Chapter 54
Chapter Fifty-Four
W illow felt like a thief escaping her own home.
She chided herself for being a wimp as she made her way up the snowy hillside toward No Man’s Land.
Dallas had asked if she was free for a talk this afternoon, and she’d said she would be after the lunch rush.
And what had she done?
As soon as things had settled, she’d skipped out for a break, completely avoiding a talk with her older brother. She had no idea what it was about, but she really wasn’t in the mood.
She needed a break after a completely hectic morning. She needed fresh air and a chance to think.
Pursing her lips, she climbed the hill at a steady pace, wincing as her thoughts veered in the last direction she wanted them to go.
She was being ridiculous.
Was the truth really that scary?
Yes!
No. You need to woman up and come clean already.
Tell your family how you feel.
Tell them that you like Eric and he likes you.
Tell them that he dropped you home after taking care of you. Convince them what a good man he is.
It wouldn’t be that hard, right? He was a good man.
If only they could see it. If only he could show them his gentle, playful side. Then maybe they’d understand. And maybe another repeat of history wouldn’t need to happen.
If Rose and Charlie had told the truth, could they have avoided all the drama? They never even gave their family a chance to accept the situation, did they?
Was Willow really going to assume that her family didn’t love her enough to let her follow her heart?
She paused to catch her breath at the top of the hill, knowing this path so well, knowing which trees to skip around to get to the treasure the fastest way possible.
The treasure.
Would she tell them about the hidden trinkets and just…what?
Hope they didn’t use it against the Spencers?
She bit her lip, nearly sliding on a wet rock. It would only get harder and harder to get up here when winter hit. And then how would she meet up with Eric? How would she leave him trinkets or receive his letters?
She sighed. Maybe coming clean wouldn’t be so bad.
Sure, they’d freak at first, but they’d get over it eventually. They loved her enough to accept her choices.
And then maybe she and Eric could actually meet in public.
The thought of them walking down Main Street hand in hand had her grinning and giggling.
Okay, maybe they’d have to start a little subtler than that. But still…
She sighed at the memory of his kisses.
She’d be totally fine with more stolen moments like that. Dating out in the open could wait until their families came around.
By the time she reached No Man’s Land, Willow was grinning like an idiot. The guilt over her family was starting to ease now that she was formulating a plan over how to tell her family.
She made her way to the tree, sank down next to it, and?—
What?
She stared in horror at the empty space where the treasure box had been. “No. No, no, no.” She brushed away the snow, but all that did was reveal the gaping hole where the box had been hidden.
Someone had dug it up, leaving nothing behind but a hollow pit in the ground.
Her breathing came out harsh and shallow, her heart cracking in two as she stared at the place where her beloved treasures had been.
Someone had taken it. And…
No. Tears welled in her eyes as she forced herself to face the truth. It wasn’t “someone.”
It was Eric.
He was the only other person who knew about it. A sob ripped through her even as she shook her head. No, he couldn’t have.
He wouldn’t!
She was on her feet, scrambling over snow-covered roots and fallen tree limbs.
She’d never gone in the opposite direction before. She’d seen the path Eric ran, but she’d never actually followed it down to the Spencers’ property.
Luckily, Eric ran the route so often, it was mostly clear, but she still slipped and stumbled her way down because her vision was clouded, tears trickling down the edge of her nose as she ran.
This couldn’t be happening.
She didn’t want to believe he’d taken it, but…
What other explanation could there be?
It took her a second to figure out where she was when she reached the bottom of the hill. She’d stumbled into a clearing, and the main lodge itself was to her left.
She trekked through the snow, ignoring the occasional groundskeeper or guest she passed. When she finally reached the main building, out of breath and puffy-eyed, the glass doors opened with a whoosh, and she strode into the main lobby.
She was dimly aware that it was huge. The entire first floor of the inn could have fit in the lobby, and the ceiling was so high, it felt like walking into a cathedral. But she didn’t stop to look around or marvel at the luxurious setting.
She stomped over to the main desk and demanded in a quaking voice, “I need to see Eric Spencer.”
The young woman frowned, taking her in like she was a stray cat. “I’m sorry, but unless you have an appointment?—”
“Tell him Willow King is here.”
“Miss, I really can’t?—”
“I promise you, he’ll want to know I’m here!” As she spoke, she saw another person at the desk pick up a phone and cover her mouth to speak softly.
No doubt she was alerting security that a crazy lady was harassing the staff. And a trainee at that. Willow saw the girl’s Trainee badge and internally cringed, but she was too riled to apologize.
Instead, she gripped the edge of the counter and hissed, “I am not going anywhere until I see Eric.”
“Willow.” He called her name.
And the second she heard his familiar voice…
Tears welled up all over again. She spun around to see him coming.
“Eric.” She tried to shout it, but it came out choked. Pathetic.
He reached her in a few short strides and took her upper arm, leading her away from the desk like she was some wayward child he was having to deal with.
“Let go of me.” She tore her arm from his grip when they were outside.
He looked around like he was afraid of being seen with her and then led her around the corner of the building.
She shivered as she faced him, but her tremors had nothing to do with the cold wind that whipped around her and everything to do with the hard gleam in his eyes.
This man before her…
This wasn’t the same man who’d fed her breakfast and tucked her in. And it definitely wasn’t the same man who’d kissed her senseless after reading love letters in the woods.
He towered over her, arms crossed, voice steely. “What are you doing here, Willow?”
“The box is gone. It’s gone!” She hated how much she was shaking. She wanted to be strong like him. Unemotional.
But she was destroyed.
And it only got worse as he quietly delivered a fatal blow. “Yeah, I’m aware.”
She gaped at him, trying to find the Eric she’d come to know. But she was facing a stranger. Tears welled again, and she hated them. Hated that he could make her feel this way. “Eric, what…what did you do with it?”
He looked away, a muscle in his jaw jumping. “We had to end this, Willow. Enough’s enough.”
What?
What was he saying?
She moved in closer, trying to make him meet her eyes. “Look at me.”
He avoided her gaze, glancing to his right until she pressed a hand against his cheek and forced him to face her.
“What did you do with it, Eric? What have you done?”
His throat moved with his hard swallow. That was the only sign of emotion before he stared down at her with those eerily cold eyes. “I did what I had to. The truth came out.”
She didn’t miss the slight accusation in his tone, and she frowned.
What was he talking about?
How did anyone find out the truth?
“I had no choice,” he continued. “Those RS initials on the handkerchief can help prove that No Man’s Land belongs to the Spencer family.”
Willow shook her head, her heart aching so badly she thought it might actually be breaking.
This couldn’t be happening. “What about the CK cuff links? And…and the family recipes!” Her voice was rising, growing tighter as she saw him drawing even further away until all she could take in was his disdain. His contempt.
For her.
She couldn’t take it.
Yet the unfairness of it had her pleading, even though she knew it was useless. “I have diary entries, Eric. I can prove those items in the box belonged to the King family.”
His tone was bland as he glanced away from her and softly mutilated what was left of her dying heart. “What items?”
“The items in the—” Her voice died as his meaning became startlingly clear.
His look was so cold, so unfeeling. He’d betrayed her. He’d…he’d made her think that he cared about her and then broken her heart.
Why?
It was cruel.
So incredibly, unnecessarily cruel.
Before she could stop herself, she slapped him across the face. She slapped him so hard her hand stung, her cold fingers burning as she tried to glare up at him. “How could you?”
She wanted to scorch him with her gaze, but she was too devastated. All she could manage was a soft whimper as she fought to keep herself upright.
“I did what I had to do.” Eric shrugged, his unfeeling expression helping her anger spark.
It gave a little strength to her voice as she rose to her full height. She was still so short compared to him, but she pulled her shoulders back and choked out the words as best she could.
“No, you didn’t. You didn’t have to.” She shook her head, backing away with tears flowing down her cheeks. “You destroyed part of my history. You betrayed me!”
He blinked, his expression buckling for a fleeting moment. His mask fell away, and she saw it, for just a second. Saw the pain on his face, the guilt, the remorse.
“Willow.” He took a step toward her.
“Don’t.” She held up a finger, and he stopped. She wasn’t buying into that again. She wasn’t going to let him manipulate her. Maybe he did have a soft, sweet side, but it would always be overshadowed by the darkness.
Just like Anakin Skywalker and Darth freakin’ Vader!
She couldn’t trust this man.
“Don’t you ever speak to me again.” Her voice was so hard and cold, she barely recognized it.
“I never should have trusted you. I should have known better. You’re a Spencer , and my family was right all along.
The only gem to come out of your family was a sweet Rose who would rather have spent her life with a King than stayed here! ”
She didn’t wait for a response. Turning on her heel, she ran like her life depended on it.
She ran.
And she never looked back.