Truce or Dare (Sweet Fortuity Book 1) (18 page)

“We’re going with her,” Sierra declared bluntly.

I cleared my throat. “Umm…”

“There’s four of us,” Kate added, ignoring me.

“If this is a problem, bring Wes,” suggested Haley.

All eyes turned to her.

Sierra’s eyes widened. “Ohh! Great idea.”

Oh God. It was not a great idea. Because Wes and Chase were tight, and there was no way he was keeping this from him if he thought we were in trouble.

And if Chase thought we were in trouble, then he would make sure this wouldn’t happen.

I let out a deep breath.“I’m right here. By the way, I think you all are insane. Eva, I know you love your brother, but if you’re concerned about him, I think you should go to the police.”

Eva looked weary. “I have to see him. I have to know he’s okay.”

“If we think we’re going to get in serious trouble, we stop, okay?” Haley said softly. “We can know he’s okay without having to put ourselves in danger.”

She nodded, wiping away a tear that dropped down.

Sierra cleared her throat and said, “So what’s the plan?”

* * *

W
e decided to split
. Sierra and Kate were off to check one of Alan’s friends who he was last seen with. Kate wanted to call Wes, but I managed to stop her. We all agreed we wouldn’t call him unless it was absolutely necessary.

On the other hand, me, Eva, and Haley were going to Serendipitous. She showed us a Facebook picture, so we could memorize it in our heads. Considering what happened last time, we decided it was prudent for Sierra not to come back so soon. Fingers crossed Tory didn’t think we were going to cause trouble.

“I asked around the other day,” Eva started as Haley drove, “and today was when his–” she looked like she was finding the right word – “
friend
was scheduled to work at Serendipitous. She might’ve known something about him before he left… I was going to go alone.”

We didn’t even make it five steps to Serendipitous when Tory was there, a scowl firmly in place. His arms folded across his chest. He was scowling at us, arms folded across his chest.

“What are you doing here?” he asked. There was no mistaking the suspicion in his voice.

“Tory, not looking for trouble. We were only looking for Cam,” Eva said, flashing him a broad smile.

“She called in sick,” he said, his expression grim.

Eva’s smile didn’t falter one bit.

“Oh. Is that right? Would you happen to know where she’d go if she had a day off?” Her voice was saccharine sweet.

“How the fuck should I know?” his eyes narrowed, and his scowl only deepened.

Crap.

Hurriedly, I slid out the paperback from my bag. I cleared my throat, until his eyes were on me.

“That what I think it is?” he said, his voice a little curious, but it softened a little.

Please work, please work, please work
.

“Signed it. For your wife,” I said rather hesitantly. I smiled, hoping he didn’t think of it as a bribe.

He scratched his head. “She’ll be pleased.” Then he looked at us, our faces waiting expectantly, and he finally let out a sigh. “Dunno about Cam. But that kinda girl probably parties all the time.”

“Thanks!” Eva replied animatedly. “You’ve been a great help.”

“Yeah, yeah. Be great if you can try to not scare people next time.”

Aw. The big, scary guy was a teddy bear.

W
e rushed into a swanky nightclub
. Kate and Sierra were going to meet us there, and it turned out they didn’t need to call Wes. Since they called and told us that the guy told them he had no clue where Alan was, but that the last time they met, he did seem unusually alert and jumpy. When he’d asked Alan, he wouldn’t tell him what was wrong.

Now our hope rode on Cam.

* * *

W
e were waiting on Eva
, who apparently found someone who was close to Cam and could tell us where she was.

I was scrolling through my phone. My last message was from Chase, saying to call him if I needed anything.

Since I was bored out of my mind waiting for Eva, and maybe just slightly tipsy from my first drink, I decided calling Chase would be a wonderful idea. Seeing him was a need after all, wasn’t it? It sure felt like it.

“Sherr,” he said softly, and the way he said my name, like it was made just for him, washed over me. See? Great idea. “On the way home. Something wrong?”

“Just wanted to say hi,” I found myself saying. I missed him. I missed his voice. I especially missed his smile.

“Are you drunk?”

Oops. Did I say that loud?

“No,” I denied. I was just a little tipsy, but he didn’t really need to know that.

He paused, as if trying to decide the validity of my response.

“Where are you?”

“Umm– I don’t remember. Haley drove us here.”

“Can you pass the phone to her?”

I twisted my neck and looked over, making sure Haley was still where I last saw her. She wanted something to drink, since Eva was taking too long.

“Hales! Chase doesn’t want to talk to me!” I yelled to her over the music.

Haley stifled a laugh and grabbed my phone.

* * *

E
va finally emerged
from the throng of dancing bodies, and made her way up to us.

Kate and Sierra were at her heels. It looked like they came back from the guy's place.

"Did you find her?" I asked.

"Nope," she replied, looking a little defeated. "But she's in the VIP section. Maybe we should just go home. "

Sierra didn't miss a beat. "Pshh. We got this," Sierra told her, waving a hand dismissively. She walked up to the VIP dude, with his suit and shades, and whispered something in his ear. I watched as what she said sank in, and his expression paled. His eyes darted left and right, before he stepped away, telling us to hurry.

She gestured to us to come over with a hand, and we followed.

"Do you know him?" I whispered in her ear.

She lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. "An old acquaintance. Just happened to know one of his secrets."

We found Cam in a corner, sipping a martini, sitting on a guy's lap. They spoke in low, hushed tones, before she slid off and walked to the bar.

"Cam?"

Her dark, surprised gaze flew to us. "Hi. Do I know you?"

She was pretty, in a sort of understated way.

It was her eyes that pulled you in, because they were large and soulful, her soft caramel brown hair framing her face.

"Hi. My name is Eva. Eva Denvers," she said, carefully watching for a sign that it rang any bells. "You know my brother, Alan?"

A spark of recognition crossed her expression. "Al? Yes, of course, I know him. You're his sister?"

Her face brightened, and the way she spoke his name was tinged with a sort of affection.

I briefly wondered if they might’ve had a different relationship than we’d assumed.

"Yeah. Do you know where he'd be?"

"No," she said, a frown in her face. Concern was now apparent in her eyes. "He usually calls me at lunch time, but since yesterday, there was nothing. Is there something wrong? Is he okay?"

That wasn't good. If he didn't call her, then he might've been in trouble.

"No, nothing wrong. We just had a bit of a fight the other day. I want to go see him, but he hasn't been talking to me either."

"Hmm. Him and Doug were tight. Maybe he crashed over at his place."

"Doug?" Eva gasped.

Oh crap. Doug was notoriously known for being involved in some drunken brawls and had a few arrests. What the heck kind of business did Alan get himself into?

"Thanks. If he ever calls you, let me know, please. I just want to get through to him," Eva told her, her voice thick with emotion.

Cam nodded once and closed her hand over hers sympathetically. "I'll let you know."

* * *

D
one for today
, we were heading to the exit. I’d been the first to leave, so I was ahead of everyone. We were discussing about Doug, and not really looking where I was going, I crashed into something hard. Strong, hard arms went around me.

I looked up only to see Chase in front of me, concern in his deep blue eyes.

“Chase? What are you doing here?” I gasped, pleasantly surprised.

“You called me.” His response was short and clipped, and it made me frown.

I did call him, I just never expected him to come. I told him as much. He ignored me.

“You’re aware someone’s after you?” he asked, his voice low, his eyes, glittering.

“Not something I can forget,” I replied, and the memory left me chilled. I rubbed my arms.

His gaze was still on me as he said, “I want you safe. You could’ve at least told me you were leaving.”

It was then that I realized that I didn’t think how it would affect him at all.

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

“Need a ride?” he asked, the hard edge of his tone softening.

“No, it’s okay, I got–” when I twisted my head around, there was no sign of any of them. I walked further and saw that Haley’s car wasn’t where it should’ve been.

“They abandoned me," I muttered disbelievingly, as it sank in.

My knees were a little wobbly as I made my way to his car.

He chuckled, shuffling me in. "Can you do your seatbelt or need me to do it for you?"

I stuck my tongue out and put my seatbelt on, even if a little clumsily. I didn't care how childish it looked, he could shove it.

It was then that I saw a glint of something in the back of the car, of silver against blue, and it looked oddly familiar. "Wait a minute," I called out, wiggling and stretching out my arm to reach the paperback on the backseat. Dumbfounded, I said slowly, "This is my book."

"You sound surprised," he spoke after a while, his eyes on the road. "A handful of us have it. We're proud of you, you know.”

I imagined him sitting outside on a porch, reading something I'd written. Something I personally dealt with in the past few years. I didn't know how or why, but suddenly, my eyes were wet. I looked out the window to hide it, but as the car stopped on a red light, a thumb brushed my tear away.

"Don't cry."

"Not crying," I replied, still not wanting to look at him.

"Hmm.. Then why won't you look at me?" he challenged.

My voice thick from tears, I replied, "I– I can't."

If I did I wouldn't be able to keep the tears silent.

* * *

A
fter we went home
, I headed to the shower, tired. Then I quickly slipped into an oversized t-shirt and put on soft cotton shorts.

I ran to the living room, and plugged my charger into my laptop. Then I went back to the kitchen and heated the grilled chicken, still rather warm to the touch, a good portion still left for me. There were also some fries, generously sprinkled with salt. Mmm.

I was munching on a fry when I heard Chase talking to someone on the phone. I heard footsteps before he entered the kitchen.

“Hey,” he said to me warmly as he covered the mouthpiece. “Having dinner?”

“Still heating the chicken. What’s up?”

“Mom just wants to know how you are,” he told me, holding the phone up.

After a nod, he passed the phone over to me.

“Celine,” I said cheerily.

“You’re back with my son?” she cried, and there was no mistaking that she was thrilled. Chase walked out to the living room.

“Yes. I mean, I think so.”
I think so
?
I slapped my forehead. “We’re just seeing how things go for now,” I amended.

“I’m so happy for you both. It was hard when you left. We missed you. Gem did also. How are you?”

“I’m doing good, thanks. There hasn’t been any news since the– the incident. I just hope it all goes away. I don’t want to overstay my welcome, ” I told her, trying not to think of what had happened.

“Don’t worry about it, sweetheart, Chase will keep you safe. Maybe we’ll even finally see that wedding soon,” she teased. “Maybe have grandchildren by the end of next year.”

“
Wedding
?” I must’ve paled, because honest to God, I couldn’t find a thing to say.
Grandchildren
?

The phone was suddenly yanked from my hand.

“Mom,” Chase said firmly, but still rather affectionately, “Sherr’s gonna go have dinner. I’ll see you soon.”

“Sorry,” he muttered as he placed his phone on the counter. “Didn’t know she was going to mention anything about weddings.”

“And grandchildren,” I squeaked out.

“Fuck.”

I took my plate out of the microwave. “Don’t worry about it.” But
I
was, because I felt myself tremble as I held the plate.

He noticed, because his hands slid over mine. “Forget she said anything?”

“I’ll try,” I managed to reply.

“Whatever she says, or whatever anyone says,” Chase declared, “all that matters is what
we
know about us. What we have. That’s all that counts.”

No one else mattered.

I liked that.

It was so easy to say, but not so much to grasp. But the way he said it, with the steel and determination in his eyes, I hadn’t just felt it– I believed it.