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I walked them to the door, gave my thanks, and turned around to continue the conversation with my mother, but I didn’t see her. I glanced out the window and saw her car pulling out of the building’s parking lot. Rather than call to see where she was going, I raced out to my car, intending to follow her. However, when I got to the main intersection, I couldn’t see her car to tell in which direction she’d gone.
“Dammit,” I muttered at the same time my cell phone rang with a call from Noah. “Hi,” I snapped more than answered.
“Hi. Everything okay?”
“Yeah. My mom is acting strangely again. And before you say it, I know this is hard on her, and I know she’s tired, but she’s making everything more difficult.” I realized the tone of my voice reflected my anger at her, not Noah. “Sorry. Once Press and Beau left, she took off in her car. I tried to follow, but she lost me.”
“Any idea where she might have gone?” he asked.
“None whatsoever.”
“Would you like help looking for her?”
“I’m not going to look. In fact, I’m thinking about asking her if she wants me to continue staying at the house with her. I get the feeling she might not.”
“You’re safe. She can lash out at you and you’ll still love her.”
“She’s not a child. As much as she’s behaving like one.”
“What do you need, Seraphina? What can I help you with?”
Noah’s words disarmed me. “A giant hug to start with, then my sister found,” I admitted.
“Number one, I can take care of right away. Number two, I’m working on.”
“I know you are, and believe me, I’m not complaining. I appreciate everything you and the other guys are doing.”
“Where are you now?” he asked.
“Headed to my apartment.”
“Want some company?”
“Without it, there’s no hug.”
“On my way.”
I ended the call and looked in the rearview mirror. Two minutes ago, I was furious. Now, I was smiling, thanks to Noah Ridge. The man whose father my mother believed had stolen from our family.
“To hell with it,” I said out loud, deciding I couldn’t keep playing the things she’d said over in my head.
When I pulled up to my apartment complex, Noah was already there. “Wow, that was quick,” I said through my open car window.
“I was already in the neighborhood.”
“Ah. Stalking me now, eh?” The look on Noah’s face made me wish I hadn’t said it. “I’m joking.”
“I know.” He walked over when I parked and got out. “Come here.”
He held his arms out as he approached me, and I fell into them.
“What if she’s…”
“Don’t go there, Sera. We’re going to find her.”
“How can you be so certain?” It wasn’t the first time I’d asked the question.
“Gut instinct.”
