Messy Love(86)

“Could we talk privately? I promise I won’t keep you away more than five minutes.’’

I blinked at him and the worry that weighted down my stomach and made my heart beat harder in my chest, intensified. “Let’s go outside. Sophie is about to get a client to the office out back.’’

He nodded and with a nod for Sophie, he turned back around and walked out. He looked nothing like the laid back man I had met a few weeks ago. He seemed eaten by tension.

“What’s wrong?’’ Sophie asked, but she knew as much as I did. I shrugged and left to join Danny in front of InkSpired. When the door closed behind me, he stopped pacing and stared intently at me.

“I’m sorry to barge in on your place of work, but I have a question, and I need you to answer me honestly.’’

“Alright.’’

“I’m serious, Marissa.’’

“I see that.’’ I played with the hem of my t-shirt and bit on my lip. “What’s going on?’’

“Have you been in contact with Wyatt lately?’’

I blinked and immediately I felt myself shutting off. I crossed my arms and shook my head. “No.’’

“You have to be honest. I—‘’

“I am,’’ I blurted with more force than necessary. I drew in a deep breath and apologized. “I haven’t heard or seen Wyatt in weeks.’’

His frown slammed down and lines deepened on his forehead. “I’ll be blunt with you, Marissa. I’m sorry, but it’s necessary.’’ When I didn’t say anything, he went on. “I know you and Wyatt were together when you came for lunch a few weeks ago.’’

“Oh.’’

“Yes.’’ He scrubbed roughly at his face and then stared at me again. “I’m not judging.’’

“Aren’t you, though?’’

“I worry about my son, but no, I’m not judging. For some reason, he looked like it did him some good whatever was going on between the two of you, but I assume it’s over.’’

“And you want to know if it has anything to do with his disappearing act? Well, it doesn’t.’’ With warm cheeks and uncomfortable like I rarely had been before, I fidgeted. “He ended our relationship.’’

“What happened?’’

“Listen, hm… you should contact him.’’

“I’ve been calling him but he isn’t answering, and I just discovered that his hours had been reduced and with…’’ He trailed off then, his tight voice wavering as nerves broke the apparently controlled appearance. He was genuinely worried, and he was holding back something.

The hair on the back of my neck raised. “With what?’’

“I’m a cop, Marissa. When something isn’t turning right, my cop instinct takes precedence.’’

“Is Wyatt in trouble?’’ My chest tightened painfully. I might hate him for hurting me, but the part of me that fell for him worried about him, so much that I had to lean against the wall of InkSpired to keep me on my feet when my legs wobbled. “Tell me.’’

“I’ve been watching Wyatt's apartment these past four days, and I don’t like the people hanging around him. He pushed away Ralph too and now… Damn it!’’ He paced in front of me and shook his head. “I don’t know what’s going on. He never returned Ava’s calls, he has addicts and dealers and…’’ He cut himself off and looked at me with an apology in his eyes.

“Women. He has women over.’’

“Yes. All of this isn’t like him. I’m worried, but I don’t want to tell Lydia about any of this before I get to the bottom of it. I thought maybe…’’

“I was the source of his attitude.’’ With a choked voice, I looked down to the cracked pavement and my white sneakers, a gift from Sophie to celebrate my good news and to cheer me up. “He’s a complexed man with issues, but I didn’t end things. He did and hurt me pretty badly right when I thought that he was through trying to push me away. I don’t know what to tell you or what to do.’’

“Nothing.’’ He put a hand on my shoulder and waited for me to tilt my head up. “Just let me know if he contacts you.’’ He pulled his worn leather wallet from his back pocket and extended his card. “Day or night you call me.’’

“I will. I sincerely hope Wyatt is okay.’’

“I’m sorry he’s hurt you, Marissa, but I know my son. He cares about you deeply.’’

“Not enough apparently.’’ I held up the card and nodded. “Good luck, Danny.’’ I pocketed the card and walked back inside with my mind full, with worries tensing my shoulders and with a bad feeling in my gut.

It looked like my heart wasn’t too shredded if it was able to break more than it was already at the thought of anything happening to Wyatt.

“What was that?’’ Sophie asked as I rounded the front desk to go back to my chair. Distractedly, I grabbed the drawing pad and pencil, leaving the eraser next to the keyboard that Sophie was finishing to clean with a damp cloth.

“I’m not sure. It looks like Wyatt might be in trouble.’’