Page 76 of Fragile Hearts

“What happened?” I ask, having never heard this story.

Miles takes a sip of his beer before he speaks. “She showed up high, on something, and asking Sloane for money. Said her car had been stolen and she just needed some cash to get back on her feet. Didn’t give two shits that Sloane barely had a dollar to her name and was literally living paycheck to paycheck.”

Nate nods at this, and I can’t even begin to know what that must be like. As much as I try not to throw my family’s money in anyone’s face, especially my friends, I know they all know that I don’t really need to work at The Pipe Dream or teach surf lessons. That I live rent-free in a house paid for by my parents, and if I wanted to, I could probably travel anywhere in the world I felt like going.

“Jesus,” I say, blowing out a breath. “What did Sloane do?” I ask, wishing I knew more about Sloane’s past. But I know she doesn’t like talking about it, and I don’t ever want her to feel like she has to tell me anything. She has told me bits and pieces though and that is enough to paint a picture of just how different her life was from mine growing up.

Miles chuckles. “Well, Sloane told her mom to fuck off and never come around there again,” he says, taking another sip of beer. “Me, Daze and Alana were all standing there behind her, and I think her mom just figured she wasn’t getting anywhere with Sloane not being alone.”

“Did she come back another time?” I ask.

“No,” Miles says. “Not that I know of anyway, but...um, yeah, Sloane wasn’t really in a good place after the visit.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, sitting forward in my chair, my heart now pounding in my chest.

Miles glances at Nate before turning back to me, shoving a hand through his wet hair. “She kinda spiraled, Owen. I think seeing her mom again after it having been so long triggered something in her, and yeah, it wasn’t good.”

“Like, what happened?”

“She just sort of went quiet and shit, didn’t want to do anything. Kept to herself, and apart from school and work, she didn’t leave the house.”

“Fuck,” I breathe out, turning to Nate. “What the fuck should I do?” I ask him, knowing if anyone is going to know what it’s like, it’s Nate.

Like Sloane, he was also in the foster system, and I know he had a rough time of it too until Mitch took him in.

“Just be there for her,” he says. “Make sure she knows you’re sticking around, that you aren’t gonna leave her like her mom did.”

“Never,” I say, shaking my head before he’s even finished speaking.

“It’s easy for you to say that,” Nate says, giving me a sad smile. “But convincing Sloane to believe it is a whole other story. Getting abandoned is a way of life for Sloane and...” He pauses, blowing out a breath as he scrubs a hand over his face. “It’s really fucking hard to trust people when they say they’ll stay. Shit, you guys know what I was like when Mitch first took me in.”

I nod, remembering how hostile and pissed off Nate was and how much he pushed all of us away. It was Mitch who told us to just take it easy and not give up on him. Mitch who got Nate to somehow believe we weren’t messing with him.

“Okay, fuck, I’m gonna go,” I say, finishing the rest of my beer before standing.

Miles and Nate both hold out a hand for me, and I fist bump them each before saying goodbye and heading to my car. On the way, I text Sloane.

* * *

Me: Hey babe, I’m on my way – where are you, home or work?

* * *

Sloane doesn’t respond, and when I try calling her, it rings before going to voicemail.

“Fuck,” I say, throwing my phone into the cup holder as I start the car. I head over to the Orchid Bay, figuring I’ll start there because that’s where Sloane’s mom was.

As far as I know, she doesn’t know where Sloane lives now that she’s moved out of the house she shared with Daisy and Alana. And after what Miles and Nate just told me, a small part of me hopes it stays that way.

I head into the foyer, scanning the space for Sloane, but she isn’t anywhere. I try calling again, but again she doesn’t answer, and when I see Amber behind the counter, I walk over.

“Hey, Amber, is Sloane around?”

Amber smiles at me, shaking her head. “No, she left,” she says. “So you two, huh? Cute.”

“Thanks,” I mumble, turning back to scan the space once more. I try calling her again, but once more, there’s no answer. “Fuck, Sloane, where are you?” I say to myself.

With no idea where else to go, I head home, wondering if maybe she’s already spoken to her mom and just gone home. Maybe her phone is off or ran out of battery or whatever, even though I know she plugs it in every night to charge.

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