Wild Love (Wilder Valley) by Kacey Shea

Author:Kacey Shea [Shea, Kacey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kacey Shea Books LLC
Published: 2024-03-28T00:00:00+00:00

20

WILDER

I’m in a dead sleep when the faint familiar sound of my cell phone ring pulls me to consciousness. I squint against the morning light streaming through the windows and stretch my limbs. Jenn’s face is buried into her pillow beneath her mess of pink hair, her body turned away from mine and practically begging me to rouse her from sleep.

Yeah, I think that’s the perfect way to start the day.

But first I need to shut off my annoying phone. Carefully peeling my body from the comfort of the bed, I slip on my underwear and make my way downstairs. The ringing is incessant, causing a spark of alarm to take root in my chest. I’ve completely ignored reality since stepping foot in Jenn’s place, but maybe that was a mistake. I quicken my steps and retrieve my phone from where I left it next to my keys on the counter last night.

Five missed calls. All from Maeve.

Shit.

Before I can return her calls, my phone rings again.

“Maeve, what’s going on? Is everything okay?” Is Will okay? I attempt, unsuccessfully, to mask the panic in my voice.

“Sorry.” Static breaks up the call. “I—want to—call.” She sniffles, and my stomach hardens with dread.

In the span of a second, all the joy from the last twelve hours is sucked from my body. My mind races with horrible possibilities. What if Will needed me and I wasn’t there? Or is it one of the kids? Her husband?

But I can’t ask her because my stupid phone is on the fritz. Shit. It’s the reception here. “Maeve. Don’t hang up.” Yanking on my shirt and pants in record time, I shove my feet into my boots and practically run out the front door. I jog all the way to the end of the drive, watching the bars on my phone dance up and down. I don’t stop until three of them hold strong.

“Maeve. I’m here. What’s wrong?”

“It’s Pops.”

Oh. My mind floods with relief. Thank God. In my next breath, the relief is soured by guilt. I lean against a massive pine tree and press the phone against my ear. “What happened?”

“He’s wandered off. At least that’s what we think. There was a mix-up last night. I don’t know how exactly, but he was without a caretaker for at least eight hours.” Her sob hits me through the line. “What if he’s hurt? What if we don’t find him? Wild, I’m scared.”

“Who have you called?”

“Ryan. Jackson. Aiden. Rainer.” She sniffs back another sob. “Ryan and Jackson are checking the property, but that could take a while. Aiden is going to the sheriff’s office first, then the fire station.”

“Good. Where else should we check?” I hate that she couldn’t get ahold of me sooner. It was irresponsible sleeping here. Only, the possibility of a family emergency was the last thing on my mind last night. “Places he might go?”

“Can you drive into town? Ask around. The diner. The feed store. Will’s place too.”

“I’m leaving now.” I’m only a few minutes away, and if Pops is in town, someone will know.

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