“We still haven’t talked about how Julia Mayhew swears up and down that Ada wasn’t working with her to take us down.” He swallowed and looked out the window.

  “What would it matter if we did, Joe?”

  “What if we were wrong?”

  “What if we were? It wouldn’t change a fucking thing, would it? She’d still be gone and we’d still be hated by everyone in our house. Her being innocent just means we’ll hate ourselves as much as everyone else does and I’m not sure I can handle that right now.”

  “We could find her.” He met my hard look with one of his own and shrugged. “If we were wrong and if we wanted to.”

  “Do you want to?” I hated how much I wanted him to say yes.

  He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Ask me again after we face off with her parents.”

  62

  ***Joe***

  “There you are! We were starting to wonder if everyone had been kidnapped!” Mandy greeted us with tight hugs and warmth that we didn’t deserve. “Where are the kids? Does Ada have them out somewhere? We would’ve looked around but all the security guards spooked me. After eating shrooms for nearly two weeks straight, you get a little paranoid around men who look like the cops.”

  I frowned down at Ada’s mom and slowly shook my head. “What do you mean? Ada’s not here.”

  Ken laughed. “Obviously. We might still be a little high but we would’ve noticed our daughter if she were here.”

  “Ken! I’m not high! I drove here. You’re high, you fool.” Mandy rolled her eyes and focused on me. “Where is she?”

  Jud chose that moment to walk by. He froze when he saw Ada’s parents and I saw his face lose all its color. “Mandy. Ken. What are you doing here? Is everything okay with Ada?”

  Mandy’s eyes narrowed. “Okay. Now I’m starting to get a little worried. Where is our daughter?”

  “She left. She’s not here.” Collin sat down on the couch closest to him and sighed. “Have you not talked to her?”

  “Of course, we’ve talked to her. I talked to her yesterday and she didn’t mention being gone. When I asked her how the kids were, she told me they were great. If my daughter isn’t here, where the hell is she?”

  Jud came farther into the room. “We don’t know. She left. She didn’t exactly tell us where she was going.”

  “She told me everything was fine here. Why would she tell me everything is fine here if she wasn’t here to know how things were?” Mandy looked at Ken and smacked his arm. “Your only child is missing, Kenneth! Look alive.”

  “I was with her when you called after you saw the news. She lied and pretended like everything was okay even though things had already hit the fan. She was out of the house by that point. We were in a hotel. She was protecting my brothers and keeping you from worrying, but I just assumed she would’ve told you the truth by now. It’s not like she has any reason to protect us anymore. I also assumed she’d gone to be with you.”

  “What are you talking about? Someone had better start from the beginning and tell me where the hell my daughter is.”

  “I didn’t react well when the story first broke. The campaign bombed and our stocks crashed. I thought Ada came here under false pretenses to help our competitor.” I glanced at Jud and felt a powerful sense of shame land square on my chest. “I kicked her out.”

  “I’m sorry. I thought I heard you say you kicked my daughter out.” Mandy took a step closer to me. “That can’t be right, though, because that would mean you kicked my daughter out when she had no place else to go.”

  I couldn’t hold her gaze. “Yes, ma’am. I thought-”

  Mandy grabbed the front of my shirt and dragged me closer, proving that she was a lot stronger than her small frame suggested. “If one hair on her head is harmed, I’ll make sure you never pee standing up again. I am so disappointed in you and I’d love to tell you all the ways that you’ve failed, but I need to find my daughter. My homeless daughter.”

  “I’m sorry. I thought she’d-”

  “Joe, let me explain something to you. That girl is my life. You kicked my baby out. You have a daughter so you should understand what I’m feeling right now.” She let go of my shirt and slowly straightened it out. “Find my daughter. Now.”

  “It wasn’t just Joe, ma’am. I agreed with him. I was there with him and I helped. It’s my fault, too. I’m sorry. We’ll find her.” Collin hung his head and I felt like I was looking at my kid brother when he was just a kid again.

  “Did you all turn on her?”

  “No.” Jud crossed his arms over his chest and held Mandy’s gaze. “I left with her. I’d still be with her but she left me because she didn’t want to let this family break apart over her. I love your daughter and I’d still be with her if she wasn’t determined to save a family that I’m not sure is worth saving.”

  “That’s why you came back here?” I felt like he’d punched me square in the gut. “I just… I assumed you made that decision yourself.”

  “Fuck no. She begged me to come back here because she thought you two and the kids needed me. She didn’t want to be the reason you two went back to being cold hearted assholes and she thought me being here could somehow prevent you from being yourselves.” Jud shook his head and scowled at us. “She told me she loved me and then she left me to try to save you two.”

  I sank onto the couch behind me and pressed my fist into my mouth. Had I really managed to fuck everything up so royally?

  “I always knew you were my favorite, Judson. Come here, sweetheart. I can tell you’re hurting.” Mandy pulled Jud into a hug and rubbed his back. “As for you two, Joe and Collin. You’d better find my daughter and make this right.”

  Ken winced as he looked at me. “You activated momma bear. I’d feel sorry for you but you kicked my daughter out.”

  “We’ll find her.” Collin stood up. “We were getting there on our own but we’re idiots so it was taking longer than it should’ve. We’ll go get her and bring her home.”

  “After the way you treated her? You’ll be lucky if she’ll even look at you.” Jud pulled away from Mandy to show me just what he thought of us. “You don’t deserve a second chance with her. Neither of you do.”

  I set my jaw and stood up. “That’s not for you to decide.”

  “Just go get her.” Mandy sighed and grabbed her husband’s hand. “Come on, Ken. Even though we’re angry at Joe and Collin, no hotels will take us with Kitten in tow. We’re going to our room but we’re not happy about it.”

  I watched them leave and tried to shake the feeling of being a little kid in trouble. I looked at Jud and held his glare. “Are you going to come with us when we find her and go get her?”

  “I’ve been rejected enough for a lifetime.” He looked down at his feet and shook his head before looking back up at me. “Are you even going for the right reasons?”

  “What are the right reasons, Jud?”

  “Love. If you don’t love her and you’re just going to make yourself feel better, don’t go. I can’t go through this again.” He looked from me to Collin. “I love you both but I don’t know how to look at you right now when the reason the love of my life isn’t here is you. If you don’t love her, stay here. I’ll figure out a way to move on eventually and things can go back to normal here. Give Mandy and Ken her location and let it go.”

  Before I could answer he walked out of the library, leaving me and Collin alone. I looked at Collin and raised my eyebrows. “Well. I think that all went about as well as we thought it would.”

  “The nicest lady I’ve ever met just threatened us and said she was disappointed in us. I genuinely feel like throwing up.” He rubbed his jaw and looked away. “I need to think about what Jud said.”

  “I’ll start the search for her and we can decide what we’re doing once we know where she is. Jud’s right. If we aren’t sure, we can’t go.”

  “Agreed.”

  63

  ***Ada***

  Aunt Maxine glared at me from across her kitchen table and slammed her hand down, shaking everything on top of it. “You’re a little cheat. No one wins this many hands of rummy in a row.”

  I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrows. “You’re starting to sound like a sore loser.”

  “And you’re starting to sound like someone whose food gets poisoned.”

  “Aunt Maxine!” I shook my head and was about to tell her to shuffle when I heard a knock on the door. “Is Hank early today?”

  “What the hell do you know about Hank? Who’s been talking?”

  I laughed at her shocked expression and shrugged. “I’ll never tell.”

  “Get the door, child. You’re starting to be as ornery as me and I don’t know if I like it.”

  “No one has ever been as ornery as you in the history of all man-” I lost all train of thought as I opened the door and found myself face to face with Joe Carrington.

  “Ada.” He moved forward a step and then hesitated. “Can I-”

  “Is everyone okay?”

  He frowned. “Yeah. Of course. I-”

  I slammed the door shut and locked it. I realized all at once that I wasn’t ready or willing to face him. I could barely breathe while looking at him and I just needed time. Seeing him standing there, across the country from where he should’ve been was a shock to my system and I was in autopilot as I walked back to the kitchen and sat down.

  “Who was at the door?”

  “No one.”

  “Whatever. Your turn to go first.”

  I proceeded to lose the next ten hands.

  The next time a knock sounded at the door, I pretended that I didn’t hear it. When Aunt Maxine sighed and got up to answer it, I shook my head and told her to ignore it. Of course, that wasn’t her style so she looked through the front window and whistled.

  “Well there’s a fine specimen right there. Is there a reason we’re ignoring him?” She waved and laughed. “Oh, he’s cute. We should let him in.”

  “No.”

  “You’re no fun. It’s almost time for you to go on your daily walk, Ada. How do you plan on leaving if you’re avoiding the young man at the door?” She shot me a look. “And you will be leaving.”

  “I’ll go out the back.” I knew as well as she did that the back of her property was a death trap. She’d decided to grow cactus out back for some reason and that was where her green thumb thrived.

  “Okay, sure.” She sat back down at the table and stared me down. “Why are we ignoring the handsome man at the door?”

  “I don’t want to talk to him.”

  “You don’t have to talk. I bet he’d be good for a roll in the hay.” Aunt Maxine grinned. “I guess I could go to Hank’s today if you really need the house. You could stand to loosen up some.”

  “You make it really hard to be respectful to my elders some days.”

  “And you make it hard for me to get my lady boner up when you’re moping around here like a real sad sack. I’m going to let him in.” She was faster than I expected, especially as I sat there shocked that she’d just used the words lady boner at me.

  I heard the door opening behind me and I took off towards the back door without a second thought. That lack of thought sent me out the door and straight into a cactus, shin first. I screamed as I felt the barbs dig into my skin and jerked backwards out of reflex, just to get a different cactus to the ass.

  “Well, there you go. The cactus got her. She won’t get far now.” Aunt Maxine appeared in the doorway with Joe behind her. “Oof. That’s going to hurt.”

  Joe swore and eased the crazy old woman out of the way. “Jesus, Ada. Is an ass full of cactus needles better than talking to me?”

  “Yes!” I cried out as I tried to remove myself from the cactus still attached to my ass. “Aunt Maxine! Do something!”

  “What do you want me to do? I’m not a damn doctor.” She scoffed. “Kids today. I’ve got to leave now if I’m going to catch Hank before he puts on his special sock and comes this way. You two do everything but behave!”

  “Special sock?” I hated myself for asking even as the words left my mouth.

  “Did you know that STIs run rampant in senior citizens? I make Hank wrap it up. No glove, no love. Don’t be silly, wrap your willy. You know?” Her voice grew quieter as she walked away. “Dental dam, yes ma’am.”

  “I’m going to ignore that for now. How do I help you?” Joe came closer and the scent of his expensive cologne flirted with my senses.

  “Did you put on cologne to come talk to me?” I grabbed his arm once he was close enough and winced as I tried to carefully move forward.

  “What? No, I just… I don’t know. Maybe.” He grabbed my waist and lowered his voice. “I’m just going to pick you up. Hold on.”

  “No, wait!” It was too late. He’d already picked me up, sending even more cactus needles into the back of my thigh. I cried out and waited for the pain to stop but it just continued burning. Even after Joe put me down inside, I couldn’t stop the pained groans from escaping me. “How did you make it worse? I hate you, Joe. I hate you so much.”

  He froze and bit his lip as he studied me. I wanted to take it back, but I didn’t. I needed to remember what he’d done to me and send him away.

  “Why are you here?”

  “I came to apologize and bring you back home.” He swallowed and moved around me to look at the damage. “I walked here but I can carry you to the medical center.”

  “I don’t need the medical center. If I did, I’d walk myself. I don’t want your help, Joe. I don’t want you here at all.” I tried to limp towards the bathroom but every step let me feel exactly how many little barbs were stuck in me.

  Joe picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. “I’ll apologize later.”

  64

  ***Ada***

  “You’re going to want to sleep on your stomach tonight. You reacted more to the barbs than anyone I’ve ever seen. I’m giving you an antihistamine to help with that and something for the pain.” The doctor sighed. “I knew Maxine’s little garden was going to hurt someone someday. That woman in a menace.”

  “You’re telling me.” I was face down on an exam table with my pants gone and my underwear tucked into my ass crack so the doctor could remove the cacti parts from my right cheek. I was painfully aware that Joe was sitting in the room with me.

  “Can you stay with her once you get her home? I’m afraid she’s going to be out of it after these shots.” The doctor’s cold hands were on my ass again and I gasped at the sharp pinch I felt. “There we go. Good job, Ada.”

  “I’ll stay with her.” Joe’s deep voice sounded angry. “Your hand, doc.”

  “Oh! Sorry.” He laughed. “Anyway, that’s all. You’re good to go, Ada. Try to avoid sitting down for a day or two.”

  I grunted as Joe picked me up and put me over his shoulder again. “Joe! I can walk! Also, I don’t have pants on!”

  “Oh! Here you go. Just tuck that around her. Yep, all good.” Laughing like he was having a good time, the doctor pressed my pants in to my hand.

  “Thanks.” Joe carried me out of the medical center and the heat was intense as we left the AC. He was silent as he carried me home, his arm locked around the back of my knees to hold me in place.

  I wanted to cry I was so frustrated. I was trying my hardest to get past the intense grief over losing the Carringtons and him showing up was going to set everything back. I’d cried too much over him. “I want you to leave, Joe. I don’t want you here.”

  “You have every right to be angry at me, Ada. What I did to you was awful and I’m sorry. I’m more sorry than I know how to put into words. I didn’t plan on having this conversation like this, though.” He palmed the thigh that hadn’t taken a cactus. “I thought the worst of you and I treated you like I didn’t care about you.”

  I yawned. “You aren’t sorry. You called the cops on me.”

  The already upside down world blurred around me. I yawned again and sighed. The medicine was really kicking in. I wanted to finish telling Joe off but I couldn’t make my tongue move correctly.

  Joe was saying something but I couldn’t make sense of it. I thought maybe his tongue wasn’t working all that well, either. My ass wasn’t throbbing anymore and I smiled to myself. I was a big fan of whatever shot in the butt they’d given me.

  *

  “What the hell happened to her?”

  I gasped as I woke with a start. I was on my stomach and when I rolled onto my side to sit up, the back of my thigh reminded me of why I’d been knocked on in the first place. I looked around and frowned when I saw Joe and Collin standing next to the couch.

  “She tried to escape and ran into a cactus patch.” Joe pulled me to my feet and brushed my curls out of my face. “Do you need the bathroom?”

  I grimaced. “Yes, but I don’t want your help.”

  “What about mine?” Collin stepped forward and held out his hands to me.

  “No.” I shifted away from both of their hands and hobbled to the bathroom. I was still so tired and out of it but I was alert enough to know I needed to get the Carrington brothers out of my space. I snagged my phone from the counter on the way and once I was in the bathroom I made a call and took my time at the sink, splashing water on my face to wake up fully.

  “You okay?” Collin knocked on the bathroom door, voice full of worry. “If you’re still drowsy, you shouldn’t be walking around on your own, Ada.”

  I pulled open the door and stared up at him. “I shouldn’t have been walking around the night you and Joe kicked me out.”

  “I know. You’re right, Ada.” He heard the knock on the front door but ignored it. “Let me help you back to the couch. Please.”

 

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