Falling for Fallon (Oak Hill 2)

What the hell is she talking about?

I furrowed my forehead even further. “What?”

She tilted her head and looked at me with skepticism. “She didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

She took a deep breath. “Fallon’s father hired a PI to follow her around after he’d caught you two together at some point. I’m not sure of all the details, but I know he wasn’t happy knowing Fallon was throwing her life away for someone we didn’t necessarily approve of. So once he found out who you were, he threatened Fallon that he’d ruin you and your means of support.” She looked around the room before settling onto me once again. “This place, I’m assuming. So anyway, Fallon ended things with you in an attempt to make things right.”

I was stunned. The only thing I could do was stare at Fallon’s mother in disbelief. So, that was why Fallon was so adamant that she couldn’t be with me. That was why she didn’t fight for me. That was why she looked so damn broken when I’d taken her home that day.

My voice was almost a whisper. “And now you don’t know where she is?”

She shook her head. “Fallon was extremely upset, Emmett, which is how I know you’re someone important to her. Fallon has fought us tooth and nail since the day she was born. She never wanted the life we wanted for her, and there have been many times that she’d mess around to get a rise out of us, but this is different. She ran away.” She adjusted her hands in her lap. “I guess I can’t really say she “ran away” as she’s old enough to be on her own. What I mean is that she left. She just… left. She said she wasn’t going to throw her life away to please us any longer.”

My breath caught in my chest. I had never felt so proud in my entire life. “So, you have no idea where she is? Is she missing? How long has it been?”

“She isn’t technically missing. I know where she is, but… she really wants no part of what I have to say. She’s the most stubborn person I have ever met, even more so than her father. But that’s why I’m here. I’m trying to make things right.”

“How is talking to me supposed to make things right?”

“This whole thing blew up because her father threatened you. You mean something to her. I thought that if maybe you and her reconciled, she’d see that we’re accepting what she wants. We’re respecting her wishes. I… I didn’t realize that things were this out of control. There’s a lot that Fallon and I need to figure out as mother and daughter, and there is a lot that her father needs to come to terms with. But I don’t want to lose my daughter. I need your help.”

There were so many things going through my head, but I somehow managed to lock onto one. “And how does your husband feel about this? He’s not going to come in here... ‘destroying’ my livelihood, correct?” It wouldn’t matter anyway. I’d go after Fallon regardless.

Fallon’s mother huffed. “You leave him to me. Just know that you’re safe.”

“Why should I trust you?”

She stood up and straightened out her skirt. Then those blue eyes landed on me. “I’m here, aren’t I? Do you think I’d come here and make a fool out of myself to a complete stranger if I didn’t truly feel that it was necessary? Emmett, you mean something to my daughter. And I’m here, trying to fix things. If she won’t listen to me, she’ll listen to you.”

“And what exactly do you want me to tell her?”

“Just

make sure she knows that her father won’t be bothering you. That’s why she’s staying away from you. She’s afraid her father will retaliate and attack you for the fact that she has left. I’m not sure how to fix things between the two of us, but I know that you are probably a step in the right direction.”

A sigh escaped my mouth as I continued to stand in the same spot. Fallon’s mother walked toward the door and stopped when she was a few inches away from me. She reached into her purse and handed me a small piece of paper.

“That’s where she’s staying. She won’t answer the door when I knock, but something inside tells me she’ll answer for you.” Then she walked through the shop, keeping her shoulders pulled back and her gaze leveled on the door.

My hands were shaking as I opened up the paper and stared down at the address.

It was familiar, but I wasn’t quite sure if I’d been there before. It was just familiar.

I didn’t waste any time grabbing my keys. Axe and Kip were outside the door the entire time Fallon’s mom was explaining things to me (eavesdropping idiots), so they covered for me and rescheduled my appointments for the day.

I wasn’t sure what to think, but the only thing I knew was that Fallon was staying in Oak Hill and she wasn’t marrying Derek.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Fallon

I couldn’t believe I’d managed to hide out in Oak Hill for almost two weeks without anyone knowing. Well, of course my parents knew, because my father had more than likely had some crazy PI follow me here. Or, hell, for all I knew, he had a tracking chip on my car.

I’d even gotten on my back and shimmied underneath it a few days ago to check after my mother had randomly stopped by to knock on the door, begging me to talk to her. I pretended I wasn’t there, even though my car was parked right in the driveway.

She didn’t stay long, and I made sure to tell Becca that if anyone came looking for me, to tell them I wasn’t there.