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He had to respect her request for him to leave her alone. At least for tonight. She was hurting and needed time. His lungs deflated. Somehow, he’d apologize in the morning and try to explain.
He tossed and turned most of the night, staring at the ceiling. Before the sun rose, he leaped out of bed and jumped onto his UTV. Thoughts of Crystal had haunted him all night. Hewouldn’t wake her. He’d do his rounds and wait until she came out of her tent.
He stopped by her camping spot.
No pitched tent.
His stomach lurched. Everything had been packed and piled up, per the leaving-camp instructions. Oh, the irony. She hadn’t done a single thing by the book until it was time to leave.
Leave?
She couldn’t have left without telling him.
Angie stepped out of her tent with Murphy. Super early for a teenager to be awake, but maybe Murphy needed to go out. She glared at Zach. “She’s gone.”
“When did she leave?”
“I heard a car around three.” Angie cocked her head. “Crystal was pretty hung up on you. Seems like you blew it.”
“What?” He stiffened.
Angie shrugged. “I’m not blind, and tent walls are thin.”
No denying it. His bruised heart banged against his ribs. Murphy trotted over and leaned against him. Zach reached down to rub behind his ears. Dogs always knew when someone was upset or in pain. He took a resigned breath. He’d hurt Crystal too much. Why else would she have fled without giving him a chance to explain and apologize?
Seeing the vacant camp dug a pit in his stomach.
Gone.
Just like that.
Zach’s phone pinged with Brody’s text tone.
Sydney emailed me. Heads up. They’re leaving today.
Yeah, not a news flash. Zach had figured that out. He stuffed his cell back into his pocket.
Angie hung her head, and her eyes watered. “Crystal worked out a deal with the production company so they would cut me out of that snake scene. They don’t need the clip of me anywaysince I’m a nobody. From what I overheard, she took a big hit on the salary and got screwed by them. Crystal doesn’t know that I know what she gave up. Thin walls and all.”
“What?” Crystal couldn’t afford to take a dock in pay. Not from what she’d told him about her finances. She was making some money as an influencer, but that was just getting started.
Angie shrugged and narrowed her eyes. “She’d been crying when she came back to her tent yesterday. And now she’s gone. It’s not hard to put two and two together.”
Zach flinched, guilt running laps through his veins.
Angie focused on Murphy, smoothing down his fur and scratching his haunches. “You screwed up, whatever you did, but she must still care about you, because people don’t cry over
someone they don’t give a shit about. Just saying.”
Angie tugged on Murphy’s leash. “Let’s go, boy.”
Crystal had connected with Angie and must have gotten through to her. She acted like a different person now. Admiration swirled in his chest. She’d helped the troubled teen take a new direction. Not an easy accomplishment with the girl’s former attitude.
Angie turned and called out, “Not that you deserve her. But go get her.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Zach bagged an old AC air filter, dropped it on the floor of his mother’s house, and replaced it with a new one. As he climbed down the ladder, her voice rang out. “I wish everything was so easy to fix.”
