Another ridiculous lie. Gwen is Paul’s longest employee, the closest thing to a partner he’s got. He doesn’t keep secrets from Gwen, not when it comes to Keller Architecture business. Anger wells in my chest, and I consider the words I’d really like to say. I don’t know where he is. He left me here holding a bag of lies. Go home and take a snow day. That’s what I’m doing.

But as angry as a part of me is at Paul, a bigger part knows he doesn’t deserve all the blame. I lied, and then I lied again without him asking me to. So when the lies rolled off my tongue for the second and third time, I told myself I was looking out for Paul, but that’s horseshit, isn’t it? The truth is, by protecting Paul, I was also looking out for myself.

“You know what?” she says, sighing. “I don’t have time for this. I need Paul’s laptop, otherwise we’re going to miss the Cedar Hill deadline.”

Her words dull the sharpest edges of my thoughts. Cedar Hill is a development on the other side of Bald Rock, a potential build of up to thirty million-dollar homes situated along the Eastern Continental Divide. A big developer out of Atlanta invited only three firms to submit a bid, plans that showcase their vision for mountain luxury living. Paul has been working on the bid for months.

I frown, sinking on the steps. “The bid’s not on the server?”

Another sigh, this time louder. No, the bid’s not on the server.

“Hold on,” I say, rising and heading up the stairs to the mudroom. I hang my head around the corner, and there it is, Paul’s bag on the bench under the coat hooks, leaned up against the wall. I unclip the buckles and toss open the flap. His silver MacBook Pro is inside.

I pull it out, tuck it under an arm. “Got it. I’ll email them over right now.”

“You can’t. The internet’s down in town. TV and landlines, too. Some bad accident on 64 cut the cables or something. I need them on a stick. Either that, or I need the whole laptop.”

My gaze goes to the window, a patch of swirling white blocking the view of the lake and trees. Gwen may have made it to the office, but for her it’s only a three-block walk. For me, the only way there is by boat.

I drop the laptop back into Paul’s bag and turn for the stairs. “I’m on my way.”