Page 7 of Enthrall Shadows
“What does she want?” I said, playing along.
“To see you.”
“Why isn’t she here?”
“It’s complicated.”
Exhaling in frustration, I sat back and pretended to answer a text. “Give me a second,” I said, discreetly taking Lilly’s photo.
Even though we must have security footage of her visiting the Tower, I wanted a close-up.
“Is your mom in L.A?” I asked.
“No.”
Disappointed, I said, “Put her on the phone.”
Lilly slid the envelope across the table. “Mom believed if you saw her, you’d walk away.”
Would I have?
I wasn’t sure.
I tried to imagine how she’d look now. Would I even recognize her?
“How did you plan on meeting me in the elevator at the right time?”
“There’s a café opposite Cole Tower.”
“You’ve been watching me?”
I’d skipped the usual drill of consistently choosing a different time to both arrive and exit the building. This week, I’d been distracted with a new brand, spending more time in the office than usual.
Lilly lowered her gaze. “She understood this would be difficult for you.”
Where had that compassion been when she’d written that damn note, or when she’d slipped away like a ghost?
Reese had been The One.
Or so I’d believed.
The wisdom of dredging up all that grief was questionable.
I’d never actually believed this day was possible.
“Why has it taken her so long?”
All this time…
“Mom threw herself into her work. She’s dedicated her life to it.”
“What does she do?”
“She’ll tell you.”
“So your mom wasn’t kidnapped?”
“No.”
