Page 76 of Stone Vows

He studies me. “I know you are. But I’ve always wondered if you regret pushing her away. Especially after Elizabeth split.”

I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut at the mention of her name. I start walking again.

“Hey, man. I’m sorry,” Cameron says. “I didn’t mean to bring her up. I know it’s a sore spot with you. I know you’ve been trying hard to move on.”

“It is what it is,” I tell him. “It’s all good, Cam. Go have a great night with Gina.”

On my way to the cafeteria, I think of how Iamtruly happy for him. Forthem. Gina and I were never right for one another. We got each other through some stressful times, and for that, I’m grateful.

I was pissed at her for weeks. I blamed her for Elizabeth running away. But in time, I forgave her. After all,Iwas the one who lied.Iwas the one who crossed the line.

Before I’m finished with my meal, I get paged back to the ER.

Diane hands me a chart. “Dr. Stone, we have a young man with an open wound in curtain six. Man versus Cujo.”

I open the curtain to find a nurse setting up a procedure tray.

I look at the chart to see the patient’s name. “Mr. Howard, I’m Dr. Stone. It says here you’ve suffered a dog bite.”

He nods. “Danger of the job,” he says. “I walk dogs.”

I turn my head to the side and study him. I can’t help but think about her.Elizabeth. I want to ask him if he knows her. Maybe all dog walkers hang out in the same circles.

If she’s still doing it, that is.

I’ve looked. I’ve spent hours upon hours walking the streets of New York looking for her. I’ve followed other dog walkers, run up on every woman pushing a stroller, eaten at Sal’s so many times I’m sick of Chinese food.

I called every number in her phone. All fifteen of them. Every single one was a dog-walking client. None of them had heard from her.

I even used Ethan’s agency to try and track down Elizabeth or Grant Smith, but they couldn’t find any solid leads when we didn’t have much to go on. What they did tell me, however, is that no Elizabeth Smith attended the University of Maryland around the time she could have gone there.

There are a lot of Elizabeth Smith’s in the world. Just notmyElizabeth Smith.

It’s as if she never existed.

Diane pops her head around the curtain as I’m finishing up with Mr. Howard. “There’s someone to see you out in the waiting room.”

My heart pounds.Someone to see me?Could it be her? Everyone else I know would text me.

I rip off my gloves and head out past ground zero, looking through the glass to see if it’s her. But she’s not there.

I walk through the doors.

“Dr. Stone?” a man asks.

He’s a big guy. Intimidating. Taller than me and heavier by a good fifty pounds. He has a crew cut and is clean shaven, with a few scars on his face that reek of fist-fights.

“How can I help you?” I ask.

He pulls a picture out of his pocket. “Your receptionist said she recognized this girl. Said you might have treated her some time ago.”

I look at the picture and try not to react. It takes all my willpower to hold in my emotions. My questions. Because I’m staring at a picture of Elizabeth. Only she’s a brunette. And, Jesus, she’s even more beautiful than she was as a blonde.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name,” I say.

“Grant,” he says. “Grant Lucas.”

Holy motherfucker.

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