by Jaime Lewis
With a plan in mind, she put it into motion. She tapped on the plexiglass, separating her from the cab driver.
“I changed my mind. Please take me to the Newark bus terminal instead?” She instructed the driver. With the nod of his head, he took the exit leading out of the city, and hopefully, taking Mia one step closer to safety.
Chapter Seven
Ace stared at his phone in shock as he read a text from his sister. Literally, his mouth gaped open in disbelief.
“Ran into trouble, may not make my flight. I’ll call when I can”.
What the fuck kind of message was that? He had heard his phone vibrate with a text around three-thirty in the morning, but at that precise moment, he was balls deep inside his fiancé, and when he saw it was Mia and not work calling him in, he decided it could wait knowing she was due to arrive this morning. But now, he wasn’t sure.
The more times he read her words, the more pissed off he got. He dialed her number, and again it went straight to voicemail. He disconnected and threw the phone down onto the table, and ran his hands through his hair.
Alex looked over from the stove where she’d been all morning cooking. “What’s wrong, honey?”
Ace looked up as Alex walked toward the table. “I don’t understand Mia’s message.” He showed her the text message.
Alex’s eyes widened, and she even looked confused. This was so not like his sister.
“When she says trouble, does she mean like real trouble?” Alex asked, and Ace could see the worry in her expression. Hell, he was concerned.
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I’ve tried to call her a few times, but her call goes to voicemail, and texts I’ve sent go unanswered.”
“What about your mom or sisters? Have they heard anything from her?”
“No, nothing.”
“That’s really strange. When Tenley and I talked to her the other night she seemed excited about coming down.”
“Something is wrong. I just know it. Mia never misses a holiday. Plus, she’s an explainer.” Alex’s look of confusion made him elaborate. “She likes to explain herself down to the very last detail, even though it annoys the hell out of me.” He read the text to her again, and Alex drew her eyebrows in.
She reached out and touched his arm, and he knew it was a gesture of comfort. It was a quality that he loved about her.
“Maybe something came up with her job. She did say that she has been inundated at the clinic. From the sounds of it, she works from sunup to sundown. Maybe she was having second thoughts on coming down and wants to just chill by herself for a long weekend. I mean, it can get pretty crazy hanging with our little family,” Ace gave her a sideways look, and Alex threw her hands in the air. “Hey, I don’t know, I’m just thinking out loud.” She got up from the table and walked over to the counter, and continued to cut up more vegetables. She looked over her shoulder, “Give Stitch a call; maybe she called him.” Ace didn’t miss the small smile on her face.
“Why would she call him?” He barked, causing her to turn around and raise an eyebrow at him, and she sighed.
“Maybe, because they talk on the phone and just maybe she mentioned something to him. We’ve talked about this, but I guess you just choose not to listen. You know, for someone who is so detailed-oriented in your day-to-day life, you sure are oblivious, or maybe just in denial to your surroundings here at home.” His eyes widened at her smart-ass comment. He stared at her back while she continued to busy herself around the kitchen, getting things ready for dinner and for Irish and Bailey’s small wedding ceremony that was taking place on their back patio before they all sat down for a Thanksgiving feast.
Damn, now that he thought about it, they’d held three weddings at the house within the past nine months. Shit, he should start charging a venue and catering fee, considering Alex orchestrated everything from decorating down to the food.
He shook his head, realizing he was getting off track. He wanted to focus a little more on this Mia and Stitch “thing.” Was there an actual “thing” between the two of them, and he wasn’t aware? No, surely, Stitch would have talked with him. At least he better had, if he knew what was good for him.
He gave Alex another look, this time giving her his best interrogator look. It was the one he used when he confronted an enemy who had valuable information he wanted. “How often do they talk?” And, damn, if her eyes just twinkled. He should have known better than to pull the SEAL routine with her. Alex was a born fighter and wouldn’t back down from anyone or anything, including him. Before she could answer, the doorbell rang, bringing their discussion to a temporary halt. But he would get answers even if he had to play dirty to get them.
He pushed away from the table and stood, pointing his finger in her direction. “We are not done with this discussion.”
“Whatever you say, Ace.” She replied over her shoulder with a sassy smile as she watched him. He couldn’t help but smile and shake his head. God damn, he loved her, sass and all.
Chapter Eight
Mia stepped off the bus and almost tumbled over when her ankle gave out. Thankfully, she was close enough to the bus to catch herself. The pain had gotten worse, and the ibuprofen she had taken a few hours ago had worn off. She had a couple of prescription pain pills left over from a dental procedure she had a few months ago, but she wasn’t keen on taking prescription pain medicine. She and pain killers didn’t mix well. They made her a little looney in her opinion before they’d knock her out for hours. That wouldn’t bode well for her on a bus when she needed to make multiple transfers. Once she was at the cabin and behind locked doors, only then would she consider taking one.
At least she had made it to the small town, and it didn’t appear that she’d been followed. She had watched people closely at each transfer station. Not that she would know what she’d do if someone had acted suspicious, but at least she was keeping aware of her surroundings.
She glanced around and saw through the window that there were some open chairs inside the small bus station. Her next obstacle was figuring out how she was going to get to the cabin from here. She assumed she could either uber or catch a cab. Neither one made her feel warm and fuzzy. She was skeptical of anyone right now. The problem was she still didn’t have a phone. The two bus terminals with a small store inside them were out of pay-as-you-go phones. Hopefully, Stitch had a landline that she could call her brother from.
She hefted her backpack on her shoulders and hobbled inside. She ignored the stares from people. The bruising on her face had gotten worse. She had managed to make it all the way to the town using the excuse that she had been in an accident when people would ask what happened to her.
She carefully sat down and pulled her pant leg up to check on her ankle. It was twice the size it was when she left New York. She wasn’t meant to even be walking on it. Once she made it to the cabin, she’d elevate it and ice it.
Thinking about the cabin, she fingered the key in her jacket pocket, making sure it was still there. That was all she needed, to get here and then lose the damn key.
She looked around, then noticed there was a taxi stand just outside the opposite set of doors. She was about to get up to head in that direction when Lena, the nice older lady she was seated next to on the bus, approached. Mia smiled, but that smile faded when she caught sight of the large man following Lena. Mia studied him as he neared. He was tall, about her brother’s height, and with dark hair. He wore a pair of jeans with a button-down flannel shirt and coat. But when her eyes landed on the Sheriff’s badge clipped to his shirt and the gun on his waist, she gulped.
She tried to put on her best smile as Lena stopped in front of her, but she couldn’t keep her eyes off the Sheriff who stood beside Lena.
“Mia, I know you said that you were heading to your friend’s place, but I was concerned about you taking a cab there. Not that this area is ridden with crime, but you are a pretty young lady, and well, I don’t want to see anybody take advantage of you. And, i
t just so happens that our own Sheriff Prescott is here. Sheriff, this is Mia, the young lady that I was talking to you about that needed a ride to her friend's place.”
Shit! Mia wanted to crawl into a hole and hide. The last thing she needed was the Sheriff all up in her business right now. She didn’t miss the way the Sheriff studied her. He was more than curious. Of course he was; after all, she looked like she had been in a boxing ring with Rocky Balboa for a few rounds and came out on the losing end.
“Those are some nasty bruises.” He said, not looking away, and reached out to touch her chin.
“She was in a car accident just the other day. Where did you say that happened again?” Lena asked.
Mia stared at the Sheriff and then nodded her head and took a step back. If she wanted to get out of this situation without the Sheriff wanting to ask more questions than she was willing to answer, then she needed to play along.
“New York.”
“Hmm…that must have been a doozy of an accident.” The Sheriff stated, and Mia felt bad for lying to him; after all, he was law enforcement. Then there was Lena, who had been nothing but nice and helpful since they met at the Maryland transfer station. But she couldn’t trust anyone right now, and she certainly didn’t need a nosey Sheriff getting all up into her business. Her brother would take care of things. That is once she was able to call him.
Mia forced a smile on her face. “Yes, sir, it was. But I’ll be fine. As soon as I get to my friend’s place, I plan on taking it easy for the next couple of days.”
“Sheriff Prescott, do you think you could take Mia to her friend's place? If you’re heading home, it’s on the way.”
Mia started to panic; she didn’t want the Sheriff driving her anywhere, let alone knowing where she would be staying. She was hoping to just fly right under the radar.
“Oh, that’s okay. I really don’t mind grabbing a cab. I’m sure the Sheriff has better things to do than play taxi.”
She looked up at the Sheriff, and he gave her a firm expression and squinted his eyes. There was no way in hell he had bought her story. Ace would get the same look when he thought someone was trying to pull the wool over his eyes. This guy was intense and fierce-looking, not to mention skeptical. Fuck a duck; she was screwed. If he was anything like Ace, there was going to be no arguing with him.
“Things don’t operate the way they do in New York City, honey, and that includes getting a cab.” The Sheriff said in a commanding tone as he turned his eyes on her, and she wished the floor would just open and swallow her. The conversation was turning into what her brother would call a clusterfuck. She shifted on her feet. As if sensing her unease, the Sheriff softened up a tad and stuck his hand out.
“Let’s start over. I’m Sheriff Prescott, and I run this town. Well, I try to keep it civil.” He smirked, and Mia couldn’t help but smile as he was trying to be nice. She placed her hand into his rather large one.
“Mia.” She responded, hoping that would be enough for the curious Sheriff.
“Hi, Mia. Welcome to Sugar Bend.”
She swallowed hard as his eyes studied her face. There wasn’t anything she could do to hide the bruises or the busted lip. Her throat seemed to dry right up like a summer day in the desert.
“Thank you, Sheriff.” He looked at Lena and smiled. He had a great smile when he wasn’t scowling.
“Lena, I’ll make sure that Mia gets to her friend’s house safe and sound.”
She patted the Sheriff’s arm, “Such a good man.” She turned back to Mia. “You’re in good, capable hands, dear. I hope to see you around town during your stay.”
As soon as Lena was out of sight, the Sheriff turned his skeptical eyes back on her before he crossed his arms in front of his chest. Yep, exactly like Ace. She wondered if he ever served in the military.
“Honey, you are obviously in a lot of pain. First, what can I do to help you? Do you need a doctor?”
She felt the tears hit her eyes instantly. This guy didn’t know a damn thing about her, and he was already offering to help her instead of interrogating.
She swallowed through the emotion. “No, sir. Like I told Lena, as soon as I can get to my friend’s place, I’ll be fine. But thank you for the offer.”
“Who is this friend of yours, and where do they live?”
She contemplated giving him a false name, but he gave her the impression that he took care of his town and probably knew every person who lived here.
“Evan Watson.”
The Sheriff raised his eyebrows and nodded his head. “Evan or Stitch, as most call him, is a good friend of mine. I didn’t realize he was coming up here this weekend.” He said inquisitively.
Oh, for crying out loud. Of course the Sheriff knew Stitch. “Oh, Evan’s not coming.” She replied, and the Sheriff’s dark thick eyebrows went a notch higher. “I have a key to his place. He told me I could use the cabin.” She pulled the key out of her jacket pocket and showed it to him. “See.”
That seemed to appease the Sheriff because he nodded, but she still got a feeling he was going to press for more.
“Well, if you are ready, I’m ready. It’s about a thirty-minute drive from here.”
“Are you sure you really don’t mind? I mean, it’s Thanksgiving, and I don’t want to keep you from your family.”
He smirked. “I’m good, but thank you for your thoughtfulness. It’s very kind of you.”
She got her backpack situated on her shoulders again. “Do you mind if I use the restroom really quick before we leave?” She needed to give herself a few minutes before she got into the car with the Sheriff, because god knows what type of questioning she may up against. Plus she really did need to pee.
“Not at all. When you’re finished, meet me outside. I’m going to pull the truck up closer to the door, so you don’t have to walk as far.”
“Thank you.”
◆◆◆
As soon as Mia disappeared into the restroom, the Sheriff pulled his cell phone from his pocket as he walked out to his patrol truck. Hitting the Stitch’s number, he listened to it ring.
Chapter Nine
Memories were being made at Ace and Alex’s house. After a short, simple, but beautiful wedding ceremony for Irish and Bailey, everyone had gathered around the three tables to enjoy the Thanksgiving feast that Alex had prepared.
Stitch looked around; he guessed there had to be close to fifty people in the house. How in the hell Alex managed to cook the amount of food she had was a wonder to him. But, then again, that was Alex. The woman could manage any task put in front of her.
All was quiet in the world, at least where he and the team were concerned, so that in itself was a blessing. Thanksgiving was his favorite holiday, so he was thrilled to be able to spend it with his family and friends who meant the world to him. The only downfall was Mia’s absence. He had been looking forward to spending time with her in person.
Over the course of the year, he had fallen in love with Mia. Some people may say he jumped the gun, but he knew that Mia was meant for him deep in his heart. Ever since he found out she was spending the holiday with Ace, he’d been excited to sit down with her and cut through all the red tape keeping them apart, as well as discussing the best course of action in telling her brother. They were all adults, but Ace was very protective of Mia.
He grinned to himself as he watched everyone enjoying the food in the company of friends and family. A moment as such was what Thanksgiving was all about. Being able to celebrate with those you are thankful to have in your life.
“Honey, have you heard anything from Mia yet?” Charlotte, Ace’s mom, asked her son, which got Stitch’s attention. Anything about Mia these days got his attention.
Everyone was a little concerned about Mia’s whereabouts. Stitch could also tell Ace was annoyed with the text she sent him. Ace wiped his mouth with a napkin and shook his head. “No, I haven’t, and I don’t know whether I should be pissed off at her or concerned. The whole thing is
just uncharacteristically, not like her.”
“Is there anyone we can call and see if they could check on her? At least to put our worries at ease.”
Ace turned his scrutinizing eyes on Stitch, and Stitch suddenly got a funny feeling in his gut, especially when he saw Alex’s eyes widen as if she just had an “oh shit” moment. She almost pulled it off and tried to cover her expression when she picked up her glass of wine and took a drink.
“Have you heard anything from my sister?” Ace asked him, and suddenly Stitch found himself the center of attention as everyone paused mid-conversation to hear what he had to say. Christ, could this get any more awkward? He put his fork down and thought about how to respond.
“Why would you think I would know?” He replied, raising an eyebrow, wondering what was really behind Ace’s line of questioning. Ace glanced at Alex, and Stitch swore he saw the corner of Ace’s lip twitch, and he certainly didn’t miss the twinkle in Alex’s eye either.
“Well, you do talk to her, right?” Ace questioned.
There was no way Stitch could lie. It would be disrespectful, and Ace wasn’t just a teammate; he was a close friend.
He licked his lower lip. “Occasionally,” he answered vaguely.
“When was the last time you spoke with her?”
“When she was here last, right after the incident with Bailey.” Stitch locked gazes with Bailey across the table from him. “Sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t mean to bring that up.”
The new bride smiled and winked at him. “That’s okay, Stitch.”
“That was weeks ago. Did she happen to mention anything to you then?” Alex asked, joining in on the interrogation, because it was beginning to feel a lot like it.
“No, but I could see she was stressed out. I asked her about it, and she vented a little. But you know Mia, she just smiled and said she’d get through it.”