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She snorted. “That must be a new experience for you.”
He chuckled. “You have no idea. When can you get here?”
“I’m getting dressed now. I can be there in forty-five minutes,” she said as she pulled up the zipper on her jeans.
“I’ll meet you in the lobby.”
Her heart jolted. “No, tell me your room number. I’ll come to you. We don’t need to be seen together.”
There was silence on his end of the line. “All right. I can understand that.” He gave her the room number and hung up.
Nicole took a deep breath, letting it out slowly; her nerves were jumping under her skin. She would go there, give him the deed to the cottage, and demand her story back. Then she could walk away from him, never looking back.
~ ~ ~
Reece paced the room, moving from the window to the bar to the bedroom door, and then to the couch and back to the window. He wasn’t sure how many rotations he’d made around the room as he waited for the dreaded, but anticipated, knock.
When it came, he rubbed his sweaty palms against the legs of his jeans, striding slowly toward the door. He hadn’t been this nervous about seeing a girl since he was seventeen. In fact, he’d never been this nervous about seeing a girl.
He unhooked the safety bolt, opening the door, his heart plummeting to is toes. “Mum? What are you doing here?”
She stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “I know it’s the middle of the night, darling, but I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been awake for hours, trying to think of a way to help you out of your dilemma. I believe I’ve come up with a solution.” She grew puzzled when he didn’t move from the doorway. “May I come in or is this a bad time?”
Nicole was due any moment, but he couldn’t be rude to his mother. He shifted to the side. “By all means,” he said, poking his head into the empty corridor before closing the door. He led her down the hall to a seat at the bar. “Would you like something to drink, Mum?”
“Oh, you have wine. Lovely.” She noticed the two wineglasses on the tray. “Are you expecting someone?”
Reece didn’t look up from the wine he was pouring into the glass. “Nicole is coming over to talk.”
His mother smiled. “That’s wonderful, darling. What I have to say concerns her as well.”
His head tilted in puzzlement, but before he could ask her meaning, a knock sounded at the door.
His palms began to sweat again. “That must be Nicole.” He didn’t move.
“Well, aren’t you going to answer the door?”
He raked his hand through his hair. “I’m not certain if I should. The last time we saw each other, we didn’t part on the best of terms.”
His mother’s eyes narrowed. “I’ve never known you to be a coward, Colin. Let the girl in. I’m eager to meet her.” He hesitated another moment. “Go,” she ordered firmly. He moved to obey.
Reece stood at the door, breathing deep, his hand clasped firmly on the knob. Another knock sounded before he built up enough courage to open the door.
Nicole stood there, the hood of her sweatshirt obscuring her face. He stared at her, and she stared right back, neither of them making a move.
“Would you like to come in?” He moved out of the way, allowing her to walk inside.
“I wouldn’t want to have this conversation in the hall. It needs to be private.” She paused, waiting for him to pass. As he moved under a shaft of light from the overhead fixture, she gasped. “You dyed your hair. When did you do that?”
He ran his hands through his sable locks. “I had it done a few hours ago. I needed it for my new role.”
She blinked. “It looks good on you.” Black hair for a black-hearted villain.
“Thank you. I’m going to be playing Orsino, Duke of Illyria in Twelfth Night.”
“That’s impressive. How did you get the slime-ball to agree to that?”
His lips twisted. “I didn’t ask him.”
