Page 45

Chapter forty-four

You had ONE job

Charlie

I stand at the head of the boardroom table, eyes on the slides. The room is filled with our new potential clients, people who could change the course of my career.

“… and with this approach, we can increase engagement by thirty percent next quarter.”

There’s a murmur of approval, a few nodding heads, but I can’t focus. My mind keeps drifting back to Noah. Back to Alex picking him up from school today.

You shouldn’t have agreed to this. It was a mistake.

My throat tightens as I glance at the clock. Jake’s back in Denver today, probably at the rink right now. I can’t wait to see him. Can’t wait to wrap my arms around him, kiss him, tell him I’m sorry.

I take a breath and click to the next slide. There’s been no message from Alex since he said he was en route to school. My gut churns, because I should’ve heard back from him by now.

“…and that concludes our presentation,” I finish, forcing a smile.

As Marcus takes over with closing remarks, I barely hear him. The sharpness inside of me continues to rise. I want to grab my phone and text Alex to check he got Noah, but I force myself to stay professional. It’s the longest ten minutes of my life.

When the meeting finally winds down, I make my way out of the room and check my phone again. That’s when it l ights up with Alex’s name flashing on the screen.

I frown as I start walking towards my office. He never calls.

“Alex?”

There’s a pause, and when he speaks, his tone is tight. “Uh… we’ve got a bit of a situation.”

My stomach drops. “What do you mean? What kind of situation?”

“I stepped into a business meeting for a minute,” he says in a rush. “When I came back out… Noah wasn’t there.”

Everything inside me screeches to a halt. The air feels thin, like I’m choking on it, and I reach out to grip my desk, trying to keep steady. “He wasn’t… What do you mean, he wasn’t there?”

“I looked everywhere,” Alex continues. “He didn’t listen, like always. Maybe if you taught him to follow instructions, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

My mouth opens and closes like a goldfish. What the fuck?

Before I can scream at him, he continues. “I’ve checked the café, the lobby, the streets nearby—he’s just gone. I don’t know where he is.”

A wave of dizziness crashes over me. My knees weaken, and I clutch the desk harder. Noah, my baby, is somewhere alone in downtown Denver. And the one person I trusted him with has lost him.

“Alex, how could you be so—” My voice breaks, and I press my lips together. Yelling at him won’t bring Noah back. Panicking won’t help. “Where are you?” I manage, the words like acid. “Where was the last place you saw him?”

“LoDo. Near Union Station. That’s where I last saw him before my meeting.”

My heart races, brain mapping the area. LoDo. Crowded, chaotic, full of places where a six-year-old could disappear. Did he wander off? Is someone with him? Is he safe?

“I’m heading there now,” I choke out, barely holding my voice steady. “Stay there, Alex. Don’t move.”

I hang up, my hands trembling as I throw my phone in my bag, worst-case scenarios spinning through my mind. Noa h could be anywhere. Hurt. Lost. What if he’s…

No. I have to stay calm. I shove the fear down and pull out my phone again.

There’s only one person I want to call.

***

Jake

My skates cut across the ice as I push through practice drills, but my head’s not fully in it. All I can think about is seeing Charlie and wrapping my arms around her. She probably nailed her client meeting today—I can’t wait to tell her how proud I am.

I’ve got it all planned out. As soon as practice ends, I’ll drive straight to her place. We still need to talk about what happened, but I know we’ll get through it.

As I circle back for a quick drink, my phone buzzes on the bench. It’s Charlie. She wouldn’t usually call during practice. I skate off the ice, pulling my gloves off as I answer.

“Hey, you okay?”

She’s so hysterical I can barely understand her. “He’s gone. Noah—he’s gone! Alex lost him!”

My heart stops. “ What ?” I’m already yanking off my helmet, waving off Coach as I rush toward the locker room. “Charlie, slow down. What happened?”

“I don’t know!” Her voice cracks, her raw terror slicing through me. “Alex took him to some meeting, and now he’s gone. I don’t—he’s not answering my calls anymore. Jake, my baby, he’s just gone—”

Fury blazes inside me. That asshole couldn’t even keep an eye on his own kid for an hour. I feel my pulse spike, my protecti ve instinct roaring.

Alex, you son of a bitch.

“I’m on my way,” I say, already ripping off my gear, fingers shaking with rage. “Stay calm, Charlie. We’ll find him.”

My blood thrums through me, but I can’t lose it now. Not yet. I need to stay steady for her and Noah.

“Where’s the last place he saw him?” I ask, trying to sound calm, but the anger is a storm inside me.

“L-LoDo,” she stammers, barely able to get the words out. “Some business meeting, I don’t know where—Jake, I wasn’t there! I should’ve been there, I—”

“Charlotte, stop,” I interrupt, voice sharp. “Where in LoDo? Have you called the police?”

“I… No, I haven’t,” she breathes. “I just—”

“Call them. I’m five minutes away in my car. I’ll meet you in LoDo. We’ll find him, Charlie.”

“I can’t—I can’t—” She’s breaking down, and my chest feels like it’s splitting open. I need to get to her.

“Charlie girl, breathe. Do it with me, okay? One breath in, then out.” I throw on my clothes, grab my keys, and sprint for the exit.

My mind is racing, adrenaline surging. I can hear the fear in her voice, and every second that passes feels like a countdown. I’m trying to keep my voice steady, but my hands are shaking as I tear open my car door.

I swear to God, if anything happens to Noah because of that piece of shit…

I shove that thought aside. I need to focus and stay calm for Charlie, because she’s unraveling a mile a minute. Her fear is a wildfire, and even through the phone I can feel it consuming her.

She doesn’t respond, but I hear the muffled sounds of traffic and that’s when it hits me. She’s driving . She’s falling apart behind the wheel.

“Charlie, pull over. Right now.”

“I’m not—”

“Charlotte, listen to me. Pull over. You’re no good to Noah if you’re not safe. Do it for him, okay?” My voice stays calm, even though my heart’s hammering. “Breathe, baby. Give yourself a minute.”

There’s a beat of silence, and I hear her breathing, shaky but slowing. “O-Okay. I’m pulling over.”

“Good girl,” I murmur, my chest loosening just a fraction. “We’ll find him. You’re doing great.”

“Jake, I can’t lose him—I can’t—” Her voice shatters into sobs, and it takes everything in me not to tear my steering wheel straight off my dash.

“You won’t, sweetheart. I’m on my way.” My voice is calm, even though inside I’m on fire, just like her. “We’ll find him, I promise.”

I don’t care what Alex’s excuses are. He’s lost Noah.

Stay focused. Find Noah first. Then deal with Alex.

My SUV roars to life as I peel out of the parking lot. Charlie’s voice echoes in my head, her fear clawing at me. All I want is to hold her, make sure Noah is safe, then tear Alex apart for letting this happen.

He had one job .

***

Charlie

The streets of LoDo blur as I pull up to the building Alex mentioned, my heart pounding so fast it feels like it might burst. My hands are shaking as I rush out of the car, stumbling onto the sidewalk.

I can barely think, can barely breathe. Noah. My baby. The words Alex said on the phone keep repeating in my head. He’s gone. I lost him.

People move around me as I scan the bustling streets. They’re all going about their day as if my entire world isn’t falling apart right in front of me. Panic squeezes my throat, suffocating me. I need to find Noah.

I turn toward the entrance of the building, my phone clutched in my hand, but I can’t think. I can’t functi on. My mind is a haze of what ifs.

Then I see Alex. Leaning against his car, scrolling through his phone, looking like he’s barely inconvenienced. He looks up as I approach, but before he can say a word, my anger flares.

“How could you lose him?” My voice is sharp, cutting through the noise of the street. “He’s six years old, Alex! How could you just leave him?”

Alex straightens, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. “He wandered off, Lottie.” His tone drips with impatience, like I’m the one being unreasonable.

“ Wandered off ?” I echo, my voice trembling with fury. “He’s a little boy, not a dog you can let wander while you have a meeting!”

Alex’s expression hardens, his lips curling in disdain. “He didn’t listen, like always. Maybe if you taught him some discipline, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

I feel my pulse spike, my vision blurring with rage. “Don’t you dare blame this on me or Noah,” I seethe, stepping closer. “You were supposed to watch him, Alex! You—”

“Lottie, calm down,” he interrupts, his voice low and patronizing, his hand waving me off like I’m being hysterical. “I’ve already called the police.”

Calm down?

I take another step forward, my hands shaking. My voice drops to a dangerous whisper. “Don’t you dare tell me to calm down. This is your fault, and if anything happens to Noah—” My voice breaks, and I can’t finish the sentence.

“He’s my son, too,” Alex snaps, his eyes flashing with irritation. “I’ll deal with this. You need to stop overreacting.”

I jerk back as if he’s slapped me, disbelief swirling with fury in my chest. How can he be this detached when our child is missing? He reaches for my arm, but I yank it away.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” I spit, my voice shaking as much as my body. I’m unraveling, the panic tightening around my chest like a vise. My mind is spinning with all the terrible possibilities.

I dart my eyes around, searching the streets, hoping to see a flash of Noah’s blond hair. But it’s just a sea of strangers. I feel sick.

I wish Jake was here.

The tears spill over, hot and uncontrollable. I sink onto a bench and bury my face in my hands. I can’t hold it in anymore. My body shakes with sobs, the fear, and the helplessness breaking me from the inside out.

“Charlie!”

I look up, blinking through the tears, and there he is. Jake. Running toward me, his eyes locked on mine, face etched with concern.

Relief crashes over me like a wave as I stumble to my feet, rushing toward him. A sob escapes me as he catches me in his arms, holding me so tightly I can barely breathe—but I don’t care. His arms are the only thing keeping me from falling apart completely.

“I’m here,” he whispers into my hair. “I’m here. We’re gonna find him.”

I cling to him, fingers digging into his jacket, tears flowing freely now. “Jake. I can’t— I can’t lose him…”

He pulls back just enough to cup my face, his eyes fierce. “You won’t,” he says, voice protective and certain. “We’ll find him, Charlie. I promise.”

With Jake holding me, the difference between him and Alex is so clear. Jake, who’s all in. Fighting for me and the kids, loving us down to his very bones. And Alex—the man who never cared enough to stay. The man who couldn’t take care of his own son.

I lean into Jake, heart pounding, allowing myself a moment to rein in some of the crazy since this nightmare began. He’s here.

And I know that if Jake says he’ll find Noah, he means it.

***

Jake

She’s barely holding it together. Trembling in my arms, her fear so thick I can taste it. It’s clawing down my throat, tightening my chest.

For a moment we just stand there, her body shaking against mine. Everything we’ve been through this week—the argument, the tension—none of it matters now. All that matters is Noah.

“I don ’t know what to do,” she whispers, her voice breaking. “I trusted him. I didn’t have a choice, but I trusted him…”

Her voice cracks, and I feel a surge of fury again. That someone could hurt her this much, disregard her trust like it was nothing. Cut her so deep she’s barely hanging on.

My eyes slowly trace over her face, trying to find the right words, when they catch something over her shoulder.

Alex .

Something snaps inside me and I see red. This motherfucker is the reason for all of this. Everything that’s been hurting her, everything we’re dealing with this week.

I pull away from Charlie, my hands tightening into fists as I storm toward him, rage blazing in me like a wildfire. He’s leaning against his car, arms crossed like this is just some minor issue. His face is a mask of frustration, and when his eyes meet mine, there’s defensiveness there. He straightens like he’s ready for a fight.

Good. He fucking should be.

“You lost my kid,” I snarl, shoving him hard against his car before I can think twice. “We trusted you with him for one goddamn hour, and you couldn’t even handle that!”

Alex stumbles back but recovers quickly, anger flashing in his eyes as he shoves me off. “He’s not your kid, Jake. I’m his father, not you.”

The words land like a slap, but they don’t weaken me—they just piss me off more. My chest heaves as I step closer, practically nose-to-nose with him. “A father doesn’t lose his kid. A father doesn’t use his kid as a pawn in some power game. I’m here cleaning up your fucking mess.”

Alex scoffs, rolling his eyes, but I see the flicker of guilt behind the arrogance. “It was a mistake. I stepped away for two minutes—”

“That’s all it takes.” My hands fist in the collar of his jacket, yanking him close. “Two minutes. You had one job .”

“Let go,” Alex spits, shoving me harder, squaring up like this is some kind of pissing contest. “I just stepped into my meeting for a minute. Noah wandered off. This isn’t my fault.”

“The hell it isn’t,” I reply, voice lethal. “You threaten to take them back to New Zealand, thinking you can handle it. Then you pull this shit?”

Alex shoves back against me, his voice rising. “He didn’t listen to me! What was I supposed to do?”

“What were you supposed to do?” I repeat, incredulous. My grip tightens on his jacket as he struggles. “You were supposed to watch him , you son of a bitch. He’s six!”

He shoves back again, but this time I slam him harder against the car, my breath coming in short, furious bursts. “I don’t care what excuses you have, you lost Noah. He could be anywhere, scared out of his mind, because you weren’t paying attention.”

“Stop it!” Charlie’s voice cuts through the tension, sharp and desperate. She’s between us, pushing against me, tears streaking her face. “Jake, please.”

I breathe hard, staring Alex down for a moment longer before I force myself to let go. He glares at me while he straightens his jacket, but there’s no fight in him. He knows I’ll fucking pummel him given half the chance.

“Where’s the last place you saw him?” I snap, my voice cold.

Alex rubs at his collar, scowling, then points down the street. “I went into that building near Confluence Park for five minutes, came out, and he was gone.” He turns his sneer on Charlie, venom dripping from his voice. “And if you weren’t so busy playing house with your hockey boyfriend , maybe you’d remember to teach your son some damn listening skills.”

I watch his words hit Charlie like a slap, her face crumbling under the weight of the nightmare we’re in. The pain in her eyes sends my fury into overdrive.

My jaw clenches, every muscle in my body tensing as I take a step forward. “Say that again.”

“Jake—” Charlie starts, but I cut her off by holding up my hand. Not this time.

“You want to repeat that, big man?” I ask, tone danger ous. “Because you might think you can say whatever you want to her, but one more word and you’ll wish you were the one lost.”

“She’s still the mother of my kids,” Alex snaps, his voice dripping like he thinks that’s his trump card.

“And that’s the only thing saving your ass right now,” I bite back. “So here’s what you’re gonna do—you’re gonna shut your fucking mouth, and you’re gonna focus on finding Noah, or I swear to God you’ll never come near them again.”

The tension crackles between us, but I see him falter, his sneer flickering as reality sinks in.

I turn away from him, the fury still burning in my veins, but Charlie’s right. We don’t have time for this. Pounding him into the ground won’t help Noah. I need to pull myself together for her, for Noah. We need to find him.

Charlie’s pacing again, her phone pressed to her ear talking to the police. I want to hold her, tell her it’ll be okay, but I can barely keep it together myself.

I scan the area, my heart pounding in my chest. LoDo is busy: people walking, cars moving, noise everywhere. I jog down the street toward Confluence Park, thinking about where a scared six-year-old might go.

My mind is racing, every second that passes only adding to the weight of the situation. People pass me by, maybe recognizing me and unaware of the hell we’re in, and I have to fight the rising panic clawing at my throat.

Then, through the chaos, I spot him.

Noah.

My heart slams into my ribs. He’s huddled on a bench near the river, knees pulled to his chest, his face streaked with tears. But he’s safe.

“Charlie!” I shout over my shoulder, sprinting across the street, dodging traffic. I hear her shriek and start running behind me, but all I can focus on is Noah.

Relief floods through me as I reach the bench and drop to my knees in front of him, pulling him into my arms. “Noah,” I breathe, holding him tight, feeling the weight of him in my arms. “You okay, buddy? You scared us.”

He clings to me, sniffling against my shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he whispers, his little voice shaking. “I wanted to see the little boats on the river…”

I hold him clo ser, kissing the top of his head. “It’s okay. We're here. You’re okay.”

Charlie catches up, tears streaming down her face as she throws her arms around us both. “Oh my God, Noah…”

Her voice breaks as she presses her lips to his forehead, holding him fiercely, her shaking hands skating over his face, his hair and his shoulders. Like she’s feeling every cell of him to ensure he’s okay. Like she might be right back in a moment when he was a newborn, cradling him close, absorbing every bit of him.

The sight knocks the air out of my lungs. The sheer, overwhelming love she has for him, the way she holds onto him like he’s her whole world—it radiates from her. And I feel it stronger than ever: that being part of this, part of her , would make me happy forever.

I hold them both tighter, my eyes closing as I fight to regulate the flood of emotions swirling around us. We found him. He’s safe. They’re safe.

For a brief moment, the nightmare feels over.

But then Alex finally catches up, slowly jogging over like he he doesn't want to crumple his suit, voice sharp and grating. “Noah, why the hell did you wander off like that?”

The shift in the air is instant. I feel Charlie stiffen beside me, her whole body tensing with anger as she turns to him.

“Don’t you dare ,” she spits. “Don’t you dare blame him. This is on you, Alex.”

Alex scoffs. "I didn't—"

"Shut the hell up." I step forward, my voice dangerous, every cell in my body screaming to put his body six feet under. “You don’t get to blame a kid for your own fucking negligence. You left him. You. ”

No one moves. The tension hums like ozone in the air.

Charlie’s between us, holding Noah protectively, her disgust written all over her face.

Finally, Alex sighs, holding up his hands in fake surrender. “Fine. Whatever.”

But I’m not finished.

“You’re done.” My pulse pounds as I stare him down. “Stay the hell away from them.”

Charlie’s arms tighten around Noah, her eyes meeting mine. A silent understanding passes between us. She knows. I won't let this happen again.

With one last glare at Alex, my body still wired with anger and adrenaline, I force myself to turn away from him. He's not what matters.

I step back to where Charlie holds Noah, wrapping them both in my arms, grounding myself in their warmth. I need to feel them, to know they’re safe.

I press a hand to the back of Noah's head, my voice gentler now.

“Let’s go home, buddy.”