Page 131 of The One for Me
My eyes meet hers and the tears spill over. “He’s my nephew, well, he is and he’s also my son. I’m not making sense, and it’s complicated, but that boy is my entire world. I need him back.”
“Do you have anyone who can wait with you?”
The only person I want is Sean, but he’s out there now. “No, my boyfriend is out searching for him too. I’m here in case he comes back.”
“Is there anywhere that you think he would be?”
“Sean went to the ballfield, but he called and said Austin wasn’t there. He’s headed to the beach now. We’ve only been in Tampa a few days and we didn’t really go many places. I just . . . he never should’ve left! He knows better! He’s a smart kid, and this is not like him.”
Heather takes my hand in hers. “How about this . . . I’ll stay here with you, we’ll talk, think things out, and Brody will go walk around the area?”
She has no idea how much that means to me. Sitting here, worried and unable to go anywhere to look for him, has been so hard. I just want answers. I want to do something, help in some way, and I can’t.
All that I can do is think of all the worst-case scenarios, and each one leaves me sick to my stomach.
“Thank you.”
She squeezes gently. “We’ll do everything in our power.”
She doesn’t make promises she can’t keep, and I hear the underlying concern in her voice.
There’s a chance they won’t find him.
There’s a chance he’s gone.
And that’s what has me terrified.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Sean
Fuck.
Fuck, I have to find him. I run up and down the beach again, hoping to spot him, but nothing. There’s a pit in my stomach that grows deeper each second. I’ve called all the guys that came to the field yesterday and they’re out looking too.
Someone has to have seen him and called the police. I think about going on my social media and making a plea for help, but that would make it worse. God only knows the responses and judgement that would come. If I thought it might help and people would truly behave right, I would, but then I know Devney would be upset.
So, I just stick to the plan and think.
No one has called to say they’ve seen him at the ballfield, but that’s where my gut says he is.
It’s where I would go when shit would get bad.
And if he heard anything, he’d feel lost and know that’s where you’re found.
I release a deep breath and start to make my way back there, not going on anything but a hunch.
The field is huge and there are many places he could hide. I need to keep moving and look.
As I’m jogging there, my phone rings. I swipe without even looking at the number.
“Hello?” I stop running, working hard to regulate my breathing.
“Hey, it’s Zach. I was just calling to see how it’s going with the horse.”
“I can’t talk now, we’re in the middle of a crisis and . . .”
“Oh, what’s going on? Is everything okay?”
