Page 163 of Redemption

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I nod, letting go of his arm and bowing my head.

“Dear Heavenly Father. We come to you today because there’s a boy out there somewhere hurting. He needs you, Lord. He needs the comfort that only you can provide. You take the broken and make them whole. Keep your arms around him, and guide him home,” my dad’s voice cracks and pauses, clearing his throat. “And God, thank you for bringing my daughter back.”

Silent tears fall down my cheeks.

I don’t know where Tanner is, but I finally know the one who holds him.

There’s a soft pressure on my arm as my dad reaches out and squeezes my arm.

“Are you ready?” he asks, voice raw.

“Yes.”

He pats my arm, and then he shoves his door open and steps out.

I take one more deep breath and follow.

The walk up the sidewalk is one of the longest of my life.

But finally, we’re standing at the front door. My heart feels like it’s in my throat as my dad lifts his hand to knock, and when Bella opens the door, I nearly cry.

Confusion pulls her brows together, and I don’t even have to ask—Tanner isn’t here.

Chapter 49

Hayes

Ican’t find him.

Panic is settling into my chest, the fear taking over.

This morning, I was able to shove it down and put on my professional mask, but I’ve been looking all day. And with each place I check, the harder it becomes to shove down the fear.

The sun is slipping down the horizon, turning into night. I’m out of ideas.

Bella hasn’t heard from him, nor has anyone from the team.

Theo has called me a million times asking for an update, and his mom has called me a million times, threatening my job.

It says a lot about the difference between the two. But even without the pressures from his parents, desperation is taking over—slipping into my veins and making me reckless. I don’t think he’s reckless enough to do something stupid, but I never thought Langston was, either.

A knot of tension settles into my chest, and I know it won’t unravel until I find him.

But I don’t know what I’m doing.

I don’t know how to find him.

I don’t even know how to find myself.

I’ve been lost a lot longer than I care to admit.

When I returned to Benton Falls, I thought I had things figured out. I thought I had myself figured out.

But one spin into disaster, and I’m reeling again.

There’s a door right in front of me, one I haven’t stood in front of for a long time.

One I haven’t felt worthy of standing in front of.

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