Series: Peach State Stepbros Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 79283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79283 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 396(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“And you have him. You’ve always had him. From the second I met you both, I knew it was only a matter of time before you ended up together.”
“Yeah?” I ask, trying to focus on what Atlas is saying while we make our way around the lake.
“For sure. And this is coming from a guy who didn’t think anything positive about relationships until I fell in love with Troy…but I knew you and Taylor would be good for each other.”
We are good for each other. The best. And I think I’ve always known it too. “Tell me again that he’s going to be okay, Atlas.”
My friend puts his arm around me, the guy with a heart of gold, even if he rarely shows it. “He’s going to be okay.”
As we hurry on our way, I hope like hell he’s right.
We make it as far as we can around the lake before heading for the trails. Each second that goes by, my pulse slams faster, my worry intensifying. If the others found him, they would message us. I haven’t heard from Mila either, and all I can do is hope they’re together.
There’s not much time left before I have to tell our folks I can’t find him, that Taylor is missing on their wedding day. How can I break Nicole’s heart like that? How can the universe be breaking mine too?
We’re heading toward the trees when Mila jogs down one of the trails toward us.
And she’s alone.
She smiles when she sees me, but then a concerned look washes over her face. “What’s wrong?”
“Have you seen Taylor? He left our room for breakfast this morning and no one has seen him since.”
“I saw him earlier with an older guy, maybe in his forties…they were walking out of the hotel. He didn’t see me, though, and I didn’t speak to him. Things looked intense. I figured it was a wedding issue.”
An older guy? My heart drops. Who in the hell would he be with? “What did he look like?”
“Um…tall. Clean cut. Short, sandy hair. Similar to Taylor’s hair, so I thought he might be related…an uncle or something.”
My heart stops. The Piece of Shit. Taylor is with the Piece of Shit. “I gotta go,” I say, then run back for the hotel. I hear Atlas and Mila behind me but don’t stop, can’t, not until I get to Dad.
The whole time, I tell myself he won’t hurt Taylor. He never had in the past, but why is he here? Why is Taylor with him? And just because he didn’t physically hurt Taylor in the past doesn’t mean he won’t now.
My head is pounding, my chest hurting from the cool weather and running as I hurry into the elevator, hitting the button over and over as if that will make it move faster.
As soon as I get to Dad and Nicole’s room, I’m banging on the door, feel like I’m outside my body, like none of this is real.
The door pulls open.
“Bren? Is everything okay?”
“I can’t find Taylor.” I shove into the room, and it takes me a moment to realize our friends are right behind me, that along the way Colin, Ash, and Troy showed up and must have been in one of the other elevators. “We were in bed, and he said he was going for breakfast. I wasn’t ready to get up, so I stayed and fell back asleep. I haven’t been able to find him since. We looked everywhere. Mila said she saw him with a man this morning, and…and it sounds like Chris.” My hands fist. “Fuck! This is all my fault. Why didn’t I go with him?”
“Chris?” Nicole asks, voice shaking with panic.
My gaze meets hers. “I’m so sorry. I fucked up. I should have taken care of him.” I turn to my father, his body a blob through my tears. “Dad. Please…we have to find him. I can’t handle it if anything happens to him. I love him.”
I love him so fucking much, I ache with it. I can’t imagine my life without him. I think I’ve always loved Taylor, and I always will.
I swipe at my tears.
“Bren?” he says, clearly feeling stuck between me and Nicole, both of us losing it.
“I’m sorry. I know the timing is terrible. We were going to wait until after the wedding to say anything, but…” I step closer to Nicole. “I’m sorry,” I say again. “I didn’t mean to mess anything up.”
“Oh, Brenner. You have nothing to apologize for, do you hear me? Nothing at all. You have always been so good to my son. You’re the best friend he’s ever had. He’s thought the sun rises and sets with you every day since the moment he met you.” She holds my face in her hands, the same way my mom used to do. “It’ll be okay, do you hear me? We’re going to find Taylor, and everything is going to be okay.”