Jake helped his father into the house, finding all of the lightsoff. Taking a chance, he jogged upstairs and knocked on her closed door. “Em, are you in there?” When he didn’t receive a response, he rapped again. “We need to talk.”
He waited a few moments before pushing the door open and finding her room empty. His stomach fell, but when he glimpsed her enormous suitcase in the corner and a stack of art supplies stashed around the room, his mood lifted—slightly. She wasn’t at his parents’ house, but she had to be close. Now he just had to find her.
Jake hurried down the stairs and pulled his truck keys from his pocket. Before he hit the front door, his mother called his name.
He spun to face her concerned expression.
Oh no.
He didn’t have time for a heart-to-heart right now. If he told his mom that the wedding was off, she’d have a million questions, and he needed to find his real girlfriend—if he still even had a girlfriend.
“Honey, what’s going on?” she asked.
He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “I need to find Emily.”
“Tell me why you’re upset.”
He held his hands up. “I promise I’ll explain everything soon, but right now I need to find her.” He wrenched open the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Be careful,” she called after him.
Jake sprinted back to his house. And as he climbed into his truck, he knew it was going to be a long night.
Chapter 23
Jake jogged up his parents’ steps the following morning. He’d hoped to find Emily’s Jeep in their driveway, but it wasn’t there. His shoulders sagged with more disappointment.
Throughout the night, he’d searched for Emily while trying to call and text her. He drove past Seth and Andi’s house, but when he didn’t find her Jeep there, he kept going. He checked the park and their favorite restaurants, and he even went to the mini-golf course they loved when they were kids, but Emily was nowhere to be found.
After running out of places to visit, Jake finally retreated to his house after midnight, where he tossed and turned in bed. He’d slept in short spurts, during which he dreamed about finding Emily, explaining everything, and sealing his love for her with a kiss.
Every time he woke, he checked his phone, hoping he’d missed a call or text, but he hadn’t heard a peep from her.
Jake was running out of options. All that was left to do was wait, but his worry was getting the best of him. He feared she’dbeen in an accident and was lying injured in a ditch or under an overpass.
Now your imagination is getting the best of you!
With a sigh, he wrenched open the door and hurried into the kitchen, where his mother was washing dishes. “Have you seen or heard from Emily?” he asked.
“She was here earlier.” Mom swiveled to face him. “I told her that you were worried about her last night.”
His pulse jumped, and he leaned on the back of a kitchen chair. “What’d she say?”
“She said she got in late and she had to run because she had a lot to do today.”
“Like what?”
Mom shrugged. “I don’t know, but I assumed it had to do with the orchard.”
“Was she carrying her suitcase?”
“No, but she had that big bag she always uses for her art supplies.”
Well, that seemed like a good sign. Maybe she was working in the orchard.
“Thanks.” He turned to go.
“Hold on a minute. You’re not leaving until you tell me what’s going on.” Mom tossed the dish towel on the counter and made a beeline toward him. She touched his arm. “Talk to me.”
