “Where are you, Lori?”

      An hour later, Lori had turned off the highway to a private road, just as her GPS had instructed her to do. She shifted her car into four-wheel drive and began to move slowly along the narrowing path.

      It wasn’t long before she realized coming today wasn’t a good idea. Deciding to go back, she shifted her SUV into Reverse and pushed on the gas pedal, and all that happened was the tires began to spin.

      “Great. Please, I don’t need this.” She glanced out her windshield as her wipers pushed away the blowing snow, which didn’t look like it was going to stop anytime soon.

      She took out her cell phone. No signal. The one thing that was working was her GPS and it showed her destination was a quarter mile up the road. What should she do? Stay in the car, or walk to Hidden Hills Lodge?

      She buttoned her coat, wrapped her scarf around her neck and grabbed a flashlight. She turned on her emergency blinkers and climbed out as the blowing snow hit her. She started her trek up the dirt road and her fear rose. What if she got lost and froze to death? Her thoughts turned to Gina and Zack. And Jace. She cared more about the man than she even wanted to admit. And she wanted to see him again. She quickened her pace, keeping to the center of the dirt road.

      Ten minutes later, cold and tired, she finally saw the structure through the blowing snow. It was almost like a mirage in the middle of the trees. She hurried up the steps to the porch and tried the door. Locked.

      “Key, where are you?” she murmured, hating to break a window. It took a few minutes, but she found a metal box behind the log bench. After unlocking the dead bolt with nearly frozen fingers, she hurried into the dark structure and closed the door. She reached for the switch on the wall and light illuminated the huge main room. With a gasp, she glanced around. The walls were made out of rough logs and the open-beam ceiling showed off the loft area overhead. Below the upstairs were two doorways leading to bedrooms. The floors were high-gloss pine with large area rugs and overstuffed furniture was arranged in front of a massive fireplace. She found a thermostat on the wall and flipped it, immediately hearing the heater come on.

      Shivering, Lori walked to the fireplace and added some logs. With the aid of the gas starter, flames shot over the wood. She sat on the hearth, feeling warmth begin to seep through her chilled body.

      Once warmed, she got up and looked around. The kitchen was tucked in the back side of the structure, revealing granite counters and dark cabinets.

      She checked out the two bedrooms and a bath on the main floor. Then she climbed up to the loft and found another bedroom. One of the walls was all windows with a view of the forest. She walked into the connecting bathroom. This one had a soaker tub and a huge walk-in shower.

      “I guess if you have to be stranded in a snowstorm, a mountain retreat isn’t a bad place to be.” At least she’d stay warm until someone found her. When? Next spring?

      She came back downstairs trying to think of a plan to get her back to town, when a sudden noise drew her attention. She froze as the door opened and Jace Yeager walked in.

      “Jace!” she cried and leaped into his arms.

      He held her close and whispered, “I take it you’re happy to see me.”

      Jace didn’t want to let Lori go. Thank God, she was safe. When he found her deserted car, he wasn’t sure if she would find cover.

      He pulled back. “Are you crazy, woman? Why did you go out in this weather?”

      She blinked back the obvious tears in her eyes. “It wasn’t this bad when I started out. Besides, I didn’t think it was that far. I tried to go back when the weather turned, but my car got stuck. How did you know where I went?”

      “I stopped by the bank. Erin was worried because she couldn’t get ahold of you.”

      “No cell service.”

      Jace pulled out his phone and examined it. “I have a few bars.” He walked toward the front door, where the signal seemed to be a little stronger. “I’ll call the Keenans.” He punched in the number and prayed he could get a message out. Tim answered.

      “Tim. It’s Jace.” He went on to explain what had happened and that Lori was with him. Most importantly they were safe. He asked Tim to keep Cassie, then to call Lori’s sister and let her know they wouldn’t be back tonight. “Tell Cassie I love her and not to worry.”

      He flipped the phone closed and looked around the large room, then he turned back to Lori. “Tim will call Gina and let her know you’re okay.”

      Lori’s eyes widened. “We’re not going back now?”

      He shook his head. “Can’t risk it. The storm is