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“And how do you plan on doing that?” I can’t pretend the prospect of being distracted isn’t welcome. I’ll go crazy if I have to think about what Isaac might be doing until tomorrow evening.
“Well, I’ll be honest, there isn’t much happening in Springdale, but I did promise Beth that I’d get fifteen costumes made for her sister’s school play. I was kinda hoping you were a secret seamstress.” Mia grits her teeth at me.
“Well, I’m not, but I used to be a Girl Scout, so I know how to thread a needle.”
“I’ll take that.” Mia smiles. “Get dressed and meet me downstairs in ten.” She reminds me of the fact I’m only wearing one of Isaac’s tees, and when I feel my cheeks start to burn, she laughs.
I do as she says and join her after getting dressed. I actually find the morning we spend together, sewing tiny flowers onto dresses, therapeutic. I wouldn’t say my stitching was perfect, but we soon figured that Mia was much more useful with the hot glue gun than a needle and thread, so I had to do the best I could.
“You wanna stop for a break?” Mia asks, piling the tenth dress we’ve done into the box of finished costumes.
“Yeah, I’m hungry,” I admit, realizing I skipped breakfast.
“Cool, you can run over to the bar across the street and grab us some lunch while I check in with Jekyll over at the garage.” She smiles as she stands up, and when she goes to take some cash out of her pocket, I shake my head and tell her I got it.
“Do you ever get used to it?” I ask before she heads out the door.
“I mean, here we are making cute costumes for some school production, and Isaac and his friend are riding out to California to fix my psycho-ex problem.”
It seemed easy to forget that while we were sewing flowers on dresses.
“Honey, I was born into this life, and some days I still don’t get it. What Icantell you is that these men are loyal, and they got morals. Cobe…Isaac cares about you. He wants to make sure you're safe; what he has to do in order to do that, is between him and God.” Mia shrugs her shoulders as if that ‘thing’ isn’t killing someone before she leaves me.
* * *
I’m sitting waiting in the bar for our subs to be ready when my phone rings, and seeing Mom’s name flashing on the screen makes me really tempted not to answer it. She’s only gonna lecture me about leaving, and I have no idea how to explain where I am or why I’m here. Unlike Scott, who seemed happy enough knowing I was safe, she’s gonna want information.
Eventually, guilt takes over, and I decide I can’t put it off forever and answer the call.
“Hey, how’s the Hamptons?” I do my best to sound chirpy as the woman behind the bar holds up my order, and I silently mouth her a thank you as I take it.
“The Hamptons? What are you talking about? We’ve been going out of our minds with worry.” Mom snaps back at me as I open the door and step out onto the street.
“Scott said you and Jeremy went to the Hamptons for a long weekend.”
“Well, we haven’t; we’ve been here, going out of our heads. Scott told us you didn’t want to talk to us, but darling, you're my daughter. I need to know you're okay. I can get a flight out to California, and we can talk properly.”
“Mom, I’m not in California, and I don’t know what Scott told you, but—”
“If you're not in California, where are you? Scott called us from there this morning and said you were staying with Josh in some motel.” She sounds worried, and it makes me even more confused.
“Mom, I spoke to Scott this morning, he was at home, and he had a party last night.”
“Darling, Scott hasn’t been here since you left. He insisted on going to look for you.” What she’s saying doesn’t add up.
“Mom, I got to go.” I hang up the phone and run to the garage, hoping to find Mia there with Jekyll. When I get there, he’s got her up on the counter, kissing the soul out of her, and she doesn’t seem the slightest bit embarrassed when I interrupt.
“Either of you have Isaac’s number? I need to speak to him right now.” I can feel my heart beating in my ears.
“Miss him already, huh?” Jekyll laughs, pulling out his cell.
“No, I think he’s about to hurt an innocent man.” All my manners are forgotten when I snatch the phone out his hand and press it to my ear. When Isaac doesn’t pick up, I growl in frustration.
“They never pick up when they’re riding.” Mia shoots Jekyll a sideways snarl. “Listen, the guys are making a drop-off in Nevada; you’ll be able to get hold of him before they ride on. In the meantime, we’re gonna talk this over and figure it out.” Mia places her arm around my shoulder.
“Why would Scott lie to me about being at home?” I say my thoughts out loud.
“Hey, stop panicking; you're fine. You're safe here. And we will get hold of Isaac. If you’ve got this Scott guy’s number, we can get his number tracked so we know where he is too.
