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I instantly sat up straight in bed, worry striking me like lightning. I don’t know what it was about that moment, but Iknewsomething was wrong. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I squinted into the dark room, trying to adjust to just the candlelight—I was getting real sick of not having electricity.
Fumbling around in the darkness, I grabbed for clothing, settling on a pair of worn jeans and a faded old sweatshirt. Part of me felt the rush was for no reason at all, but I couldn’t shake the concern. Flinging the door open, I headed straight for her room, whipping open her bedroom door. Her black duffel bag was in the corner of the room, and the bed was made.
But no one was there.
“Cheyenne?” I called out, knocking on the bathroom door before opening it as well.
It was empty.
What if she left?
My head spun at the thought, and I quickly pushed it away. I had just seen her things in her room—she was still here...
Just nothere.
Did I upset her?
I played back the few moments before I had fallen asleep but couldn’t remember what she had said. But regardless of what was said, there was panic lingering—panic I still couldn’t place. I trotted down the stairs, heading toward the main area of the house.
“Cheyenne!” I called out as I entered the kitchen, which was empty.
Before I could leave the kitchen, however, Blake stuck his head in. “Did you find Takoda?”
“What?”
“The dog? You know, the little white—”
“Iknowwho Takoda is. I mean, what the hell are you talking about? I didn’t think that he was lost in the first place?”
Blake’s brow furrowed. “You mean, you didn’t let him out to go to the bathroom and then forget to let him back in?”
Oh shit.
Shit, shit, shit.
My stomach lurched as I suddenly remembered my mistake. “I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking. I was so focused on getting to Cheyenne to show her the storm that it totally slipped my mind. I bet Cheyenne islivid.”
“Yeah, well, or she’s just worried out in the rain searching for the thing. Hazel is in the east wing making sure that he didn’t get let back in by one of the staff, and I’ve been in here.”
“And no signs of him?”
He shook his head. “He’s nowhere on this side of the house, I know that. I’m about to head out and go look around the yard. The last I saw him he was in the barn when I was—right after you had gone inside. I don’t know where he’s at, Wade.”
“Then I guess we need to head out and go start help looking out there. I don’t know how far he’d go in a downpour like this—Cheyenne has to be so pissed at me.” I felt sick at the thought of Takoda missing, and it was made that much worse knowing that it wasallmy fault. I couldn’t see a way for her not to be angry with me.
“Come on, let’s go see what we can find. I’m sure he’s just holed up somewhere to stay out of the moisture.” Blake squeezed my shoulder, guiding me out of the kitchen and toward the mudroom. We both grabbed our rain slickers, cowboy hats, and muck boots, getting dressed and heading out into the downpour.
“I think we might honestly be better off waiting out the rain,” Blake shouted over the noise. It seriously sounded as though we were standing under a waterfall. “I think this is just gonna end up with us being real cold and wet—and the dog not being found.”
“I have to try and find the dog.” I rolled my shoulders, standing under the awning as we both peered out toward the barn. “And I probably should find Cheyenne, too. She just got over that damn stomach bug. I don’t think that being out in this is going to do her any good.” I headed out across the pavement, the rain pouring off the rim of my hat.
It never fucking ends.
I was sick of the rain, but I veered to the left instead of heading straight to the barn to look for Takoda. I was certain that Cheyenne would’ve gone straight to the barn to look—and if she had found him, she already would’ve been back at the house.
“How long has Cheyenne been out here?”
Blake turned to me, shrugging his shoulders. “I don’t really know. I mean, it hasn’t been long. I figured you knew she was down here and looking—what the hell have you been up to?”
