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“If you need some love advice, talk to Brutus. The guy can’t stop talking about his wife. He’s a lost cause.” He offers up, shaking his head. Makes me think he’s also hinting toward me to stop pairing the two up.
The front door opens and an unfamiliar face walks in, leaving my shoulders feeling heavier.
“Send him my way and you’ll regret it,” I grumble before thanking him for the chat. Even though I’m still feeling like Cassi won’t spare me the time of her day, especially after I snapped at her the day before.
When I decide to finally approach Wesley’s desk, I’m agitated by how much time has already passed. Enough beating around the bush, I need to be direct. He needs to tell me that she’s found someplace better to hang out, like the library. That she’s not up on the mountain all by herself.
When Wesley notices my arrival, he nearly drops his phone, murmuring a goodbye to the person on the other end.
“Taking personal calls?” I ask, cocking a brow at him. I’m frustrated and definitely pointing my anger at the wrong person. Need to reel it back.
“Just a call to the clinic, sir.” He clears his throat and tries to look busy but there’s nothing on his desk. “What can I do for you?”
“Your sister hasn’t swung by, has she?” I clear my throat and take a seat at the chair across his desk, the one Cassi normally claims.
“No, not today.” He’s confused and for good reason too. “Tell me Cassi isn’t causing any issues. While I’m thankful you’re willing to let her hang about, I told her not to bother any of the staff here.”
He actually did tell her that? Is that why the only time she’s said more than three words to me was when Wesley wasn’t here? The one time she let herself speak and I snapped at her?
“She’s fine,” I grunt, shaking my head. “You haven’t heard from her today?”
“Why…?” He pulls his phone out and scrolls, shaking his head.
“Call her,” I demand. That, or give me her number so I can call the damn thing. Hell, we can try to ping her number so I can get an exact location. I need to hear her voice, a sign that she hasn’t been made into a meal by some damn grizzly.
His face deadpans as he does as I order, calling her twice before lifting a brow. “She usually answers immediately.”
I want to howl and slam my fist against the desk hard enough to crack the wood and replace the throbbing I’m feeling in my gut.
“She didn’t tell you about hiking today by any chance?” My voice is hoarse when the confusion on his face only grows. That’s what I thought.
“Cassi wouldn’t go out on her own,” Wesley argued, shaking his head, “not alone.”
Not unless she wanted to be defiant and stricken me with worry. Reluctantly, I tell him what happened the day before. About her offer and how I denied her.
Moving to stand, I decide to abuse my authority. I collect a handful of rescuers, filling them in on the current rescue I’m sending out. Wesley is one who’s happy to help, willing to show off her picture despite everyone recognizing her face.
If everything is fine and Cassi is having a hell of a time hiking, then I’ll apologize to everyone and make it up to them for wasting their time. From the awful feeling in my gut, I can only hope to be making a fool out of myself.
Five trucks taking different trails, one of us is bound to find her. I remember well enough which one Cassi wanted me to join her on. If she’s roamed off the trail, I can only hope one of us will spot her before the sun lowers. The mountain gets cold at night and even more dangerous. Not even that will be enough to stop me from finding her.
* * *
My eyes are glued to my surroundings while my radio buzzes of any possible report of someone finding Cassi. So far, no luck.
Wesley’s already promised he’s going to kill her, but he’s not going to do a damn thing until I can make sure she’s unharmed first. After that, I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to let her go long enough to get scolded.
“Where in the hell did you go?” I mutter as my truck slowly rolls by. Calling out her name, I ache to hear any signs of life.
It’s distant and almost missable, but I hear something. I don’t even know what I’ve heard but my heart is sailing at the thought of the yell belonging to her. Driving forward, I keep calling, aching to hear the voice again.
Again,closer. It has to be here. I’m headed in the right direction. Flooring the gas, I pass the rush of a waterfall before I stop the truck. Snatching my radio up, I abandon the vehicle and start my walk. Ignoring my limp, I keep calling her name out in hopes of hearing another response.
It’s been years since I’ve last been on a job out here. Years since I had a nasty fall that resulted in three months of healing and too many screws in both of my legs. None of that is going to stop me now.
When I finally see her, I feel like I can sprint in her direction.
Cassi’s on the ground, covered in dirt but smiling. She’s waving her arm like she’s giving a simple hello.
