Page 33 of When I Found You

“Okay.” I square my shoulders and head back into the living room. “I’m going out.”

Marcy pops around the corner, and Kate’s scowl transforms into a brilliant smile.

“Marcy! What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d come over and we could spend some quality time together.” Marcy turns and shoos me with her hand. “Go. Out with you. Girls’ night.”

I roll my eyes when she collapses on the couch next to Kate and grabs the bottle. If anyone can help me now, it’s Marcy. She may seem flighty and eclectic, but I trust her with my life.

Their laughter fills the room. They don’t even notice when I walk past them. Once I’m in the hallway, I push aside any hesitancy at leaving Marcy alone with Kate and press the button for the elevator.

Rob lives on the twenty-third floor of the same building, which can be both a curse and a blessing. I hesitate before aggressively pressing the doorbell outside his apartment.

I’m shocked when the door swings open, and Rob fills the doorway wearing a robe over his t-shirt and sweatpants. “Arthur? What the hell are you doing here?”

I push past him and head right for his stash of booze. “Marcy came over to keep Kate company.” I pop the lid off the scotch and pour it in a glass.

“Let me guess, you weren’t invited to their little pajama party?” he says leaning against the bar beside me.

“Nope.” I down the shot without a second thought.

“Well, I’m glad you came.” Rob saunters over to the dining room table and picks up a thin manila folder. “Richards came by the hospital today and gave me this.”

I take the folder and flip it open. Inside is one sheet of paper. I read it and toss the paper back in the folder. “What the fuck does this mean?”

“Your mystery woman.” He pours himself a scotch and lifts it in salute. “She doesn’t exist.”

I scoff. “What the fuck do you mean she doesn’t exist? She’s sitting in my apartment right now.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.” He shrugs. “I gave a description and all the information you provided. Richards says there’s nothing. No missing person’s file fitting her description. Nothing.”

I toss the file aside. “Bullshit. She’s as real as you and me.”

“I know.” He pours two more shots. “It doesn’t make any sense, does it?”

“Someone has to know who she is?”

“Cheers.” Rob lifts his glass in salute.

Raising my glass, I drift off into my own mind. If there’s no record of her and no missing person’s report, then who the hell is she? How the hell did she end up in my lap? I toss the alcohol down my throat and grimace at the burn.

“What are you going to do?” Rob asks eyeing me with interest.

“What do you mean?” The alcohol doesn’t sit well. I tap my chest with my fist.

“She can’t stay with you indefinitely.” Rob leans against the bar.

“Well, she’s working for me for the moment.” I shrug. “I guess we’ll have to find a place for her somewhere besides my apartment.”

“Yeah, sure.” Rob laughs. “You can’t fool me.”

“Fool you about what?”

Rob stares at me like I’ve sprouted a horn in the center of my forehead. “In twenty-some years of friendship, I’ve never seen you this worked up over a woman.”

I pour another shot. “I’m not worked up over anything.”

“Yes, you are.” Rob moves the bottle out of reach. “Listen. You can’t kick her out. She has nowhere to go.”

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