Page 96 of The Spare

“Or my dick.”

A memory from fifteen years ago flashes through my mind. I can picture it like it was yesterday. I was running bare-assed naked through a blueberry patch. Turned out the girl I hooked up with was married. And her place backed up to the local orchard. I was covered in blueberry juice by the time I made it out of there. Shep still brings blueberry pie to special occasions as a way to goad me.

A laugh tears out of my throat. It’s so forceful I can’t help but bend over, leaning my hands on my knees.

“It’s not funny, Sam,” Gavin barks, his face turning almost purple.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I wheeze, wiping a tear from my eye. “Look, don’t beat yourself up too much. This isn’t entirely your fault.”

“Well, it’s kinda my fault. I knew her dad would be pissed.”

I shoot up to my full height. “Why? Is she jailbait?”

“Oh, hell no.”

I let out a heavy exhale.

“No, I just meant it appears to be a genetic trait you inherited from me.” I pull off my jeans, tossing them to him.

Gavin quickly scrambles into them before making a mad dash toward my SUV. As I start the ignition, we’re silent. It isn’t until we reach the next light and look at one another, him shirtless, wearing my pants, and me wearing a button down and boxers like a scene out of Risky Business, that we both lose it. We’re practically hysterical, throwing our heads back against the headrests, howling with laughter.

By the time I drop Gavin off at his apartment, my face hurts from smiling. Who knew this is what it would take to bond with my son.

We sit talking like old friends, comparing the outlandish mistakes of our youth for hours. I’m not sure I’m winning any respect from him. But maybe he will be able to relate to me more now. Realize I’m human, just like he is. Give me a little latitude in the father department.

“Thanks for coming so fast.”

“Anytime.” I chuckle before clearing my throat and trying to sound stern. I decide to mimic Sebastian. “Well, maybe we shouldn’t make a habit of that. Learn from our mistakes.”

“Yeah. Probably a good idea. See ya.” Gavin waves as he meanders up the sidewalk to his home.

It’s not until I’m driving back toward the house that I picture the priceless look on Alexis’ face she’ll have as I explain why I had to rescue my pantsless son.

She’s going to laugh her ass off.

I’m sure she’ll toss a sarcastic ‘Only you would bond with your boy this way’ at me. I snort. And she’d be right, of course. She’s always right.

But when I walk into the house, it’s pitch black. “Lex?” I call out, stepping into the kitchen. Silence. I catch the time on the clock. Hell, how on earth is it already 3:30 a.m.? I cover my mouth in response to shouting out her name in the middle of the night, as if I can take it back. The last thing I’d want to do is wake her. She works so damn hard.

It isn’t until I peer into our bedroom that I notice the bed is empty. And appears untouched. Was she on call at the hospital tonight or early tomorrow morning? Maybe she decided to stay at her house for the night.

I walk into the bathroom and notice my things where I’d left them as I was getting ready for our date at Ash & Olive tonight. Shit.

Realizing we were supposed to meet for dinner before this night drove straight to crazy town, I sprint to my car in order to head to her place.

Knocking loudly on the front door, I consider that I’ve only been here once. That fateful day we’d signed those contracts. Nervously standing in the dark waiting for her to come to the door, I can’t help but wonder if her bed is a king or a queen? It would be fun to have to snuggle closer. Of course, she’s not going to be in a snuggling mood after waking her up in the middle of the night. I wince.

It takes me awhile to get out of my head enough to notice her car isn’t in the driveway. And the windows are dark. Is she at the hospital?

As I return to the main house, alarm begins to prickle at the back of my neck. Throwing my SUV in park, I race up the stairs into our bedroom. As I open the walk-in closet, my eyes immediately catch the empty space where her suitcase had been sitting. The closet appears to have been rummaged through. More of her clothes are missing from hangers than usual. And sitting on the edge of the bed is a square box I haven’t seen in ages.

Running my fingers over my high school time capsule, my pulse quickens. Something feels terribly off. Would she have left me just like that? I mean, every day I wonder if she’ll realize she deserves much more than being married to the likes of me. And that was before the revelation I fathered a child with my brother’s ex-girlfriend.

My head falls back between my shoulders as I stare at the ceiling. What do I do? It’s late. She didn’t answer the phone on the way here. I’m not sure what else I can do tonight to find her. Hopefully, I’m getting upset about nothing, and she’s at the hospital consulting on a patient.

But as my eyes land on my copy of Greenlights on my nightstand, it hits me like a lightning bolt to the chest.

The flight.