Page 74 of Thea's Hero

Ryan texted me earlier, asking if I was ready to be put back on the rotation at the ambulance corps. Even though I’m still hesitant to leave Thea, I said yes.

It’s almost how my life was before.

But now it’s better. Because now, every morning, I wake up beside Thea, seeing her tangled curls and sleepy eyes and feeling her warm body tucked against me.

In the evenings, all three of us relax on the couch—Laila and Thea reading their books, me feeling so damn happy I don’t even care what’s on TV.

And after Laila goes to bed, it’s not just me flipping through channels anymore. It’s cuddling with the woman I love, kissing her, telling her how much I love her.

For so many years, I didn’t even want to consider a relationship. Didn’t want to take the risk of being hurt again. Of Laila being hurt.

But with Thea, I’m not scared. Not in the least. I know with absolute certainty that she’s the one. And I trust her—not just with my heart, but Laila’s, too.

It’s been less than eight hours since I’ve seen her, but it already feels too long. I know it’s a combination of missing her after spending twenty-four-seven together for weeks, coupled with my protectiveness still working on overdrive.

“It’s normal,” Leo reassured me when he called to check in the other day. “After everything happened with Georgia, it was torture to leave her. But it got better.”

I haven’t heard from Thea since she left the library, but I’m sure she and Laila are busy. By now, they’re probably shopping, searching for the perfect gift for Cash and Ari’s new baby. My heart warms as I picture them together—holding hands as they cross the street, getting the real manicure that Laila’s so excited about, talking about girl things over dinner.

That’s another great thing about Thea—how much she loves my daughter. And when she cried this morning after Laila said she loved her?

I might have had some dust in my eyes. That’s all.

My email dings at me, snapping my attention back to my work, and the tasks I still need to do today before calling it a day. I’m a little behind after prioritizing Thea’s case over my current jobs, so I force myself to focus on the security report I’m working on and not the woman who fills my thoughts.

Until my phone rings, and I snatch it up without looking, certain it’s Thea.

I’m smiling as I answer, but it drops as soon as the unfamiliar voice comes over the line. “Is this Mr. Lewis? This is Gwen Roberts. From the elementary school.”

“What?” My heart jumps into my throat. “I’m Ben Lewis. Is something wrong with Laila?”

“No.” The woman sighs into the phone. “She’s fine. But she’s been waiting to be picked up for the last hour. Did you forget? Dismissal is at three o’clock. Everyone else has left the building.”

I ignore the note of derision in her tone, fear shoving everything else aside. “Laila was supposed to be picked up by a family friend. Thea Nichols. She’s on the approved pickup list. Did someone turn her away?”

But then why wouldn’t Thea have called me?

“Mr. Lewis. No one came to pick up Laila. She’s been waiting here, and she’s quite upset. Can you get here right away?”

What happened? My thoughts are careening out of control. Laila at school; worried and scared. Thea, not there. Not calling or texting me to tell me something went wrong.

Did her car break down? Could she have gotten distracted at work? No. Thea is much too responsible to forget, and anyway, she texted just as she was leaving. But that was an hour and a half ago. Where is she now?

“I’ll be right there,” I manage, my heart rocketing to triple speed.

As I run through the house, I frantically call Thea. But it keeps going to voicemail. And my fear edges toward panic.

After four unsuccessful tries, I call Cole. The moment he picks up the phone, I bark, “Thea never picked up Laila from school. She was supposed to be there an hour ago. Thea texted me when she was leaving, at two-thirty. But now she’s not answering her phone. Something is wrong.”

“Okay.” As always, Cole is calm and unflappable. “There are lots of explanations. She could have car trouble. Something could have come up at work. We’ll figure it out.”

I’m already speeding toward Laila’s school, fighting the urge to stomp my foot to the floor. “She would never just leave Laila there without telling me, Cole. There’s no way.”

“I know.” The sound of clicking comes through the phone. “I’m checking her tracker. Do you know if she’s still wearing the earrings?”

Fuck. “I’m not sure.” My lungs are shrinking, this terrible pressure squeezing my chest.

After a pause, he sighs. “Damn. They’re showing at your house.”

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