Tyler(77)
“He’s licking your shoulder,” Audrey helpfully explains.
I sigh. Typical.
Zane walks behind me, too, his eyes narrow. “He sort of reminds me of someone,” he mutters.
“All kids look the same to me,” Rafe says and sinks into one of the orange armchairs. He’s smiling, though. “Little hurricanes.”
The door of the shop chimes as it opens, and Tessa walks in. “Erin? Audrey says you have…“ Her face lights up. “Oh my God, is that Jax?”
“You knew,” Zane says accusingly, and Tessa shrugs. She tickles Jax’s cheek.
Jax starts to wiggle, and I swear his tiny boots must have steel toes. Wincing, I lower him to the ground, and he runs to check out the booths.
“Are the booths safe?” I start after him, but Zane takes my hand.
“All tools are locked away. It’s safe.”
“You had us fooled for years.” Rafe chuckles to himself. “Always thought Jax was your boyfriend.”
Yeah. I’m tired from the drive and all the emotions rocketing inside my head. “He’s been my secret all this time. I had him very young, and I thought he’d be safer and happier living with my parents.”
Audrey comes to take my other hand. “He’s amazing. You must be so proud of him.”
“I am.”
A heavy hand lands on my back, and I jerk. Asher appears in my line of sight. “Sorry about before. Looks like it’s a misunderstanding.”
“Damn right it is.” Zane lets go of my hand and pulls out his cell phone again. “Didn’t I tell you fuckers you should talk to each other more? Secrets are bad for your health.” He calls a number which I assume is Tyler’s, and clenches his jaw.
After a while, he pushes the cell back into his pocket. Still not answering.
I pull away from Audrey and try to call him from mine. It goes to voicemail and I hesitate. “Call me back, Tyler,” I finally say. “It’s a misunderstanding.”
The beep ending the message comes before I can think of more to say. I put the phone away.
“Where’s Tyler?” Tessa is pulling off her scarf, eyes scanning the shop. “How did he react?”
“Why should he react—?” Audrey snaps her mouth shut, then glances at Asher, who blinks.
“What?” he mutters.
“As I said, he reminds me of someone,” Zane says. “He has something of you, too, Ash.”
Does he? Asher’s face is handsome, and in the strong lines of his brows and jaw I think I see what makes him Tyler’s brother.
Jax’s uncle.
“You guys.” Tessa giggles. “You should see your faces.”
“Your face looked exactly the same when I told you,” I mutter as I lean to the side, trying to see Jax among the booths.
“He’s Tyler’s?” Asher asks, breathless.
Everyone is looking at me again. Do I even need to answer that?
“But that must be… he’s…” Audrey also glances around for Jax. “Three?”
“Yeah,” I whisper, and suddenly, fear grips me. “Jax! Where are you?”
“She must have been, what, fifteen when she had him?” Audrey is saying.
“Sixteen,” Tessa says. “She’s a year older than us.”
“And that was around the time Tyler left, right?”
“Yeah, but he didn’t know…”
Their voices fade as I walk through the booths, calling Jax’s name and checking under the tables and chairs and counters. The office is locked. I check the bathroom and come back to the front of the shop, empty-handed.
I feel dizzy. The door is open—a small crack, but maybe enough for a little boy to slip through. “Jax!”
“What’s going on?” Rafe grabs my arms, and I realize I’m stumbling. “Erin?”
“Jax is gone.” I tug on Rafe’s hold, trying to keep moving, and point a trembling finger at the door. “I think he got out.”
***
It must be cold, but I can’t feel it as I run down the street with Audrey and Asher, calling Jax’s name. Fear numbs my body and makes my thoughts spin slowly and out of control.
What kind of mother loses her son? Jax has to be so frightened. He’s in danger with cars speeding down the street and strangers passing him by.
If anything happens to him…
My cell rings, and I lift it to my ear. “Yeah?”
“Have you found him?” Zane yells into the phone.
“No. Where are you?”
“Returning to Damage. I’ll check one last time inside, in case he hid under the furniture or something.”
“Okay.” I disconnect and stop. “Let’s go back.”