Page 91 of The Dating Pact

By the time I pulled myself together and out of my state of shock, the front door slammed. I leaped out of bed, tugged on my shorts and shirt from the floor, and raced outside but didn’t see him anywhere. Running around to the back of the house, I searched the backyard, but he was nowhere to be found. I called his name, shouting for him, but even if he heard me, I doubted he’d answer.

“Shit. Fuck.” I jogged back inside to find Brooke in the kitchen holding Amelia, who waved Seb’s iPad at me.

“Brother forgot this in my bed. He-he said we could watch Bluey together.”

I ignored her, telling Brooke, “I don’t know where he went. Can you stay with her so I can go look for him?”

“Yes. Of course.”

I started to my room, though she stopped me with a soft, almost pained, “Although I can’t stay long. My appointment’s at ten.”

I thumped the side of my fist against the wall as I silently cursed. “Okay, lemme… I’ll figure it out.”

I slipped into my sneakers and ran the toothbrush over my teeth for a few seconds before splashing cold water on my face. I needed to think. Needed a plan. I needed help in finding Sebastian. The idea that he’d run away from home terrified and shamed me. He could literally be anywhere, have gone anywhere, been taken…

Keeling over, I put my hands on my knees to catch my breath before I had a panic attack.

“Hey, it’s going to be all right. We’ll find him.” Brooke stood in front of me, her bare feet in my line of sight.

“What if… I didn’t…”

“Don’t think of the what-ifs. He’s upset and ran away. He won’t be able to get that far. He might even come back after he runs it off.”

Standing up straight, I wiped at my face. “How long can you stay here?”

She checked the time on her phone. “Half hour. Maybe a little longer. But I need to go home and change. I’m really sorry I can’t stay. I would, but rescheduling is a nightmare and?—”

“It’s fine. It’s fine.” I rushed past her after a quick peck on the forehead.

I was being pulled in different directions, torn apart. Sebastian was out there alone somewhere because he’d been blindsided. And Brooke needed me, needed my support for her oncology checkup that could determine…everything.

Guilt and fear waged war inside me, and I raked my hands through my hair. How had I let this spiral so quickly? I should have been more careful, more considerate of Sebastian’s feelings. Introducing Brooke into our lives was going to be a huge adjustment, and I’d naively thought I could control the situation.

I drew my phone from my pocket with trembling fingers, firing off a text to the group thread.

Seb saw Brooke at my place this morning and ran off. I need to find him, but Brooke has a doctor appt she can’t miss. Nate, I need you over here to stay with Amelia ASAP.

Nate

Omw

Dylan

Duck

Dylan

FUCK

Dylan

i’m at work but Gen’s home with the kids if u need anything

Liam

What can I do?

I dropped a kiss on Amelia’s head as she ate breakfast in the kitchen before heading out to my car and sent off another message.

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