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Someone needs to get to her as soon as possible, though.
“I can go.”
“No, Willa.”
“I can fly out tomorrow, check in with Callie, maybe your mom. I’ll stay there until you can get there.”
“No,” he starts to say again.
“It’s the best option, really. I’ll be there if anything happens. It’s only a few days.”
“Willa, I don’t want you anywhere near my father.”
“I appreciate that, but the odds of him doing anything to me are very low. So, I’ll go until you can get there. You can’t talk me out of it.”
His hard stare narrows, then softens after a moment.
“I love how much you care,” he says. I try not to be affected by that particular four-letter word. “But I don’t love this idea.”
“You don’t have to love it to see that it’s the best move. It’s the only one that doesn’t impact your career.”
“Damian can go.”
“Are you saying it’s a man’s job? That better not be what you’re implying, Fane.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” he says, a smirk blooming on his mouth.
“Good. Then it’s settled.” I pull my phone out of my pocket and click on the airline app I like most. It only takes a minute then to find a seat on an early morning flight. “I can fly out at seven in the morning.”
I’ll miss a couple of classes, but I can email my professor and login to most lectures online. The assignment I have due can be done on the plane and turned in once I get to a hotel.
“To Duluth,” he asks, and I nod. “Promise me you’ll keep yourself as safe as you keep my sister?”
“Of course, Zander. I’m not going to do anything stupid. Just be a presence, is all. Besides, I’m family of hockey royalty, who’s going to fuck with Coach Cole’s daughter and Wylder’s sister-in-law?” Cillian is as famous as it gets in the NHL, my dad isn’t long behind him, and I’m going to the hockey heartland. I’m not worried.
“Shit, that’s true. If you name drop, the whole town will pull out the red carpet for you,” he smiles, and I’m relieved to see it. He’s been so tense since Callie called. Not that I blame him.
“Where should I book a room?”
“I have one at the lodge, I’ll call and extend it and add your name. You’ll need a rental car, it’s about two hours from the airport and the lodge isn’t downtown.”
“No problem,” I say. “Try calling your mom again, I’m going to go pack a bag.”
“Then come back here?”
“I can do that, big guy.” I run my hand down his arm and give him a reassuring smile before I leave. It doesn’t take long to pack a carry-on and my laptop. Then I send a message in our family group text, letting them know where I’m headed. Dad gives me similar warnings as Zander did. Be safe, drive carefully, etcetera. He has a friend in Eveleth, Minnesota, who I’m supposed to call if I run into any trouble. I’m not sure what everyone thinks could happen, but I shrug it off as just their protective sides coming out. I won’t complain that I have people who care about me.
By the time I get back down to Zan’s apartment, he’s wiped out. Lounging on the couch, his fingers furiously texting on his phone with his eyelids only half open.
“Hey,” he says, sleepily. “I’m letting Damian know the plan. My mother finally answered. She cried when I wouldn’t tell her where Callie is.”
“I’m sorry,” I tell him, leaning over the back of the couch to wrap his arms around his shoulders. His hair is growing out, the waves soft against my cheek. “Let’s get you to bed. We have some long days ahead.”
Both of us strip down to nothing, but neither of us are in the mood for anything other than comfort and sleep. What started out as a perfect date night ended in far too much stress. After climbing under the covers, Zan pulls my back to his chest and cocoons me.
“Thank you, Willa,” he says softly. “You’re like a soothing balm all my frayed nerves. I don’t know how you instinctively know what I need and when I need it. But you do, and I couldn’t have gotten through tonight very well without you.”
Ah. Be still my beating heart. If he keeps saying sweet shit like that to me, I’m never letting him go. Who am I kidding? I can’t see ever letting either of them go. His words remind me of what Damian said about him, how he warms his heart. Funny how they are each so soft-hearted. You’d never expect it to look at them. Not with Damian’s dark, tattooed looks and Zan’s hockey build that always comes with a few bruises.
