“Lochness Broadcasting Studios, please, and step on it,” he said through the fiberglass barrier to the front seat. He winced at his choice of wording as the gnome wiggled his stubby little legs. “Or, I guess, as fast as you can.”
The gnome grunted in a low voice. “Are you sure? They’re closed this time of night.”
“Yes!” Billy threw a wad of cash through the opening. “That’s where I need to go.”
At the sight of the green bills floating down to the passenger seat, the gnome’s eyes grew wide and shiny. He smiled, his cherry cheeks round and straining from the effort. Billy had to grasp the door handle when the gnome suddenly threw the car into gear and slammed his stick on the gas, shooting them into traffic and leaving behind a path of destruction and honking horns.
It took about ten minutes for them to arrive at their destination. Lochness Broadcasting studios was a quad-level square building with steel framing and a brick veneer. Most of the windows appeared dark and vacant. That didn’t stop Billy from jumping out before the taxi had come to a complete stop.
According to his watch, it had been nearly forty-five minutes since Stasia’s broadcast ended. He hadn’t seen her during his frantic run through the airport. If he had any luck at all, she would still be here.
Nerves coursed through him when he thought about seeing her face-to-face. Would he tell her he loved her? Or would he simply race across the room and pull her soft body in close to his? He couldn’t be sure.
He raced to the front doors just as a woman in black was leaving. She blinked in surprise when Billy raced right past her and shouted something at his back. He didn’t stop. There was a light on up ahead. He skidded to a stop in front of a large doorway. A spacious room with darkened spot lights and cameras greeted him. Soft yellow lights hung from the ceiling above, barely illuminating the scene. He recognized the background to Stasia’s live interview. This was where she’d filmed it.
“Stasia?” He yelled her name, not caring who else heard. “Stasia? Are you still here?”
An eerie, yet slightly familiar laughter came from the shadows. A round woman with thin legs hobbled toward him. He flinched at her sudden appearance and then immediately recognized the stranger. Madge’s witchy sister, Thea, stood in front of him, wagging her finger. If it hadn’t been for her thick black and gray hair, the two of them could’ve passed as identical twins.
“You’re too late, boy,” she lectured. “Much too late.”
His heart sank in his chest. “Did she leave for the airport already?”
“No, Mr. Wolf.” She slapped him on the arm. “The stars predicted your arrival long ago. You sure took your time getting here, though, didn’t you? The young woman’s in through there.”
She pointed at the door on the other side of the room. He gazed in that direction, feeling his lungs expand in a breath of fresh air.
“What? No flowers?” Thea squinted at his hands as if she thought he was hiding a bouquet. “What kind of man chases after a woman and doesn’t bring flowers?”
“I was kind of racing against the clock,” he muttered, suddenly feeling subconscious about his lack of gift and the shabby flannel shirt and jeans he’d worn.
When it came down to it, he wasn’t exactly prince charming. Would Stasia take one look at him and change her mind?
“I guess you’ll have to do.” She eyed him with a disapproving glint in her eyes. “Get in there, young man. Don’t make me sic my sister on you.”
The witch cackled as he raced across the room, hoping against hope that she was right and his love hadn’t yet left the country.
Not without knowing how he felt.
Chapter Nineteen
Billy approached the room that the crazy witch had indicated. A soft yellow glow surrounded the edge of the door. He pushed it open, not sure what to expect on the other side. It opened onto a metal balcony that lined the entire massive room and led off to several offices. Below lay a giant mess of desks half-hidden in shadows.
A single desk lamp lit up the floor. And sitting next to it was a curvy figure with lovely caramel skin and dark curly hair. She leaned over an open drawer and pulled something from its depths, plopping it into the box that lay at her feet.
Stasia.
The name rang inside his head like an anthem. He clasped the handrail and gazed lovingly upon her. Never had he felt like this. So out of control and yet, completely focused at the same time. Running across the balcony, he descended the stairs and made his way through the mazes of desks. All the while, his gaze was pinned to that yellow glow among the darkness.
He slowed as he neared and opened his mouth to speak. Nothing came out. Words escaped him. He stared desperately at the back of Stasia’s head, willing himself to say the words he’d been playing over and over again in his head on this crazy journey over here. But his throat had closed up on him. He mouthed incoherent words and bit his tongue, praying that he’d get a grip before Stasia turned around and saw him standing there with a dumb look on his face.
So much for being a tough alpha wolf.
“Billy?” Stasia looked up from her desk into the darkness, as if she expected him to be lurking in the shadows. She swiveled in her chair and her eyes grew wide when she spotted him. “Is that you?”
“Yes,” he said lamely.
“I thought I was just imagining the smell of engine grease and cologne.” She smiled, the light glimmering in her eyes. “What are you doing here?”