Page 22 of Evidence of a Folktale

“Because he isn’t a monster!” Bel shouted back. “Ewan’s a good man who loves you. He’s an idiot, that’s for sure. He should’ve never disobeyed Eamon, but he adores you. He’d never hurt you.”

“But I can’t love a man who isn’t honest, and I can’t love a friend who doesn’t have my back.”

“Olivia, I always have your back.” Bel set her mug down, desperate to pull her partner into a hug, but Olivia stepped further away from her.

“Then you should’ve told me.”

“They weren’t my secrets to tell! Eamon doesn’t want word spreading, and Ewan was the one who owed you the truth, not me.”

“Well, if I’d learned Eamon was some beast, I would’ve warned you,” Olivia spat. “You owed me that much.”

“I couldn’t—” the trill of Bel’s cell phone cut her off, and her first instinct was to ignore it. She assumed it was Eamon calling her back, but then she saw Griffin’s nameon the screen.

“Hello,” she answered, trying to keep her voice from wavering.

“Emerson, I hate to ask, but can you help with this outdoor night shoot?” he said. “Fans got wind of it, and the crowd is getting unruly. Unfortunately, some of our deputies are a little too star-struck by Taron Monroe, but she won’t affect you. I’ll give you tomorrow off in exchange, but I need you.”

“Um…” she glanced up at Olivia, her heart breaking. “Sure. I’ll be there soon.” She hung up the phone and met her partner’s gaze. “I’m sorry, I have to go. Griffin needs me.”

“It’s fine.” Olivia’s words were clipped as she backed up toward the door.

“Olivia, please. Can we talk about this later?”

“There’s nothing to talk about. You lied to me for months. You knew that a bear capable of killing a human being was sleeping in my bed, and you kept silent. I don’t need to hear anymore.”

“Olivia, stop…”

But Gold ignored her and left the cabin, slamming the door behind her. Bel burst into tears as the slam echoed off the walls. Her relationship with her father was strained. She’d almost lost Eamon. She was losing Olivia, and now she had to venture back out into the cold. She thought filming would be a fun experience, but she hadn’t expected to be stuck outside in the dead of winter so her mind could endlessly repeat her run down that mountain.

“You’re okay,” a whiskey-smooth voice soothed as massive arms scooped her off the floor, and Bel flinched. She hadn’t heard anyone enter her home. “It’s just me,” Eamon said.

“I thought you had your meeting,” she said as she hugged his neck.

“I told you I’d make them wait if you needed me, and I felt that text required an in-person response… seems I was right.” He stood to his full height, cradling her in his embrace. “Come hang out at my place while I work so you don’t have to be alone. You can sit beside me and shove your cold toes under my legs.” He kissed her forehead as he aimed for the door. “Come, Cerberus. Car ride.”

“I can’t,” Bel said. “I have to go back to work.”

“Really?” He paused before the front door.

“Griffin’s giving me tomorrow off, but Ihave towork the night shoot. The crowd is getting out of hand, andI guessMiss Monroe is distracting some officers. Griffin asked if I could cover the shift.”

“But it’s guaranteed you’ll have tomorrow off?” Eamon asked.

“Yes.”

“Good. I’ll take Cerberus home with me now then. Come to my place when you’re done, and I’ll keep the fire going all day tomorrow for you.”

“Ugh, don’t mention your fireplace. I’m already dreading leaving my house,” Bel groaned as she slid down his body until her feet landed on the hardwood. “Thanks for stopping by. You have no idea how badly I needed you.”

“You were crying on the kitchen floor. I think I do know.” He cupped her face and forced her to meet his gaze. “Thank you for telling me how you felt, but don’t hide it from me again. I can take it. I swore to you we would communicate and make this work. I meant every word.”

“If it makes you feel better, it was Olivia and the cold that had me on the floor, not our conversations. I think I’ve lost my friend.”

“What happened?”

“She hates me for lying.” Bel grabbed her coat and slipped into her boots. “I’ll tell you more later, but Ihave togo.”

“Okay.” Eamon snapped Cerberus’ leash on his collar as he readied to take him home with him, his entire body fighting the urge to argue with her. “If you get too cold, or if you just want company, text me, and I’llcomewarm you up.”

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