Page 35 of Wild About You
He hands me the phone and I scroll until I see the photo Everly had shown me of him and his ex. The record store. It’s a long shot, but it’s something. “I might know one place to check.”
Tyler’s eyes light up with something like hope.
“The record store where he works, Empire.”
Tyler takes off toward his car. I follow.
“Do you want me to try somewhere else?” Ash asks. “We could split up.”
Tyler shakes his head as he throws open the driver’s side door. “No, stay here in case she comes back. I’ll call you if we find her.”
Seated in the passenger seat, I buckle up as Tyler peels out of the driveway. He shifts and it draws my attention to the car.
“You bought it.”
He gives me a quick glance as I run my hand along the dash next to the cobra logo. For just a second, he flashes a playful smile. “Second thing I bought when I signed my contract.”
“What was the first?”
His grin falls.
“Well, it’s beautiful.” It’s an unexpected thrill to know he did this for himself. Tyler didn’t come from a family that had a lot of money, and never really wanted for a lot of things, but owning a ‘67 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 was a dream he talked about like other people talking about going to the moon. Sure, it’d be awesome, but what were the chances of it happening?
“She wasn’t when I bought her. Restored just about every piece.”
“You did it yourself?”
“No. I wish.”
The atmosphere shifts back to tense when he takes a turn, and the record store comes into view.
“There,” I say. The streets are dark and quiet. Most of the businesses are closed this late. Even the bar a block away has closed up for the night.
Tyler lets the car idle in front of the store.
“The sign says it closed at ten,” I say.
“That’s River’s car there.” He points to an old Mazda in a metered spot. “I’m just gonna check the door. If she’s not here, I don’t know where else to look.”
He looks so desperate and hopeless. I rest a hand on his arm. My throat tightens. It’s hard to believe that after all this time a simple touch could still make me feel so many things. But now is not the time to get caught up in the past. “We’ll find her.”
His dark head nods and then he leaves me alone in the car while he runs to the front door and pulls. It opens and he disappears inside.
Seconds turn into minutes and I’m so close to getting out and going in when he finally comes out with his arm around Everly’s shoulders.
“Oh no,” I say quietly, and get out to help him.
“I can walk,” she says, but then stumbles as she tries to pull away from us.
“I only had two beers. Or maybe it was four. I’m not very good at drunk math.” Her glazed stare lands on me. “I don’t think I can go to school today, Ms. Vaughn.”
“No, I don’t think you can either,” I say. “Good thing it’s the weekend.”
“You’re eighteen, Ev,” Tyler says through clenched teeth.
“Oh, please, you drank when you were my age. I know you did.”
“You were supposed to be home hours ago. And why is your phone off?”
