“It’s not fucking normal, Logan. Mia’s way of rebelling is by ordering four pizzas instead of one. Something is wrong. If anything happened to her I’ll … fuck … what the fuck did I do? I shouldn’t have left her here. I should’ve dragged her ass to New York.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong, Rhett. Mia is fine. We’ll find her.” I keep my eyes closed as I lie to him. Right now I need him to stay calm or I’m going to lose it as well.
“She’s my baby sister. I’m all she has and I’ve been too busy to make time for her. I’m the one person who should be rock solid in her life.”
I can hear that Rhett’s on the verge of crying and it makes me want to breakdown myself.
“Come home. We’ll find her,” I whisper, trying to convince myself that she’s okay.
I end the call and lean back in my chair, as I let the memories swamp me.
I remember how beautiful she looked the night I took her to prom. I got to hold her in my arms for hours as we danced. The way she smiled up at me, almost made me believe that she could love me one day.
I remember how nervous I was when I taught her how to kiss. I totally took advantage of her innocence that day, just grateful that I’d be the first to kiss her even if she didn’t feel the same way about me.
Damn, to this day it’s still the best kiss I’ve ever had. She tasted like a mixture of sweet innocence and hot fantasies.
I remember the attraction I felt towards her. She was only eighteen and I couldn’t do anything about my feelings for her. Rhett would’ve killed me. Besides, the feelings were just one sided. I couldn’t risk telling her and risk her being awkward around me.
I let her go, knowing she deserved more than her brother’s friend fantasizing over her from a distance. I was convinced I was doing the right thing by not pursuing her.
Thinking about it now, maybe I should’ve told her how I felt about her. Shit, at least I’d be a part of her life. I’d know what she was doing and where she was.
I take a deep breath and shove the panic and worry down. None of that’s going to help find her.
I start to search for PI’s so we can go see one as soon as Rhett is back.
Come hell or high water, I’m going to find my girl.
Chapter 3
Mia
“Josie!” I shriek as I run to her. I throw my arms around her and hug her tight. “I’ve missed you so much.”
Josie hugs me back, and for a moment we just stand in the middle of the airport holding each other. Damn, it’s good to see her again.
When I pull back, I say, “You have no idea how glad I am that you’re finally here.”
She grins happily at me and adjusts her bag over her shoulder.
I reach for the bag and slip it onto my right shoulder. The terminal is bustling with people so I wait until we’re outside, before I say, “I found a decent place for us to rent. We can only move in on Saturday though. We’ll have to share the bedroom I’m currently renting for the next two days. Will you be okay with that?”
“Of course,” she exclaims. “As long as we’re together.”
When we get back to the apartment, I fix us each a sandwich, which we eat in the bedroom.
“Have you heard from yo
ur brother?” she asks, after telling me about her graduation ceremony.
I swallow hard on the last bite, taking a sip of water to help wash it down.
“No.” Every time she asks if I’ve heard from any of them, I my heart shrink. I know she means well, but I wish she’d stop asking. Wanting to change the subject, I ask, “When is your interview with Abstract Art & Design?”
“Thankfully, it’s in two weeks. I need a break after all the drama my parents gave me.”
My eye brows shoot skyward. It’s the first I’m hearing of this. “Are they upset that you moved to New York?”