Page 92 of Making Home with You

Sarah’s number rings out and I don’t bother leaving a message, hanging up and scrolling to the next number in my contacts.

“Finn!”

I glance at my brother.“Carla,” is all I can say.“She’s…Ryan, fuck, I need your help,” I say as soon as he picks up.

“What’s wrong?”he asks.

“Have you heard from Sarah?”I ask, my gaze never leaving Beck’s.

“No, why?”

“Fuck,” I mutter.“It’s fucking Carla,” I tell him.“They found some shit, it’s…it’s fucking bad, Ryan and I can’t get hold of her and…”

“Where are you?”he immediately asks.

“I’m at the pub, but I’ve…”

“Wait there, I’m on my way,” he says before hanging up.

The wait for Ryan feels like forever, but in reality, it takes no more than the amount of time it takes for Beck to pour me a shot and me to down it.I know drinking right now is the last thing I should be doing, but honestly, I really fucking need it.

My nerves feel shot to shit and no amount of Beck reassuring me or me trying to convince myself to stay calm is doing anything to change that.

I call Sarah repeatedly, but every time it goes to voicemail, the endlessly unanswered ringing mocks me like a smug laugh.But the time Ryan runs in to the pub I’m on the verge of punching something and it must be obvious because he takes one look at me and says, “Let’s go,” before walking back outside.

I glance at Beck and see the nod he gives me, the quick, “Let me know,” that says so much more.

I swallow hard and walk out to Ryan’s car, my door not even closed before he’s swerving out of the parking lot.

“I’ve called Joe,” he says, fingers gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles are white.“He’s heading over to her work, says he’ll meet us there.”

I nod, even though he’s not looking at me.“Ryan,” I start as I try to swallow the lump in my throat.“I’m, I…”

“This is not your fault, Finn,” he says quickly, cutting me off.“You are the best thing that’s happened to her,” he says, eyes staring straight ahead as he navigates us toward the freeway.“And we are going to fucking find her, okay?”

I swallow hard, forcing the emotion I can’t even begin to describe as I hope to fuck that he’s right.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Sarah

My day has literally been the best I’ve had since I started working here, and I think to myself that maybe I can keep working here, that maybe the commute isn’t so bad after all.

Without Andrew it’s not so bad.He left early yesterday, and he’s not here today, which hopefully means they’ve taken my harassment claim seriously and are looking into it.

Whatever the reason for his absence, it’s made my day phenomenal, even my clients seem happier to talk to me without Andrew listening over my shoulder.

I’ve been working like crazy, catching up on things I’ve been meaning to do, but always had Andrew barking orders at me.And I’ve even had time to work on a few marketing gigs I picked up since helping out Kelsey.

I catch a glance at the clock out of the corner of my eye and notice how late it’s gotten.Joe would kill me right now if he knew I was still sitting here in my office well after hours.

I toss everything into my bag in rush to get my ass out of here before the place empties out for good.

Luckily when I hit the elevator, there’s a group of people waiting for it too and I let out a slow breath, exhausted by the day, but also relieved I’m not the only one left.

While I don’t know these people personally, I do know that a few of them are commuters and I’ll be able slip out onto the street and down to the train station without being entirely alone.

But when the elevator reaches the lobby, I realize I forgot my phone…again.You’d think I’d know by now to check for it before I even leave my office, but clearly I’m not that organized.