This Heart of Mine (Chicago Stars #5)(99)

"I happened to bring Phoebe's cell phone along."

He grinned and grabbed a loaf of bread from the pantry. "Smart of you."

"At camp we were taught to wear a whistle around our neck if we went walking alone. Since I didn't have a whistle…"

"You took a cell phone."

"Safety first."

"God bless the power of telecommunications." He went back to the refrigerator for some cheese. "And now you're lost. Have you looked for moss on the tree trunks?"

"I didn't think of that."

"It grows on the north side." He began to assemble his sandwich, enjoying himself for the first time all evening.

"Yes, I believe I remember hearing that. But it's a little dark to see."

"I don't suppose you tucked a compass in your pocket, or a flashlight?"

"That didn't occur to me."

"Too bad." He slapped on some extra mustard. "You want me to come look for you?"

"I'd really appreciate it. If you bring your phone along, I might be able to direct you. I started out on the path behind Jacob's Ladder."

"That'd be a good place for me to start then. Tell you what—I'll call you from there."

"It's getting dark fast. Would you mind hurrying?"

"Oh, sure, I'll be there before you know it." He disconnected, chuckled, and settled down to enjoy his sandwich, but he'd barely managed three bites before she called back. "Yeah?"

"Did I tell you I might have sprained my ankle?"

"Oh, no. How'd you do that?"

"Some kind of animal hole."

"Hope it's not from a snake. There are some rattlers around here."

"Rattlers?"

He reached for a napkin. "I'm walking by Jacob's Ladder right now, but somebody must be running a microwave, because I'm getting interference. I'll call you back."

"Wait, you don't have my num—"

He disconnected, gave a whoop of laughter, and headed for the refrigerator. A sandwich always tasted better with beer. He whistled to himself as he popped the cap and settled back to enjoy.

Then it struck him. What the hell was he doing?

He snatched up his cell phone and punched in Phoebe's number from memory. There'd be plenty of time later to teach her a lesson. This was the first chance he'd had in two days to get her alone. "Hey, Molly?"

"Yes."

"I'm having a little trouble finding you." He tucked the phone under his chin, grabbed the beer, along with what was left of his sandwich, and headed out the back door. "Do you think you could scream?"

"You want me to scream?"

"It'd be helpful." He took another bite of sandwich and hurried toward Jacob's Ladder.

"I'm not really much of a screamer."

"You are in bed," he pointed out.

"Are you eating?"

"I need to keep my strength up for the search." He waved at Charlotte Long with his beer bottle.

"I'm fairly sure I'm near the creek. At the end of the path that starts right behind Jacob's Ladder."

"Creek?"

"The creek, Kevin! The one that runs from the woods across the meadow. The only creek there is!"

She was beginning to sound snappish. He took a sip of beer. "I don't remember a creek. Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure!"

"I suppose I'll recognize it when I see it." Kids were running around on the Common. He stopped for a moment to enjoy the sight, then returned to his mission. "The wind's really started to kick up. I can hardly see the path."

"It's not that bad here."

"Then maybe I'm going the wrong way."

"You took the path behind Jacob's Ladder, right?"

He tossed the rest of his sandwich into a trash container and stepped onto that exact path. "I think so."

"You think so? Aren't you paying attention?"

Definitely snappish.

"Just keep talking. Maybe I'll be able to tell how close I'm getting by the reception."

"Can you hear the creek?"

"Which creek is that again?"

"There's only one!"

"I hope I can find it. I don't even want to imagine how terrible it'd be if you had to spend the night in the woods by yourself."

"I'm sure that won't happen."

"I hope not. Whatever you do, don't start thinking about the Blair Witch."

"The Blair Witch?"

He managed a choking noise, then a monster moan, and disconnected.

It didn't take long for his phone to ring again.

"My ribs are aching from laughter," she said dryly.

"Sorry. It was just a squirrel. But it was huge."

"If you don't play right, I'm going home."

"Okay, but you'd better not be wearing anything more than shoes and a hair ribbon when I find you."

"I don't own a hair ribbon."

"That'll be one less thing for you to take off, then, won't it?"

As it turned out, she was still dressed when he spotted her, but that didn't last for long. They tumbled naked into the soft meadow grass, and as the rain began to fall, their laughter faded.