Chase Our Forever (Sutten Mountain #3)

48. Dean

48

DEAN

My heart pounds as I stare at the door. I haven’t heard from Liv yet, and a sinking feeling settles deep in my bones as I do the math in my head.

She should’ve been home hours ago. I thought she’d be home by the time Clara and I got back from my parents’ house, but she wasn’t. I tried to keep it cool and assure myself it was fine. She was driving all the way to Pinehurst, so it’d take her some time to get there.

But now that I’ve put Clara to bed and it’s gotten dark, I start to worry since she still isn’t home.

I close my eyes, trying to settle my panicked breathing. My mind wants to go to the worst-case scenario, but I try to steer it from that. Maybe she’s just lost or needed gas, or the most logical thing is maybe it took longer for her to pick up my gifts than she expected.

But why isn’t she answering her phone?

I try her again, but it goes straight to voicemail. Just like the other twenty-seven times I’ve tried calling her.

“Fuck.” I slam my phone down on the kitchen counter and try to figure out what to do. My brain fills with all the worst possible things that could’ve happened to her.

She’s lost.

Her car broke down.

She’s hurt.

She got in an accident.

I scrub my hand over my face, trying to rid myself of any intrusive thoughts. It doesn’t work.

“No, no, no,” I plead. “Not again.” My voice breaks as my forearms find the corner of the counter. I place my head in my hands, trying to decide what to do next.

I don’t want to overreact, but something deep in my gut is telling me something bad happened. I can’t even go out to search for her because I can’t leave Clara alone.

My hands shake as I pick my phone back up. I press my father’s name in my phone and wait for it to ring.

He picks up on the third one. “Did you forget something here?” he asks, humor in his voice. I can picture him perfectly, sitting in his recliner as he pretends not to be invested in whatever reality TV show Mom’s watching.

“Dad,” I begin, my voice barely audible through the panic coursing through me.

“What is it?” His voice gets serious immediately.

“It’s Liv,” I manage to get out. I do everything I can to keep my voice calm enough so he can understand me. “She hasn’t come home yet. I’m worried.”

“We’ll be right there.”

I hang up before he can hear the strangled sound that comes from my throat. I begin to pace, feeling useless waiting for my parents to get here. My teeth dig into my bottom lip as I wonder if I should call the police. I have Sheriff Phillips’s home phone number; I could call him and see if he thinks I’m overreacting or not. But I don’t know if Liv is even in his jurisdiction.

I’ll wait until my parents get here and see what they think. Maybe if I can just hit the road in search of her, I’ll find her immediately and realize I’m just severely overreacting. I wish I’d known where exactly she was going in Pinehurst so I could call and see if she’s still there.

Should I call the local hospital there and see if anyone matching her description has been brought in?

I shake my head as I continue to pace back and forth. I hate feeling helpless, and that’s exactly how I feel right now. Maybe I could call around to see if Liv told anyone where she was going.

I try Pippa first. She and Liv have gotten close, and there’s a chance Liv could’ve confided in her about where she was going to get my gift. I’m worried she isn’t going to answer when, finally, her voice picks up on the other line.

“Dean?” My name comes out like a question. “Is Clara okay?”

“Clara’s fine, but Liv’s missing. She went out before the storm to get me a gift somewhere in Pinehurst, and she hasn’t come back. It’s been hours, and I’m worried.” Somehow, I manage to keep my voice together enough for her to understand me, which is a shock because, internally, the panic gets worse each minute that passes by and she isn’t here.

“Pinehurst?” Pippa questions. “I knew she was going out, but she didn’t tell me where…” There are rustling sounds on the other end. “What?” she asks, seeming to talk to someone else instead of me. “Camden knows where she went. He’s going to call, and we’re going to head over to your place and think of a game plan. Maybe she’s still there. He’s calling right now, and we’re on our way.”

“Please keep me updated,” I respond, my voice heavy.

“I will. We’ll be there shortly, Dean.” She hangs up the phone, and I’m once again left wondering what to do.

I try calling Liv again, but just like every other time, it goes straight to voicemail.

“C’mon, baby,” I mutter, clicking her name again to put out another call, even though I know she won’t answer. “Just pick up.”

She doesn’t.

I don’t know how long I spend pacing my kitchen when, finally, the front door opens and my parents hurry in. They must’ve rushed to leave because my mom is still wearing her nightgown and robe, not having even bothered to change into normal clothes.

Immediately, her arms wrap around me as she pulls me into her chest. “It’s going to be okay.” Her hand runs circles along my back reassuringly.

“You don’t know that.” My voice is so low it’s almost a whisper.

Mom squeezes me even tighter. I appreciate the comfort. She helps me hold on by a narrow thread as she attempts to ease the fear overtaking my mind. “I do. It’s going to be okay. We have to believe.”

Dad clears his throat from where he stands a few feet away. “I called the police department, and they’re going to send out some patrol officers to search. They’re also going to contact those at the Pinehurst station. Your brothers are on their way to help as well. She’s probably just stuck in the snow somewhere and will be okay.”

I pull away from Mom and rest against the countertop. I try and take a steady breath. My heart races so fast it feels like it might just beat right out of my chest with worry. “I’m going to go out and look for her, too. I can’t just stay here doing nothing.”

Mom’s worried eyes find my father’s. They share a look. “Why don’t you wait for one of your brothers? You shouldn’t be driving…” Mom’s tone is soft, but it’s clear that she isn’t going to let me drive.

I don’t blame her. I know I shouldn’t be in control of a vehicle right now, but I hate the thought of waiting any longer to go out and search for her. I run my shaky fingers through my hair. “I hate that so many people are coming out in this weather for me.”

Dad shakes his head. “They wanted to, son. We all love Liv and want her to be safe.”

Before I can respond, the door opens again, revealing Pippa in a pajama set with strawberries all over them. “We’re here, and we’re ready to make a game plan,” she announces, putting her hands on her hips. Camden, Cade, and Marigold walk in behind her.

“You guys didn’t have to all come. I know it’s late, and the weather is?—”

Pippa holds her hand up to stop me. “We wanted to. Camden called Axel, who said that Liv left his studio right when it started to snow about four hours ago.”

My heart sinks. A small part of me was still holding out hope that she was just caught up in picking up my gift and got held up. “So she got on the road?”

Pippa gives me a hesitant nod. “Yes. But the good news is that there’s only so many ways to get to Pinehurst from here. We’ll go out and drive the few different routes she could take, and we’ll find her. She might’ve just pulled over to wait out the snow or something.”

“Yeah,” I rasp, running my hand over my face. “Maybe.”

Cade steps forward. He adjusts the hat on his head as his eyes look me over. “How about you ride with me, and we’ll start looking down the main route we think she would’ve taken?”

Dad joins the half circle. “Your brothers should be arriving any minute, and we’ll map out alternate routes she could be on and go out looking.”

“I’ll ride with one of them,” Camden interjects.

Pippa nods, soaking in the conversation before she looks at Marigold. “We’ll stay here and call around. Maybe someone’s been out on the roads and saw her. We can also call the hospitals to see if anyone’s been brought in with any minor injuries or anything like that.”

All I can do is nod. I don’t want to think about her sitting in an unknown hospital bed alone. But the thought of her stranded on the side of the road isn’t any better. My eyes dart around the space. I try not to think of a scenario similar to the one I went through over three years ago. Everyone had gathered around me just like this, their faces solemn and filled with worry every time they looked at me.

I don’t want to believe a scenario eerily similar to that is happening all over again.

Someone’s hand comes to rest on my shoulder. I jolt, realizing I’d been staring off into space, letting my intrusive thoughts take hold of me.

My eyes meet Cade’s. “Want to head out?”

I nod, terrified of what I’ll find but desperate to find Liv safe and hopefully unharmed.

“We’ve got to find my girl, man,” I tell him, my voice cracking. I refuse to acknowledge what would happen if we go out and she still doesn’t show up.

Cade gives me a reassuring smile. “We will. Let’s go.”

I follow him out the door, hoping he’s right and hoping that wherever she is, the woman I love is okay.