Page 5 of Love Over Time

“Yeah. ’Bout that.” He stepped back, rubbing the back of his head. “The woman—”

“Right. Just get her out.” I turned to leave but then stopped. What if this was the thing Ms. Swift needed to realize she didn’t belong here? “On second thought, I’ll handle it. You get the crew together.”

Russ nodded. I got in my Chevy truck and drove the half mile up to the hotel. Just as I thought, Ms. Swift had parked her little Mercedes right at the front door, like she owned the whole place. I pulled over a block away and walked the rest of the way. Once Ms. Swift learned about the true condition of the hotel, she’d have no choice but to sell me her half. No doubt our “honorable” mayor had omitted a few details from the contract when they closed the deal. Why else would she be here, completely unaware of the construction going on?

I peeked into her car. A designer bag sat on the passenger seat. Full-size suitcases that matched her purse crowded the backseat. I rolled my eyes. Who was she? Some rich girl trying to stick it to Daddy by buying a condemned hotel? That made no sense at all. I pushed away from her car and sauntered to the front door, which was wide open. I should’ve changed the lock when I moved in. But how was I supposed to know Jonathan would pull a stunt like this? No. I should’ve known. This was his style, all right.

I shouldered the door open and barged into the hotel lobby. If Ms. Swift had the face of an angel, she had the mouth of my construction crew after a few rounds of beers at the Speakeasy Bar. She also had a hell of a temper. As I’d thought before, she was all kinds of trouble. When I glanced up at her, glass shards scattered across the floor and toward me. What the hell?

“Fuck my life,” she said again as she picked up another counter stool and threw it against the mirror—the very old, antique mirror that’d been in the Cavalier family for three generations. She spun in place, with rosy cheeks and pouting lips. Her gaze darted around the room, searching for more things to throw at the mirror. When she saw me, she calmed down and shoved sweaty strands of hair off her face, forcing even breaths.

Christ. I’d never seen a woman this angry before, or this beautiful. Unless I counted Hipolita, my first so-called love.

She can’t stay.

“If you’re here to tell me I can’t be here, let me tell you.You’rethe one who can’t be here. In fact, you’re trespassing. Leave. Now.” She stalked toward me in those tight jeans and superhigh heels. Still furious. Holy shit.

I brought my hands up to my hips. Two could play this game. “I’m not here about the little stunt you pulled back there. But let’s talk about the trespassing part.”

She pressed her lips together, something between a pout and a frown, her hot blue gaze on me. Why did it feel like she could read my thoughts? With a deep sigh, she extended her arms. “As hard as this may seem, I am the lucky owner of this fine establishment. Ain’t that fucking grand? So you see? You’re trespassing.”

I barked out a laugh. The math wasn’t that hard, especially if I factored the mayor into the equation—threw in her fancy car, fancy clothes, and her pissed-off mood. Yeah, the “Honorable” Jonathan Cavalier had duped her too.That sleazeball.

“So what are you mad about? The condemned building or the fact that you’re not the sole owner?”

“What?” Her head snapped up. “What are you talking about?”

I blew out air. “Well, it may not be apparent to you, but I live in this fine establishment. As it turns out, this entire hotel is actually two separate houses.” If she didn’t know about the two deeds, then she was just pissed off about the condition of the place. Maybe buying her out was an option. I didn’t care who I had to borrow from. I flashed her a smile. She raised her eyebrow, and I toned down the friendly act. “Looks like you’re having buyer’s remorse. I’d be more than happy to take this dump off your hands. You know, if you’d like.”

She tossed her hair, treating me to a bright smile—all white, perfect teeth, except for her left cuspid, which stuck out a little. I ran two fingers across my lips and chased away the picture creeping up into my head. The floor shook under my boots the second the memory of her hit me square in the chest. Hipolita Morrow? I stepped back to put more distance between us. Did she not recognize me? Why was she back? Why the new name? A string of other questions ran through my head, making me dizzy.

“Darling, I think that’s a marvelous idea.” Her tone of voice was sweet and really good, but there was still a fire in her eyes. “But I just got here, and I don’t have a place to stay.” She glanced up at the chandelier, biting her lip. “The place is all yours, provided you let me stay until the end of the month.” She wanted to live under my roof? Why? A ruffle toward the back of the grand staircase made her cringe, and she got closer to the door. She didn’t want to be here anymore than I wanted her here.

“What happens at the end of the month?” I asked.

She smiled, and for the first time since I’d seen her again a couple of hours ago, she seemed sincere. “I get to go home.”

“Hmm.” I rubbed my jaw.

Her heels clicked against the marble as she strolled back to the bar. My gaze followed her silhouette for a second before I glanced away. Those jeans were already tattooed in my mind; I didn’t need to stare. Having her just a few doors down from my bedroom would definitely be a problem. I couldn’t have anyone sniffing around my business in this place. As far as the townspeople were concerned, I was here to give the downtown area a facelift to bring in more tourists. How long would it take her to figure out I’d been digging around looking for the old underground passages that led to Cavalier Manor at the edge of town? Would she help me or use me again?

“Are you always this stoic?” she asked.

I stuffed my hands in my jean pockets and surveyed her face. “I have an old friend who can put you up. If you want. You can stay with her for as long as you need to.”

She gritted her teeth and flashed me a fake smile, so different from the one she’d offered before. “I had my heart set on this place.”

Sweet Hipolita had to be one of the worst liars I’d ever met, full of tells. She might fool others, but she wouldn’t last two hands at my poker table. “Seriously? I’ve been clearing out rats for the last three days. You’re okay with that?”

She winced. “I really need to stay here. I made a promise.”

The last part sounded like the truth, though it didn’t help me right now. I needed her gone. Why did I feel like I was losing this battle? “What if I told you I was here on a mission to avenge my father?”

Her face went blank. How interesting. “I’d say you’re the biggest kidder I’d ever met.” She laughed and then frowned.

I’d felt it too. The room rumbled again under my feet. Oh shit. I closed the space between us to move her away from the windows, but she was quick, even in those heels. She rushed out the door to her car. Was she insane?

I ran after her, pulled her by the waist, and slammed her against the hotel wall—maybe a little harder than I meant to. “I told you this street wasn’t safe.” My heart pounded as she clung to me, eyes wide and cheeks flushed.

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