Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
I tried to stick to conversation that wasn’t about our future, but I didn’t last long. “We could always build a fashion empire. That would be a new start for both of us.”
He stared at me. “Worth, you can’t be serious about that.”
“I’m very serious.”
“I don’t want you to just create a job for me.”
Why wouldn’t he believe I meant so much more than that? “If it were someone else asking, what would you say?”
“I wouldn’t believe the offer was real.”
I exhaled. I couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t something he should trust if it was a typical offer, but that wasn’t what I was giving him. “I’m not just offering you a job, I’m talking about putting up the capital for us to create a company together. You’d have full partnership with no personal financial risk.”
“Before we go any further with far-fetched ideas like that, we need to talk to Beck. I can’t start planning to work with you, assuming you really aren’t tired of me by—”
I laid a hand over his. “I am not going to get tired of you.”
“Considering your history….”
“Ignore what you’ve been told. That’s my past. Things aren’t the same with you.”
“We need to tell Beck before we talk about this anymore.”
“You’re right.” I pulled out my phone and scrolled to his contact.
“You’re calling him now?” Laurie clamped a hand over his mouth, realizing how loudly he’d said that. “Here?” he whispered.
“You want it done. Let’s do it.”
Beck didn’t answer. I left him a message, telling him to call me when he got a chance. I didn’t want to say something that would make him worry.
We sipped on mimosas and enjoyed the beautiful morning for a little while.
“No call or text from Beck?” Laurie asked a while later.
“No. He’s probably working.”
“On Saturday?”
“He’s a law intern. He’s probably working twenty-four seven.”
Laurie frowned. “Why would he do that when he has as much money as you do?”
“He wants to prove himself.”
Laurie nodded. “I guess I get that, but I’m going try him again.”
“No, let me. This should be my confrontation.” I wasn’t going to let Beck upset Laurie.
There was still no answer. We took a walk after lunch. I wanted to suggest we go up back to the villa, but I had a feeling Laurie wanted to wait until we talked to Beck before falling into bed with me again. We ended up sitting by the pool, reading on our phones, talking of things nowhere near as serious as those we’d talked about over breakfast. When the afternoon was coming to an end, we headed back to our villa. We still hadn’t heard from Beck, so I texted Nicole to see if she’d talked to him.
She replied that she’d left him a message two days ago and hadn’t heard back.
That made me start to worry. He had no reason to be annoyed with her, and she’d had a business question, which he was always keen to answer.
“How long has it been since you’ve heard from Beck?” I asked Laurie.
He scrolled through his phone and frowned. “He never answered the text I sent him yesterday. Do you think something’s wrong, or do you think he’s just angry with us?”
My phone rang, and I grabbed it, expecting it to be Beck. When I saw Carter’s number on the screen, I considered letting it go to voicemail. I could only deal with so many problems at once. But Carter knew I was on vacation, so he wouldn’t call unless it was an emergency.
When I answered the call, Carter asked, “Have you talked to Beck recently?”
“I talked to him the day before yesterday.”
“But not since then?”
“No.”
“Do you know where he is?”
My pulse sped up, and my stomach churned.
“He should be at his internship at Stephenson, Lincoln, and Lincoln; at his apartment; or on campus. What’s going on?”
Carter sighed. “He seems to be missing.”
No. This wasn’t happening. “What the fuck do you mean missing?”
“He called me saying he thought somebody was following him, asking me what he should do.”
“Why the hell didn’t he call me?”
“You won’t like this.”
“Fucking tell me, Carter.”
“I asked him that and he told me he didn’t want to talk to you right now.”
Fuck! I hadn’t thought he was mad enough at me not to reach out when he had an emergency.
Carter continued, “I sent two of my best guys, but when they got to his apartment, he wasn’t home. He didn’t show up to work yesterday or today, and no one knows where he is.”
“Where else have you looked?”
“We’re tracking down friends to see if he decided to stay with someone, but he’s not answering his phone.”
Laurie was staring at me, wide-eyed. “What’s wrong?”
I pulled him to me. “I’m not sure yet.” Then to Carter I said, “What else do you know?”
“Nothing else, but we’re working on it. He did ask me to tell you to take care of Laurie if anything happened.”