Page 119 of The Hallows Queen

Clearing my throat, I chew on my bottom lip in thought.

“Hayden?” she prompts, and I nod mindlessly.

“Yeah, I’m here. Luxington, North Carolina – expand the search to the cities bordering it. Penelope Leyton. Find out who she’s engaged to. Email me what you find about whoever it is.”

“You got it,” I hear her typing on her computer in the background. “Anything else you can tell me?”

“That’s all I have. And Serena, keep this between us. Donottell Levi,” I say, feeling a pit growing in my stomach.

“Okay. I’ll send you something soon.”

“Thanks,” I say, and we both hang up.

While my assistant works, I get dressed in a pair of jeans and a tee – it’s more casual than I’ve been in a while, and it almost feels weird. I wear suits most days, since I work so much, and even when I’m not working, I’m generally dressed pretty nice. But I’m not in L.A., and I feel the need to be more casual while back in Luxington.

I style my hair, brush my teeth, put on some deodorant, then my phone is buzzing with an email from Serena. I click on the notification and read it twice.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Here’s the information you requested.

Gavin Stine, Jr.

683 Hydrangea Lane, Luxington

(919) 555-9054

Born April 5 to Mary and Gavin Stine Sr in Raleigh, NC.

GavinStineRealEstate.com

He has a showing today 1pm-5pm at 920 Ocean Blvd, then dinner reservations for two at a place called Beach House at 7 in downtown Luxington.

Serena

Ocean Blvd is a few blocks from my hotel, so it wouldn’t take me long to get there.

Leaning on the bathroom counter, I look at myself in the mirror again. All I need to do is see him. His mannerisms and appearance will tell me everything I need to know – whether this is right for Penelope or not.

I get the feeling that she’s just placating something inside, filling the holes that have been left behind after years of loss. But who knows? I could be making it all up in my head, pretending that underneath everything, she still belongs to me.

I’m desperately wanting to see what this fuck looks like, though; how he walks, talks, carries himself.

Walking out of the bathroom, I grab my wallet and shove it in the back pocket of my jeans, then push my feet into some sneakers.

It’s now or never.

Sliding my phone into my other pocket, I grab my keys and leave the hotel room.

Since it’s early in the afternoon, the streets are empty, and it’s only a few minutes before I’m pulling my rented Mercedes into the driveway of a large mansion on the beachfront. If I didn’t hate this guy out of principle, I’d probably be interested in this property – that and if I wanted to move back to NC. The house is spectacular. All white brick with brown trimming gives it a Spanish feel, and the antique fountains outside the front entry are beautiful.

Looks like somewhere Logan may like, so I snap a picture once I’ve put my car into park and send it to her.

Turning off the engine, I step out onto the shells of the driveway and look up at the massive house, letting the sun shine on my face. He must be successful if he’s representing properties this nice, meaning he’s got to be a smart man. Unless he’s a nepotism kid like me.

A handful of people stepping out of the front door pull my attention from the architecture, and I put a hand over my brow to focus on them through the brightness of the day.

---