Page 89 of The Step Dare

I scribble a quick note, telling him to keep his ass in the room and call me if he comes back, then hurry downstairs. On the way, I shoot Mila a text to see if she’s seen him, but sometimes she’s terrible about checking her phone.

Blood rushes through my heart, making it feel like it’s going to break a hole in my chest. I push open the doors to go outside, the whole time hoping I don’t see our parents. Nicole is expecting Taylor to message her. It’s their wedding day. The last thing I want is for them to worry.Please don’t let them have a reason to worry.

My gaze snags on Atlas, Troy, Colin, and Ash, and I nearly stumble as I hurry to them. “No one has seen or heard from himyet?” I hear the panic in my voice, not having the strength to hide it.

“No, I haven’t seen him all morning,” Colin says.

“Me neither,” Ash confirms.

I run a hand through my hair, tug on the strands until I feel a burn in my scalp. I’m losing my fucking shit, and I don’t know how to stop it.

“What about Mila? Has she seen him?” Troy asks.

“I texted her, but she hasn’t messaged back.” I tug my phone out and call her, but it goes straight to voice mail. “She might’ve gone for a jog.”

“Then Taylor’s probably with her,” Colin tries to soothe me.

“When the fuck have you ever known Taylor to go for a jog?” I snap, then immediately get buried in guilt. “Shit. I’m sorry. I’m freaking the fuck out.”

“No worries. We get it.” Atlas squeezes my shoulder. “He’s fine, Bren. It’s a big day. I’m sure he just needs some time to himself. Come on. We’ll go find him. You come with me,” he says, and sends Troy a look.

“I’ll go with Colin and Ash,” Troy confirms, and we go separate directions.

There’s the lake, docks, numerous gazebos, and trails all around the property. There are a million places he can be, all of them making a lot more sense than something bad happening to him, but I can’t help remembering my mom just getting a cold, and then going into the hospital and dying.

“You good?” Atlas asks.

“No,” I answer honestly. “I just…need him.” I’ve never needed anyone or anything, not for a long time, and not the way I do with him.

“And you have him. You’ve always had him. From the second I met you both, I knew it was only a matter of time before you ended up together.”

“Yeah?” I ask, trying to focus on what Atlas is saying while we make our way around the lake.

“For sure. And this is coming from a guy who didn’t think anything positive about relationships until I fell in love with Troy…but I knew you and Taylor would be good for each other.”

We are good for each other. The best. And I think I’ve always known it too. “Tell me again that he’s going to be okay, Atlas.”

My friend puts his arm around me, the guy with a heart of gold, even if he rarely shows it. “He’s going to be okay.”

As we hurry on our way, I hope like hell he’s right.

We make it as far as we can around the lake before heading for the trails. Each second that goes by, my pulse slams faster, my worry intensifying. If the others found him, they would message us. I haven’t heard from Mila either, and all I can do is hope they’re together.

There’s not much time left before I have to tell our folks I can’t find him, that Taylor is missing on their wedding day. How can I break Nicole’s heart like that? How can the universe be breaking mine too?

We’re heading toward the trees when Mila jogs down one of the trails toward us.

And she’s alone.

She smiles when she sees me, but then a concerned look washes over her face. “What’s wrong?”

“Have you seen Taylor? He left our room for breakfast this morning and no one has seen him since.”

“I saw him earlier with an older guy, maybe in his forties…they were walking out of the hotel. He didn’t see me, though, and I didn’t speak to him. Things looked intense. I figured it was a wedding issue.”

An older guy? My heart drops. Who in the hell would he be with? “What did he look like?”

“Um…tall. Clean cut. Short, sandy hair. Similar to Taylor’s hair, so I thought he might be related…an uncle or something.”

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