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Callan’s frown had his knees all but buckling. “She’s not here, man. Was she supposed to be?”
Yes. Yes, she was.
The ground seemed to shift under Oliver’s feet and his mouth was dry, despite the instant sweat that pooled all over his body. Tess wasn’t there. She’d said she was sleeping over at Darcy’s... She’d lied? He thought back to the conversation the day before. She’d come out of her room, just as Sebastian had left, and had asked if she could go. He’d been slightly distracted, but he was sure she’d said Darcy was coming to pick her up with Callan.
He’d been sitting at the kitchen table and he’d hidden the proposal when she’d come in to give him a kiss goodbye... He’d been happy to get some alone time to sort through everything that was going on, but he’d hugged her tight and she’d left.
If she wasn’t here, where was she? Where had she been for the last twenty-four hours?
“Easy, man. You look about to faint. Did Tess say she was hanging out with Darcy this morning?” Callan asked, laying a hand on Oliver’s shoulder.
Oliver shook his head as he ran a hand through his hair. “Said she was sleeping over last night.”
Now Callan’s face was full of worry. “No, she didn’t.”
“Is Darcy here? Has she heard from Tess at all?” The two kids were best friends. If anyone knew where Tess was, it would be Darcy.
“She and Rachel are out shopping—let me text them. Come on in,” Callan said, moving back to let Oliver enter.
Even the blast of air-conditioning did nothing to ease the heat coursing through him as he paced the hall while Callan texted. “Just take a breath and think. Maybe she said she was staying at another friend’s house and you mixed it up?”
Oliver shook his head. It was definitely Darcy. It was the only place she did sleepovers. She didn’t feel comfortable staying over at other children’s houses. “It was definitely here,” he said, pulling out his phone to text her.
Where are you?
Then:
I’m not mad, you’re not in trouble, just please tell me where you are.
She’d never pulled something like this before; it was so unlike her. His heart raced. “Maybe the kids had planned a sleepover and didn’t tell you and Rachel?”
Damn, he’d been...preoccupied and hadn’t followed up with his little girl to make sure she’d arrived. She’d texted a quick good-night around 8:00 p.m., so he’d assumed everything was okay.
He never should have assumed. He should have been on it like usual. He should have confirmed with Callan and Rachel...
He’d been distracted. And now Tess could be anywhere.
But Callan shook his head. “I really don’t think so. Darcy and Rachel had planned the shopping trip for a week, so I don’t think Darcy would have made plans with Tess...” Callan’s phone chimed, while Oliver’s remained eerily quiet.
Unfortunately, the other man didn’t have good news. “Sorry. She said she hasn’t heard from her,” he said while texting back. “I’ll ask her to text Tess now and see if she answers.”
Oliver’s palms sweated as he dialed all the other local parents on his contact list, just in case.
Each parent had the same response. No Tess.
Damn, he never thought he’d be in this position, be that parent who didn’t know where their kid was. His heart pounded in his chest and it was impossible to stop the shaking of his hands.
“Give me two minutes to get dressed and we will head out to look for her,” Callan said.
Oliver nodded, not trusting his voice to speak over the large lump forming in the back of his throat.
Tess, where are you?
He paced the hallway as he waited. Then, reaching for his phone, he texted the only other person who might know.
Have you seen Tess?
Carly’s reply was instant:
