Page 117 of Fall for You
She was dimly aware that it was huge. The entire first floor of the inn could have fit in the lobby, and the ceiling was so high, it felt like walking into a cathedral. But she didn’t stop to look around or marvel at the luxurious setting.
She stomped over to the main desk and demanded in a quaking voice, “I need to see Eric Spencer.”
The young woman frowned, taking her in like she was a stray cat. “I’m sorry, but unless you have an appointment?—”
“Tell him Willow King is here.”
“Miss, I really can’t?—”
“I promise you, he’ll want to know I’m here!” As she spoke, she saw another person at the desk pick up a phone and cover her mouth to speak softly.
No doubt she was alerting security that a crazy lady was harassing the staff. And a trainee at that. Willow saw the girl’s Trainee badge and internally cringed, but she was too riled to apologize.
Instead, she gripped the edge of the counter and hissed, “I am not going anywhere until I see Eric.”
“Willow.” He called her name.
And the second she heard his familiar voice…
Tears welled up all over again. She spun around to see him coming.
“Eric.” She tried to shout it, but it came out choked. Pathetic.
He reached her in a few short strides and took her upper arm, leading her away from the desk like she was some wayward child he was having to deal with.
“Let go of me.” She tore her arm from his grip when they were outside.
He looked around like he was afraid of being seen with her and then led her around the corner of the building.
She shivered as she faced him, but her tremors had nothing to do with the cold wind that whipped around her and everything to do with the hard gleam in his eyes.
This man before her…
This wasn’t the same man who’d fed her breakfast and tucked her in. And it definitely wasn’t the same man who’d kissed her senseless after reading love letters in the woods.
He towered over her, arms crossed, voice steely. “What are you doing here, Willow?”
“The box is gone. It’s gone!” She hated how much she was shaking. She wanted to be strong like him. Unemotional.
But she was destroyed.
And it only got worse as he quietly delivered a fatal blow. “Yeah, I’m aware.”
She gaped at him, trying to find the Eric she’d come to know. But she was facing a stranger. Tears welled again, and she hated them. Hated that he could make her feel this way. “Eric, what…what did you do with it?”
He looked away, a muscle in his jaw jumping. “We had to end this, Willow. Enough’s enough.”
What?
What was he saying?
She moved in closer, trying to make him meet her eyes. “Look at me.”
He avoided her gaze, glancing to his right until she pressed a hand against his cheek and forced him to face her.
“What did you do with it, Eric? What have you done?”
His throat moved with his hard swallow. That was the only sign of emotion before he stared down at her with those eerily cold eyes. “I did what I had to. The truth came out.”
