Masquerade

8

He stands in the hall, his eyes darting back and forth between mine and Gale's. He'd obviously expected me to be alone. "Mind if I come in?"

"Actually yes, I do mind," I answer, not even trying to hide the heat of my irritation. "What are you doing here, Spencer?"

He drops his gaze to the dress shoes he's wearing and lets out a soft breath. "I was hoping we could talk."

I look over at Gale, who is now looking at him as if she's about to take him out for me if he so much as sneezes. One corner of my mouth twitches at that. I like her already. "Would"you excuse me for just a minute, Gale?"

"Of course. But if you need me ..."

I nod my thanks before I step out and close the door behind myself. Spencer takes a few steps back, as if my irritation is a force field that pushes him away. And I guess maybe in a way it is. Good, I think to myself. I don't want him any closer to me than this. And if I had my way, he would be a hell of a lot further than he is right now.

"Okay, Spencer, talk. You've got five minutes, which is about six more than you deserve."

"That doesn't make any sense--"

I cock a brow and take a step back toward my door. It shuts his comment down. He clears his throat before he continues. "I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"It's a bit late for that, don't you think?"

"I don't want it to be.

I let out a harsh laugh and shake my head. I can't believe this is happening. It wasn't that long ago when he was standing by his car and looking at me ... looking through me. I don't know why he's here, but I really can't believe it's for the reason he's giving me. He takes a tentative step forward and I take one back.

"If you move one more step, I swear to God you won't get another chance to tell me whatever in the hell is going on in that rotten brain of yours." He winces and I'm glad to see it. "You have three minutes left."

"I miss you, Willow. I want to try again."

His words make my heart stop. My mind spins with them and my stomach twists painfully, as if the knife he'd stabbed in my heart had suddenly been wrenched out at stuck there instead. "You-you can't just ..."

My eyes sting and I can't string enough words together to form a full sentence. Confusion swirls with my anger, waltzing crazily through my mind amidst the chaotic music of his words. Cloyingly discordant, they take both my breath and my ability to think clearly.

"Willow?"

I look from Spencer to the man coming through the doorway and into the apartment complex. He's wearing a confused smile. It disappears when my eyes meet his and he realizes all's not well in my Utopia. He pulls himself up straighter as he looks from me to Spencer and I know things might be about to go from bad to worse.

"I think you need to go now," I manage to choke out, turning to look back at Spencer.

"What's he doing here?" he asks, looking from Nick and back to me. There is a spark of anger in his eyes.

"How should I know? Why don't you ask him yourself?"

"I'm asking you."

Nick moves to stand beside me, towering over me like some kind of knight hellbent on protecting me from what he's obviously perceived as a threat. "I work here. What's your excuse?"

"I came to talk to my wife, not that it's any business of yours."

"Okay, I've had enough," I interrupt them. "Spencer, you need to go. I don't want you here."