Page 38 of SEAL Ever After

Worry began to niggle at the back of his mind, but it was exactly like Sarah to wander off and get distracted by something. Knowing her, she was probably standing in the hallway talking to some hotel guests or had stopped to snap a few selfies. “Go back and look around the lobby again,” he instructed. “She probably came down and just didn’t want me to see her—it’s supposed to be a big surprise and all when I watch her come down the aisle in her wedding gown.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Morgan said, biting her lower lip. “I just thought she’d wait up in the room.”

Ryan nodded, and out of habit, his gaze began to sweep the area. People were everywhere—beachgoers, hotel guests, locals out for an evening walk. But no one was acting like anything was amiss, and certainly a bride wandering around in a wedding dress would draw attention. If she was out here, he’d know it.

His eyes narrowed as he saw Sarah’s other bridesmaid Bree rushing toward them. “Something happened,” she said quickly. “I went up to the room again, and it looks like she ordered room service or something. There was a tray there on the dresser and tea spilled all over the floor.”

“Damn it,” Ryan muttered.

“Maybe she got it all over her dress and freaked out,” Morgan said. “But where would she go? Are you sure she’s not in the bathroom or something trying to clean it off?”

“I checked the whole suite again—she’s not there.”

“Did she have her phone with her?” he asked.

“No, I don’t think so,” Morgan said, shaking her head. “There’s nowhere to put it in her wedding dress.”

Ryan pulled his phone from his pocket and called Sarah’s number. “I’ll try calling her anyway,” he murmured in a low voice to the women as the phone began to ring. It rang several times but then went to voicemail.

“No answer,” he said as he ended the call, typing a quick text to her instead.

Morgan looked around again. “I don’t think she’s down here. Not if she spilled something all over her wedding dress. Plus, she knew we were coming right back. Wouldn’t she wait for us if something like that happened?”

“I agree. I don’t know where she’d go,” Bree said.

“I’ll tell them that we’ll be a few minutes,” Ryan said. “Everyone’s sitting down and probably wondering what’s going on.” He quickly texted Patrick.

We can’t find Sarah.

Patrick looked at his phone, said something to the officiant, and then began walking toward them at a clipped pace, his jaw clenched. Some of the guests turned to look back at them and began talking amongst themselves.

Ryan eyed them for a moment and then returned his attention to the women.

“We should go up to the room and check again,” Morgan said. “Maybe she came back.”

“Sarah’s gone?” Patrick asked, his voice gruff as he came to a stop beside them.

“We left her up in the room, and when we came back a few minutes later, she wasn’t there,” Bree explained. “It looks like she spilled tea all over the carpet.”

“Something’s not right,” Patrick said. “She’s been here all day getting ready. She wouldn’t just disappear minutes before her wedding ceremony.”

“She wouldn’t,” Ryan agreed. “Morgan and Bree left her in the room earlier and can’t find her anywhere though. Let’s all go upstairs and look around.”

“But then you’ll see her dress!” Morgan said, grabbing his arm to stop him.

“Isn’t she wearing it? If something’s wrong, I’m going to find her. I need to make sure she’s okay. Damn it all to hell,” he muttered. He hurried into the lobby of the hotel, Patrick, Morgan, and Bree hot on his heels. “We’ll check the room and lobby again. If she’s not in either of those places, we’ll have everyone start searching the hotel.”

The elevator dinged as it reached the lobby, and the four of them hurried on.

“What’d you tell the officiant?” Ryan asked, punching in the number and glancing toward Patrick.

“Just that there was a minor problem and I’d be right back. Let’s hope like hell it’s nothing and she just got stuck in an elevator or something.”

“That’s not nothing,” Bree said. “It sounds like a nightmare.”

Ryan nodded, his jaw ticking. Something wasn’t adding up. “Did Sarah order room service when you were both up there? Why would she wait until minutes before the ceremony?”

“No,” Morgan said, shaking her head. The elevator finally dinged for the fourteenth floor, and they rushed off. “I didn’t hear her order it. We were all dressed and ready to come down. Bree and I just came first to check and make sure you were outside.”

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