Just as Ava was opening her mouth to reply, Emma came running into the room, waving her arms. Brant jumped to his feet, reaching her in a single long stride. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“I talked to Ella. Mac is freaking out because both his truck and Ava are missing. I guess you left your purse on the kitchen counter with your cell phone inside it. He called Declan and then went by your apartment. They were all beginning to panic when Brant wasn’t answering his phone. I told Ella that you were here, Ava, and that Brant’s phone was on the bedroom charger and we didn’t hear it.” Taking a breath, Emma added, “But I already knew he was looking for you, because he called right before her. He should be here any minute. Um . . . he sounded a little pissed.”
Brant turned to Ava with a grimace. “I don’t suppose you thought to leave him a note?”
Ava rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t really thinking of anyone’s feelings other than my own when I left his house. I’m sure he’ll be fine now that he knows that I’m okay.”
Brant gave her a skeptical look but didn’t comment.
Suddenly, Mac was striding into the living room, having obviously skipped knocking at the door. Shit, apparently no one had bothered to lock it earlier. She watched him walk straight to her, drawing her into his arms and just holding her for a few moments without saying anything. When he finally pulled back, holding her at arm’s length, she could see the worry and anger clouding his face. “Ava, do you have any idea how scared I’ve been that something happened to you?”
Trying to lighten his mood, she joked, “Ah, come on. It’s not like anyone would have abducted me in your truck, right?” She knew immediately that her flippant reply was the equivalent of throwing gas on a flame.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now!” he roared as he jerked away from her. “I come home to find you gone with your purse still lying on the kitchen counter and lights on all over the house? Do you know how long it was before I realized that my truck was even gone? Even when I did, it didn’t make me feel any better. After making a fool of myself ripping this town apart looking for you, you’re making a joke? I thought someone took you, damn it!”
“Mac.” Brant tried to intercede, stepping between them.
The anger that Ava had felt toward Mac earlier for not telling her about Kevin’s letter was back in full force, fueled in part by the guilt she felt for upsetting him so much. Stalking around her brother, she picked up the letter that she had brought with her and stuck it in Mac’s face. “This is why I’m here. I found it at your house tonight.” He looked confused for a moment before freezing. Ava could see the exact moment that he recognized what she held in front of him. “So, excuse me if I didn’t leave you a note or drop you a text before I came to see my brother. I had a little something on my mind.”
“Avie . . . I,” Mac began before stopping, clearly at a loss as to what to say next.
Shaking her head, Ava said, “Yeah, that seems to be everyone’s reaction tonight.”
Mac released a deep breath, seeming to have forgotten his earlier anger. “Let’s go home, baby. We can discuss this there. It’s late, and I’m sure Brant and Emma are tired.”
“Oh, we’re fine,” Emma, blurted out before Brant could clamp his hand over her mouth.
Ava looked at her brother, seeing the tension from the evening still sitting heavily on him. Mac was right; they needed to have this discussion somewhere else. As it was, Brant would probably be popping antacids for days after this. He certainly didn’t need to hear her argue with Mac. Nodding once, she said, “I’ll meet you back at your house.”
She had to bite her tongue to keep from snapping when Mac said, “Just leave the truck and I’ll have one of the guys pick it up tomorrow. I don’t want you driving this late.” Ava knew it was probably petty and maybe she needed to learn to pick her battles, but if he didn’t think she was capable of driving herself less than ten minutes down the street, then would he ever be able to see her as a strong, independent woman? Her personal life might have been a complete wreck for years, but professionally she was at the top of her game. Surely that counted for something. Regardless of how minor it seemed, she needed to win this small concession tonight from him.
“I’ll be fine, Mac. There is no need for anyone to make a trip tomorrow to pick up the truck when I can drive it home tonight.” Everyone in the room seemed to be holding their breath, including her, as Mac opened his mouth with the clear intention of arguing with her. At the last moment, he snapped it closed again and rubbed a weary hand across his eyes.
“Sure, whatever you want, Avie.” They said their good-byes to Brant and Emma before walking out into the dimly lit driveway. Mac opened her door, waiting for her to get settled behind the wheel before shutting the door without another word. He then motioned for her to pull out onto the street, and he followed in his Tahoe. She was drained from her talk with Brant and wanted nothing more than to crawl into Mac’s bed and go to sleep in his arms, but this conversation couldn’t wait. She only hoped that afterward he didn’t feel that she was more trouble than she was worth. She was counting on the fact that they were in this together for the long haul.
Chapter Twenty
Mac kept his eyes on the truck in front of him as they drove through the now-deserted streets of his neighborhood. His shoulders were tense, and his gut was still twisted. When he had walked into his house earlier, he was whistling, ready to see Ava. As he called her name and walked from room to room, he had gone from happy, to puzzled, and finally terrified. He had even resorted to looking under beds and in closets thinking that maybe something had scared her enough to hide.
Next, he had called her phone. When he got closer to the kitchen, he found it ringing faintly in her purse, sitting on the countertop. He had really lost it then. He had ripped back through the house and then taken a flashlight and walked the grounds. The garage was the last place he searched, and he had stopped in surprise when he found his truck gone. He had thought for a moment that maybe she just needed something from the store. But a quick look in her purse showed her wallet containing her money and credit cards along with her license.
Then he ran back to his Tahoe, dialing Declan as he headed across town to her apartment. She probably needed clothes for tomorrow or some of those endless toiletries that women seemed to have by the dozens. Declan’s puzzled tone when he asked if Ava was there was answer enough. He quickly ended the call, assuring a now worried Declan that he would let him know when he found her.