Page 46 of Ever After
“You’re welcome. Now, we need to get going. Your dress is on the chair in the corner. Shower quick, get it on, and come downstairs. We’re running out toTargetand can get everything there.”
He leaves me to change, and I wash up quick before getting into the dress again. I want to vomit as I think of what happened in this thing. I take a t-shirt and throw it on over the dress, tying it together at the waist. At least, this way, I have a bit more cover. I pull my hair up into a messy bun and hold it in place with a pen I find on the dresser.
He’s sitting at the kitchen table on the phone, and he looks aggravated. I stand on the stairs, listening in, trying to stay as quiet as I can.
“Amelia, I’m doing this, and that’s final. You can handle things there. I need to get her away until things settle down.” He shakes his head and rests it back against the chair. “No, this has nothing to do with Sarah. I’m falling hard for her, and I need to make sure she’s safe. Chris is still out there looking for her, and he’snotgoing to find her.”
I take another step, and the floorboard creaks under my weight. He turns to look at me. “I gotta go. Keep working on it. I’ll check in with you soon.” He hangs up and motions toward me. “Ready?”
“Yeah. I can’t wait to get into some real clothes.”
“Me neither.” He puts his right hand over his heart and sticks his left hand out, palm facing me. “Don’t get me wrong. You look sexy as hell in that dress, but the reason you had to wear it is something I’d like us both to be able to forget.”
I need a change of subject. “Grayson, who’s Sarah?”
His expression changes as his features cloud over. “My cousin.”
“What happened to her?”
He tells me his theories on what he thinks happened to her. How she went toTemptressfor a bachelorette party and never came home. He goes on to explain the search parties that were sent out for her, and the months of searching, even when her family gave up.
I touch his arms and run my hands down them, grasping his hands. “I’m so sorry, Grayson.”
“Thanks. I’ve been looking through Genova’s financial records since then. Now that I knowEver Afteris real, I’m working on trying to shut it down. I don’t want anyone else to go through what you and Sarah have gone through. There are two more girls there still. I have Shaw working on trying to get them out.”
“Think she’ll be able to?”
“God, I hope so. I can’t imagine what those girls have gone through. One of them didn’t look any older than eighteen. To have her life ripped away from her, for her to be used like a piece of meat isn’t what she deserves.Noone deserves it.” He kisses my cheek. “Come on, let’s get our shopping and everything done before our flight tomorrow.”
* * *
We are walkingthrough the clothing department, and Grayson is on high alert. He looks over his shoulder constantly and scans the area around us. His hand is touching some part of my body at all times, making sure I don’t disappear again. It’s endearing. I find a few pairs of pants and a few tops that will do, and I bring them into the changing room to try them on. He stands directly outside the door, waiting for me.
I come out wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a flowy, floral top. I slide into a pair of slip on shoes, and he nods in approval. He rips the tags off everything to carry them to the register. I dump my dress into the nearest trash bin, happy to be rid of it.
He takes my hand, and we walk down the beauty aisles, looking for hair dye. This is the part I’m not looking forward to. My hairdresser is going to kill me when I have my next appointment with her.
“Okay, so we are looking for red. Do you want to be fire-engine red or strawberry blonde?”
I pick up a box and show it to him. “How about auburn, somewhere in the middle.”
He smiles. “I think that color will look great on you,Abigail.”
“Thanks,Chase.You know, the blond doesn’t look too bad on you. I miss your brown hair, but I can get used to this.”
I have my head down, reading the instructions, walking toward the checkout counter, when he grabs me and pulls me behind a soda display. He covers my mouth and presses his finger to his own for me to stay down and quiet. He pulls a pair of glasses out of his pocket and puts them on before standing up again.
He browses the shelf next to us and looks to his left, addressing someone I can’t see
“Does Mr. E have a problem with me picking up a few things for my flight home tomorrow, now?”
The man snickers. “No, just want to make sure you understand how he feels about his privacy.”
“I’m not an idiot. I don’t want my name being dragged through the mud either. Has he recovered his lost merchandise yet?”
“No, but it’s only a matter of time. Not to worry.”
“Well, when she’s back, give me a call. I’d love to have an opportunity with her again. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He gives him a small wave, and I hear the man retreating.