Page 80 of Pretty Wild

I shrug, reaching for my crossbody bag where my phone is. “It’s on silent, like always.”

“Ryan!” she whisper-yells. “We have a big problem.”

“What? Is it Hallie? Blair? One of the babies?—”

“No, Ryan, it’s you! They found out you’re here,” she practically cries out.

Her words hit me with the force of a sledgehammer to the chest. “What?” I ask through a gasp.

“I’m so sorry, honey. All those people? They’re looking for you.”

My head starts to spin. “I don’t…how?” I fall into the chair she has positioned in front of her desk along the wall, my bags drop to the floor.

She leans against the desk. “You posted a picture on Sunday morning,” she says, as if that’s enough explanation.

“I made sure there were no identifying landmarks in the picture, Jillian,” I insist, recalling how I scanned that picture several times before hitting publish.

“Umm,” she says, nibbling on her bottom lip. “You had the location setting on.”

Realization hits me hard. “Oh God,” I whisper.

“Yeah. It posted that you were at Bluff Preserves National Park.”

“No,” I cry out, tears filling my eyes.

“I’m so sorry, honey,” she says in a soothing voice.

A knock sounds at the door, and it’s quickly followed by a familiar voice. “Jillian? It’s Hallie!”

Jillian runs over to the door and rips it open, pulling Hallie inside the small room. “Did you tell her?” Hallie asks, her wild eyes frantic.

Jillian nods as Hallie walks over and drops to her knees in front of me. “Are you okay?”

“I just…I can’t believe it. I really left the location setting on?”

Hallie nods. “I guess they started pouring into town late yesterday. I heard they’re flooding in, without having a place to stay. Every cabin, camping spot, hotel room, Airbnb, everything…they’re all rented, not that there was a lot available during the busy season.”

I feel a tear slide down my cheek. “Why are they here?” Even though I ask the question, I already know the answer. They’re here because I brought them. If I hadn’t left my location setting on, if I wouldn’t have posted on social media, this wouldn’t have happened.

“Don’t do that,” Hallie insists.

“Do what?”

“Blame yourself for this,” she replies.

I snort and shake my head. “Well, who’s fault is it? If I wouldn’t have posted, no one would know where I am. They wouldn’t be pouring into this quiet little town, searching for me like vultures over roadkill.”

Jillian giggles. “That’s kinda gross. You’ve been hanging around Marcus too long,” she teases with a wink to lighten the mood.

“You know as well as I do, anyone could have recognized you at any point. You’re not exactly wearing a master disguise here, Ryan. Sure, the lack of makeup, ball cap, and regular clothes is helping, but I took one look at you and knew instantly who you were. It was only a matter of time before others started.”

“Ummm, I think some of the regulars know,” Jillian says with a shrug.

“They do?” I ask, still trying to wrap my head around everything.

She nods. “I’ve heard a few groups talking over the last handful of days. But no one was wondering who they should call or anything. They were keeping it to themselves, Ryan.”

“Why?” I ask, completely dumbfounded. In Los Angeles, someone would have made a call before they even finished their coffee or pastry. There’s nothing people like more than gossiping and being the keeper of the information.

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