Page 36 of Christmas with the Elkin Billionaires

“For what?” An accusation could mean anything. Jonas had reassured her regarding the disgruntled guest, so this had to be about Chase. Whatever it was, it had gone to the level of Jonas and security—which didn’t bode well for her. “I only had one lesson scheduled for this morning and it was canceled. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Stealing.” Jonas said simply. “A tennis bracelet has gone missing, and our guest came to us with concerns that you were responsible.”

Tana sucked in a deep breath and swallowed back the urge to be sick. This was so much worse than she’d thought. She felt as if the floor had suddenly opened and was trying to swallow her whole. “I didn’t steal anything.” Her voice sounded thick with tears and she hated it.

“You’re officially on temporary leave effective immediately. It’s come to our attention you have a history tied to some other burglary charges, which forces our hand to move in this direction while we have the accusation investigated.” Jonas dealt the blow without flinching, his steely gaze never leaving her.

Chase hadn’t been brave enough to face this with her. A secondary wave of humiliation hit.He’d known.He’d known this was going to happen and he hadn’t wanted to be there.

“Mr. Elkin, I didn’t steal anything.” Neither one of the men relented, their faces stoic and unyielding. They didn’t believe her. Tana had never felt so alone in her life.

“I want to assure you,” Jonas said, “that you absolutely won’t lose the cottage or your employment benefits while things are being investigated. That will only happen if we terminate your position.”

“Do what you have to do,” Tana said, biting back everything she wanted to scream. She turned and started for the door. She wanted to break into a run. Anger pulsed along her nerves, lighting them up, and her hands clenched into fists. She dimly heard Jonas call after her, but her pulse pounded in her ears. What did any of it matter now? She was going to lose it all anyway. That’s how these rich clientele places worked. Reputation over everything. One accusation could ruin Tana’s life.Again.

“Tana, wait.” Chase’s voice echoed from behind her as she entered the lobby. “Please.”

She rounded on him, unsure of what to say.

“Are you all right? Tell me what happened,” he persisted.

Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. “Do you know already?”

“I know we had a disgruntled guest. He came into the office when I was with Jonas, and he brought a newspaper article. He said you stole a bracelet, and then that article—Tana, I don’t believe it. Why didn’t you say something before?”

“Because it was my ex,” she burst out. “He had a part-time job at a store that sold electronics and he’d been accused of stealing. I had no idea. They investigated me as an accomplice but I was never charged.” It had been so mortifying, the anger and embarrassment more than she could bear. Just like now. The tears of rage had dried on her cheeks, leaving salty trails. “I had nothing to do with it.”

“Why didn’t youtellme? I vouched for you, you must know that I did, but you could have prepared me. You could have saidanything.” Confusion raced through his eyes.

“Because. I was. Never. Charged.” Her voice shook. “It happened right after I found out I was pregnant with Lindsey and my ex had bailed. The cops showed up at my door with a search warrant and didn’t believe that I didn’t know where he was. I was brought in for questioning, in handcuffs, and then released.”

“You had so many chances to tell me this sooner,” he said, looking violently beautiful in the midmorning sunlight.

Tana broke, sobs bursting from her like a fountain. She felt destroyed. When Lindsey was a baby, she had no choice but to keep it together. And now, here she was ugly crying in the lobby of the lodge.

“You’re not listening to me. I was questioned.Notarrested.” She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to speak. “Do you want to know the worst part about all this? It’s that I was falling for you.” Tana couldn’t stop. “I should have known better after the first time I did that, but no, I had to go ahead and make the same foolish mistake all over again.” She had to get to her car and get out of this place. She’d go to her parents’ house and try to figure out her life. “You’ll be pleased to know that we’ll probably never see each other again.”

Tana had to get away from him.

“What? Tana, stop!” he called out as she walked away.

With one last glance back at him, she shook her head. “I have to pick up my daughter from school.”

Tana drove out of the lodge’s parking lot with infinite care. By the time she reached the school, her eyes were still red and blotchy. Lindsey tumbled into the backseat and noticed it instantly.

“Are you okay, Mom? Did you fall?”

“I didn’t fall. I just had…a hard discussion with Chase.”And I’m probably going to get fired.“Sometimes, grown-ups have hard discussions.” She smiled at Lindsey in the mirror. “Everything will work out one way or the other.”

If only Tana could believe that, too.

21

TANA

It was an hour-long drive to where Tana’s parents lived, and every fifteen minutes, she thought she’d gotten over the emotional outpouring. Then the hurt and the heartbreak would come rushing back in, and she’d turn up the radio and sing loudly. It didn’t matter if it was off-key. Lindsey watchedFrozenon her tablet, weeping. She kept repeating how much she wanted to go back and see Chase.

Okay, maybe it wasn’therhome anymore. But she knew that when she knocked on the door, everything would be okay. Or at least partially okay. It would at least be a place where she could wallow in self-pity, something long overdue. This day had gone so far off the rails she still couldn’t believe it. The old specter of her past had reared its ugly head, and this time, she didn’t know if she could shake it off. She’d rather leave than face this again.

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