Page 104 of To Bring You Back
This was Lakeshore, Wisconsin, her serene, small-town home. It was supposed to be safe, but a seventeen-year-old had gotten into a bar and a party where someone was only too ready to take advantage. In only a few moments, Adeline had witnessed more drug use than she’d seen in a lifetime. And equally sheltered Olivia had been in the thick of it.
“Gannon fired him.” Tim worked on his phone as if he hadn’t spoken, but she was sure of what she’d heard.
“He did?”
“Matt has been escorted off the premises.”
Adeline rested her head and returned her gaze to the window. The world may have lost some of its innocence, but at least Gannon had taken a stand.
28
On returning to the cabin, Adeline looked out at the patio and walked by Gannon’s room, searching for him, but he hadn’t returned from his hunt for Harper. Were they out talking somewhere? Was Gannon in danger of falling for the actress after all?
She typed him a text on the way up to her bedroom, asking how the search was going. She had no right to jealousy. She’d rejected him. She sent the message anyway, and he replied a minute later.
She’s not at the bars and her rental’s not parked at either of the local hotels. I’m combing the streets.
How can I help?she typed back.
Security’s looking, and we notified the police. Her own people are watching social media and calling hotels farther out. Not much else to do.
Social media was one idea, but gossip sites could post instantaneously, couldn’t they? With the paparazzi presence in town, it wouldn’t be impossible. Adeline settled on her bed with her laptop and took a stab at a search.
The first result soured her stomach.
It’s Complicated: The Status of Gannon Vaughn’s Love Life. Gannon Vaughn’s new love interest is rumored to be Adeline Green, but things aren’t as straightforward as they seem.
She hadn’t enjoyed the condescending tone or the unflattering photographs in the first article she’d read about herself, and whatever this one contained would unsettle her even more. She scrolled to other results. What she didn’t read couldn’t hurt her, and she was supposed to be looking for information on Harper, not some off-the-wall commentary on her own relationship with Gannon.
Her attention floated back to the headline, though. Even she didn’t quite know why she and Gannon were so complicated, why she hadn’t let him kiss her. Why she resented this search for Harper even as she tried to pitch in.
Pursing her lips, she clicked the link.
Friends.
Thanks to the silence in the car, the word echoed in Gannon’s mind. He flipped on the radio to drown it out.
Didn’t work.
“You’re looking for Harper. She’s the concern here.” Stating his mission aloud helped.
Some.
This hunt was technically to save Harper, but it was also to spare hisfriendAdeline another brush with suicide.
However she labeled their relationship, that was vital. For everyone’s sake.
He turned into yet another park along the lake and let the car coast the perimeter of the lot. Small trees reached over an empty bench, and sand extended to the black water. Maybe Harper had checked herself into a hotel like he’d intended and was sleeping peacefully.
Somewhere else, Matt was either doing the same or looking for a high. Tim had reserved a room for him in a nearby city and had sent him off with a man from the security detail who would’ve left him at the hotel by now. He was on his own from here on out. Being fired would be a wake-up call to get clean, the space to fully succumb to his addiction, or another chapter in a slow decline.
God, You’re his only true hope. Save him. He can’t see what he’s doing to himself. Same for Harper. Please show us where she is.
No one lingered in this park.
He pulled back onto the road to check the other public waterfronts.
Tim didn’t need to worry that firing Matt would hamper Awestruck’s future. The move would add complications, but they had enough connections to arrange temporary help until they found a match to add another member back into Awestruck.
