Falling for Fallon (Oak Hill 2)

I was fucking sketching her face.

I hurriedly shut the sketchbook and threw it in a drawer.

I haven’t touched it since then.

And I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to.

???

The next day, I was sitting in the shop, waiting for my client to make their appointment, welcoming the warm, outside air that filtered in through the open doors. Summer was right around the corner, and I think everyone in town was eager. I was tapping my fingers on my desk to a Brantley Gilbert song, thankful that it wasn’t a song about a break-up, because those annoyed me to absolutely no end.

My head popped up when I heard Axe whisper, “Who the fuck is this?”

I was met with a brown-haired woman who looked as if she had stepped into an alternate universe. She was wearing a tan, pressed skirt with a top that looked about as comfortable as a straightjacket. She was well put-together, though. She almost looked like she worked in some fancy law office or something.

Was she a lawyer? Her hair was pinned back into a tight bun, and her eyes…

Wait a second… I knew those eyes.

“Hello,” she said, walking farther into the shop. The woman made eye contact with Axe first, and her eyes widened beyond disbelief. She raked her gaze down his tattoo-covered arms, and I swore she gasped.

“Can I help you?” I asked, standing up and smoothing out my jeans.

Her blue eyes flicked over to me as she stuttered. “Ye—yes, I’m looking for an Emmett Lanning.”

I walked a little closer, holding out my hand. “That would be me. And you are?”

She took my hand timidly and gave it a small squeeze. “I’m Mrs. Addington. Fallon’s mother.”

I swallowed as my suspicions were confirmed. The second I had looked into her sea-blue eyes, I knew it was her.

“Do you think we could talk for a moment? Please?”

I sighed and brought my hand up to rub my chin. What on earth would Fallon’s mom be doing here? Was she okay?

“Is Fallon okay?”

“I was hoping you could answer that for me.”

I pulled back, my brows furrowing. “Fallon and I haven’t talked for at least a month. Do you not know where she is? Is she missing?”

Panic started to surge through my veins. What the fuck has Fallon done? If she isn’t okay…

“Can we talk privately, please?” her mother asked again.

My jaw was set firm, but I nodded and turned around. I could hear Fallon’s mother’s heels clicking on the hard floor as she followed me back into my work area.

I pulled out a chair and ushered her to sit, but I continued to stand. My heart was beating hard, slamming against my ribcage with every breath that I took.

“So, you’re the man that finally got to my daughter.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

She let out a soft sigh. “I didn’t mean that in a bad way.”

“Then how did you mean it?”

Fallon’s mother rubbed her lips together before bringing her attention back to mine. A small smile formed on her face. “Fallon basically ran away after her father—my husband—threatened to come after you.”