Bethany calls me on the sixth day Ryder has been missing. Presumably she feels like it’s the kind of topic you should actually talk about, rather than just texting back and forth.
It’s after dinner time, and my stomach is feeling less than happy. “Hey,” I say, my voice listless. I plop on the bed in my room and stare at the ceiling.
“Hi. Um…are you sick?”
“No. Just…too full from dinner. No appetite, but I ate anyway for the baby’s sake.”
“Oh.” A bit of awkward silence. “They always make you eat a lot.” She clears her throat. “Are you guys okay? Mom’s kind of worried.”
“I don’t know.” I sigh. The light from the bedside lamp hits the ring on my finger, and the bright sparkles cut my heart. “I can’t get a hold of Ryder.”
There is a long pause. “Just so you know, I’ve been in touch with his lawyers.”
“About what?”
“The funding for my website. He’s going to do it, rather than that trust.”
“Oh. Well…that’s great.”
“You didn’t know?” She turns it into a question, but she already knows the answer.
“We talked a bit about it, but…no. I didn’t.”
“The contract he offered is very fair, much better terms, and the other guy backed off without a fight.”
Mira can be headstrong, but she can’t win against Ryder. Not only is he her client, but underneath that carefree playboy façade lies steel.
“Anyway, I just thought I should mention it and thank you. I know you had something to do with it.”
“Not at all.” Her gratitude is misdirected; she only became a target because of me. She needs to know, so I tell her how Mira used the trust to get to her, in order to use her as leverage against me.
“Are you kidding? What a…witch!” Bethany says in outrage.
“Yup. I’m sure she’ll leave you alone now, though.”
“More importantly, she better leave you alone. You aren’t some puppet she can control!”
“I know. I’m sure she’s learned her lesson,” I say.
A text comes in. I pause for a second. “Can you hold?” My heart pounding, I check it. Maybe it’s Ryder… Disappointment crashes through me when I see that it’s from Renni. I click on it, just in case it’s something urgent. Although Mira’s backed off from my stepsister, she also threatened my best friend.
I thought I should send you this before you see it on the Internet. Apparently Ryder’s been staying here.
She’s attached a photo of a hotel I’m familiar with. It’s the place Ryder had that orgy the night before his cousin’s rehearsal dinner. He’s coming out of the building in the picture, eyes hidden behind a huge pair of sunglasses.
The usual assholes are saying you guys broke up, but I don’t buy it. Argh. Maybe we should sue them for defamation or something, no?
I return to my call with Bethany. “I have to go. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Of course. Take care of yourself. And no matter what happens, just remember you’re awesome and I love you.”
“Love you, too, Bethany.”
I go back to the picture. Then I type, When?
Yesterday according to the “news,” Renni responds.
Thank you!
After throwing on a clean tunic and skirt, I grab my purse and car keys. It’s time I go track down my fiancé and tell him how I feel.
* * *
There is a sense of déjà vu as I walk through the main entrance to the lobby. Chandeliers hang from the high, golden ceiling, and my shoes click with every step.
A young woman in a black suit stands behind the front desk, and she gives me a smooth professional smile. “Good evening, ma’am. How can I help you?”
“Can I speak to the manager on duty, please?”
“May I inquire what this is in regards to?”
“Just tell him Paige Johnson is here.”
She frowns slightly, but says, “Please have a seat.” She gestures at the empty couches behind me. “I’ll be right back.”
I sit and wait. The orchids on the table look exceptionally white and elegant. Thin but sturdy wires hold the stems in place.
Soon, the manager comes out. This time he doesn’t come with security. I give him a small, friendly smile.
“Paige. What a surprise,” he says, his words lightly accented.
“Hello, Patrik.” I stand up. “I’m here to see Ryder. I understand he’s staying here.”
“Oh, terribly sorry, but Mr. Reed checked out just an hour ago.”
“He did?” I say almost stupidly.
Patrik looks sympathetically devastated. “If I’d only known you were coming…”