Chapter 16
Asmile curved Emily’s lips as she took in her reflection in the mirror, standing in her room at the inn. The mid-thigh-length denim dress. Her navy-blue wrap coat. Even her boots were cute.
But that wasn’t what really had her smiling. It was her eyes. They looked…different. Brighter. The shadows she’d become accustomed to seeing beneath them were gone.
She was happy. Happier than she’d been in a long time.
Because of Ryan.
She ran a coat of Petal Pink lipstick over her lips. Lips that had been kissed a lot over the last five days.
She grinned.
Five days. And boy, had they gone by quickly. But they also hadn’t. They’d seen each other a lot over that time. He’d been on set while she worked. They’d spent evenings together. She’d barely stepped foot inside this room. Why would she when there was his place?
She dropped the lipstick into her purse and stepped back from the dresser, the late afternoon sun causing a streak of light to cut across her reflection.
After twelve hours of shooting and starting her day at four a.m., she should be exhausted. She wasn’t. Apparently, reacquainting with the only man she’d ever loved was quite the energy booster.
Her phone vibrated with a text.
Her heart gave a little kick at the thought that it might be Ryan.
She pulled it from her purse.
The smile dropped. Not Ryan.
Mom: I’m having dinner downstairs soon. I’d like you to join me so we can talk about your next film.
Did the woman have amnesia? She’d fired her.
Emily: I have plans tonight.
Mom: With Ryan?
Shaking her head, she dropped the cell into her bag without replying. It didn’t seem to matter what she said, her mother didn’t listen.
She was about to leave when her phone rang, Ryan’s name on the screen this time.
The smile returned. “Hey. Are you here?”
“Sorry, I’m running late. A couple of kids got lost, and I had to go out and get them back on the trail.” Wind blew over the line. “Just heading back to the old firehouse now.”
“Oh. That’s okay. I’m still getting ready anyway.” Kind of. Not really. She still had to put shoes on.
“I’ll be there in twenty.”
“No rush.”
“Emi…”
“Yeah.”
“I’m really looking forward to seeing you.”
The smile returned in full force. “Me too.”
She hung up and looked at herself in the mirror again. The glow in her eyes was so strong now, she almost didn’t recognize herself.
Be careful.
The quiet words whispered in her head, a gentle warning she’d heard more than once over the last week. Maybe because even though they hadn’t talked about a future together, she was already rearranging her life in her head. To one that would fit Ryan and Deep River and this relationship.
They would have that conversation. When they were both ready. And everything would work out this time.
Even if Ryan hadn’t reentered her life, things would have needed to change. She wasn’t happy. She hadn’t been for a long time, and the relationship with her mother wasn’t healthy.
It hadn’t always been like this. Over the years, her mother had become more and more controlling. Now, every conversation seemed to end in a fight.
Just last night, she’d demanded her mother hand over the key card she had for her room. She’d gotten it, but the argument wasn’t pretty. And her mother didn’t seem to have any remorse for the meddling she’d done in her and Ryan’s relationship. None.
How could Emily forgive a woman who wasn’t even sorry? She couldn’t.
She slipped on her shoes, then stepped into the hall, intending to wait in the foyer, when a scream pierced the air. A familiar scream, coming from close by.
Mom.
She hurried to the room beside hers and tried the handle, but it didn’t budge. Shit.
Another scream, louder this time, and coated in terror.
“Mom! Open the door.” Her fist pounded the door in rapid succession, but it didn’t open.
Quickly, she spun and raced back to her room. She yanked open the second drawer of the dresser and rifled through cosmetics and makeup.
Where was it?
Her fingers shook as she searched.
Finally, she saw her mother’s key card. She grabbed it and raced back. Faye and Preston now stood in the hallway.
“What’s going on?” Faye asked, arms wrapped around her waist.
“I don’t know.” Emily swiped the card and practically fell into the room.
Her world narrowed to the sight of her mother on her stomach, on the floor by the bathroom door, completely unmoving.
Emily tore across the room and dropped. “Mom!”
Footsteps sounded behind her.
“Oh my gosh! Melanie?” Faye gasped.
Preston cursed.
Her mother’s eyes scrunched. “Emily?”
“Yeah, I’m here. What happened?”
“I came out of the bathroom, a-and someone grabbed me around the throat from behind. I kicked them and screamed, and they hit me.” Her mother whimpered and touched the back of her head. “They tried to pull me toward the window. I fought them off.”
Emily studied her mother’s head. There was no blood. But that didn’t mean she was okay. “I’m going to get you help.”
“What’s going on in here?”
Emily looked up as Roscoe stepped into the room.
“Call an ambulance and the sheriff’s station,” Emily said. “Now.”
Ryan stepped out of the old firehouse. He was leaving far later than intended.
He’d wanted to leave an hour ago. Stop at home.
Take a shower before picking up Emily. But after the last-minute search for the kids, there was no time to even think about stopping at home.
Unless he’d wanted to be even later. Luckily, their base had showers, and he kept a stash of clothes there.
The firehouse had basically been gutted and redone, all organized and paid for by an anonymous benefactor. The same benefactor who paid their salaries. Who the hell that was, he had no idea. At this stage, he wasn’t even sure Mayor Ferris knew, though he’d hinted otherwise.
Ryan climbed behind the wheel of his truck and pulled onto the road.
These last few days had been a whirlwind. Thinking about anything outside of Emily was fucking impossible. Even his team felt his distraction. Hell, Ethan had offered to lead the team training this morning, because Ryan had been so distracted.
Maybe part of the distraction was that they hadn’t talked about what was coming next. He assumed she’d go back to California. She’d have more jobs lined up that would take her all over the world, and he’d be needed here.
But she’d have days off. And if she chose to spend them with him, he’d suck up every last one of those days.
But what if she didn’t want to move here?
He couldn’t move. He was the leader of this team and had made a promise to this town.
He scrubbed his face, everything feeling so fucking complicated.
Five minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot at the inn just as his phone vibrated with a text.
Nora: Do you know if I stretch my arms really wide, I can almost touch wall to wall? Well…kind of. You probably wouldn’t even have to reach out, your shoulders would get stuck.
His lips twitched. Despite his insistence that his sister stay with him, she’d chosen to move into Polly’s garage apartment. The place was the size of a shoe.
Her parting words had been something along the lines of not wanting to throw off his style and third-wheel it.
He wasn’t sure how long his sister planned to stay. She wasn’t sure. Any time he asked, she said she had no idea.
Ryan: Well, there was another option, you know.
Nora: Nah, I like this. It’s a bit like camping.
He chuckled and climbed from his truck.
Despite trying to convince her not to come, he liked having her here. Growing up, they’d only had each other. It felt right having her close by.
His steps slowed as he passed a patrol car.
Someone from the sheriff’s station was at the inn. Why?
Inside the building, he walked a little faster. He hated that Emily was on the first floor. Being on the second would provide a tiny bit more security but with the film shooting, the inn was fully booked.
He heard the commotion before he saw it. Voices spilling out from the room beside Emily’s. Sharp, strained voices.
He stopped when he reached the room. Melanie Prior was sitting on the edge of the bed, back ramrod straight, and Emily was beside her, hand on her mother’s back.
Sheriff Ward and a deputy stood opposite, and a couple of cast and crew from the movie were in the room.
What the hell was going on?
He stepped inside, and everyone’s attention shifted to him. He only had eyes for Emily. He scanned her body, searching for injuries. As far as he could see, she was okay.
His gaze returned to hers. “Are you hurt?”
She shook her head. “I’m okay. Thank God you’re here.”
“What happened?” He moved beside her.
Melanie’s gaze hardened, eyes locking on him in a way that would have unsettled most people. He wasn’t most people.
“You.” Melanie looked at Ward. “Ryan fits the description of my attacker.”
Emily gasped, pulling her hand away from her mother. “Mom!”
“I’m sorry, Emily, but he does. Same height. Same strength.”
The deputy cleared his throat. “Ma’am, a second ago, you said you didn’t see your attacker.”
“I felt them. And he fits what I felt.”
Emily shot to her feet. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?” Melanie yelled back. “Tell the truth?”
“You think I attacked you?” Ryan asked, so goddamn confused. What the hell was going on?
“Yes.” Melanie stood. “I think you broke into my room through the window, came at me from behind, and put an arm around my throat. I screamed, and you hit me in the head and ran.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Why?” Melanie laughed. “Because you know I don’t approve of this little fling between you and Emily.” She glanced at Ward. “Are you going to arrest him?”
Jesus Christ.
Emily moved forward, her voice coming out like a growl. “Mom, if you do this, I will never forgive you.”
“He attacked me, Emily. Of course I have to tell the sheriff.”
Ryan looked at Ward. “I have video surveillance that places me at the firehouse. Timing would prove I came straight here.”
Melanie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re lying.”
He took his phone from his pocket and pulled up the base’s surveillance footage before handing it over to Ward. “It’s timestamped.”
As Ward watched the footage, Emily shook her head, eyes only for her mother. “You’re unbelievable. You know that?”
“Emily—”
“Don’t ‘Emily’ me! You actually want to have him arrested just to keep us apart? Jesus. Were you even attacked, or was this all some stupid ploy to get him in trouble, turn me against him, and earn my sympathy?”
Melanie gasped. “You think I would lie about being attacked?”
“Yes. I think there’s very little you wouldn’t do to keep Ryan and me apart.”
Ward handed the footage back. “It wasn’t him, Ms. Prior.”
“She knows that.” Emily took Ryan’s hand. “We’re leaving.”
“Emily—”
“No.” Emily cut off her mother. “We’re done. In every capacity, we are done.”
Melanie’s face paled.
He followed Emily out of the room, not missing the furious glare from Melanie as they left.