What The Heart Finds (30 page)

Hannah
grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the back of the room and through
the door. Eric looked around the office, everything expensive and
pristine. He turned slightly, seeing movement.

And
there was EM himself. Everything about him screaming success. He
looked up when they came in, closing a file, and standing. He walked
over toward Hannah, a curious turn to his lips as he glanced at Eric.

“Is
that a rabbit?” he asked, his tone casual and dry. As if it was
the most normal thing to see animals in his office building.

“Yeah...”
Eric started, ready to explain, when Hannah interrupted him.

“Eric,”
she said slowly. “Lena quit.”

Eric
felt the air explode out of him, leaving him feeling light-headed.
What did she mean, she quit? Lena would never quit. “What are
you talking about?” he asked.

“Oh,”
Elliott broke in, sending a knowing smile toward his wife. “it
makes sense now.”

“I
told you,” she shot back, shaking her head as only a wife who
had carefully explained something to her husband, only to have him
disbelieve her, can. She turned back toward Eric. “She came
back and settled in. Elliott gave her the promotion she has been
wanting for years. Great salary, great opportunities to travel and
meet important people.”

“Yeah...
and?” he asked, wincing at the impatience in his voice.

“I
brought her to her office on her first day. She seemed alright. A
little intimidated, but fine. And then the staff came and told me
that sat at her desk for a minute looking really distressed. Then she
got up... and walked out of the building.”

Eric
shook his head. “That doesn't sound like her.”

“It's
not,” Elliott agreed.

“We
figured,” she said, looking over at Elliott for a split second,
her eyes soft. “that she was just stressed. It's hard to jump
right back in after you've been gone for two weeks. Especially to
jump into a new, even more stressful, job. So we just left her alone
for the day.”

“And
then I came in the next morning to her standing by my desk, her
resignation in her hand,” Elliott finished.

“That's
it? No explanation?”

“She
said she was sorry and thanked me for the opportunity, but that she
needed to change her career path.”

Eric
looked around helplessly. He didn't have an address. He had no other
way of getting in touch with her but work. And she didn't work there
anymore.

Hannah
sighed, walking to the door and yelling out for Tad to come in.

He
looked around at them, sensing the strange mood in the room. “What's
up, Hannah-Banana?”

“You
know where Lena lives, right?”

“Yeah,”
Tad said, eyeing Eric suspiciously.

“Don't
worry,” Hannah said, waving a hand. “I've known him all
my life. He's harmless.”

“He
certainly doesn't look harmless,” he said, but looked back at
Hannah. “You want me to bring you guys there?”

“If
you don't mind,” Hannah said, giving her husband a apologetic
look. “You're gonna have to do without us for a bit.”

“Go,”
he said, waving a hand dismissively. “we'll be fine here.”

They
walked down the street together silently, Tad insisting that it was
in walking distance. Elliott suspected he just wanted an opportunity
to be away from the office for longer because they had been walking
for about half an hour before he finally declared they were almost
there.

“She
lives here?” He looked up at the building, suspicious and
disbelieving. It looked like a hole in the wall. Not the kind of
place neat, professional Lena Edwards would live.

“Cheap
apartment,” Tad said, opening the main door. “really
expensive furniture.” He led them up a few flights of stairs,
the elevator having a out of order sign that was covered in dust. He
stopped in front of a door at the end of a hall and knocked. “Lena,
doll, open up... it's...” he looked at Eric and Hannah. “me,”
he finished, sending them a shrug. “Lena... come on...”

Hannah
moved closer, concern between her brows. “Do you have a key?”

“Yeah,”
Tad said, pulling out a chain full as a janitor's. “just let me
find it,” he said, sifting. “Oh, here,” he said,
holding one up. “she painted it with white nail polish at the
top so I would know which one was hers.”

“How
very like her,” Hannah laughed.

Tad
unlocked the door and pushed it open, all three of them moving in
almost at once. And finding it completely empty.

“What
the hell?” Tad asked, turning in a circle.

Eric
felt an emptiness spreading inside. Disappointment and defeat mixing
together and making him feel unsteady. He put the rabbit box down on
the floor and leaned against a wall, running a hand down his face.

“Why
wouldn't she tell me if she was leaving?” Tad asked, moving in
to check the bed and bath rooms. “she completely cleaned this
place out.” He looked at Hannah and Eric. “There had to
have been some kind of plan. I mean... she wouldn't just up and walk
away from her entire life. Not without some kind of safety net.”

“Eric,”
Hannah said, watching him. He looked up at her, his eyes dull and
confused. “Do you think it's possible...”

Eric
raised his brow as her sentence trailed off. “Possible that
what?”

“That...
you know... you came here... maybe she...”

“Went
there,” Tad finished for her, both of them eyeing him.

“No,”
he said, shaking his head. “there was nothing there for her.”

“You
were there,” Hannah objected.

“And
she was mad at me, babe,” he said, remembering the chilly
goodbye. Remembering her rejection, sharp and fresh as it had been
several days ago.

“Ohh,”
Tad broke in. “can you call me babe?”

“Sure...
babe,” Eric said casually.

Tad
put a hand to his chest, fluttering his eyelashes. “Be still my
heart.”

“Tad,”
Hannah scolded. “boyfriend.”

“Oh,
right,” he smiled. “but... how could she stay mad at him?
With a face like that?”

Hannah
rolled her eyes. “Oh he's a pain in the ass. You have no
idea.”

“Thanks,
darlin',” Eric said, standing up straighter. “I
appreciate the vote of confidence.”

Hannah
looked over at him, guilty. “Sorry. You really are a good guy.
And, for what it's worth... when I talked to her, she seemed to be
pretty into you.”

“Yeah,
well,” he said, waving a hand around the room. “not
enough.” He leaned down and picked up the box, looking at the
rabbit flopping around, unsure of his change of surroundings. “Looks
like it's just me and you, dude,” he said, tucking it back
under his arm. “Tad,” he said, extending his hand.
“thanks a lot for bringing me here. Hannah,” he said,
walking over and kissing her temple. “thanks for all the
insults. It was like old times. I'll see you at Christmas,” he
said, walking out of the apartment and taking the stairs as quickly
as possible.

He
walked back up the street Tad had led them on, barely aware of his
surroundings. If he got back in his car and pushed the speed limit a
bit, he could be back in town by nightfall. Put the whole incident
behind him.

He
had given it a shot. That was all anyone could expect him to do.

He
got back to his car twenty minutes later, putting the box on the
passenger side floor. He drove out of the city in a sort-of numb
state. Not denying his feelings because he found himself strangely
devoid of them.

The
rabbit started stomping somewhere in the middle of New Jersey,
pulling his front feet close to his body and thumping his back feet
on the cardboard. Eric looked down at him, nodding his head. “I
second that sentiment,” he said, smiling. “Well,”
he said to the dashboard, “at least I have someone to come home
to now. And buy groceries for.” He laughed humorlessly at
himself, turning the music back up and trying to shrug the entire day
off.

He
pulled back into Stars Landing much later than expected. It was well
after midnight and the town was deserted. He pulled his car behind
the building and let himself and the rabbit and the small sample bag
of rabbit food into his apartment.

“Alright,”
he said, setting the box on the floor and dropping a few pieces of
rabbit chow in with him. “I am going to go make you some sort
of cage,” he said, moving off toward the bedroom, stripping out
of his clothes.

He
let himself into the shop, working early into the morning, working
until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. Until he was too tired
to even think. He hauled the cage up the stairs and set it down next
to the couch in the living room. He picked up the rabbit and put him
in, filling a spare bowl with the food and a dish with water, before
going toward his room and falling into bed.

He
slipped under the covers, pulling a pillow down. And that's when she
crept back in. A fresh, alarming twinge in his chest. Because his bed
still smelled like her.

Twenty-Five

He
woke up late into the afternoon, feeling sluggish and lazy. He took a
shower and threw on comfortable clothes. The rabbit was happily
munching away on his food and Eric grabbed his wallet. He needed to
go get some fresh fruits and vegetables for him.

He
walked into the bookstore, lured by the promise of strong coffee.
“Yo, Liam,” he called into the empty store, walking into
the cafe where he would usually find him. But it was empty.

“Eric?”
Liam asked, sounding confused as he came into view. He slunk behind
the counter and started pouring the coffee. “What are you doing
here?”

“I
got back in last night,” he said, shaking his head. “It
was a bust.”

“Yeah?”
Liam asked, a strange tone to his voice.

“Yeah
I got there, bought her a rabbit....”

“You
bought her a rabbit?” Liam asked, his brows drawing together as
he handed Eric his coffee.

“Yeah.
It's a thing,” he rolled his eyes. “and then I went to
her work...”

“How's
Hannah doing?” Liam broke in.

“What
is with the interruptions?” Eric asked, looking at his brother.
“What's up with you? You're acting weird.”

“Nothing.
Everything is fine. So you got to her work....”

“And
Hannah is doing great. Her husband looks at her like she hung the
moon. Anyway... she quit.”

“That
doesn't sound like her,” Liam said, looking toward the dessert
case.

“That
is what everyone apparently thinks. I don't know. Maybe she got a
better job opportunity someplace else. She got a promotion at EM but
maybe someplace else wanted her.”

“Maybe,”
Liam agreed.

“Alright
what the hell are you looking a...” Eric's eyes fell on the
dessert case, his words trailing off.

There
was a different assortment there than usual. Plump chocolate chip
cookies with pieces of macadamia nuts and almonds sticking out, a
cinnamon swirl bread, and doughnuts topped with powdered sugar. He
looked up toward the top of the case, a big sign that read, “Lena's
Baked Goods, Stars Landing, PA” on it.

His
head snapped up to Liam's. “What the fuck is going on?”

Liam
rubbed his forehead. “Well... Lena baked me some desserts.”

“Yeah,”
Eric said, his tone sharp. “I see that. Why does the sign say
Stars Landing on it?”

“Because
she's back.”

“What?
When?” He almost yelled, slamming his mug down on the counter,
making the contents spill all over.

“She
came in here yesterday...”

“And
you let me drive all the way to the city?”

“You
had already left, man.”

“I
have cell phone you know.”

“She
asked me not to tell you,” Liam said, shaking his head.

“What?”
Eric asked, his voice quiet. “Why?”

“She
didn't say. I swear,” he said as Eric leaned forward. “she
didn't say. She gave me the baked goods and the sign. She said if
they sell well, she and I can work out some sort of deal in the
future.”

“Where
is she? Is she at the inn?”

“No,”
Liam shook his head. “I asked Emily. She asked me to point her
in that direction though so she could apologize.”

“So
no one knows where she is staying?”

“No,”
he said, looking down at the counter. “I'm sorry. I'm sure
you'll run into it her sooner or later.”

“Yeah,”
he said, turning around and walking out of the shop. He stood out on
the street, looking in both directions, hoping to just... see her
walking around somewhere.

So
she was back. She was back in Stars Landing. And apparently had some
kind of plan to stay. But she hadn't come to see him.

She
was back because she liked the town. Because she saw it as a chance
to start over and pursue a dream. It was new, but familiar. People
would be nice to her again. Probably overly so because of guilt. And
Liam would buy her baked goods. She would have a small little
business going for herself. Nothing like the life she would have led
if she stayed in the city, but a small, happy little life.