Page 22 of Trouble Walked In

“Oh. I’ll get the cookies. Just stall a second.”

Lizzie patted her front pocket to make sure the key to the Violet Room was still where she’d stashed it, then hurried out to greet the new guest.

She put on her brightest smile as she left the kitchen and called out, “Hey there, welcome to—”

She stopped dead in her tracks, and she once again found herself staring at the one person she did not want to see.

Ever.

Renic stood in the middle of the entry with a bag in one hand and a smug look on his face. He said something shedidn’t hear, because her brain was still processing the fact that he was standing there.

She had a guest coming any second. She didn’t have time for this. She...why was he looking at her as if he was expecting a reply?

She blinked against her own confusion and asked, “What did you say?”

Renic grinned at her. “I said I’m here to check in. It’s under the name Fred Webber.”

Fred Webber.

A little pulse of heat shot straight to her cheeks and down her neck.

Fred Webber was Jackson Renic.

She realized she was holding her breath and pushed the air out.

Renic’s grin widened. “Seager and Associates business retreat…ring a bell?”

“You—” She shut her mouth before every rude word she knew slid out.

“Well, this is a first. I finally managed to get the last word.” He looked around. “Nice place. It could use a little touch-up here and there, but I like the old-world feel of it. What room am I in?”

Lizzie spun on her heels and stalked toward the kitchen. If she looked at him one more second she’d either start screaming, or she’d use his body for kickboxing practice.

She was a professional, dammit. She would not let him goad her into something she’d regret later.

“Should I just wait here?” Renic called after her.

She stormed into the kitchen and slammed the door shut behind her.

Carrie looked up from where she was plating cookies. “What’s wrong? The guest not show?”

“Oh, he showed. The bastard.” Lizzie stomped into the office. She did a quick double-check of the booking, in case there was some detail that would get her out of this mess.

There wasn’t.

Carrie joined her, looking confused and concerned. “What’s wrong?”

“That son of a…” Lizzie glared at the screen where the deposit showed “Paid” in bright green letters. “He tricked me. That lying son of a bitch tricked me.”

“Who? Mr.—What did you say his name was? Webster?”

“It’s Renic. Jackson Renic. He booked under a different name.” She swore a long and satisfying string of words.

Carrie frowned. “Why’d he do that?”

"Because I told him no. I kicked him out yesterday so he tricked his way in today. That man is unstoppable when he wants something. I never realized how freaking annoying that was until now.” Lizzie looked up at Carrie. “What the hell am I going to do? I already spent the money.”

Carrie leaned against the door, looking thoughtful. “This is the guy you told me about? The record label guy?”

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