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“I slept with Cadence.”
I could already see him blowing up. It was a good thing he was miles away from Willow Valley, or I’d end up just like Paul Longshire. I’d be beaten and bloodied, crying on the pavement as Gabe gave me exactly what I’d deserved.
“Thank god! It’s about time,” Gabe said into the phone.
“Fuck, I know, I’m sorry…it just sort of… What did you just say?” I questioned.
“I said, it’s about time!” Gabe chuckled into the phone.
I could barely believe what I was hearing. Was he really happy that we’d…. that we’d…slept together?
“Now, tell me, why is she all upset?”
“I blew it, man… I fucked up. I didn’t protect her the way I should have this morning when Bill and Paula showed up.”
The look I’d given her when I’d seen her in my T-shirt, peeking into the kitchen, was eating at me. My cold bark telling her to get dressed made me feel like an asshole—the asshole I was being because of the situation that had presented itself.
“Tell me what happened,” Gabe said, pulling me back from my thoughts.
“Bill and Paula showed up. I knew they were coming. I lost track of the days. They arrived while Cadence and I were still in bed…”
“Enough said,” Gabe replied. “I know how they’ve treated you during the whole entire time regarding Ella, so I’m sure I can already see where this is going.”
Gabe had known everything that had happened when it had come to Bill and Paula. He was the only one I felt I could talk to, because he’d been witness to it. I grew quiet as I drove down the road. I knew my best friend didn’t want to hear about me doing his sister, and I’d have to apologize later but right now, I needed his help.
“I can’t lose her, man,” I said as I turned into their driveway. “I just can’t.”
“You won’t.”
“I dunno. She was heartbroken, Gabe. I tried to talk to her before she left the house, but she refused. I’ve never seen her look so hurt because of something I’d done. If you’d have seen her face…”
“Talk to her. Or try. Are you on the way over now?” Gabe questioned, worry thick in his voice.
“I am. Just turned into the driveway now.”
“If she isn’t there, can you please promise me, no matter what happens, that you’ll pick me up on the 23rd at town hall?” Gabe questioned. “Hopefully, between the pair of us, we will find out where she is, if she isn’t at home. Then we can go get her together.”
“Yeah, I will be there. Got to go,” I said, hanging up.
I pulled up out front of the house. The first thing I noticed was the missing truck. She had to still be here. There was no way she could have left this fast. What was I saying, this was Cadence. This girl had packed and moved in less than twelve hours when her grandparents called. I cut the engine and ran up to the front door. I turned the handle to find the door was locked, so I banged hard, shouting for Cadence.
I waited and waited, but she didn’t answer. I looked around. Perhaps she parked behind the house. I took off, running to the back of the house. Had she hidden her truck back there, so I’d think she was gone? Was she playing me? But as I rounded the corner of the house, I noticed that her truck wasn’t there either. Defeat filled me, as well as worry. I was about to make my way back to the front porch when one of the farmhands I’d not worked with yet approached me.
“Can I help you?” he asked.
“Have you seen Cadence?”
“Yep, she left about half an hour ago. Said something to me about making sure we take care of things before we left for the day. Didn’t really say anything else. Seemed a little distraught.”
“Did she say where she was headed?” I asked, looking out toward the front of the house in case she was coming back down the driveway.
“Depends on who is asking?”
I frowned, looking at this young kid. Annoyed, I looked down into his face. “Where is Jack?” I barked. I wasn’t in the mood for games. Plus, he was annoying me.
“I said, who’s asking?” this kid asked, puffing out his chest.
I clenched my fists at my side and was about to take a tone when I heard a familiar voice. “Hey, Connor. Everything okay?” Jack asked, coming over to us.
