Gone Guy (Sand & Fog Series Book 5)

by Susan Ward

  I decide to call their bluff instead. “Fine. Go ahead. But that won’t get the bill paid. We should be able to figure out a way to solve this on our own. Six intelligent people all working the same problem. Calling the authorities only ruins all our nights. I go to jail, but you spend the next four or five hours filling out paperwork. Does that sound like a good move to you?”

  Her gaze narrows, but bluff called and she’s not dialing. Good. My stomach stops churning then Jade’s eyes narrow more and my stomach drops.

  Oh God, what’s she thinking?

  “Why didn’t we have you do this earlier?”

  What?

  “We can take a credit card by phone.” She shoves her cell across the polished wood bar, and it stops on my side. “You must have someone you can call. Start dialing for dollars.”

  Clearly, she’s not getting the gist of how fucked over I am without my jacket or that I’d have done that when she first demanded I pay if I could’ve.

  “What good’s a phone without a phone?” She stares at me like I’m not speaking English. Fuck. “I don’t know anyone’s number. I can’t call anyone. I don’t know how to.”

  “You have a slick answer for everything,” Ivy sneers.

  “It’s the truth,” I shoot back, leaning forward in my chair toward her. “You think that’s a line. Tell me, how many phone numbers do you have memorized?” Ivy commences to babble numbers. “Great. I have to find the one girl in America who has nothing better to do at night than memorize her friends’ cell numbers. But that doesn’t help me. I really don’t know anyone’s phone number.”

  Now they’re all staring at me, their gazes shouting bullshit. Everyone except Willow. She looks fretful and embarrassed by how they’re treating me. Gotta love a girl that’ll give the benefit of the doubt to a guy she just met in the face of overwhelming pressure to turn against him.

  Her eyes catch mine.

  They scream sorry.

  What I wish they were screaming is fuck me, Eric.

  That was the plan.

  Not this.

  Willow hurries behind the bar, and I perk up as she leans into Jade and whispers something. The two girls look at each other, then me.

  “What?”

  “You know your Facebook log-in and password, don’t you?” Willow asks hopefully.

  “Yeah…” Where’s she going with this?

  Jade points at her cell phone. “Log in and start Messengering friends. A guy like you must know plenty of people who’d Venmo money to pay off a bar tab in an emergency.”

  As far as solutions go, it’s not bad. Oh fuck, why didn’t I think of that?

  I reach for the phone, swipe it on, and in my periphery see Willow smile in relief. The twist of her lips echoes as a throb in my cock. If she’s smiling at me after the crud with Jade and Gary, I’ve got a shot to finish what we started before Ivy barged in on us.

  My night’s improving. “Passcode, please.”

  Jade rattles off six numbers and I type them in. I’m about to log in to my page when I notice they’ve closed in around me, all hovering near enough to see the screen.

  Oh, no fucking way.

  Can’t let them see my page.

  Not happening.

  “Would some privacy be too much to ask?”

  “You got something to hide?” Ivy taunts.

  You could say that.

  “Gee, haven’t you guys embarrassed him enough?” Willow darts around the bar to me. “Come on, Eric. You can make your calls from my dad’s office.”

  “Don’t let him slip out the back, Willow,” Ivy warns.

  Willow rolls her eyes. “I’ll stay with him every second if you insist.”

  Great idea.

  So good I have to tell my cock to cool it.

  I roll off my stool and follow her.

  This is an unexpectedly great turn of events. Somewhere alone with Willow, and she maneuvered it.

  What an incredible girl. Beautiful. Kind. Smart…fuck, I love the way her ass shimmies in those tight shorts.

  No way I’m leaving Mel’s without getting with her.

  Things are looking up again.

  Fuck, everything’s up again.

  She moves down a narrow hallway toward a door and hasn’t looked at me once since we left the others. But I don’t take that as a bad sign. I’m sure she’s embarrassed because of how her family treated me. If anything, it makes me like her more.

  After opening the door, she gestures me in. “You can make your calls from my dad’s desk.”

  The room is a tight closet-sized space, no windows, dirty and filled with junk. What she calls a desk is an old farm table with a shabby wicker-back chair. But it’ll work.

  I take one step forward then turn toward her. Her face is averted.

  “I’m sorry things went down this way,” she murmurs. “My sister can be so difficult. Don’t think I don’t know they’ve been jerks about this.”

  “They’ve been nothing of the kind, love.” Fuck, I should consider becoming an actor. That sounded sincere even to my own ears. “They don’t know me. To them, I’m a guy causing problems.”

  “You don’t have to be kind. I know things got out of hand. I’m sorry.”

  I use my fingers to lift her chin. “I’m not the least bit sorry about anything. I got to meet you. I’d walk through glass for that chance. And the rest of it. Hell, someday we’ll laugh over it. I’m positive of that.”

  Her eyes brighten, and her gaze is more direct than before. Bolder. I’m not sure why what I said turned her that way, but I fucking love it and, yep, I’ve still got a shot with her.

  “Do you want me to go or stay?” she asks on a breathy whisper.

  I can’t stop my thumb from tracing the line of her jaw. “You can stay. On one condition.”

  “What?”

  “That you smile at me exactly the way you are right now to keep my spirits up while I do this. This is going to be fucking humiliating, love.”

  Her lips droop in a pout but I can tell by the shimmer in those brown orbs she’s laughing inside.

  Good. More the mood I want her to have for later.

  I sit in her dad’s chair as she leans back against the closed office door. It’s sweet that she’s giving me space to do this when I haven’t asked her for it.

  I log into my Messenger then scroll through my contacts for those online. Hugh isn’t since he’s driving, but the guys are. Linc’s going to be my first text a friend. It’s fair since I wouldn’t be in this mess if not for those fuckers.

  Tap. Tap. Tap. In no time at all, this will be nothing but a bad memory and I’ll be finishing what I started in the stairwell with Willow.

  AN HOUR LATER, MY body’s limp with shock as I slump over the desk, staring at Jade’s pink-cased phone in disbelief.

  How is it possible I don’t have a single friend willing to send me money?

  What the fuck is up with that?

  This is now officially the worst fucking night of my life. Trapped in Seattle and unable to raise sixty dollars.

  Thank fuck I’m alone. Ivy dragged Willow out ten minutes ago. Right now, I’m happy Ivy cuntblocked her with me again.

  The last few chat strings; nightmares.

  I’m seriously losing my shit.

  None of the guys have texted me back. I don’t know what that’s about. Hugh must be creating trouble between me and the band again. And I’ve hit up every friend I dare to for a loan except Tara, and fuck no am I texting her. That would require talking to her. No way am I subjecting myself to that after the night I’ve had.

  Crap, all that leaves is family. My finger moves through that section of my contacts. Which one of my lucky siblings gets to laugh at me forever over this?

  Ethan’s online—it flashes in my head what I’ve been doing with Tara behind his back—and it doesn’t seem right to hit him up for a favor knowing that I’m going to tell him first thing
when I get home that I’ve been screwing around with his girlfriend.

  The blue dot is lit up beside my oldest sister, Kaley. Of course she’s online, she’s a blogger. At least I won’t be waking her if I text her. No, shouldn’t do it. She won’t help me. She’s like our dad. Get in a jam and you get a dose of tough love Manzone style. She’d say something like “get yourself out of your own fucking messes,” and then block me from texting her.

  My middle sister, Krystal, she’d help me. Crap, not online. Never online. She probably doesn’t even have her Messenger app notifications turned on. She hates social media.

  The family bodyguards—all online—but fuck am I running to them. They’re worse than my dad when it comes to lecturing me before refusing to help. No way am I putting myself through that just to get one of the guys who work for us to float me a sixty-dollar loan until I’m back in Pacific Palisades.

  One blue dot left.

  My baby sister, Khloe.

  She can be such a pain.

  It’s better not to leave her room to turn me down. I’m FaceTiming her. Christ, she’s always so perky and nosy. She’s going to get up in my business and I feel like a whipped dog. I need a pick-me-up before talking to her.

  I slip my hand into my pocket, finding my vial. I do a quick snort and put it away. Fuck, my weed and the rest of my shit are in my jacket with my money and cell.

  I was wrong earlier—now it’s officially the worst night of my life. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

  Leaning back in my chair, I hit the video call icon for my sister and nervously tap my foot as I listen to it ring. If Khloe doesn’t answer I’m divorcing my family.

  High-pitched beep, then a click is followed by my sister’s face on the screen. “Really, Eric? FaceTiming me at three a.m.?”

  “Yep, it’s your brother. Saw you online. Knew you were awake. Don’t act like I’m bothering you. What are you doing awake at three a.m.? Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

  She’s only thirteen. It seems the right kind of brotherly thing to say even if I am fucking relieved she’s awake.

  Her pretty face gives me a quirky look that resembles Mom, and I tense. Shit’s about to come my way. “Don’t give me that. You’re in trouble again, aren’t you?”

  I do an exaggerated eye roll. “Always assuming the worst about me. It’s not very nice that you do that.”

  “That’s because I know you.” Her blue eyes flood with curiosity. “What do you need, Eric?”

  “Who says I need anything?”

  “You wouldn’t be calling me in the middle of the night if you didn’t.”

  Good point. I’m not like Ethan; I never FaceTime with Khloe. This is completely uncharacteristic. Fuck, how’d she get so smart at thirteen?

  “Just tell me what you want,” she prods impatiently.

  “You’ve got Venmo, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” she admits cautiously. Crud, she’s suspicious. “You’re in trouble again, aren’t you?”

  “No,” I protest damn near believably. And what the hell does she mean again? Who’s been spewing to her my shit? Not cool. Exhaling slowly, I organize in my head how to ask her for money. “I’m in Seattle. Came up here with my band to look for a drummer. My jacket with my wallet and phone in the pocket are in Hugh’s Escalade and the guys left without me. I’m stranded with no money. I need sixty bucks Venmoed to Mel’s Tavern to pay a bar bill so I can get out of here. They won’t let me leave until I pay it. You got sixty bucks, sis?”

  Her eyes got wider each word I spoke and she’s staring at me open-mouthed. “How are you going to get home with no money and ID—”

  Home.

  My stomach drops.

  I hadn’t even gotten to that issue yet. I’m stranded here thanks to Hugh.

  “Dad won’t send a plane up for you. You can’t fly commercial without ID. And I don’t think the bodyguards doing a save-Eric run to Seattle is something you should count on.”

  Dad won’t…my body goes tense.

  My sister knows everything that happens in my family.

  Why did Khloe say that?

  “Is there something going on I don’t know about, Khloe?”

  She grimaces.

  “Khloe, just tell me.”

  “God, Eric, you’re on everyone’s shit list tonight. You know how Mom and Dad feel about family. How could you do something so wrong and stupid?”

  Oh no. Oh no. Tara texting me all day. She must’ve gotten pissed when I didn’t text her back and let loose a fuck you, Eric into my world. That conniving bitch.

  “Tara broke up with Ethan tonight,” I hear my sister say through the roaring blood in my ears, confirming my worst suspicions. “She told him she’s tired of waiting on him while he’s at MIT and she’s in love with you. Ethan’s a mess. You should see the hole he put through your bedroom door. Dad had to talk him down. They were on the phone for hours. And now Mom and Dad are cutting short their vacation and flying home in the morning.”

  Being stuck in Seattle suddenly doesn’t look as bad as being home in California.

  I look back at the screen.

  How my sister’s staring at me brings a lump to my throat. “It’ll be OK, Khloe. I’m sorry you’re worried. Ethan and I will get past this. He’s my twin brother. I love him. No matter how things look now, you’ve gotta know that, Khloe. And I’m sorry I disappointed you.”

  She sniffs like she’s holding back tears. “Not as much as you disappointed Ethan. He’s the sweetest boy ever. I don’t care what you tell the family. I want the truth. I want to know, Eric. How could you do that to him?”

  No, not explaining that.

  She’ll never understand the truth that I did it to keep Tara from marrying Ethan and ruining his life, and I’m protecting my brother the only way I can. Damn it, I’m not completely the bad guy here, no matter how my sister is staring at me.

  “I’ll be home soon, Khloe,” I promise her quietly. “We’ll talk more about this then. But right now you need to send me enough money to clear up my problem here and hop a train home. A thousand bucks I think should do it.”

  Her lower lip quivers. “I can’t.”

  I shoot forward in my seat. “What do you mean you can’t? I’ve got no way home, Khloe.”

  She brushes at her cheeks. Damn, she’s crying. “Dad’s really mad. He cut you off today and made the rest of us promise not to help if you got into more trouble. He said if you can’t behave like a member of this family then we all have to treat you that way. We’re not allowed to help. I’m not even supposed to be talking to you until after the folks talk to you.”

  “Khloe—”

  The video call cuts off.

  Chapter Nine

  Willow

  IN OUR APARTMENT ABOVE the bar, something sharp digs into my arm. I’m jerked to a stop before I’m into my bedroom. “We’ll be right back,” my sister says to Eric before forcibly dragging me down the hall.

  “Let go of me,” I whisper. “You’re hurting my wrist.”

  “Shush!”

  She cuts into the guest bathroom, slams the door, and whirls on me. “What the hell are you doing, Willow? I knew it was a mistake to leave you alone downstairs with him when you asked me to. This is what I get for being nice”— the dramatic air quotes she does make me jump—“to my sister so you could say goodbye to him privately without all of us watching. The second my back is turned, you sneak that loser upstairs to your bedroom. Get him out of our apartment. Now.”

  Her face is too close to mine, and I’m trapped between her and the wall. I’ve never seen Jade this mad before. “We can’t kick him out in the middle of the night with nowhere to go. Where’s your heart, Jade?”

  “No fucking way is he squatting with us tonight. We don’t know anything about him except his friends ditched him and he can’t find anyone willing to lend him money. That should be your first clue not to invite him home with you, Willow.”

  “H
e says it’s just a snafu because of the time difference. That his mum’s in Europe. That’s why he couldn’t connect with her. That he’ll get the money in the morning from her and head out for home. I believe him.”

  Jade’s brown eyes bug out until she looks like a bullfrog. “You believe him? Willow…” How she drags out my name makes me flatten back against the wall. “It’s eight hours later in London. That would make it—what?—noon there. Are you telling me he can’t get his mother to take his text at noon? Really, Willow. You believed that bullshit from him?”

  The way Jade says that does make it sound suspect. But that doesn’t change the situation we’re in. After Jade and Gary said he could leave without paying the bill, where was Eric supposed to go? He doesn’t have any money or transportation.

  “Stop glaring at me that way.”

  “You’re lucky I’m not doing more than glare.” She wags her finger close to my nose. “You’ve screwed things up enough for one night. You’re forbidden from making another decision on your own ever again.”

  Me? How’d I screw things up? I’m only trying to make a bad circumstance better for everyone.

  Besides, from where I’m standing it was Eric’s friends that created his problems. Taking off without him. Leaving him high and dry in a strange city.

  Gee, they’d seemed so nice. I would never have thought a guy like Linc would have done something that unkind to a friend.

  Personally, I think Eric should dump his friends.

  Jade steps back from me, plants her hands on her hips, and shakes her head. She’s staring at the ground. Oh crap, this isn’t going to be good.

  “Stay here. I’m going to have Gary and Dean throw him out of our apartment.”

  “No! You can’t do that.”

  Her face turns red. “I can’t? Just watch me.”

  “Please, Jade, no. He has nowhere to go.”

  Her jaw tightens. She hates when I wheedle. “It’s not our problem. We have our own problems and don’t need to add to them.”

  “We’re not adding problems,” I insist heatedly. “We’re being kind to someone and helping him out. He’s a nice guy. He won’t be any trouble. I’ll take full responsibility for him. I promise. Out the door in the morning, right after he reaches his mother.”