Page 64 of Trouble Me
Chapter 22
Tell Me Sweet Little Lies
Emma stared at theletter in her shaking hands, her head light.
The bank was going to start foreclosure proceedings. What the hell had happened to the forty-five days she had worked out? How were they able to just change their minds? And did they send these letters on Fridays on purpose?
She knew the answers. It came down to the almighty dollar. And now she would have to wait the whole weekend to find out if she had any recourse. Not that she had all the money yet, but she would. However, it required more time than she had.
To add insult to injury, her art broker informed her that the painting she needed to sell hadn’t sold at the last auction. The next auction wouldn’t be for another three months.
Emma stared out the windows of the living area and racked her brain, trying to figure out what to do. Her negotiating skills were going to get a workout come Monday.
Her mouth went dry and she swallowed hard, the familiar longing deep in her being to escape. Just one drink or one pill to make it all go away. She fisted her hands and then released them. The demons were out in full force tonight, and for the first time in the last year, Emma was scared to be alone, unsure of what she’d do to dull the pain.
She pulled her phone out of her pocket to call Amelia and then find a meeting on a Friday night. Her usual one met on Thursdays and Saturdays. Emma wasn’t sure she could wait until the next day and that scared the shit out of her. Before she could hit send, the doorbell rang. The tension in the muscles of Emma’s shoulders released as she walked into the foyer. At this point, she’d invite in a drifter just so she didn’t have to be alone.
When Emma opened the door, her heart soared at the sight of Shane. In spite of herself, a slow burn started in her belly. “Hey. I wasn’t expecting to see you.” She grinned at him, absurdly happy to see him. He returned her smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes, putting Emma on alert. “Is everything okay with your dad?”
“Yeah, he’s fine. For now.”
She furrowed a brow at his clipped tone. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his jeans and he made no moves to touch her. Something wasn’t right.
Emma stepped aside to let him in. “Want to come in?”
He stared down at her before nodding. “Yeah, we need to talk,” he said, his voice flat.
“Okay.” Dread settled in the pit of her stomach as he stepped over the threshold.
“When did you get back to town?” she asked, shutting the door.
“Earlier tonight.”
In the back of her mind, alarms were sounding. Something was off. “You never called me back.” Shit, her voice sounded petulant even to her own ears.
Lifting his eyes to hers, those blue eyes were cold and emotionless when he looked at her. “Things were a little crazy.”
No apology, no emotion. His mouth was set in a hard line, and his eyes lacked the desire she’d come to recognize.
This man was the Shane she’d first met. The cold, hard one who kept her at arm’s length. He was a stranger.
“Can I get you some coffee?” Emma crossed to where the coffeemaker sat.
He crossed his arms and leaned a hip against the counter next to her. “Got anything stronger?”
She shook her head and glanced over at him. “No, I’m sorry I don’t.”
“Nothing at all? No beer, whiskey, scotch?”
She dumped the coffee into the filter and turned to him. “No. Nothing at all.” She mimicked his stance. “What’s this about, Shane?”
“It’s about you lying to me.”
Her mind raced and she swallowed. “When did I lie to you?” she asked, choosing her words with care.
