“No, just up here, ma’am.”
“Thanks,” she said.
The phone in her purse rang. She picked it out and looked at the display, although she didn’t need to know who it was. She pushed the “ignore” button before shutting it off altogether. She was glad she’d grabbed her wallet with her ID inside, although she hadn’t even stopped to pick up her wrap at the restaurant. She wouldn’t need it in Miami anyway.
“When I get my hands on you,” Luke said, driving as fast as he could along the slick road. He’d known she couldn’t get far and had stopped at the first hotel in town. The valet had told him she’d taken a taxi to the airport and he hoped he could catch her in time.
She was running. Again, based on what he’d heard from Nate. He recognized the behavior, if he was honest with himself, that is. When he’d confronted her, his intention was to help her, but he’d obviously miscalculated. He’d been stupid to bring it up like he had; he’d known she might close up, but he hadn’t expected her to run. Emma had trusted him, but he’d blown that trust when he’d gone behind her back.
He punched the steering wheel hard. The snow was getting heavier, but he could see the lights of the airport up ahead. No way were flights still going, not anymore. If he was lucky.
It took him another half hour before he finally walked into the airport. He was right; flights weren’t going out anymore. Smiling, he scanned the stranded passengers, but didn’t see her. He walked straight to the counter where a girl worked the computer.
“Miss?” he asked, polite but definitely seductive.
She looked up and her eyes told him it worked. Charming women was one of his specialties. “Yes, Sir?”
“I see that all your flights are canceled. When did the last one go out?”
“Just fifteen minutes ago. They were lucky,” she said.
Shit.
“Can you tell me if my friend made it? I was coming to pick her up, assuming she’d be stranded.”
“Oh, we’re not allowed to…”
“Please…” he said, “you would really help me.” He leaned on the counter, his eyes working their magic.
The girl looked around, but they were alone. “What was her name?”
“Emma Lawson,” he said.
She checked the screen. “Yes, Sir. Last passenger to get on. Oh, Miami. Wish I were her,” the girl joked.
He tried not to let his disappointment and anger show. “Thank you,” he said and turned on his heel. So she was heading to Miami. Well, he’d just have to meet her there. After all, she still owed him a day and a night.
Chapter Eight
“Give her some space, Nate,” Celia whispered, closing the bedroom door and blocking him from entering.
“She’s been gone for two months without a single fucking phone call, Celia. I think she took enough space,” Nate stood his ground, glaring down at his very petite, very pregnant wife who stood, arms folded across her chest, refusing to budge.
“No.”
He exhaled. “Fine. I’ll give her an hour, then she’d better have one hell of an excuse for disappearing like that.”
Celia shook her head at Nate’s retreating form and slipped back into the bedroom. He meant well, she knew it. But his need to protect his sister came across more as smothering to Emma. They were both stubborn as hell and if she didn’t stand between them and remain the voice of reason, they’d be at each other’s throats. The last thing Celia wanted was for Emma to disappear again.
“We’ve been really worried,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed.
Emma sat up, drinking a cup of tea. She looked like shit. She’d shown up in the middle of the night dressed in a cocktail dress, her hair and makeup a disaster, her eyes puffy from crying. She’d taken a flight out of Aspen last night but she hadn’t told Celia why yet. Well, Celia was determined to find out.
“I know. I’m sorry, Celia,” Emma said. She’d slept for a few hours and at least looked a little better, minus the puffy, pink eyes. “I…can’t Nate just leave me alone? I’m not a baby anymore.”
“He loves you and is scared to death of losing you, honey. I understand how you feel, he can definitely be…obsessive. But trust me, he thinks he’s doing what’s best for you.”
“I know. I just wish he’d listen to me for a change.”
“Well, to be honest, showing up in the middle of the night like you did just solidifies, at least in his eyes, that he’s right.”
“So you’re saying I shouldn’t have come…” she replied, glaring at Celia.