Finish What We Started (18 page)

Lee let that slide. He hadn’t done all the hurting the first time around, but now hardly seemed the time to discuss that with his future brother-in-law. Besides, Clay was drunk.

“—but, still, one woman for the rest of your life. You’re a better man than me.” Clay finished up by sloshing his whiskey over the lip of the crystal tumbler.

Clay stumbled and Lee grabbed his shoulder. The man was bigger than Lee, easily six foot four and two forty. He didn’t need him to come crashing down on him. “Steady there, big guy.”

“You’re all right.” Clay told him. “My sister must really love you. I’d have bet odds that she would’ve taken that job.”

In Lee’s opinion, hanging out with drunk people was only fun when he was drunk, too. When he was sober, he often had no idea what his crazy friends were talking about. The shooter rolled a seven on the come out and a raucous cheer rang out from the crowd at the table. Because it was so loud, Lee didn’t bother to ask what the hell Clay was talking about.

Sadly, the man wouldn’t shut up. “I mean, Thailand.” Clay whistled. “How fucking cool would that be? She so deserved the offer, you know?”

Wait, what?

The shooter rolled a seven again and the crowd freaked out. Clay was dancing now with some woman in a flimsy black dress. Lee tapped him on the shoulder.

“What job offer?”

“Huh?”

“What job offer did Candy get?” Clay’s attention was all on the brunette kissing his neck. Lee leaned closer. “Hey, what job offer did Candy get?”

The shooter finally rolled an eleven and the herd of gamblers settled down. It also dampened the excited ardor of the bimbo. Lee pulled Clay’s arm until he turned to face him and focused his blurry gaze.

Lee was feeling nauseated and it wasn’t from the two beers he’d consumed. “Tell me what job Candy was offered.”

Clay shifted from confused to enthusiastic. “Oh man, that old professor of hers offered her a job with his research group, in Thailand of all fucking places. She would have been right on the front line of reproductive research. She could have been the one who single-handedly saved the population of clouded leopards. How fucking cool would that be?”

He couldn’t breathe. “Pretty fucking cool.”

“Right?” Clay punched him in the arm. “And she didn’t take it! Can you believe it? She didn’t take it.” He shook his head in amazement. “What did you do to my sister, man?”

Lee turned away from the table and pushed through the crowd.

“Dude, you left your chips.”

He heard Clay, but ignored him. He fished around in his pocket for his cell and hit Candy’s number. It rang until her voice mail picked up. “Fuck.” He hit redial and cursed again when it went right to voice mail.

Why wouldn’t she talk about this job offer with him? It sounded like a major opportunity and, if her brother had it right, she’d simply declined? He redialed again. Goddamn voice mail.

He went to the bar and ordered a Seven and Seven. It was marginally quieter away from the tables. He stared at the phone display and willed her to see all her missed calls. She hadn’t discussed the job offer with him, and that was a problem, but the bigger issue was that she was going to eventually resent him for that missed opportunity.

He was getting up a good head of steam now.

Damn it.

He hit redial again and plugged his other ear while straining to hear the ringing.

“Hey!” Holy shit, she’d answered. “What’re you wearing?”

“Why didn’t you tell me about the job offer?”

“What?” she yelled into the phone. “I can’t hear you.”

He raised his voice and repeated himself.

“—hear you. What—job—about?”

He turned his face toward the wall, hoping the echo would work in his favor. “I said, why didn’t you talk to me about that job?”

“Hold on.” He could hear her voice talking in the background, then the sounds faded a bit and then the slamming of a door. “I’m in the bathroom now, so I can hear you. Now what?”

“Clay told me about the job offer. Why didn’t you talk to me about it?” His ear was starting to hurt with his index finger jammed in there.

He could practically hear her shrug. “I didn’t take the job.” She said it like that was all there was to discuss.

She was missing the point. “It sounded like everything you wanted. You’ve been so excited about your work this last month, I can’t believe you don’t really, really want to go work for the project full time.” A bunch of his friends surrounded him and made all kinds of gestures, trying to lure him somewhere. He waved them off, trying to concentrate on hearing her.

“But I love the new clinic. If I did the other thing, I couldn’t work there, too.”

“Are you telling me you’d get the same kind of satisfaction treating crazy people’s Yorkies as you would saving an entire breed of cat from extinction? Seriously?”

The door slammed in the background and it got loud again wherever she was. She raised her voice and it didn’t sound like the only reason was because of the partiers in the bathroom with her. “I like my patients, even the crazy ones. This is what I wanted to do, why I went to school in the first place.”

Lee paced. He never could stand still and argue. “I don’t believe this.”

“I don’t think I understand the point of this conversation. I didn’t take the job. What are we really talking about here, Lee?” Now her voice was masked by the hurricane winds of a hand dryer. Damn it.

“I want you to talk to me about this kind of stuff, Candy. You don’t get to make all the decisions this time around.”

Ominous silence.

“Are you drunk?” Her voice was cold and very annoyed.

“No. Are you?”

“No, I am not, but you’re seriously killing my buzz here. I didn’t take the job. I don’t understand how that doesn’t make you happy.”

“Because you didn’t even discuss it with me.” He roared the words and the bartender’s eyes grew huge in response. He turned his back on the bar again. “Pretty soon you’re going to regret that decision or regret something else, and then I’m the one who’s going to get blindsided again.”

“What the hell are you talking about? You understand the job is in Thailand, right? If we took it we’d have to go half way around the world. Are you so prepared to drop everything—your company, your family, your team and friends—and just go to Thailand?”

“That’s a stupid damn question.”

“I thought so, too. That’s why I didn’t even consider the offer, and why I didn’t tell you about it. What was there to discuss?”

Neither of them spoke for a minute. Lee was trying to breathe through all the emotions piling on top of each other. He had no idea what he could ever offer her that would be good enough to keep her from regretting this decision. He wasn’t a scientist or a doctor. He was a construction guy and that was all.

“I don’t like it,” he said.

“You know what I don’t like? Let me tell you. I don’t like that you don’t think I know my own mind. I’m not an idiot, Lee, and I don’t appreciate you assuming that I am.”

“I find it really hard to believe you’re willing to give up all you worked for, all that expensive Goddamned education, to be with me. You’ll regret it.”

“What about my new clinic, huh?”

“Come on, Candy. Your dad would support your decision to go.”

She muttered something unintelligible. “Is this really about Thailand, or is it about you not letting go of the past?”

“You’re the one who runs out on people, Candy. What are you doing with me when you have so many other options that suit you better?” Fuck. This conversation was going off the rails and he couldn’t stop it.

“You’re an asshole.”

“Maybe I am. In fact, I’m sure I am. What kind of an asshole sets himself up for this kind of agony twice?”

The real problem with cell phones was there was absolutely no satisfying way to hang up on someone.

Chapter Eighteen

Candace wasn’t in her bedroom the next morning. Marisol wanted to bring her a latte with hazelnut cream to start her wedding day off right, so she had rapped softly on the door and opened it a crack. She checked the bathroom when the bed was empty, but Candace wasn’t in there either. Her running shoes were missing.

That explained it.

Candace was a jogger, did it every morning, rain or shine. Marisol thought it was a miserable way to expend energy, but Candace said it helped to clear her head.

She’d get breakfast going and when Candace trotted in that would be one less thing for her to worry about. Marisol hadn’t been a maid of honor before, but she was going to do a damn fine job of it.

The truant bride still wasn’t back by the time the frittata and papas were finished. She laid the plates in the oven to keep them warm, then went out the front door, wondering if she could see Candace up the street. Well, it was damn easy to see up the street in either direction since Candace’s Jeep was missing.

Marisol stood in the driveway in her pajama bottoms and T-shirt, turning to the right and then to the left, rotating like an idiot. She reviewed the plan for the day. She and Candace were going to the salon to get their hair and makeup done at nine, then they were meeting Holly and Sarah at the bride’s room at the church at noon. Sarah had picked up the wedding dress from the seamstress after the final fitting and she was going to bring it to the church.

As far as she could tell, they weren’t off schedule yet, but the bride wasn’t here so...Back in the house, she tried Candace’s cell.

“Good morning, soon-to-be Mrs. Bennett. It’s Marisol. Please give me a call ASAP when you get this so I can know what’s up. Hasta.”

The clock on the microwave said it was 8:15. Marisol took her phone with her so she could hear it, then jumped in the shower. She threw on a pair of sweats and a button-down shirt that wouldn’t screw up her hair. Then she tried Candace’s phone again.

“Hey, Mari again. Where are you? Okay, umm, I’m gonna grab your bag and meet you at the salon. Call me when you get this. Umm, okay, bye.”

Like an idiot, she checked that her ringer was on, even though she had no texts, no messages, and no missed calls. Obviously the thing was working fine.

There was no bride at the salon either and no call from her to cancel the appointment. Marisol was not prepared for this, wholly inexperienced as she was in maid of honor duties. She inhaled deeply to make sure she kept breathing and rubbed her forehead to soften the ache that had settled there. Her stomach felt like a bowl of acid. Candace was not the irresponsible type and the whole morning seemed off.

She stood on the sidewalk in front of the salon and dialed the phone again, this time to Candace’s mother.

“Good morning, Mrs. Claesson. It’s Marisol.”

“Good morning, honey.”

“Hi,” she repeated stupidly.
Quit screwing around and get to the point.
“Is Candace with you?”

“No. What time is it? Isn’t she supposed to be with you, getting ready?”

Marisol made herself laugh, trying to make it sound lighthearted and not panicky. “Yeah, we just got our wires crossed. No worries. I’ll see you at the church.”

“All right, honey.”

Should she call the police and hospitals? What if Candace had gotten hurt jogging? No, she was in her Jeep.

Calm down and review what you know.
Candace was missing and not with her mother. Her jogging shoes were gone, as was her vehicle. She hadn’t shown up at the salon for her appointment. She wasn’t returning calls.

What the hell was she supposed to do? She called Candace’s cell phone again.

“You’re freaking me out. Where the hell are you? I need you to call me
now
.”

The next call went to Holly.

“Hi, Mari.” Holly answered on the first ring.

“Is Mark right there with you?”

“Sure. Do you need him?”

“No!” She took a deep breath. “I mean I need you, but I need you alone.”

“Okay, hold on.” Seconds later, Holly came back on the line. “What’s up?”

Her blood pressure. “Have you heard from Candace this morning?”

“No. She’s with you, right?”

Marisol leaned on the fender of her car. “Don’t freak out.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m already freaking out and I need you to be clearheaded.”

“Where are you?” Holly asked, then said she was on her way over.

“Don’t tell Mark where you’re going, okay.”

“Obviously.”

Marisol paced and tried Candace’s cell five more times while she waited for Holly. She also called the zoo and the clinic but there was no answer at either place.

Holly screeched to a halt in the parking lot and hopped out of her cute little car already dressed for the wedding.

“Why aren’t you in your dress?” Holly asked.

“I don’t even know where the damn bride is. My dress is the least of my problems. Oh my God, Holly, I had one job. Get the bride to the church.”

She told Holly everything up to that very moment. Together they decided not to tell anyone else what was going on. While Holly drove around to look for the bride—Marisol was in a full-blown freak-out now and Holly wasn’t going to get in the car while she was driving like a maniac—Marisol made more surreptitious phone calls.

* * *

Sarah rang Lee’s doorbell for the fourth time, but he didn’t answer. There was no movement behind the curtains either.

It was way too early for him to have gone to the church. Disappointed she wouldn’t have a few minutes to talk to him alone, before all the rest of the world got their mitts on him, she went back to her car just as Mark pulled in behind her.

“Hey.” He kissed her cheek. “Where’s Sid?”

“Mom’s taking him. I just came by to say good luck and stuff before he got sucked up into the wedding crowd.”

“I’m checking on him ’cause he’s not answering his cell. I don’t want him to oversleep or anything. He had a few drinks last night.”

Brother and sister nodded knowingly.

“He didn’t answer the bell when I rang.” Sarah pushed the button again just to prove her point.

“Never fear, sister dear.” Mark sang the words like he was some goofy old-time superhero and jangled his key ring. “I have a key.”

“I’ll start the coffee,” she said, and turned toward the kitchen. Five minutes later, Mark walked in. Alone.

He shrugged. “He’s not here and his tux is still hanging by his bedroom door.”

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know. I left him here last night.” He tried Lee’s cell. “Hey, man. Happy wedding day. Sarah and I are here to take you to breakfast. Where are you?”

Sarah cocked her head and listened, then went to open the back door. “Oliver,” she called. “Here, puppy.” No gangly puppy charged the door to knock her down. “The dog is gone, too. Maybe he’s just out walking him.”

But when they checked the garage, the truck was gone.

“Well, it’s ten o’clock. Shouldn’t he be getting back here for a shower and stuff?”

“Yeah, I guess so. I don’t know what guys do before a wedding. What did you do before yours?”

“We went to breakfast. Then I took a shower and got dressed.” There was a definite undertone of
duh
in his voice. “Let’s call Marisol.”

Sarah grabbed his arm before he could dial. “For God’s sake don’t tell her we can’t find him.”

“Seriously?” He rolled his eyes. “Hey, Mari. How are things going over there?”

“Umm, okay. What are you guys up to?”

“Nothing.”

Mark and Marisol let the silence stretch while each of them tried to figure out how to ask the question of the hour.

“Okay, then. We’ll see you at the church in what? An hour?” Mark hung up and looked to his sister. “So what’s your brilliant plan?”

“He has to be around somewhere,” she told him, but she didn’t look as confident as she sounded. “Let’s start calling around, but don’t let anyone know why we’re calling.”

“What the hell are we supposed to say?”

She gave him a blank look. “I have no idea.”

* * *

Mark and Sarah parked their cars next to Marisol’s convertible in the church parking lot. Mark was wearing his tuxedo and had tucked Lee’s into a zippered garment bag in case the groom should manage to wander into the festivities. They left Lee no less than fifteen phone messages in an hour and a half. They had called their mother, the guy who played first base on their team who was the other groomsman, the foremen from his work crews, and even Marisol’s boyfriend, Jason, because they didn’t know who else to call.

Mark was clearly only half kidding when he suggested to Sarah that it would really be best if Lee had been arrested, kidnapped or taken hostage by a drug cartel. She’d agreed since she was the one who was going to have to go into that bridal room and tell Candace they didn’t think the groom was coming.

Their last-ditch hope was that he would be at the church.

“All right,” Sarah mumbled. “I’m going in.”

“Hey, maybe we should have a code word,” Mark suggested. “Just in case.”

“In case of what? If we’re lucky, the church is going to catch on fire and your brother being missing will be the least of our troubles.” Sarah hiked up the skirt of her navy blue dress and marched across the grass toward her eminent doom.

She knocked on the door. “It’s Sarah,” she called out.

The door opened a crack and Holly’s face appeared. “Is it just you?”

“Yeah.”

“Hurry and come in.” Holly yanked on her arm. “Sarah’s here.”

Marisol emerged from the bathroom in her bridesmaid dress, somehow managing to look green and pale at the same time. Her phone was to her ear. “...call me back right away. I’m not kidding. The very minute you get this message.”

“Look,” Holly announced to the nearly empty room. “Sarah’s here with the dress.”

Marisol whimpered.

To say that the vibe in the room was very un-matrimonial would have been a serious understatement.

“What’s going on?” Sarah asked them both, looking from Holly to Marisol, and seeing the panic on their faces.

“Okay.” Holly took the dress from her and hung it on a door. “I don’t want you to freak out.”

“Right,” Marisol chimed in. “’Cause I’m doing plenty of that for everyone.”

“Mari, honey,” Holly said with infinite patience. “Why don’t you go get a drink and try to calm down.”

“No, I’m fine.”

Holly pointed to the door. “Go get a bottle of champagne or something. Bring back three glasses.”

Sarah watched with a growing sense of dread. She and Mark should have worked out a code word. “Seriously, what’s going on?”

Holly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Candace is missing.”

“Missing?”

“Yeah.”

With a rush of air-conditioning and the clink of glass, Marisol was back.

“Jeez, that was quick.” Holly relieved her of the glasses while she opened the bottle.

“Yeah, Jason was going into the guy’s room with a couple of bottles, so I relieved him of one.

Sarah imagined that Mark must have told the rest of the guys what was going on and they were planning a nice drunk while they tried to figure out how to tell Candace her groom was AWOL. If the whole scene wasn’t such a disaster, it would be funny.

“So when you say
missing
—” Sarah downed the liquid in her glass, “—what exactly do you mean?”

Marisol explained the whole morning in a rapid rush of English and a few choice words in Spanish.

Sarah held up her hand when the other women started to apologize. “You’re not going to freaking believe this, but Mark and I can’t find Lee either.” It was her turn to give the play-by-play.

“Do you think they’re together?” Holly blurted out exactly what Sarah was thinking.

A knock on the door signaled the entry of Candace’s parents and largest brothers. Her dad looked livid.

“You know that bastard isn’t coming,” Candy’s father roared.

Mark held up his hand. “Now we don’t know that, sir. All we know for sure is that we don’t know where he is.”

Daddy whirled around on Sarah’s middle brother. “You shut up.”

“Hey now.” All five feet of Holly stepped between her husband and the irate father.

Candace’s mother was already in tears. “Where is my baby? Someone calm should tell her what’s happening.”

Sarah had no idea who that calm person would be exactly because no one there was anywhere near calm. She couldn’t remember how many brothers Candy had, but there were a lot of them, all huge and blond and angry. Mark and Jason and some other guy stood next to each other, prepared to square off against the Viking horde. Marisol was going to vomit at any minute. Mrs. Claesson was shredding tissues and weeping. Her own mother simply looked shell-shocked. Behind the crowd of tuxedoed legs, Sidney looked pissed.

Sarah let out a piercing whistle and all the yelling ceased.

“Look,” she said, palms up. “We all need to calm down. Lee isn’t here, but Candace isn’t either and we have no idea where they are. Marisol and I have been everywhere, called everyone.”

“En todes partes,”
Marisol said. Mrs. Claesson handed her a tissue.

Mark whipped around to face Sarah. “Do you think they’re together?”

“I don’t know,” she answered truthfully.

The musical ringtone stylings of the James Bond theme song filled the room. All eyes turned to Mark, who stared at his phone. “It’s him.”

“Answer it,” everyone shouted.

“Hey, dude.” Mark turned his back on the crowd. “Where the hell are you?”

* * *

Lee wished he was drunk now. “I’m at the lake.”

“Uh, hold on.” Mark tried to muffle his voice, but Lee could hear him saying he’d be right back.

Lee could imagine the scene. God, he was such a coward.

Mark’s voice was filled with concern. “First, are you guys okay?”

“I doubt it.” After the fight with Candy, he’d found Mark and, without letting on how angry he was, convinced his brother to take him home early so he could get plenty of rest before his big day.

Sleep had been out of the question.

It didn’t matter to him that she hadn’t taken the job. She’d talked nearly nonstop about how excited she was about working with the research team and making a difference on a grand scale again. Deep in his soul, in that part that still crouched in fear, he knew she’d leave him again. This time it would be for Thailand and the lure of international research instead of Scotland and a veterinary degree.