Page 3 of Four Love (Ever and Always 2)

“Sorry, it’s just that…” Trent backed up a step and then another. He would have taken off running if he knew where to go to look for her. “I have to find her.”

“Holly would never miss being here with her mom as soon as she was able.” Owen groaned from behind him.

“Take deep breaths, Trent.” Lorenzo patted his arm. “Maybe she’s exhausted and overslept.”

Trent cut his stare to his best friends. There was no way he believed that bullshit.

He was already taking his phone from his pocket, then slipping out of the ICU so he could use it in the hallway as the rules permitted. He tapped Holly’s icon on his frequently used contacts list and waited the eternity it took for it to ring and ring before dumping him to voicemail.

Obnoxious or not, he did it a few more times before also texting her, asking her to call.

“Something’s wrong.” His gaze flew to Lorenzo’s then Owen’s.

Neither man argued with him or told him he was overreacting.Fuck! He began to pace. His stomach knotted. “Should I call the police?”

“Call Andi first. See if she’s heard from Holly.” Owen suggested.

“Good idea.” He punched in Reed’s number, then waited impatiently. If Holly’s best friend didn’t know where she was, then no one would.

“Hey, Trent!”

“Sorry, dude. No time to chat. Where’s your woman? I don’t have her number, but I need to ask her something. It’s urgent.” Trent pinched the bridge of his nose. His only hope was that his “fake” wife had talked to one of her best friends about how badly he’d fucked up the night before. Embarrassing, yeah. But worth it if they could help him track Holly down and make sure she was okay.

“Oh. Uh, she’s right here.” Reed must have heard the alarm in his tone. He didn’t even try to bust Trent’s balls. “Hang on.”

“Hello?” Andi asked, a laugh embedded in her greeting. “Having girl trouble?”

“How’d you know? Have you talked to Holly?” He would have pounced on her through the phone if he could have.

“Yeah. She told Kari and me that your dinner with her mom was a bit rocky.” Andi answered, making the queasy feeling in his gut a million times worse.

Sure, that had only been yesterday evening. But so much had happened since then, it seemed like a lifetime ago.

“Not after?” Trent asked again. “You haven’t heard from her since then?”

“No. I assumed you two were…making up.” She snorted. When she realized he wasn’t laughing along with her, she got quiet. “Trent? What’s going on? Is something wrong? You did apologize, right? Tell her that your head is shoved so far up your ass because you’re freaked out about having a real relationship with her. Right?”

Was it that obvious to everyone else? Where did he start? “Holly’s mom had her transplant last night.”

“She did?” Andi’s excitement at the news seemed kind of muffled by hurt.

“Yeah. Mrs. Hendricks got the news after the dinner disaster. I wasn’t home. And then I was here, with her. And our phones had to be turned off. Everything moved so fast, it’s all kind of a blur.”

“Is her mom okay? How is Holly? Why are you calling? Oh no, something awful happened, didn’t it?” Andi’s imagination obviously had gotten the best of her.

“Yes. I think. Maybe.” Trent was getting more confused by the second. If Andi didn’t know any of this, then why was he talking to her? He needed information. And fast. Something was really screwed up. “But not with Mrs. Hendricks. She came through the surgery well. Holly was exhausted after the doctor let us know. We all were. We went home in the early morning and…well… things happened.”

“Sex things?” Andi wondered.

“Yeah.”

“With you, Holly, Lorenzo,andOwen, right?” She was catching on quick.

“Uh huh.” Even now, remembering affected Trent despite the cold dread still hammering at his hindbrain. “But after, I fucked up again. I offered her more money to stay an extra three months.”

“You did what?” Andi shrieked. “After you all had sex together? Trent, do you have any idea what that sounds like?”

“I do now.” He groaned. “I can only say I was wrecked too and it seemed like a good idea at the time. She was worried about her mom’s hospital bills and the rehab she’s going to need. Extra stuff Holly hadn’t counted on. I was trying to help.”

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