“Are you kidding me?” Harry spluttered. “You’re sending me away for aTaylor?” He said Tilly’s last name like it was acid on his tongue.
“I’m sending you away because you made a staff member feel unsafe, and that’s unacceptable.”
“You know what? Fuck you, Kayden! You don’t want me doing this job, then I don’t want to fucking be here.”
He stormed back toward the visitors center and Kayden followed, sticking close. When he passed the front desk that Tilly was now sitting behind, Kayden inched that bit closer, in case he tried anything. Thankfully, he didn’t so much as look at her as he crashed out into the parking lot.
Kayden’s muscles remained tight, and it took him a moment to turn and look at Tilly. She was on her feet again, gaze shifting between the door and back to him.
“He’s not doing the work?” she finally asked, breaking the silence.
“No. I’ll call someone else.”
“I can do it—”
“No.” Kayden’s quick response made something he couldn’t name cross over Tilly’s face. “I’ll call in a favor.”
She nodded.
“And Tilly, maybe it would be better if you didn’t work at the front desk.”
Immediately, he wanted to take the words back, because even though it was clear she tried to keep her features neutral, he saw that flicker of pain deepen on her expressive face before she quietly said, “Good idea.”
Fuck. He was wording it all wrong. He stepped toward her, but the door opened and Pixie stepped in, coffee in hand.
“Sorry I took so long. I got stuck telling Elle about my epic weekend and I forgot the time.” Pixie stopped, a frown creasing her brow as her gaze shifted between them. “Is everything okay?”
Tilly nodded. “Yes, everything’s absolutely fine.”
“Harry didn’t show up?”
Kayden shoved a hand into his pocket. “He had to leave. I’ll get someone else.”
“Leave?” Pixie asked, brows raised. “Elle said the work’s pretty urgent.”
Tilly’s frown deepened, and he could just about see her blaming herself for this. It wasn’t her fault. Harry was an asshole, and Kayden would be making sure he never stepped foot in this place again.
“I’ll fix it,” Kayden said, turning and leaving, the sadness on Tilly’s face roiling in his gut.
CHAPTER 6
Tilly’s gaze shifted to the clock for what had to be the hundredth time. She was so ready for this awful day to be over. Past ready. She’d been feeling so good after her walk through the mountains, the best she’d felt in a while. But then Harry had stepped in, and she hadn’t been able to get his visit out of her head. The hatred in his eyes. The way he’d closed in on her like she was a bug he needed to squash.
You’d think that would be the worst her day could get, but nope, Kayden’s words after that had pretty much been the icing on the cake…
Maybe it would be better if you didn’t work at the front desk.
She massaged her temple, that whispered voice in her head returning to her, reminding her that she wasn’t welcome here. That maybe it had been a mistake to return. Maybe she should have just stayed in Cleveland and sold her mother’s house here.
The idea of selling that house though, of never returning to these mountains…it hurt. Made an ache beat through her chest and press down on her.
“Hey.”
Her head shot up at Elle’s voice from the doorway. “Elle. Hey. Everything all right?”
“Yeah, café's closed and I’m just heading out. I noticed your light on and thought I’d come in and check that you were okay. I heard Harry wasn’t that great to you.”
Had Kayden told her? It didn’t matter. “I’m fine. But I am very excited to get into bed, eat a bucketload of chocolate chip ice cream, and say goodbye to this day.”
