She walks away, and I tuck the photo back into my jacket and walk outside. Anger and frustration bubble up inside me. I just spent three days here, and it was all a waste of time.
I get into the car and immediately call my brother.
“She’s not here, Shane.” I fill him in on what the bartender said. “I was so sure. This was the only clue in Grams’ house.”
“I have a theory,” Shane says. “I think we’ve been attacking this from the wrong angle.”
I narrow my eyes. “Go on.”
“What was the most important thing in Elena’s life?”
“Just spit it out, Shane.”
“Archer, Carmine. Archer was the most important.”
“Uncle Vinnie put a stop to that.”
“Do you really think they stayed apart all these years? If you were in love with someone so deeply that you were willing to go against a family like ours to be with her, would you stay away?”
“If Pop threatened to kill her? Yeah, I’d stay away. But it’s an interesting theory. The only problem is, Archer’s in Seattle.”
“Not lately, he hasn’t been.”
My hand tightens on the steering wheel. “Keep talking.”
“We’re not sure where he went, but he’s been out of the area for a while. I think it’s worth looking into.”
“You’re the tracker in the family,” I say, hope taking root in my belly. “Get looking.”Chapter 16~Archer~My eyes are blurry. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I was coming off a bender with a hangover the size of Canada.
But, no. I didn’t even finish that one glass of champagne last night.
I did, however, stay up most of the night making love with Elena. We might have snagged two total hours of sleep.
I’m not complaining. I waited a dozen years for this. Every minute with her is a gift.
I send up a silent thank you when I spot the Keurig on the countertop with a round carousel of different varieties of coffee pods.
I open a cabinet in search of mugs and lift a brow when I see Jenna’s collection.
“How’s that coffee coming?” Elena asks as she pads up behind me and wraps her arms around my stomach, pressing a kiss to my shoulder.
“It’s just getting started. Do you want I’m no cactus expert, but I know a prick when I see one or Please cancel my subscription to your issues?”
“Huh?” She leans around me to see what I’m looking at and lets out a laugh. “Oh, these are awesome. I have some funny mugs, but this collection is impressive.”
“I think I’m gonna use Hustle Juice,” I say, pulling the mug down.
“I love this one,” she says, pointing to a mug on the second shelf. “I think I’ve seized the wrong day. Hilarious. Oh! I don’t like morning people. Or mornings. Or people. This one is for me today.”
“You like me,” I reply with a sleepy grin as I pull that mug down and place it under the coffee machine, slip a pod in, and press brew. “According to last night, you like me a lot.”
“I like you and maybe four other people,” she says and leans back against the counter as we wait for our coffee. She’s in the black T-shirt I wore yesterday. Her hair is down and tumbled from a night of my fingers diving through it. Her legs are bare, along with her pink-colored toes.
Those fascinating eyes are heavy-lidded and full of satisfaction as she watches me.
“What are we doing today?” she asks.
“I thought we could go for a hike, if you’re up for it.”
“Are there bears here?”
“Possibly.” I pour cream into her coffee and pass her the mug. “But I have bear spray, and there are enough people on these trails that I would be surprised if the bears hang out here. They’re deeper in the woods.”
“You hope,” she mutters. “Because the one who runs the slowest is the bear food, and I can outrun you, my friend.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about.” I doctor up my coffee and kiss her lips lightly before walking past her and out to the deck where the hot tub and refreshments from last night are still on display. “I guess this sort of went to waste, huh?”
“No, it didn’t,” Elena says as she walks out behind me. “It did exactly what Jenna intended for it to do. It was romantic and sexy, and led to a fun-filled night.”
After I close the lid on the tub, I sit on one of the deck chairs and tug Elena into my lap, careful not to spill our coffees.
“You’re right.” I nuzzle her ear and grin when I feel her shiver. “Are you cold?”
“It’s a little brisk this morning,” she says but then chuckles. “But, no. It’s just you. Isn’t it crazy?”
“What’s that?” I brush my fingers through her hair, watching the dark strands as they fall over her shoulder.