Cherished

  “So, are you sure you need to leave today? You were planning on staying till the third,” I said before taking another bite.

  Lark was snapped out of his trance and went back to eating.

  Azurdee rolled her eyes. “Ugh, as much as I have loved being here, I have to get back. I left my mother in charge of the coffee shop, and if I didn’t lose any employees, it will be a miracle. I do wish I could stay longer though. I’ve really enjoyed myself,” she said with a smile as she looked over at Lark.

  He was concentrating on clearing off his plate.

  “Lark, you sure you have to leave?” I asked.

  He looked up at me and smiled. “Dude, this was the longest Skip has let me off in a long time. I need to get back to work.” He stood up and looked around the table. “Speaking of, I probably need to get ready to leave soon.”

  I quickly looked at Azurdee. Her whole body sagged in her seat, and she tried to smile, but it looked forced and weak. I stood up with my plate, grabbed Lark’s and Azurdee’s, and then I reached for Jessie’s. I practically had to pull the plate out of Jessie’s hands. I was ready for her to start licking it.

  “Hey, I thought you were going to go look at that filly I bought. Didn’t you say you were interested in her?” I asked, knowing Lark really wanted that filly.

  I also knew Azurdee loved going to the stable. She loved the horses.

  “Shit. Yeah, I do want to take a look at her.” Lark ran his hand through his hair.

  “Well, let’s go take a peek at her. Azurdee, would you like to go with us? I know how much you love the horses.”

  She jumped up and clapped her hands. “Yes! I’d love to.”

  Jessie laughed. “Y’all go ahead. I’m going to stay here and clean up.”

  Azurdee’s smile faded. “No, Jessie, I cooked. I will stay and clean it up.”

  “Nonsense, Azurdee. Go see the horses. You cook, I clean, remember?” Jessie said with a wink.

  Azurdee smiled and nodded her head.

  After we left the house and made our way to the ranch Jeep, Lark jumped in the back to let Azurdee sit up in the passenger seat. We were at the stable five minutes later. Azurdee jumped out of the Jeep before I even came to a stop. When she began skipping up to the stable, I smiled and looked over at Lark.

  “She likes horses, I take it,” he said with a laugh and a shake of his head.

  I chuckled. “Yeah, she loves them. She grew up in the city and has always dreamed of having a ranch or marrying a rancher.”

  Lark’s smile faded for a brief second before it returned again. “Well, with the way that girl cooks, she’s gonna make some rancher one happy and fat guy.”

  I laughed and nodded my head.

  We got out of the Jeep and headed into the stable. As Lark and I talked about the filly, he kept looking at Azurdee. She was moving from horse to horse—talking to them, scratching them, and hugging them.

  He looked back at me and said, “What did you say?”

  I threw my head back and laughed. “Distracted?”

  He rolled his eyes. “Fuck. I can’t hear you with her going on and on about the horses.” He turned and glared at Azurdee.

  She just stopped and looked at Lark.

  “Jesus Christ, they are just horses. Do you have to make such a production over them?” Lark snapped at Azurdee.

  I watched as she slowly smiled a weak smile.

  She said, “I’m sorry. I guess I just get excited when it comes to the horses. I’ll wait in the Jeep for y’all.”

  She began walking out, and I just stared at Lark. He closed his eyes and threw his head back as he let out a breath of air.

  “Azurdee, wait, I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. It’s just that I can’t hear what Scott is saying with you going on and on,” Lark said.

  Azurdee walked right past him. “No worries.” She made her way out of the stable.

  I narrowed my eyes and looked at my best friend. “You’re a complete fucking asshole, do you know that?” I said.

  He looked at me with a surprised expression on his face. “Why? ’Cause I asked her to calm the hell down?”

  I shook my head. “She likes you, dickhead. I guess you haven’t been able to figure that out the last few days. She’s a sweet girl, and you just acted like a total douche toward her.”

  Lark looked over my shoulder at the filly and then back to where Azurdee had just walked out of the stable. “Well…I don’t like her, and I’m not interested in any kind of a relationship.” He walked over and began running his hand along the filly. “I’ll take her. Can you arrange to have her delivered to my place?”

  I just looked at him. “Your dad’s ranch?”

  “No, mine,” Lark said.

  “When in the hell did you buy a ranch? Where? How much land?” I asked.

  Lark smiled. “Dude, I didn’t tell you I bought some land?”

  I shook my head. “No, you didn’t.”

  “Yeah, about seven months ago. I bought three hundred acres between Johnson City and Marble Falls,” Lark said with a smile. “I’m going to have a small ranch house built on it.”

  “No shit. I thought, for sure, you were going to settle in Austin,” I said as I slapped his back.

  “Fuck no. I was raised in the country, and I want to die in the country. Besides, I can build a shooting range. I could have Jeff come out and embarrass the shit out of him,” Lark said with a wink.

  I couldn’t help but laugh as I shook my head. “Well, congrats, dude. Just make sure I have the address, and I’ll have them bring her out in the next week or two.”

  Lark smiled at the filly. Then, he turned, and as he walked out, he said, “No rush. I’m leaving the country for about a week or so.”

  I followed Lark out of the stable and laughed. “You ever gonna tell me what it is you really do?”

  Lark stopped and looked at me with a serious face. “If I did…I’d have to kill you.”

  He started to walk back to the Jeep as I just stood there.

  “Wait. Are you kidding? Or are you being serious?” I called out.

  He just shrugged his shoulders and began looking around. I glanced over and saw that Azurdee was gone.

  Where in the hell did she go?

  We both looked around for her, and then I saw her walking in a field behind the stable. The grass was at her waist, and she had her phone out, taking pictures. Lark and I walked up to her.

  Lark said, “What in the hell are you doing?”

  Azurdee was startled. “Taking pictures. What does it look like I’m doing?”

  “You’re lucky it’s cool out today. You can’t be walking around in stuff like this. What if a snake bit you?” Lark said.

  Azurdee rolled her eyes. “Why would you care?”

  She bumped into his shoulder on her way to the Jeep, and we followed. She hopped in, and Lark climbed into the back. That Jeep ride back to my house was one of the longest rides in my life. As soon as I parked, they both jumped out and headed into the house. No one had said a word since we left the stable.

  I walked into the kitchen and noticed the dishes had not been cleaned yet. Jessie was nowhere around. I walked into our room, and she wasn’t in there either.

  Where in the hell is she?

  I headed out onto the front porch and noticed her car was gone. I instantly began panicking. She left again. Where did she go? I quickly grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and hit her number.

  “Hello?” she answered.

  “Where are you?” I asked, trying to stay calm.

  “Um…don’t be angry. Promise you won’t be angry.”

  I took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. “Okay. I promise, I won’t get angry.”

  She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I got a call from Trey. I didn’t know what to do. He was so upset, and he started talking crazy. He hasn’t gone back to Dallas yet, and he kept saying all this stuff about how he had nowhere to go, he couldn’t go home, he was all al
one, and he was going to do something to himself.”

  I instantly balled up my fists. That motherfucker. “Okay,” I whispered.

  “Well, he was just so upset, Scott, and I felt so bad. He told me he’d spent the holidays alone.”

  “And that’s your problem, how, Jessie?” I snapped.

  “Scott, he’s still a friend,” Jessie said.

  “What are you going to do, Jessie? Comfort him?”

  I regretted the words the moment they had come out of my mouth and even more when I heard her suck in a breath of air.

  “Scott, he started saying all this crazy stuff about how he didn’t want to live anymore and how he missed me. I just thought if I talked to him, he would—”

  “He would, what? Feel better? He wants you, Jessie! He wants you to leave me and go with him. He told me himself that he wasn’t going to give up on you. He is doing this to get you to go to him, to leave me again.”

  “I would never leave you again, Scott. Ever. You know this! We’re getting married and having a baby. I’m just trying to be a friend to him.”

  I let out a breath and shook my head. “I don’t have a good feeling about this guy, Jessie. Please just come back home. Please,” I practically begged.

  “Scott, you know I love you. I love you so much, but I have to make sure he is okay. Trey is a good guy, Scott. I got to really know him.”

  I let out a gruff laugh. “Yeah, I know you really got to know him, Jessie. He got to know you really good, too.”

  Silence.

  “That’s not fair, Scott,” Jessie whispered.

  “No, Jessie, what’s not fair is that some fucker can call you on the phone, give you some sob story, and make you run to him without you even bothering to tell me where you are going. You didn’t even give me a chance to offer to go with you. I would have gone with you if you were that worried about him. You didn’t even give me the chance!”

  I heard her crying.

  “I…I guess I just panicked when he said he was wishing he wasn’t even alive.”

  “Where are you meeting him? I’ll meet you there. Don’t go in until I get there. You can’t be that far ahead of me.”

  “Don’t go in? What do you mean? I have to wait for you? I’m not meeting him in his room. I told him to meet me in the lobby. He’s staying at the Hampton Inn in Fredericksburg.”

  I was stunned into silence. He’s in Fredericksburg? He’s been forty minutes away this whole time?

  “Jessie, turn around and come home now.” I had the worst feeling in my gut.

  “Scott, he was talking about hurting himself. I’m sorry…I just feel like I have to help him.”

  I tried to stay calm. “Jessie, you don’t think it’s strange that he’s been staying in Fredericksburg?”

  “I mean, I guess I was a little surprised he was there, but he is so afraid to go home and face his family, Scott. He said his dad kept telling him how much of a failure he was. He just needs a friend. I promise that we will sit in the lobby and talk until you get there.”

  I squeezed my cell phone as I lowered it. I just wanted to throw it. Damn it! I took a few deep breaths to calm myself and turned to walk back into the house.

  I put the phone up to my ear again. “Jessie, I’m so fucking pissed-off at you right now. Don’t go anywhere with him, and please don’t go up to his room.”

  I ran up the steps two at a time and saw that Lark’s bedroom door was open. He was zipping up his suitcase, and he just looked at me.

  “I’m not going to go up to his room! My god, Scott.”

  “I really wish you would just come back and let me go with you,” I said as I held up my finger to answer Lark’s questioning look. My hands were shaking because I was so pissed-off…and worried.

  “Just meet me at the hotel, and we can talk to him together.”

  “Fine. I’m leaving now. I’ll call you when I get on the road,” I said.

  “Scott?”

  I didn’t say anything. The bad feeling in my stomach was growing stronger and stronger.

  “Scott, please don’t be mad at me. I love you, baby. I love you more than anything. I just felt so bad for him.”

  I slowly nodded my head even though she couldn’t see me. “I’m calling Josh now. I don’t want you meeting with him alone. I’m telling you, Jessie, I don’t think this guy is who you think he is.”

  “If calling Josh will make you feel better, I’m totally fine with that until you get there.”

  “Jessie, let me know when you get there. I’m on my way.”

  “I will. Love you to the moon and back, baby,” she said.

  My heart broke in two. “I love you to the moon and back, too.”

  I hung up and immediately called Josh.

  “What in the hell is going on, dude?” Lark asked.

  “Give me two—”

  “Josh! Are you in Fredericksburg? That fucker Trey called Jessie. Told her a bunch of shit that scared her, made her think he was going to hurt himself. She panicked and left while Lark and I were down at the stable. He’s staying at the Hampton Inn there. Jessie is going to meet him in the lobby. I have a really bad feeling, and she won’t wait until I get there. Can you hightail it over until I get there? Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Josh. I just don’t have a good feeling about this. The fact that he is still around and staying in Fredericksburg just sits wrong with me. Thanks. I’ll leave here as fast as I can.”

  I hit End and looked at Lark.

  He nodded his head and said, “Let’s go. I’ll drive my truck.”

  As we walked down the hall, Azurdee came up the stairs.

  “Where is Jessie?” she asked.

  I couldn’t even talk. The lump in my throat was so big. So many emotions were running through my body. I was so pissed that she’d left without telling me, and I was worried because I didn’t trust this guy. Fuck!

  “Short version—Trey called Jessie and told her he was going to hurt himself. She panicked and took off to talk to him. He’s in Fredericksburg at the Hampton Inn,” Lark said.

  He made his way down the stairs, and I followed.

  Azurdee said, “What? She left to go meet him by herself?”

  Good. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks it’s crazy.

  Lark turned and looked back at Azurdee. “Yep. We need to get to Fredericksburg.”

  Azurdee grabbed her purse. “Oh, I’m going because that bitch left without even saying good-bye to me.”

  Twenty minutes later, my phone dinged, and I looked down at it.

  Jessie: I’m here, and we are talking in the lobby. I think he is drunk. He’s in bad shape, Scott…but all is well. Take your time.

  Take your time? Is she crazy?

  I replied back.

  Scott: Just sit there and wait for Josh. We are on our way.

  I kept glancing over at the speedometer. My foot was tapping a mile a minute. We were less than ten minutes out from the hotel.

  “Lark, go faster,” I said.

  “Jesus, Scott, I’m going almost eighty.”

  My phone rang. I looked at the screen to see it was Josh calling.

  “Scott?” Josh said.

  “Yeah. Are you with them?” I asked in a panicked voice.

  “You said the Hampton Inn, right?”

  No. Oh god, no.

  “Yeah, the Hampton Inn, Josh. In the lobby. She should be in the lobby with him. She said he seemed drunk. Is there a bar? Maybe they are in the bar.”

  “Let me go look, but I’m standing in the lobby, and I don’t see Jessie anywhere.”

  Fuck! I fucking told her to wait.

  “Josh, please find her. Please,” I said, my voice cracking.

  “Scott, I’m looking. I don’t see her anywhere. She’s not in the lobby or in the bar. What’s Trey’s last name?”

  “Um…his last name is—”

  “Walker,” Lark said.

  I snapped my head over and looked at Lark. How in the hell did he remember Trey’s last
name? Did I even tell him Trey’s last name?

  “Uh, it’s Walker. Trey Walker.”

  “Give me a second to talk to the front desk.”

  I let out a shaky breath. “Okay.”

  I could hear Josh talking to a girl. “You saw him? Was he with a girl? What do you mean she seemed like she didn’t want to go?”

  My heart was pounding. What is going on? What is she telling Josh?

  “Josh! What’s she saying?”

  He kept talking to the girl, ignoring me.

  “Josh! What in the hell is going on? Where are they?”

  I felt a hand on my shoulder.

  “Scott, calm down, okay? Jessie wouldn’t go with him anywhere. Maybe they walked outside to the pool or something.” Azurdee said.

  I looked at Lark as he took his phone out before hitting a number.

  He looked at me and said, “Tell Josh to get the license plate Trey gave the hotel. Most hotels want a license plate number. Josh might have to charm the person he’s asking.”

  “Josh…Josh…” I said.

  “Yeah, sorry. I was trying to get information from the front desk.”

  “Get his license plate number!” I practically screamed through the phone.

  I heard Josh asking the girl.

  Then, I heard him tell her, “She might be in danger. I need that plate number.”

  I felt sick to my stomach. Jessie. Oh god…if he puts a finger on her, I swear to God, I’ll kill him.

  “I need a plate ran and tracked…hold for it,” Lark said.

  Josh said the plate number, and I repeated it to Lark. He gave the number to whomever he was talking to.

  “Five…no, make it two.” He hit End on his cell and set the phone down. He glanced at me and then quickly looked in the rearview mirror at Azurdee.

  I turned to look at Azurdee, and she looked scared to death.

  I gave her a weak smile. “Don’t worry, Azurdee. I’m sure everything is fine.”

  She tried to smile back, but the single tear that slid down her face about killed me.

  “You’re a terrible liar, Scott,” she said.

  I turned back and looked out the window.

  Lark’s phone rang, and he quickly answered it. “Talk to me. Okay. Keep on it. Let me know if the direction changes.” He hit End and punched the gas even more.