Page 90 of Rough Ride with the Grumpy Cowboy
“Ella has something she would like to say,” my father replies, then turns to Ella.
She glances at me first, and I know what her next words are going to be about before she utters them.
“I talked to Ava.”
My whole body freezes. I knew it was something to do with her best friend, but I didn’t expect this. Ava’s phone is back on? Ihate to admit it, but I’ve been calling her multiple times a day in the week she’s been gone, but to no avail.
“And?” Jace prompts because I’m too tongue-tied to say anything.
“It was a few days ago—I got through to her via her manager, but I haven’t succeeded since then,” she explains.
Oh, so that’s how. Maybe I should have thought of that as well. But I’m not familiar with her manager, so I have no idea how I would even start.
I focus back on the conversation when Ella keeps speaking. “She didn’t sound so good, so I’ve decided to go to LA and check in on her.”
Ella is going to LA?
“Zane, you are going with her,” Father announces, taking me by surprise.
I’m quick to decline before I even think about it. “Not a chance in hell.”
“I’m not asking.”
“She left—why do I have to be the one to chase after her?”
“Because I raised you right, and in this family, men do the chasing, not the other way around.”
“I am not going,” I defy, refusing to budge on this.
“Oh yes, you are.”
“Daddy, can we take one of the private jets?” Ella requests, bringing up some random conversation in the middle of something serious.
I think she’s trying to diffuse the situation, but I’m too tense to play along.
“The princess can’t fly commercial?” I find myself blurting out.
She scowls at me. “Why would I fly commercial when we have seven private jets? Even you don’t fly commercial.”
“That’s because he never flies or goes anywhere,” Beck inputs, earning himself a dirty look from me.
Why is he even here? This conversation doesn’t concern him in any way.
“Either way, I said no—I’m not going,” I insist.
“Daddy,” Ella pleads, turning her pouty eyes to our father, the same ones she used when she roped me into picking Ava up from the airport with her. Come to think of it, that’s when this whole mess started.
“You’re going, Zane. I already made all the arrangements. The two of you will take one of the private jets and bring her back,” he demands.
“Yes!” Ella cheers.
“You can’t make me.”
“Why are you being so stubborn? Ella was right—you did do something to Ava,” Jace adds, and it pisses me off that they’re talking about me behind my back.
“I was planning to propose—why would I mess that up by doing something stupid?” I retort defensively.
Ella’s facial expression softens from my words. “You were?”
