Don't Call Me Baby

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Girls' Night In

Tuesday and Wednesday passed uneventfully. I updated Julian on Monday's lunch discussion and he seemed pleased, but reiterated his orders to stay away from Joe Jr. I was covering lunch hour so didn't get a chance to interrogate any of the other secretaries again. Joe Jr. was making frequent pit stops in our office, and Sharon was right, he was making excuses to ask me inane questions and flirt with me.

I hate to admit it, but his wolf's stare sent a thrill through me causing me to waste several minutes each day wondering what it would be like to be his meal. Stop it, Lola! Hell, I am only human and to be stalked by such a stud wasn't the most unpleasant thing that had ever happened to me. I was just wondering how on earth I would resist. Time to make up with Emm, I thought and get her advice of course. Not that she was the world's expert in avoiding bad boys.

Thursday morning rolled up and Julian asked me into his office for another briefing session. He told me that we would be leaving for Jasper's place in the morning and it would be a long weekend. "Won't the others find it strange I'm coming down to the country with you on a long weekend?" I asked him.

"Maybe," he said.

"They, umm, might think that we're, you know, having a fling or something." I said with a flush of embarrassment. He looked at me curiously, thinking about that.

"Perhaps, but we are all working on a big project to look for a European distributor for the drinks and one of Jasper's guests is a potential partner so I don't think it will be too suspicious. Besides," he pointed out, "it will give Joe Jr. something to think about." He smiled at this thought. Is he getting territorial with me? His phone rang before I could think of an objection to his comment. "Julian," he answered abruptly. Boy, could I tell how he had been in the army. "No I think don't think that would be a good idea," he said frowning, "No I can handle it... well, if you insist then Joe. Ok, but if he messes up the deal you take responsibility." he slammed the phone down and scowled.

"Trouble?" I asked him.

"Yes. Joe Sr. wants Joe Jr. to come for the weekend too. He insists that Joe Jr. knows the best about the distribution network we need as I cover marketing." I could tell Julian was irritated. "This complicates things," he said. Sure does, I thought, a weekend with Mr. Frosty and my stalker. "But in a way Joe Sr. is right. Joe Jr. has the experience of this business. I've only been doing this role a few months after all and Joe Jr. already knows Jasper and Bernhard Horst the potential distributor. We may be under cover, but this is still a business that has to be run."

"How does he know Jasper?" I asked curiously, "I thought he was your friend?"

"Jasper was more Derek's friend and so Joe knows him through Derek. Derek went to school with Jasper and was good friends with Joe Jr. too."

"Oh," everyone knows everyone else it seems.

"So let's talk about what we need to cover off this weekend." He told me that Derek's last weekend was spent at Jasper's. That if the opportunity presented itself I was to hang out with the staff to see if they noticed anything unusual about that weekend as Julian wasn't there.

"And, umm, Lola," he looked uncomfortable. "I'd like you to especially get to know Jasper."

"Especially?"

"Yes. He was Derek's best friend. He might have useful information about whether Derek was afraid of someone or being threatened."

"Why don't you just ask him?"

"Good point, but I'm afraid I don't really get on with Jasper very well." Now there's a surprise. I bet he couldn't even count his friends on one finger.