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I sat quietly while the boys ate, still not believing I’d seen her. She’d looked stunning, but not like the Nee I’d known. She’d lost weight. Her hair was lighter in color, probably from being in the sun, and the sparkle was definitely missing from her eyes.
“I can’t just walk away knowing she’s so close. I need to find her,” I announced after the waitress put our food on the table.
“I have an idea,” declared Charlie, pulling out his phone and typing out a message. “I’m messaging Addi. She can help.”
Pushing my plate away because I’d totally lost my appetite, I closed my eyes and let myself drown in memories of Ionee.
“Archer.” A firm, deep voice spoke when I answered my phone to an unknown number.
“Who’s asking?”
“My name is Thomas. Thomas Lanton. I’m a friend of Mav and Addi’s. They asked me to help you find your missing girlfriend. I found her.”
“What?Ionly found her a few hours ago. How could you?”
He chuckled. “I’m just really good at my job. I’m sending you her address now.” He paused, and I heard my phone ping with the incoming email. “Also, Archer, I know why she went missing. It’s a lot and I think she should have the chance to tell you herself, so I’m going to sit on that information for a while, but if you can’t get the answers you’re looking for get back in touch and I can give you them. At least that way you get some closure in all this.”
“She left me. That’s what happened,” I spat out angrily.
“She left you for a reason. Give her a chance to explain. Don’t go in there all guns blazing. The girl ran halfway around the world. Don’t you want to know why?”
“She’s been missing for months. I don’t think I can wait to hear why. Can you just tell me?”
“No. I’m sorry. I want to help and now you know where to find her. Unlocking her story… that’s on you.”
“Thanks,” I huffed out. And then I remembered my manners. “I do appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome.” And with that, the line went dead. I opened the email, copying the address in my Maps app, letting out a whimper when I saw that she was seventeen minutes away from me.
Grabbing my phone, cap, and sunglasses, I messaged Charlie and Fox to tell them what I was doing and found Pete waiting outside my room, like always.
“I’ve found Nee,” I spluttered, pulling my cap onto my head. “I need to go see her.”
“What? Of course. Is she nearby?”
Showing him the map, he nodded. “Car is waiting. Let’s go.”
It probably would have been quicker to walk because it was an agonizing forty minutes to get to the address Thomas had emailed me, and now I was standing on her doorstep, nervously waiting to see if she’d answer the door.
It took a few minutes for her to, but when she opened it, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, I almost cried knowing I’d found her. Hope surged through me when the sun glinted off her bracelet;surely her wearing it was a good sign, but my moment of hope was instantly destroyed when she spoke.
“W-what are you doing here? How did you find me?” She gripped the door so hard her knuckles turned white.
“Ionee, please. You can’t expect me to find you after all this time and just let you walk away, like what we had wasn’t important.”
“I can’t. I have to stay away from you.” Her eyes widened as her hand moved to her chest as if she was scared.
“Hey.” I softened my voice, hating seeing her like this. “I’m not here to have a go at you, I promise. I just need to hear your side. I need to know why you ran.”
Biting down on her lip, she shook her head, pushing her fingers to her temple as she did.
Looking around to check I’d not attracted any interest with my outburst, I pushed my hands into my pockets. “I lost you and then I found you again… in Miami, of all places. You can’t say that’s not a massive sign from the universe.”
She didn’t move, looking at me like she couldn’t make her mind up.
“Look, let me in. Give me a few minutes and then I’ll go. Please. I’m willing to beg. Right here on your doorstep.” I dropped to my knees, pressing my palms together. “See, begging here.”
This time, she smiled. She smiled that smile that warmed the world, and I thought I was going to cry like a baby. “Nee, let me in, beautiful.”
