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“I’m Bennett… Bennett Crawford.”
Something about the name rang familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was.
“I’m a friend of Aiden’s.”
I stiffened at that and then it hit me where I’d heard that name before. “Crawford. You’re Lucky’s father.”
A small smile appeared fleetingly on the man’s lips before it disappeared. “I am. Lucky told me you worked here.” Bennett looked around the quiet shop. “Do you have a break coming up, by chance?”
I didn’t, but when I glanced at Emily, she gave me a quick nod.
“I have a few minutes now,” I said as nerves rolled through me. Was he here to chew me out for what I’d said to Aiden? “Did you want a drink?” I asked awkwardly as I reached for the strings of my apron.
“No, thank you,” Bennett said, his voice stiff. I went around the counter and followed him to a table in the corner by the window. It was a sunny day so the spot was warm, but all I felt was cold. Bennett was quiet for so long that I began to panic. What if he hadn’t come here to yell at me on Aiden’s behalf at all? What if he was trying to find some way to break bad news to me?
“Is he okay?” I asked, my throat feeling dry and tight.
“No, he’s not,” Bennett admitted.
“What happened?” I managed to get out, though inside I was feverishly praying to the god I no longer believed in to please let Aiden be okay.
“You happened, Ash,” Bennett said softly.
“What?” I asked, taken aback.
“That’s as much as I can figure,” Bennett murmured. “He met you and he was happy and nervous and insecure and excited and…” The other man’s voice trailed off as he shook his head and looked out the window. “He was so fucking… real,” he said softly.
The awe in Bennett’s voice kept me silent. I’d seen all the things Bennett had talked about, but why was he acting like those things were unusual for Aiden?
“He’s scaring me, Ash,” Bennett suddenly said before his eyes slid back to mine. “He’s scaring the ever-loving shit out of me.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. A tremor went through my body, and the need to find Aiden was nearly beyond my control.
But Bennett didn’t answer me. He just shook his head and said, “Do you care about him?”
I couldn’t stop the tears that filled my eyes at his question. “I do,” I croaked.
“I don’t know what happened between you two, but he’s my best friend, Ash. He’s my best friend and he doesn’t even see me right now. If I thought this thing between you was just a really bad breakup, I’d back off and let him get through it, but it’s not.” He shook his head again. “Something else is happening and I don’t know how to help him.”
“Where is he?” I asked, not wanting Bennett to continue. I could barely breathe as it was. To know that I’d caused Aiden so much pain…
“I don’t know. His brother said he never showed up for work today and he’s not answering his phone. I stopped by his apartment, but he’s not there, and the doorman said he left this morning at the normal time. I was hoping you might have an idea.”
I fought down the panic that threatened to consume me at the prospect that Aiden was actually missing. I closed my eyes and tried to think of everything he’d said to me throughout the course of our dates. “We took a walk in Central Park,” I murmured. “Maybe there.” But even as I spoke the words, a fleeting memory took hold. “The Botanical Gardens… he wanted to take me there on our next date. Said there was a special place he wanted to show me.”
I didn’t even give Bennett a chance to respond before I was up and out of the chair and heading toward the break room. It didn’t even hit me what I was doing until my eyes connected with a very worried-looking Emily.
Shit, I still had three hours left in my shift.
“Go,” Emily said. “I’ll call Audrey to come in early.”
I sent her a nod because I was too grateful to speak.
Bennett was waiting for me when I returned to the front of the shop. I understood his unspoken demand.
He was coming with me.
It seemed to take forever to get a cab. I was glad when he didn’t try to engage me in further conversation. I cursed the early afternoon traffic as we slowly made our way to the gardens. Once we reached our destination, I told Bennett to let me go while he paid the cabbie.
I barely refrained from cutting in line to get to the entry gate sooner. Once I was through, I began jogging, not even noticing the scenery or my pounding heart. I finally found him sitting in the courtyard outside the Conservatory. The chill in the air meant there were few patrons exploring outside, but if Aiden noticed the cool air, he didn’t react to it. He didn’t react to anything as he stared at the large water garden in front of him.
