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I want to tell her she doesn’t mean that. That, of course, she wants to survive. But I don’t say anything. It would be hypocritical because the truth is, the more I contemplate life without Mae, the more I’m inclined to agree with her.
“I should get back,” she whispers before pulling away. “Try to sleep, okay?”
“I will.” It’s not a lie. I’ll try. I’m just sure it won’t happen. “You too.”
I catch the reflection of the light from the hallway on her tear-stained cheeks when she pulls the door to the hallway open. With that, she’s gone, and I’m left utterly alone again.
I’m haunted by the silence, by the lack of her.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
FLORENCE
When I get back to my room, Patton is still asleep with his noise-canceling headphones on, and I’m certain he didn’t realize I ever left. It’s not his fault, I know, but I can’t help feeling angry at him again. It must be nice to sleep so soundly while I feel like my life is falling apart.
He’s trying, I guess, but it’s not enough. I’m not sure what would be, but this…this is not enough. On the nightstand, his phone is buzzing. That noise has begun to cause a headache to form at the base of my skull whenever I hear it, which is often. For once, though, it continues to ring as he sleeps through it.
I’m not sure how to do this.
Without Mae, I’m not sure who I am. She took me in during our senior year of high school when I was the new kid in town and had no interest in making friends. From that moment, we’ve been inseparable. She’s supposed to be in my wedding. She’s supposed to spoil my kids.
How am I supposed to do any of this without her?
Earlier, when Blake said it would be worse if she hadn’t left willingly because it meant someone had taken her, I could never tell him what I was thinking. I could never tell anyone. I know how selfish it is. How terrible it makes me. But I can’t help thinking her leavingwouldbe the worst. If someone has taken her, it means she didn’t have a choice. If she purposefully left me, thought it through and made the choice to never see me again, to live the rest of her life without me, I’m not sure how to stomach that.
I don’t know how to accept that version of my best friend. One who could see me as so easily dispensable.
I make my way across the room slowly when the buzzing from Patton’s phone finally ceases. I’m guessing it will just be a few more minutes before it starts up again. I kick off my shoes and grab a hair tie to pull my hair up but freeze when I hear something out in the hallway.
Footsteps.
Most likely, it’s someone in a room next to ours. I tie my hair into a messy bun atop my head and reach for the covers.
There it is again.
It sounds like someone is standing just outside the door. Pacing, maybe. I move back from the bed and turn around, returning to the small hallway in front of the bathroom. Maybe Blake followed me back to the room. I check my phone to be sure there are no missed texts from him before I step forward toward the door, ease the peephole cover over, and peer out into the hall. To my surprise, I see a familiar face, though not the one I was expecting.
What is he doing?
Diego stands outside, staring at the door intently. I’m torn between the desire to rip it open and demand to know what he’s doing or continue watching and see what happens. Luckily, I don’t have to decide because as quickly as the thought comes, I watch him lift his hand and knock softly on the door. I feel the vibration of it against my chest.
Sucking in a breath, I pull the door open.
“What are you doing here?”
He folds his hands in front of him, shoulders squared. “I’m sorry it’s late. I called your room, but there was no answer.”
“I…” I glance at the phone behind me on the wall. “I stepped out for a minute. I must’ve missed your call.” Had Patton really slept through that, too? “Is something wrong?”
“I need to talk to you,” he says. “It’s urgent. Can you come with me?”
I swallow, checking in with my gut. I don’t know or trust this man, but he could be the key to finding Mae. I step back. “Actually, I’d prefer it if we talk here.”
He tilts his head, looking behind me to where Patton is sleeping on the bed. “Won’t we disturb him?”
“It’s fine. What’s going on?”
He inhales deeply, preparing himself. “We located the man who was last seen with Mae.”
