That was the fourth email he’d received in three days from Charlotte, all detailed and managed to perfection. This latest campaign from Olivari was rolling out extremely quickly. They already had the retailer information packs completed and printed in house, posters and all other marketing collateral designed and on the way to the printers, yet something was missing and that something was Charlotte’s presence in all this madness.

She was usually very involved, phoning him twice a day and sometimes meeting him at the printers to approve the first run. She’d worked like no-one else he knew, apart from himself of course, but this was his business. To all intents and purposes, Olivari Barbers should be hers for all of Olivari’s input.

The usual heated anger simmered when he thought of the stress Olivari was putting Charlotte through. Even in Charlotte’s role as marketing manager, it was too much. She was doing the work of four people, not to mention doing it in completely stupid timeframes. Andrew had extra staff in his business to even the load, as well as contractors he’d called on to get the artwork done. He certainly didn’t expect his employees to work around the clock like Olivari apparently did. Enduring this radio silence from Charlotte had him worried. Had Olivari stacked even more work onto her? Had she become ill because she’d worked herself to the bone?

Unanswered questions reverberated in his head all morning and he wanted them answered. He needed to know how she was.

He’d tried to concentrate on activities that might take his mind away, off of Charlotte. He’d spoken with other clients today, organised their work, met with his creative team, but his day had lacked the usual buzz. He’d been busy, but he’d worked as though on rote. There had been no spark. He shook his head at the absurd thought, pushing the sentiment aside. His business was the only thing that got him up in the morning. Well, usually. Maybe he was just having an off day and the Christmas rush was getting to him.

He thrummed his fingers on his polished desktop. He opened the client calendar that his PA conscientiously logged in everyday and located the events for Olivari Barbers.

The first store visit was scheduled for today but he couldn’t remember which one. He found the entry. New Haven – a flagship store outside of New York. Three p.m. a two and a half hour drive. If he left now, he’d make it. He’d be there to oversee how it rolled out there. Make any necessary adjustments for the others. He’d be there for purely business reasons.

Without too much deeper thought, Andrew grabbed his keys from his desk drawer and headed out the door with a spring in his step. He thought he might even enjoy the drive to New Haven.

* * *

The store was located in Wooster Square on Orange Street, which was styled in keeping with an Old World flair. It was quite beautiful with its flowering cherry trees and stately brick buildings. A number of Italian pizza shops emanated delicious smells as he parked his car and proceeded by foot.

Olivari Barbers caught his eye in the otherwise austere facades of the surrounding businesses. The catching red, blue and white Old Timey barber’s pole twirled in a never-ending cycle at the front entrance of the business. He headed through the door.

As his eyes adjusted to the relative darkness from the sparkling sun from outside, he saw Charlotte sitting on a barber’s chair right at the end of the line. Papers were spread out on the bench beneath an open laptop. She was speaking on her cell, her forehead creased.

As he walked into the shop she glanced at him. Her face broke into an easy smile. He felt his own mouth curve in return, but then she caught herself and her smile faltered, leaving her features an empty shell.

If it was possible her face was as pale as he’d ever seen it and purple smudges bruised beneath her eyes. She looked exhausted and he had to resist the urge to ring Olivari and tell him exactly what he thought of him and the way he treated the best staff member he ever had.

Charlotte’s call ended and he strode over to her, “I’ve come to help with the roll out.”

Her chest rose as she held in a deep breath, “That was very nice of you Andrew, but I don’t really need you here.”

“This roll-out is being done very fast. There’s sure to be problems. Two heads are better than one,” he said.

“I can handle it. Mark and I are going through the finer points at the moment. I just had to take a call,” she said. As if on cue, Mark, the store manager appeared from the back with two full mugs of coffee and set one down in front of Charlotte. She took the mug gratefully and sipped the hot brew. Her phone rang again. She looked at the screen and sighed, “Please give me a moment.” She walked outside the shop no doubt for privacy.

“Hey, mate.” The burly blond barber had the thickest handlebar moustache Andrew had seen in a long time. It was neatly trimmed and waxed into points which were at odds with the blonde stubble left on his almost bald head. The man pulled off the conservative white shirt and black pants he wore, and Andrew bet he’d look just at home in a leather biker’s jacket.

Mark held out a meaty hand which Andrew shook. “Australian?”

“From Melbourne, just like Charlotte here. Coffee?” Mark asked and handed over his mug when Andrew nodded. ‘“You take this. I’ll get another in a minute. I’ve drunk so much this morning I’m sloshing anyway.”

“Gabe must like his Australians,” Andrew said.

“Not sure, mate but I think we’re the only two working for Olivari. Charlotte got me the gig when the vacancy came up. She knew I always wanted to travel the states from when she was telling me her plans to come over here herself. She needed an experienced barber who had managerial experience and here I am.”

Andrew’s interest was immediately piqued, “You know Charlotte? Personally?”

“Yeah. Her brother invited me to a family Christmas a few years ago. Then I just became part of the family. I was in a bad place at that time. They helped me heaps when I needed it the most. That’s just the way they are,” Mark said.

“You going back over? For Christmas, I mean?” Andrew asked.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world. This is kind of a special one. Everyone is flying in from all over to be there this year,” Mark said.

Andrew glanced at Charlotte pacing outside the shop. “Everyone?”

“Charlotte has to be there. Between her and her brother and sister, they’ve organised everything. There’s going to be at least eighty people there. Can’t wait myself. My flight leaves next week,” Mark said.

“Why is this one so special?” Andrew asked.

“Parents have been sick. Mum real bad. Bad timing when you consider how they lost their business. Charlotte feels bad she hasn’t been over to see her Mum and help her, but I know Charlotte. She doesn’t let stuff like that stop her. She probably has some grand plan going on in that head of hers for the ultimate help of her family. She’s never been different.”

Charlotte came back into the shop just as Andrew was going to take advantage of the talkative Mark. Andrew noticed several of the customers glancing at her as she walked past. With her figure, and charcoal business suit, she made a striking woman. He felt like giving each of them clout on the back of the head. No one should look at her like they were. No one but him.

“Now, where were we?” Charlotte said.

“Here. Sit.” Andrew handed her the coffee and sat her into the chair. The smudges beneath her eyes were even more pronounced. She looked dead on her feet. She sank into the chair with a sigh and set the coffee aside.

“What? Charlotte Cassidy actually listening to someone telling her what to do?” Mark said.

Charlotte shot him a warning look that Andrew wouldn’t want to be on the end of. “Mark. That’s enough.”

Mark raised his hand in a don’t shoot me gesture. “Hey, just an observation.” Andrew didn’t miss the smirk on his lips. He made a mental note to call Mark later. He obviously knew Charlotte well enough to know what was really going on. Maybe he could find out why Charlotte was so determined to keep it all to herself. The two little droplets of information were complete new to Andrew, despite talking to her every day.

Maybe she only told people things like that she was really close to. Maybe he was reading more into their relationship than she really felt. Maybe he just felt more about her than she did to him. He ignored the little stab of disappointment that surged through him at the thought.

“Now. About this campaign,” Charlotte said.

“It’s a great idea, but there’s a couple of points that need to be ironed out at a practical storefront level,” Mark said.

“Just as well we’re here then. My business put the collateral together. Charlotte, if you’d like me to stay I can finalise the ideas as we speak and have the art department change them tonight,” Andrew said.

A muscle worked at Charlotte’s jaw, but he wasn’t going to be put off. “I’m sure you must be busy with other clients. Not just me, I’m mean, us,” Charlotte said.

“No other clients with work so urgent, or that I’d like the company of more,” Andrew said.

“Great! We can’t talk here though. How about we go to the cafe next door and have some afternoon tea while we talk. I’m so hungry I could eat the tail off a low flying seagull,” Mark said.

“Great, I have time. Charlotte?” Andrew said.

“Fine. But only because this campaign is so urgent,” Charlotte said.

Andrew didn’t miss the way Mark’s mouth twitched, or the way the lines softened around Charlotte’s eyes as he helped her up from the chair and steered her out of the shop. A couple of hours with her was time well spent and with a family friend tagging along he was hoping Charlotte’s self-erected wall would be a little bit thinner. He might even be able to find a way to chip right through it.

Two hours slid smoothly into three and they just finished talking about the finer details. Outside, thunderous grey clouds darkened the streets. Street lights had already turned on highlighting the sleet that had started to fall. It was going to be a bad weather night.

At least he’d been able to get Charlotte to nibble on a sandwich. Beneath the protection of the warm coat Andrew could still see the sharpness of her bones. She needed to start looking after herself a little more. Someone needed to as she seemed bent on a course of self-destruction from what he could see.

Something possessive washed through him. Not just someone. Him. She needed him to look after her. The thought rattled him a little, but then a smile formed on his mouth when he realised that was something he would very much like to do. Care for her. Protect her.

“Are you driving back?” he asked her.

“I took the train.” She tightened the coat strap around her waist as they stepped into the frigid evening air.

“That’ll take hours to get back home,” Andrew said.

She lifted up her briefcase with a wry smile. “I have plenty to keep me occupied.”

He didn’t want her going home on the train, alone. He wanted to spend more time with her. With the help of Mark this afternoon, she had softened and he’d learnt a little bit more about her family and her life in Australia. He was fascinated. Hooked.

“I’m going back to New York. How about you hitch a ride with me and we can work on the finer details on the way,” he said.

“I don’t know. I have so much other work to do that’s not associated with the campaign,” she said.

‘We still have to go over the terms and conditions. It might be easier talking about it now while it’s all fresh in our minds. It’ll save time doing it tomorrow,” he said.

“Go on. Take the trip with my mate here. The train’ll take forever this time of night. I’d ask you to come back to my place, Char, but I’m doing my last bit of Christmas shopping before I hit good ol’ Aussie soil again. Besides, we’ll have plenty of time to catch up at your Mum’s house. Sound good?”

Charlotte offered a weak smile, “Sounds good, Mark. You go and do what you have to do. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks. I know how busy this time of year is.”

Andrew could have kissed Mark then and there. Instead he shook his hand, not giving Charlotte time to think of an excuse not to go with him, “Nice to meet you, Mark. I’ll take Charlotte from here. She’ll be safe with me.”

“She’d better be.” Mark buried Charlotte is his massive, thick arms in a big bear-hug. Although it was platonic, Andrew had a hard time resisting the urge to pull Charlotte out of the big man’s arms. The only arms that should be around Charlotte should be his.

“See you soon, Mark,” Charlotte said. They pulled apart and he manoeuvred himself between Mark and Charlotte clinking the car keys in his pocket.

Mark disappeared into the shop while Andrew guided Charlotte to his car. The traffic had grown quite heavy in the few minutes they had said their good-bye’s and the sleet was getting steadily worse. He ushered Charlotte into the passenger side and clamoured behind the wheel.

The car separated them from the outside world, creating a little bubble where he had her all to himself. Bliss.

She nervously settled her briefcase on the floor at her feet and snapped her belt into place. Her hands fluttered on the strap as she offered him a nervous smile, “Thanks for the lift. I hope you don’t think I’m taking advantage.”

He started the car, put the heater on full and pulled into the traffic. “Nonsense. I offered. Besides, I have you all to myself for two or more hours.” She slid a quick, worried glance in his direction and he quickly added, “To go over this work. Of course.”

“Of course,” she said.

This nervousness was quite new around her. Usually she was confident. Happy. Talkative. “Have I done something to worry you, Charlotte?”

She shook her head, “No! No. I… Sorry if I seem distracted. I’m just so busy and I’m still trying to tie everything off before Christmas.”

“Can I help with anything else? I won’t even charge you. Just one... friend helping another,” he said.

She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she sucked it into her mouth in that little unconscious gesture that always distracted him. “You’ve been more help than I could possibly expect from anyone. I haven’t thanked you for that. I want you to know I really appreciate everything you do for me.”

“It’s no problem, Charlotte. I enjoy… working with you.”

Her eyes wandered over his face. He smiled at her, hoping she’d find whatever she was searching for. For a moment, the tension lines around her mouth disappeared and her eyes softened. She leaned towards him a little. Her lips parted as though she were about to tell him a deep, very personal secret. Perhaps the secret he knew had been worrying her for weeks now. He waited, splitting his concentration between driving and her, not saying a word. The sound of wheels on the road filled the car. Moments stretched and passed.

The tension broke and she cleared her throat, “About those terms and conditions.”

He hadn’t realised he’d been holding his breath and he let it go in a disappointed rush, “Let’s go through those, shall we?”