Page 25 of Wilde Hearts

“Is there something you’d like to say?”

Her eyes flicked to mine, and there was nothing but anger there. “There’s plenty I’d like to say to you, Colt, but I’m honestly not in the mood to get into it with you in a trapped elevator.”

“Can’t run and hide afterward?”

I wasn’t sure why I said that. I knew I was poking the bear, but damn if I didn’t want her to say something, anything, to me.

Her mouth fell open. “Me? I’m the one who runs and hides?” A bark of humorless laughter came from her. “That’s rich, coming from you. I’m not the one who ran away, Colt. I’m not the one who left everyone they loved behind. I stayed, and I dealt with the grief and the pain of losing Grady. I stayed for your parents—you can’t say the same, can you?”

I felt my hands ball into fists. “No, I can’t say that, and I can’t change the past either, Pip.”

“Don’t call me that!”

She screamed the words at me, so I held up my hands in defense. “I’m sorry. Old habits and all.” I’d called her the nickname for as long as I could remember.

Ensley looked away and stared at the closed elevator doors.

“I stopped by your hotel room last night to talk.”

Her head whipped back to me. “Talk about what?”

I motioned between her and me. “This. Us.”

“There is no ‘us,’ so please don’t assume there’s anything left to say.”

Blowing out a breath, I said, “I’m staying in River Falls for good, Pi— Ensley. I don’t want things to be strained between us, and I don’t want my return to keep you from seeing my parents, who adore you. So I thought we should talk. Maybe I could explain why I left.”

Her one eye narrowed as she stared at me. “I don’t care that you’re staying, and I don’t care why you left. You being back in River Falls doesn’t mean shit to me. Do what you want, Colt.”

She glanced away, then looked at me again to add, “And nothing will keep me from seeing Lynn and Jacob, not even you, because I would never abandon the people I love.”

I nodded, knowing I deserved that. I should have let it go…but I needed to know. “I ran into Doug leaving your room. How long have you been dating?”

Her head snapped back to me again. “Why do you care?”

“It’s just a question, Ensley.”

Before she could say anything, the elevator jerked to life and started to move. Ensley jumped to her feet. “Thank God!”

Less than thirty seconds later, the doors opened to the lobby and four firefighters stood there.

Ensley practically threw herself out of the elevators. One of the firefighters caught her and smiled.

“Whoa! Are you okay, ma’am?”

“Yes! Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Thank you for getting that going,” I said to one of them, as I shook his hand.

Someone from the hotel approached. “I’m so sorry you were both stuck in there, sir. We’ll be sure to make it up to you with some complimentary nights.”

“That’s very kind of you,” I said, as I glanced over toward Ensley. She seemed fine now, as she stood and spoke to another hotel employee.

“They’re going to shut this one down until they can get someone to come out and figure out what happened.”

I nodded and gave my attention back to the hotel worker. “That’s good. It stopped on me yesterday, as well, but only for a few seconds.”

“No one has come to tell us about it, so again, I’m very sorry.”