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She was an amazing woman.There was no denying that.I counted my blessings every day that she’d chosen me to fall in love with and that fate had pulled us together again after driving us apart.Our story was one of many twists and turns, but everything was finally coming together just the way it should be.
I left Lexi in the suite to wake Ben up and headed off in search of Keith.It was time to make everything official and start some real work on the Oasis.Especially if we were going to get up and running in time for Christmas.
Outside, the wind whipped the palm trees with a ferocity that was troubling.I’d spent a lot of time in Nevada, and I knew enough to know that a desert storm with wind like this usually brought a lot of trouble with it.Talking to Keith would have to wait.First, the grounds would need to be secured.
Glad I’d grabbed a sweater before leaving the suite, I tugged it over my head and headed for the pool area.Fortunately there weren’t any guests to worry about and most of the lounge chairs around the pool were still stacked next to the snack shacks where they’d been delivered.I gathered up the few cushions that had blown off and tucked them into a storage shed before I headed up the stairs and into the main building.
“It’s crazy out there,” Keith greeted me the moment I walked in.“I’ve been out front, pulling in whatever isn’t tied down.We can’t afford to lose anything right now.”
“I just grabbed the pool cushions,” I said.We walked together down the hall toward the offices, talking about what other areas of concern we had for the storm, and laughing at our good luck that the resort didn’t have guests to worry about so we could use it as a dry run for future storms or emergencies.
“Keith!”We stopped and turned to see Roxanne running across the marble lobby toward us.She wore only a bathrobe, her hair flying behind her.“They’re gone!”
“Who’s gone?”
Keith caught her and held her arms but I could see the way Roxanne shook.She looked to me, searching for what, I didn’t know.Her eyes were wild and unfocused.
“The kids.I went to wake them up and their beds were empty.I can’t find them anywhere.”
Instantly, the hair on the back of my neck stood up and an icy lump formed in my throat, but I waited.
“They’re probably in the kitchen or the restaurant getting—”
“No.”Roxanne’s hair flew in her face with the force of her head shaking.“They’re not there.I’ve looked everywhere.”
Ben.
I reached for my cell phone to call Lexi.There was no doubt that Ben was fast asleep in his bed, enjoying a very rare sleep in, but I needed to be sure.But before I could dial, Lexi’s beautiful face appeared on my screen.An incoming call.The lump in my throat grew and I coughed loudly to clear it before I answered.I knew without a doubt exactly what I was going to hear.“Lexi?”
“Ben’s gone.”
~Lexi~
He was gone.
Gone.
Where could he be?
Irrationally, I pulled all the coverings off his bed as if he’d somehow be hiding between the sheet and the comforter.I flung open the closet for at least the fifth time.
Wherewashe?
When I’d called Leo, he told me not to go anywhere, that he was coming back.I paced the room, looking for something—anything—that would tell me where my son had gone.I knew it was unusual that he was sleeping in.Ben never slept in.But it was also unusual for him to disappear.
And by unusual, it was flat out unheard of.
“Lexi?”
I ran into the living room and into Leo’s arms.“Where is he?”I mumbled into his chest.“What’s going on?”
He untangled himself from me and led me to the couch.“We’ll find him.Evan and Ruby are missing too.They likely went off together and are hiding out during the storm.I’m sure it’s fine.They’re probably in one of the outbuildings.Keith and I are going to go look for them before the storm gets worse.”
“I’m coming.”
“Lexi, I don’t—”
I narrowed my eyes to silence him.He knew enough to know he couldn’t keep me from being part of the search party and he was smart enough not to even try.
