Maybe Logan’s relationship with Becca, whoever she was, wasn’t serious. He wouldn’t have asked her out, would he, if it was? Logan seemed decent and ethical. Or maybe she’d misinterpreted, and his suggestion to have dinner was entirely business-related. Had it been wishful thinking on her part? She was interested in him, although she had her reasons for why she shouldn’t be. Somehow, she couldn’t seem to recall exactly why some of those reasons had seemed so important.
She tried to remember the last time she’d had a serious relationship. It was before she started working at the airport.
She tried to put Logan out of her mind as she showered and dressed. Suddenly feeling lonely, she reminded herself to call her parents.
The day was uneventful and passed quickly, as did the following two. Ariana took the opportunity to catch up on routine reports and paperwork, and to get her team started on the tender for the enhanced video management system. Their technicians hadn’t been able to determine why the door that Dave Langdon had left open hadn’t set off an alarm, so she asked Max to get quotes to inspect all held-open and intrusion alarms at the airport. She hadn’t budgeted for it, but she’d have to find the money somehow.
That morning, Ariana received a call from her predecessor, George Dennison. They’d stayed in contact since his retirement. She still thought of him as a mentor, and she appreciated that he was always available if she wanted to bounce ideas off him or simply catch up. She regretted not having told George about the problems she had been experiencing with Dave, as George was stunned and dismayed when she informed him she’d terminated him.
She knew George had always prided himself on his team. Even so, it surprised her when he said he’d never had the slightest issue with Dave. That led Ariana to wonder if it was something lacking in her leadership style. George had been the one who encouraged her to apply for the position when he’d decided to retire. She hoped he wasn’t questioning his wisdom about that, but she was too busy to dwell on it for long.
Periodically throughout the day her thoughts returned to Logan. Would he call her to follow up on his invitation to dinner? Or was he expecting her to contact him? A couple of times she nearly picked up the phone, but she either talked herself out of it or was distracted.
By Friday afternoon, she was nearly up to date with work. If she put in a half day on Saturday, she’d be completely caught up.
At the light tap on her door frame, Ariana glanced up from the incident reports she was scrolling through on her computer. Cynthia, her executive assistant, stood in the doorway.
“It’s after six,” Cyn told her. “Why don’t you pack it in for the evening?”
Ariana smiled. “I will, but I want to go through the rest of today’s reports first.”
“The reports will be waiting for you Monday. Knowing you, you’ll get back to them tomorrow morning anyway. There’s nothing noteworthy. I already checked. Max and I, and some of the supervisors, are going to grab a drink at The Runway,” she said, referring to the popular bar in one of the hotels close to the airport. “We’d really like it if you joined us. It’s been a while since you’ve come out for an after-work drink.”
Ariana pushed back her hair and tucked it behind her ears. “Thanks for the invite, but I should finish the reports.” She pointed to a stack of file folders on her desk. “The work is piling up.”
Cyn came into the office and stopped in front of Ariana’s desk. “It would mean a lot if you came along. Everyone’s worried about you.”
That’s exactly what Ariana didn’t want. The department was under enough pressure right now with all the cost-cutting that had been going on. Not wanting to burden her team, she’d been carrying the brunt of it. She knew they looked to her to set the tone. If she avoided them, it would only make matters worse. Cyn was right.
Ariana offered a weak smile. “You always know what to say, don’t you?”
She’d get everything done, even if it meant continuing to work at nights and on weekends, but they didn’t have to know that. She’d lead by example and show her team that all was well.
Even if it wasn’t entirely true.
“You’re right, Cyn. Thanks. I’ll meet you at The Runway in thirty minutes or so,” Ariana said and turned back to her computer screen.
“Nope.”
Ariana glanced up with surprise.
“If I leave you here, despite your best intentions, it’ll be a lot more than half an hour before you’re out the door. By then you’ll probably have changed your mind about joining us. Come now.”
Ariana sighed. She couldn’t argue with Cyn. They’d been working together for as long as she’d been at the airport, and Cyn knew her well. “Fine,” she conceded.
“Great!” A smile spread across Cyn’s face. “I’ll buy you your first drink.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
Cyn shrugged. “I might as well. A couple of the guys bet me you wouldn’t show. I knew you would. There’s a twenty in it for me—times two.” She flaunted the smile again. “So, I might as well share the spoils with you. I’ll go freshen up, come back and get you. That’ll give you ten minutes to finish up.”
Ariana watched Cyn stroll out of her office. Her assistant’s parting comments were a wake-up call for her. Her team was betting against her—even if just related to social matters—and she couldn’t let that happen. As a leader, she needed to be present, calm and steady. She thought again about her discussion with George and wondered if she could have done anything differently with Dave.
She’d have to thank Cyn, she decided, as she sent off the authorization to proceed with the upgrade of the video management system in the parking area and shut down her computer. She pulled her handbag out of her bottom drawer, changed her practical work flats for a pair of high-heeled pumps and was running her brush through her hair when Cyn returned.
For Cyn, freshening up meant reapplying her makeup, undoing the updo she’d had her golden-blond hair in, and adding a slick coat of bright red lipstick. She’d also removed her off-white jacket, exposing the siren-red sleeveless dress she wore beneath.
“All set?” Cyn asked.
“Absolutely. And thanks,” Ariana added softly.
The Runway was busy, as it usually was on a Friday night. They bypassed the entrance to the restaurant on their way to the lounge and squeezed by the throng gathered by the bar.
Ariana watched with amusement as heads turned their way, the men no doubt giving the undeniably beautiful Cyn appreciative glances.
The crowd was eclectic as always, a mixture of traveling business executives on layover, airport workers, law enforcement types assigned to the airport, construction tradesmen, and women either there to mingle with the men or—Ariana knew plenty about the seedier side of executive travel—those working and hoping to meet a john.
She was relieved when they made it through the worst of the congestion and incredibly loud noise, and she spotted the table that their group had commandeered.
Max rose and waved to them from across the room. It warmed Ariana to see the genuine pleasure on the faces of her team members when they saw her. She smiled and waved back. As they wound their way between the tables, Ariana’s attention was drawn by loud cheers from a group to the left. She recognized a couple of faces and frowned. Logan’s coal-black hair and brilliant blue eyes were unmistakable. Also at the table was the other cop...Sergeant Rick Vasquez. The one she’d met at Buster’s Beach House Bar. There was another man with them. Judging by the haircut and demeanor, she assumed he was a cop, too, but one she’d not seen at the airport. The three cops were surrounded by a bevy of attractive women. The two on either side of Logan were the most striking of the group. A slender, elegant blonde sat on his right, and the most stunning