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In case he was on to something she didn’t want to disturb him. A fresh pot of coffee might do Franks some good. At least it would give Reese something to do to feel useful.
A surprised scream escaped her when she entered the kitchen. Her cry was barely out of her mouth when an arm tugged her back. Reese found herself being pushed behind his big body and forced into the corner with her back against the wall while Franks barked out orders to whoever was in her kitchen.
“Jesus Christ on a crutch, Cash,” Franks complained, holstering his weapon. “I could have shot your dumb ass.” He moved out of the way, releasing Reese from his grasp, allowing her into the kitchen.
“What are you doing here?” She asked.
“I filled the fridge and brought some stuff I figured you would need,” he said, gesturing to the counters.
“Thank you,” Reese said weakly. A smidgeon of guilt crept into her when she saw the bruising across his face. Cash had multiple colors forming under both eyes, and all across his nose was purple. The white bandage across his nose stood out like a beacon against the darkness of the discolored skin underneath.
The squawk of the radio clipped to Franks’ hip interrupted the tension in the room. Franks looked pointedly at Cash and then returned to the living room to answer.
“Any news?”
“No.”
“All of the town knows your boy is missing. The surrounding towns know too. He will be back soon,” Cash replied, rooted to his spot on the kitchen floor. It didn’t matter how bad he wanted to comfort her. He wasn’t about to cause her any more stress than she already had today. It wasn’t as if he was going to stop coming around be he would do his best to keep his hands to himself, for now.
“Cash,” Franks called. “You got someone at your place. Were you expecting anyone?”
“No,” he answered, running into the living room to look out the front door. “Shit,” he muttered. “That is Ash. She must have something else for me.”
He looked at Reese for a moment. He knew what she was thinking, but she couldn’t be more wrong. The hurt he saw on Reese’s face told him he had to fix this and fix it fast. He would set her straight as soon as he got rid of Ash.
Letting himself out the door, Cash jogged down the drive and across the street to meet the woman waiting on him. He knew he had to make it quick so he could explain to Reese. His woman didn’t need any more stress right now. It killed him to know he caused some of her pain.
“I bet she does,” Reese sighed, watching him go. “That is the same woman he had over last night. Please don’t let him back in. I can’t take much more. I just want my baby back. I don’t even care who she is. At this point, it doesn’t matter. Cash can go fuck whoever he wants far away from us.”
Franks nodded to her while he watched Cash out the window. She heard him cuss Cash under his breath and flick the lock closed on the front door.
Reese walked away, unable to watch him with another woman when she was already on edge. Maybe she could get one of those wrenches he used all the time on cars and beat him with it. How could it not cross his mind that he was being an ass? Maybe she could use the impact wrench he hooks up to the air compressor to tweak his nuts, just a little or maybe a little more than just a little. What kind of heartless bastard runs off to meet his girlfriend when the woman he swore he wanted is having a world-ending crisis?
“One that doesn’t deserve another moment of your thoughts,” she said out loud.
Locking the kitchen door, Reese added the chain she rarely used. Switching off the lights saved her from looking at the things Cash left on her counters and floor. Unsure what to do with herself, Reese returned to the living room. Officer Franks was seated in his spot with his papers surrounding him.
She still had no idea what to do with herself. Reese wandered through her house, remembering all of the things she and Mav had done together. All their conversations around the kitchen table had her son’s voice filling her head with the many, many questions he asked. Mav claimed the exclusive right to taste test anything that came out of the oven. He never had the patience to wait until it was cool enough not to burn his mouth. The good and bad wove through her mind. It was like a movie reel, playing over and over for her. Reese stood between the kitchen and the living room with a smile on her face and tears running down her cheeks.
The knock at the door startled her. Racing the few steps to the door, she watched as Franks turned Cash away. Tuning out their shouting, she made her way to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Reese dug in her closet until she found a box stashed away in the very back. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she opened it. Baby clothes and a few special lovies were carefully tucked inside.
Pulling out a Mav’s favorite blanket, Reese hugged it tightly. He had to come back to her. Someone had to find him. Tears burned her eyes. Blinking them away, they returned faster than she could keep them away. Curling into a ball on her bed, she clutched the blanket to her chest, letting the tears flow freely while no one was there to watch.
Reese lay curled in the same position until the first rays of sunlight came streaming through the window. The phone never rang. Silence filled the house all night long. She wondered where Mav was and how no one could have seen him.
Reese sat up. There wasn’t a spot on her body that didn’t hurt. Someone had to have information. A kid didn’t just disappear and no one saw anything, especially in a town this size with a gossip mill that active.
Reese stepped out into the hall. She didn’t have time to catch herself before tripping over something big and meeting the floor face first. Groaning, she rolled over, backing away from whatever caused her to fall. Reese heard her name being called and footsteps downstairs.
“Morning, Beautiful,” Cash groaned. His big hand latched on to her foot and drew her across the carpeting to him. Cash continued pulling her onto his lap as he sat up with his back braced against the doorframe.
“Why are you doing this to me? Do you get your kicks seeing how much I can take? Don’t you think I am going through enough right now?”
Cash held her close to him. It had taken everything he had to stay outside her bedroom, knowing she was so close and needed him. Even if she didn’t want to say it out loud, he knew Reese needed someone to lean on right now. Cash locked his fingers together behind her back. He rested his head on hers, willing her body to take comfort from his.
Reese froze against his hold. She hated that she wanted to give in just for a minute and let him hold her up. Some of the fight abandoned her. Reese laid her head on his shoulder and her hand over his heart. Her hand encountered something on his shirt. Reese looked down to find the dried blood from his nose still on his shirt. She realized he was still wearing yesterday’s clothes. Cash slept in front of her bedroom door in yesterday’s clothes after she sent him home.
“Jesus, man. How the hell did you get in?” Franks grumbled, raking his hands through his hair.
