Page 62 of Island Rescuer

“Sure. It’s just hard. I want the nightmare to end.”

“Well, of course you do.” Trina gave her a huge smile. “Why not focus on the good stuff? You love him,” she said. “I can see it. It’s so wonderful.”

“No. Well, yes, you’re right,” Harper admitted. “I haven’t told him and it might not work out. But it does feel incredible.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Trina gushed quietly.

They chatted about mutual interests, books, and men. Trina was ready to be done with the man her parents had sent over to meet her.

Spying movement in the garden, Harper stopped listening. Landon Walker was right there. In the garden. Staring at her through the glass. If she moved, or hollered for Knox, he’d get away.

She couldn’t believe he’d found her here. Hadn’t she just been asking for this confrontation a couple hours ago?

He sat down on a bench, taunting her. This was her chance to make a stand. To put an end to the nonsense.

“Trina, call the police. Tell them Landon Walker is trespassing. Then tell Knox.” Harper wanted this to go down the right way.

“Pardon?” The happiness drained from Trina’s gaze, replaced with fear. “What are you talking about?”

“Walker,” she repeated. “The man we’ve been looking for is here, in the garden. I’m going to lead him away.”

Trina grabbed her arm. “Lead him where? Don’t do this. Stay here. Let him come to you.”

There was no way she was going to let him destroy another hotel with his hatred of her.

“I know what I’m doing.” What a bald-faced lie. She knew Trina recognized it as such. “Please, just call the police. Tell Knox. I can hold him off that long.”

She slipped away from her friend, standing tall as she crossed in front of the glass wall. Then, at last, she was outside, facing off with Landon Walker.

His eyes were hidden by sunglasses, and a trucker hat was pulled low, but there was no mistaking his intent. Fury poured off him. His lip curled in a vicious sneer.

She studied him, looking for any sign of a weapon. His hands were empty and there weren’t any obvious gun-shaped lumps under his t-shirt.

“You bitch,” he snarled. “You are finally going to pay.”

“Pay for what, exactly?” She had no idea where the bravado came from, but she was going to cling to it and use it. “I don’t recall any contracts between us.”

“We were together. A couple,” he insisted.

“We went out on a few dates,” she countered. They hadn’t even slept together. She had made up excuse after excuse to avoid taking things that far. She should have trusted her intuition and broken up with him much earlier. “I don’t recall that being any kind of implicit contract.”

“Stop with the legal double talk.” He stepped forward, she sidled away.

A low hedge of roses and boxwoods separated them. Nothing that could really protect her, but she had her eye on the path leading away from the Inn. From there she might be able to get him down to the beach. After that she had no idea. She just didn’t want any more innocent people affected by his bad decisions.

“You went out with me. You said you were interested in my business.”

“You sure talked about it a lot,” she agreed. “I am a good listener. Everyone says so.”

He swore again and came at her.

She scampered down the path and around a bench, pausing just long enough to make sure he was following. “What exactly do you think you need from me?”

“You’ve destroyed me!” His face turned red. “Everyone knew we were a couple.”

“So I should sue you for slander,” she snapped.

“Everyoneknew. It’s like whenever you go to a new restaurant and suddenly it’s the hot spot in town.”

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