She narrowed her eyes. “No one else knew. You ruined my reputation, Jackson. After telling me how much you loved me, you destroyed me. I left Renegade the first chance I got, and I only came back because Gus was sick.”
He remembered the feisty old lady. Queasiness hit him. Had someone overheard their conversation that morning behind the bleachers?
“Mia, I promise. I had nothing to do with the rumors.”
Tears flooded her eyes. For a moment, the vulnerability, the hurt, broke through.
Then her icy mask was back. “You and my friends meant the world to me. And you took it all away.”
“Your parents?—”
“My parents treated me like a leper. I had no one.”
His heart pounded in his ears. Even though he hadn’t spread the rumors, someone had found out. He had gotten her pregnant, convinced her to take that step. A step he’d known was supposed to be for marriage only.
“I’m sorry. For what it’s worth, I never wanted to hurt you.” The words sounded hollow.
She wrapped her arms around her waist and sighed. “Forget it. It was over ten years ago. I’ve moved on.”
But clearly she hadn’t. There was no ring on her finger. No pictures of family or friends decorated her desk, unlike the other desk in the room, which had pictures sitting on it and tacked on the board behind it.
Mia’s area looked empty and forlorn in comparison.
He couldn’t go there. He lifted his chin.
He had a mission. Dylan needed him. He knew what it was like to have no one on your side. “Look. I know you want me gone. I don’t want to be here either. But my brother is missing. I know I let you down in the past, but I’m not that person anymore. I won’t abandon him.”
Mia stared at him, measuring him. “Dylan’s one of my favorite students. He works so hard, and he’s never given me any attitude. I heard he’s on a camping trip. With Reggie?”
“That’s what Reggie told his mom. I don’t know if I believe that. Reggie might not check in with his mom, but Dylan always checks in. And his phone has been turned off for two days.”
“He might not have electricity. Or internet.”
“He’d find a way. I’m sure of it.” And he was. “After our grandfather died, Dylan worried about being alone. He’d never make me worry, no matter how disappointed he was.”
Her eyebrows rose.
Oh. She didn’t know. “I was denied custody by the judge.”
“That’s awful.” For the first time, anger for him and not against him lit her eyes. “Are you going to appeal?”
“Absolutely.”
“Look, I don’t know anything. But if I hear anything, I’ll let you know. I want Dylan found too.” She chewed her lower lip for an instant. “What’s your phone number?”
He recited his number.
She checked her phone. “Here it is. I’ll add you to my contacts so I know it’s you.”
Jackson nodded and left. He couldn’t ask for more, and standing around here was wasting precious time.
Funny. He’d always expected Mia to end up as a CEO or some kind of socialite. She had the looks and the intelligence to do whatever she wanted. So why was she back here, working in the poorest high school in the district as a learning support teacher, instead of in one of the more affluent parts of town?
He didn’t remember her being so cold though. Determined, yes. Even an overachiever. But the woman he’d seen today had been frosty, icicles dripping from her words. He probably should have expected it. They hadn’t parted well.
These were questions he couldn’t answer, and he had no time to do a deep dive into the complex personality of Mia Turner. He had a brother to find.
Despite everyone’s assertion that Dylan would come home when he was ready, every instinct he possessed shouted that the two boys were in trouble so deep they couldn’t dig themselves out. He needed to find them.
