Page 44 of The Love Hoax

As I say those words, something pulls at me. Bill had to have known this was coming down the pike yet he never said a word. Actually, the scumbag tried guilt-tripping me for going on vacation. My blood is boiling now, the anger a living, breathing thing.

I turn around, suddenly seized by a sense of determination. Adam stands in front of me, chewing on his bottom lip.

Speaking more to myself than to him, I say, “I made it too easy on my boss. I won’t go down without a fight.”

It’s as if a switch is flicked. I feel remarkably energized. “I need to go back to New York. As soon as possible. I’m so sorry. I know I committed to helping you at your sister’s wedding, but this phone call changes everything.”

Adam frowns but doesn’t argue. “Can you tell me about it?”

“No time,” I say, rushing past him. “I need to pack. But I’ll call you as soon as I deal with this and catch you up.”

“But—”

I stop cold. What am I doing?

I turn around, feeling awful. Adam looks shell-shocked. I go over to him and take his hand. Filled with conflict, I speak softly. “Thank you for your hospitality. These last few days have been incredible. I will find another way to make it up to you. I promise.”

I turn away and this time, hurry inside.

Chapter Thirty

Adam

Ican’t believe what’s happening. Everything was going great and now, in a matter of minutes, things have turned upside down.

Evie is leaving.

In the blur, I try to come up with something to say to slow her down, to stop her. But she has that look. One I know well because I get that same impassioned look when I’m on a mission. At those times, no one can stand in my way.

Still, how can I just stand here and let her go? There’s something undeniable growing between us, something I’ve never felt before.

When she held my hand, saying she’ll find a way to make it right, it took every ounce of self-control not to pull her into my arms, to kiss her with a passion like no other. To tell her to stay.Begher to stay. But I didn’t.

She’s made up her mind.

I stand helpless, watching her race through the living room toward the guest room.

And then the doorbell rings.

Chapter Thirty-One

Evie

The hurt on Adam’s face nearly changes my mind. But I’m in hyper-mode. If I don’t leave now, I’ll be out of a job for sure. This way, at least I have a glimmer of hope at saving my career and livelihood.

Passing through the living room, Adam still frozen at the patio door, I hear the doorbell ring. Pulling the robe’s lapels tighter, I hurry to the door, swinging it open.

There stands a colorfully dressed woman in her early sixties, her jet black, chin-length hair, teased and sprayed into submission. She has several rings on her brightly-polished manicured hands. At the sight of me, her gaze flicks to my ring finger, then widens into something akin to disbelief. Like pools of ink, her eyes turn dark and watery. To her credit, she recovers quickly, a glimmer of a smile touching her red lips.

“Ah, finally,” the woman says, “You must be the infamous Ronna. I can’t tell you how happy I am to meet you.”

I stand back in confusion as the woman steps past me and walks inside the house. A whiff of Jean Naté touches my nose, a scent I haven’t breathed in since my grandma was around. And then it dawns on me.

Who knows about Ronna? Except for . . .

There is no other explanation.

I feel Adam’s presence behind me.