Blossom Street Brides (Blossom Street #10)(66)

“Bethanne?”

“Sorry, I was mentally reviewing my schedule. When do you plan to leave?”

“Seven tomorrow morning. It was the only seat available. Santa Rosa has a small airport, and I didn’t want to drive into San Francisco if I could avoid it.”

“Do you have a reservation for a room?”

“Yes. I saw to that right away. Can you make it happen?”

Mulling it over, Bethanne leaned back against the thick pillows, sighed, and said, “I’ll be there.”

“Great.” His tone grew serious then. “This has been a lonely weekend without you.”

Bethanne felt the same. “I miss you like crazy.”

“Me, too.”

They chatted only a few minutes longer. Bethanne closed her eyes and sighed. Rooster and Lauren, she mused, and then grinned. She was pleased for her husband’s best friend and business partner, and for Lauren as well. It hadn’t taken much to realize the two were falling in love. With another couple she might have been concerned, but not with these two. They were both well-grounded, mature adults who knew what they wanted in life. She was happy for them, and neither one came into the marriage with a lot of extra baggage.

Despite this unexpected bit of good news, Bethanne’s heart felt heavy. She hadn’t seen or heard from Annie all week, nor had she shown up at the office. Her daughter seemed to have taken Bethanne’s words to heart and was looking for employment elsewhere, although Annie hadn’t bothered to let anyone at the office know of her decision. Bethanne had again been tempted to ask her ex-husband to intercede on her behalf. She’d battled indecision all week, hoping to hear from Annie, but it was not to be.

Annie hadn’t called, and Bethanne had stubbornly refused to give in. Bethanne was willing to admit her daughter had come by that obstinate streak naturally.

Awake now, she tossed aside the covers and went downstairs to her computer, logging on to the traveling website she most often used. Thankfully, she was able to book a flight for late Sunday morning with a return early Tuesday. Because she was unsure what time the wedding would take place, this seemed to be the best option.

Once she had the flights booked, she texted Max the information. He seemed excited and happy, but Bethanne doubted that she would be able to hide her misery. If Annie had quit without notice, and that seemed to be the case, then he would find out eventually, anyway.

Max met her at the Las Vegas airport at baggage claim. They hugged, and after retrieving her suitcase, he led her toward the parking garage. No sooner had she clicked her seat belt into place when her husband turned toward her.

“Okay, what’s wrong?”

She forced a laugh. “What makes you think anything is wrong?”

“Bethanne, please. We might not have been married long, but I know you, and one look told me you’re upset about something. I heard it in your voice this week, too.”

Tightness gripped her chest, and she looked down at her hands. “It’s Annie.”

Max sighed. “I should have known.”

“She didn’t show up for work all week.”

“Have you talked to Andrew?”

That had been the first thing she did. “Yes, but he hasn’t heard from her, either.”

“What about Grant? He must know something.”

“I’m sure he does, but I refuse to call him. After that last stunt Annie and Grant pulled, that’s exactly what they’re looking for me to do. They want me to go running to Grant for help, and I refuse to do that. Eventually, Annie will wake up to the fact that her father is a player.”

“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”

“You did nothing wrong,” she rushed to tell him. “If this is what Annie wants, then it’s her choice.”

Max’s face darkened with a thick frown. “I’m flying back to Seattle with you.”

“Max, no. This is my problem.”

“But—”

“Please.” She pressed her hand over his forearm. “Let me handle this my own way.”

He looked away and seemed to think long and hard before he responded. “I don’t know that I can bear to see you this unhappy, not if it’s in my power to make matters right.”

“Nothing you say or do will change Annie’s opinion of you. For you to even try plays right into her hands. I can’t tell you how sorry I am about all this. I’ve tried to keep you out of it entirely—”

“Which is why we weren’t together this weekend. Right?”

She had no option but to agree. “Right.”

Max took hold of her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “We’re together now, though,” he whispered suggestively.

Bethanne recognized that gleam in his eyes and laughed out loud. “Max Scranton, how can you think about sex at a time like this?”

“How can I not when the woman who owns my heart is sitting right next to me?”

Tipping her head so that it rested against his shoulder, Bethanne felt the weight of the world drift away. “You make me so happy,” she told him.

“Good, that’s my goal. Don’t worry, love, we’ll get through this thing with Annie.”

“Of course we will.”

“But for right now we have a wedding to help plan and an overly anxious groom.” Max paused and chuckled. “I don’t know when I’ve seen Rooster more flustered.”