Chapter 23
Elora
"What I'm trying to say is—"
In the shadows near the exit, someone was standing there.
Too far away, too dark. I couldn't make out his face. But that silhouette, that height—everything screamed one name.
My heart kicked into overdrive.
No. Impossible. He couldn't have found this place.
My eyes betrayed me, darting back to that spot. The figure was gone. Like it had never been there at all.
I bowed my thanks and fled the stage, my knees barely holding me up. I'd hoped tonight's pitch would land me some investors. Now? Pretty sure I'd just torched that.
"Hey." Julian caught my arm, Leo balanced on his other hip. "Easy."
I whipped around to scan the back of the room. Just a volunteer stacking chairs.
"Julian. I need to tell you something." The words stuck in my throat.
"What's wrong?"
"I saw someone. Just now." My nails dug into my palms. "Looked like... looked like him."
Julian's face went serious. "Did you see his face?"
"No... but I think I saw gray eyes..."
"Elora, gray eyes aren't exactly rare. Besides, this town gets new faces every day."
"I know." I grabbed his hand. "But I can't shake this feeling."
"Relax. You've been here four years." He smiled. "Look, even if he did show up—which he hasn't—I'm right here, aren't I?"
Maybe he was right. Maybe Maya's words had just gotten under my skin.
"But if you're really worried, I can have someone check the hotel registries for the past few days."
"No. Don't bother."
By the time we pulled up to the cabin, night had swallowed everything. Julian walked me to the door and handed me a paper bag.
"For Leo."
"Julian, you can't keep—"
"It's my privilege. Now get inside before you freeze."
"Come in for coffee at least. Warm up."
He started to nod, then his phone buzzed. He answered. Less than ten seconds in, his expression darkened.
"...When did this happen?"
"...Right. I'm leaving now."
He hung up and looked at me, apology written all over his face.
"Sorry, Elora. Something came up in New York. I need to get to Rapid City Airport tonight."
"Go. It's important." I hugged the bag to my chest. "Roads are icy. Drive safe."
"I will." Julian leaned down and brushed the lightest kiss across my forehead. "Lock up. Good night."
"Good night."
Leo woke up minutes after we got inside. I shoved the bag into his arms. His eyes lit up. "Mommy! Play with me!"
"Okay, I'll play with you!"
"Yay!"
Leo attacked the bag with pure joy while Mary emerged from the kitchen. "Elora, I've got the dough ready, but I need to head out. This snow's getting bad."
"Thanks, Mary. Be careful."
The fire crackled in the hearth, orange light dancing across the log walls. I knelt on the thick wool rug with Leo, helping him build a pirate ship.
"Mommy, does this mast go here?"
"Nope. Check the instructions—that piece goes in the hole in the middle of the deck."
"But it's too long."
"That's because you put the bottom on backwards, little monster."
"...Oh."
We wrestled with it for nearly an hour, heads together. His soft hair tickled my chin. When that crooked pirate ship finally stood upright, he grabbed a LEGO figure and ran it across the deck, making explosion sounds.
"Mommy! They're fighting!"
"Well, don't knock it over."
"I won't! This is the strongest ship ever!"
Watching his face flush with excitement loosened the last tight knot in my chest.
"Alright, Captain." I started collecting scattered pieces. "What do you want for dinner?"
"Cinnamon pie! Apple cinnamon pie!"
"You had it twice last week."
"But it's snowing!" He thrust his little hand up like that explained everything. "When it snows, you have to eat pie!"
What kind of logic was that? I laughed and pinched his cheek.
"Fine. Pie it is."
In the kitchen, I heated the cast iron pan. Butter melted, apples sliced thin, cinnamon and brown sugar scattered over them until the edges softened. The warm, spiced sweetness filled the whole cabin.
Leo dragged his stool to the oven, nose practically pressed against the glass.
"How much longer?"
"That's the sixth time you've asked."
"What about the seventh time?"
"Twelve more minutes."
When the timer dinged, he cheered like it was Christmas morning. I pulled out the golden-brown pie and cut him a slice. He didn't wait, just scooped up a huge forkful and shoved it in his mouth. Too hot. He sucked in air, waving his hands frantically, but refused to spit it out.
"Slow down. Nobody's stealing your pie." I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt as I wiped cinnamon and sugar off his face.
"Mommy, your pie is the best in the whole world."
"I'm the only one who makes you pie."
"Still the best in the whole world."
This kid. My heart swelled.
After dessert, I settled into the rocking chair by the fire with a yawning Leo in my arms. I opened his battered copy of Where the Wild Things Are.
"...and Max, the king of all wild things, was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all."
His head rested against my neck, one small hand clutching my collar. By the time I got to Max smelling something good and sailing home, his breathing had gone slow and steady.
Outside, the wind screamed. It tore at the eaves, made the roof beams groan. But inside this little world—just the two of us—those sounds felt like they belonged to another planet.
I pressed a kiss to his warm forehead and held my small, warm universe a little tighter.
A heavy knock cut through the howling storm.
My heart stuttered. Then I spotted it—a black wallet wedged in the couch cushions. I shifted Leo higher on my shoulder and bent to grab it.
A small "M" stamped in the corner. Julian's.
That idiot. His ID, cards, cash—everything was in there.
If he got pulled over, he'd have nothing.
I sighed with relief. I laid Leo on the couch and tucked the wool blanket around him.
Then I grabbed the wallet and headed for the door.
Through the peephole, nothing but darkness. Snow pelted the glass.
"Julian?"
No answer. Just wind.
"Julian, you dropped your wallet. I just—"
The second I cracked the door, freezing wind and ice blasted inside.
The person standing outside wasn't Julian at all.
A tall, menacing figure, shoulders heavy with fresh snow. The storm carved his features into something arctic, those bottomless gray eyes locked on my face—
Lucien Genovese.
I tried to slam the door. A hand shot out, crushing it back with brutal force. He stepped onto the porch, and his fingers clamped around my wrist like iron.
Those bloodshot gray eyes swept past me, landing cold and hard on the half-built LEGO pirate ship and the unfinished pie on the table.
"Whose is he?"
Lucien's voice scraped out like wind through hell.
"Let go of me."
"I asked you whose he is." Lucien was nearly roaring now. I braced against the doorframe. "Julian Moretti's? You ran to this godforsaken place and had a son for that man?"
"This has nothing to do with you! Lucien, we ended four years ago. This is my home. Get out!"
"Get your hands off her!"
Julian charged up the steps and landed a punch square on Lucien's jaw. Both men went down like rabid animals, crashing into the living room, taking out a vase and the coffee table.
"Stop it! Get out of my house!"
I lunged forward to pull them apart. In the chaos, someone's elbow slammed into my shoulder. I stumbled. My palm scraped across a jagged splinter on the table edge.
Blood welled up instantly, dripping onto the pale wool rug. Lucien froze mid-swing, fist still raised over Julian.
He stared at the blood on my hand. All the violence and fury drained from his eyes, replaced by raw panic. He dropped to one knee, reaching for me. "Elora... don't move. Let me see—"
"Don't touch me!"
I shoved his hand away and stood. No hesitation. I stepped past him, helped Julian up from where he'd fallen against the wall, and right in front of Lucien, locked my arm through Julian's.
I knew I shouldn't do this. But if I wanted Lucien gone tonight, I had no choice.
"Lucien Genovese." I turned and looked down at him. "You see it now. I have Julian. I have a new life. I don't owe you a damn thing."
"I don't believe it... God, I don't believe it..." Lucien's eyes went red, raw with the devastation of losing everything.
"Believe what you want. As for my child? You have no right to know a single thing. And if you ever step foot in here again, I'll put a bullet in you myself."
Julian stepped between us, his gaze sharp as ice. "Mr. Genovese. Leave. Now."
Lucien stared at me. All the rage in him shattered to dust. Finally, he stopped advancing. Like a man who'd lost his soul, he staggered back out into the storm.
I threw every ounce of strength I had into slamming that door shut. Locked it. Sealed that devil in the blizzard outside where he belonged.