Page 66 of Play With Me

“Jesus, Sophie, what are you doing here?”

I held her tight against me, and her little hands wrapped around my neck.

“Camping. I wasn’t going to be any trouble, I promise, but Grandpa Jack said you were going into the wild and there were a lot of animals around and all I wanted was to see a bear.”

I should have known that leaving her in my parents’ care was not the best idea when a year later they still seemed to be rekindling their romance. I set her down and crouched in front of her, wiping away her tears. I rarely saw her cry.

“I wasn’t scared, Daddy. I promise.”

“What part of bears and wild didn’t scare you, baby?”

“But I’m not afraid, Daddy. Iwantto see a bear.”

Yeah, I got that part. Perhaps I should have taken her to the zoo before this trip.

“I just got a little lost, and I was crying because what if I never saw you or Mommy again.”

“Sophie, darling. You know, even the bravest of people cry. It’s okay.” She trembled in my arms, and I smoothed my hand up and down her back in comfort until she calmed.

“You know very well I’m not out here to camp. I’m here to find Xavier, Anna’s husband. What are we going to do now?”

“I could help you look. I’m a good seeker of things. Like bears. I will be the first one to spot one, I’m sure. Grandpa always saysthe more eyes the better.”

This wasn’t the first time I’d wished that Sophie would stop listening to her grandfather. And there was no way I’d allow a bear anywhere near my little girl.

“It’s too dangerous, baby. Coming here without anyone knowing wasn’t smart, Sophie. I’m gonna call Uncle Jax to come get you. Everyone must be worried crazy about you.”

Though it was a day’s walk through the forest and another day’s drive back home, there was no way I would place Sophie in danger.

“You’re right. Jax doesn’t know. Grandma and Grandpa don’t know either.”

What?

“How is that possible? He was supposed to be taking care of you when your grandparents couldn’t.”

And why was I asking her that?

“Uncle Jax had an important date, and Grandpa agreed to watch me, but then Grandma came over and Grandpa set up a secret date and he asked Anna to watch me. Well, I sort of told them that Anna would watch me.”

“And instead of going to Anna’s you snuck away on your own.”

“No silly. Anna’s fun. We have a great time together.”

Something wasn’t adding up.

“Did you tell Anna that you were leaving? Wait – let’s start with this one question first: how in the world did you get here in the first place?”

I bet Sophie had lied to everyone back home, and I bet she’d stowed away on my truck. She must have been the one making those noises with that bubblegum she had just popped. When she saw me looking, she spat it out to the side, saying, “Oopsies.”

It seemed that both Evie and Lola were rubbing off on her.

“Anna must be worried about you. We have to find a way to let them know you’re missing.”

And for God’s sake, why hasn’t anyone called to tell me Sophie was missing?

“I didn’t exactly tell Anna I was going. I love her so much, Daddy, because she understands how much Ineedto be here.”

“Baby, you shouldn’t be here. It’s not only dangerous but also very dangerous. We’re talking a category ten crisis on Mommy’s scale.”

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