Page 46 of Someone You Deserve

My brother leans over the counter in front of me. “A little birdie also told me that her date with Dick is tonight.”

Fury erupts in my veins. “Is that so?” I grate out.

Dallas smirks at me. “Yup. Still think you want to wait to have that conversation now?”

I glare at my brother before going back to eating my burger, wishing I never would have come in here for lunch now.

***

My phone vibrates in my pocket for the third time. Shutting off the table saw, I set my safety goggles to the side, turn down the music blaring from my speaker, and dig my phone out of my pocket. But when I see the number for Bentley and Lilly’s elementary school, my stomach plummets.

“Hello?”

“Hello. I’m looking for Penn Sheppard?” the female voice on the other end of the line says. And it’s not like I don’t know who it is, but I assume Alaina Bell must act professionally even though everyone knows she’s the principal of Carrington Cove Elementary.

“This is Penn.”

“Yes, well, sorry to bother you today Mr. Sheppard, but I have Bentley here in my office and was wondering if you’d be able to come pick him up?”

I reach for my keys on the side table and immediately lock up the front door before heading out to my truck. “Is something wrong?”

“I’m afraid Bentley was in a fight today. He’ll be suspended for the rest of today and tomorrow, so someone needs to take him home.”

“A fight? Bentley?Are you sure?”

“Yes, Mr. Sheppard.”

“Shit. Does Astrid know?”

Alaina clears her throat. “I wasn’t able to get ahold of her, Mr. Sheppard. Or her mother. Hence why I’m calling you. You’re the next person on the emergency contact list.”

Why the fuck wouldn’t Astrid be answering her phone?

Before I go down the rabbit hole of what could have happened to her, I give my attention back to the phone call. “I’ll be there as soon as I can, Alaina.”

She exhales and relaxes her voice, the professionalism drifting away. “Thanks, Penn. See ya in a bit.”

This afternoon was supposed to bemytime to work onmyrental house. After having lunch with Dallas and the boys, I was eager to come here and let off some steam. I just started cutting the tiles for the shower when Alaina called.

Bentley in a fight?

I mean, I know I wasn’t an innocent eleven-year-old boy, but the only time I got in a fight was in high school and it was on the football field. The testosterone was running rampant and it was a rivalry game. Other than wrestling with Dallas and Parker, I kept my fists to myself.

Something must have triggered him. Bentley isn’t that kind of kid.

On the way to the school, I try calling Astrid myself, but the call goes straight to her voicemail. I try calling Melissa, but she doesn’t pick up either. And what about Grady? Was he after me on the emergency contact list?

Something about that makes me both proud and concerned at the same time.

I race into the parking lot of the school, shoving my truck in park and leaping from the vehicle, headed toward the front office. It’s at that moment I realize that I’m covered in dust and there’s a hole in theblack shirt that I’m wearing, but this is as good as it’s going to get with no notice.

“I’m here for Bentley Cooper,” I tell Janet at the front desk when I walk into the office.

“Penn Sheppard?” Janet peers up at me over the rim of her glasses, her gray hair tied up in a bun.

“Hey, Janet.”

Her eyes drop down my body. “You look like you were in the middle of something.”

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