Only With Me (Sugarland Creek #4)

Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Waylon

I t’s only been seventy-two hours since my last message to Harlow and I’m going crazy not hearing from her.

I know this is my fault, and I need to deal with the consequences of not telling her sooner, but fuck, I’m more miserable than I’ve ever been before.

And I don’t know how to handle it.

Wilder came over last night to apologize for slipping up and even though I’m pissed he brought it up, it’s not his fault. Of course he’d assume Harlow and I knew we were talking to each other being in the same group chat.

But fuck Jake for telling him when he was giving him pills behind my back.

I should’ve knocked him out cold when I had the chance.

But then I think about his little brother and how murdering Jake would affect Kenny’s life, so then I pull back my rage.

Jake and Kenny work on their parent’s ranch about fifteen minutes from mine, so we grew up close, and it sucks now how much has changed.

“Hey, bro!” Wilder walks into my bedroom and starts digging through my closet.

“The fuck are you doin’?”

He ignores me.

“I gotta start lockin’ my door,” I mutter, pulling the blankets over my head and rolling over. I worked a full day, mostly feeling numb, and then came home. I haven’t left my bed since then.

“Gettin’ your ass up and movin’,” Wilder says, pulling out a clean T-shirt and jeans.

“No, I’m stayin’ right here.”

He yanks off the covers and then throws my clothes at me. “You’re not gonna win her back sulkin’ in bed. So get the fuck up and meet me in the living room in five minutes.”

When the hell did he get so bossy?

Reluctantly, I pull myself out of bed and put on the shirt and jeans he picked out. I’m not sure what he has planned, but it’s gotta be better than my current plan of doing nothing.

“Alright, so what’re we doing?” I ask once I find him sitting in the kitchen.

“We’re gonna brainstorm on how to fix this.”

“ Brainstorm ? When have you ever brainstormed in your life?”

“You gonna insult me when I’m tryin’ to help?”

“Considerin’ it was your loudmouth that blurted it out…I should do a lot more than that.”

“I didn’t know it was a secret!”

“I know,” I say defeated. “I wanted to tell her so many times but didn’t wanna ruin what we had.”

“Well, there’s gotta be a way to fix it, and I’m not leavin’ until we figure it out.”

Considering it’s been three days with no contact, I’m not sure there is anything at this point.

“Wait, it’s Saturday night. You’re not goin’ out?” I ask, grabbing a drink from the fridge.

“No, not when you’re home alone being sad and pathetic.”

“Wow, thanks,” I deadpan. “But you go out almost every weekend. Don’t let my heartbreak stop you.”

“Nah, not until you get your girl back.”

“Okay, love expert. What’s your advice?”

“What’s something she’s passionate about? Or something specific y’all talked about that would be special to her?”

“Hmm…” I sit across from him at the table and scroll through Harlow’s and my text messages.

“She loves romance…she has a whole romance wishlist of things she wants to experience.”

“Okay?” Wilder arches a brow. “Like what?”

“Dancing outside at sunset, kissing in the rain, a couples massage, go-karting…” I list off a few of my favorites I wanted to experience with her too.

“Like date night ideas?”

“Yeah, kinda.”

“Okay, I can work with that.” He grabs my keys from the counter. “Grab your shit, let’s go.”

Standing, I follow him toward the door, then put on my boots.

“Where’re we goin’?” I ask once we’re outside.

“To the craft store.”

The fucking what?

“Whaddya know about crafts?”

“Excuse you, we’ve been doing scrapbookin’ on family nights for years.”

“Yeah, and you rarely stick ‘round for it.”

“I do sometimes, but if you don’t trust me, then fine—we’ll pick up Noah and make her help us, too.”

I groan. “Great.”

Three hours, a glass jar with hand painted hearts on it, and two-hundred and twenty-five paper hearts cut out later—I’m tapped out.

Bringing Noah was a big mistake.

The moment Wilder told her his craft idea, she went and took it to the next level.

Noah painted different colored hearts around the jar, Wilder cut heart shapes out of construction paper, and then I wrote one of her romance wishlist items on each piece. Since Harlow didn’t tell me every single one of hers, I added in some of my own that I want us to do.

Noah and Wilder might’ve chimed in and gave me some ideas, too.

Waylon’s Jar of Hearts for Harlow is written on a tag and tied with pink ribbon around the top of the jar. I’m hoping she’ll accept it as my promise to her that not only will we do these together but that I’ll never keep anything from her again.

“Look at us being all crafty and shit.” Wilder smirks at the mess we’ve made on my kitchen table. He grabs another two beers from my fridge and then sets one down in front of me.

“So now what? You gotta wait for her to reach out and then give it to her?”

I lift one shoulder, staring into space. “I guess.”

“Wait, no way. This needs to be a grand romantic gesture. You get the biggest floral arrangement you can find, write her a sincere apology and letter about what this Jar of Hearts means, and that you hope she’ll accept you back into her life. Then, you leave it for her to find and hopefully she’ll reach out to you sooner rather than later. That way you aren’t being pushy but you’re lettin’ her know she’s on your mind.”

“And if she doesn’t accept it or reach out?”

“Then we go to a strip club!” Wilder hollers.

“No!” Noah and I shout in unison.

“Y’all are no fun.” He pouts.

“If I know Harlow, she’ll give you a second chance. But you gotta wait for it to be on her terms, not yours.”

I sigh, knowing she’s right.

Noah helps me clean up the kitchen and when my phone rings, and I see Delilah’s name on the screen, I hold it up and show them.

“Oh, shit. Put it on speaker! I wanna hear her chew your ass out.” Wilder grins.

I roll my eyes, connecting the call. “Hey, Delilah.”

“Waylon, have you seen Harlow?” Her frantic voice has me sitting upright.

“No, I haven’t in three days and she hasn’t reached out yet. Why?”

“Dad’s in the hospital. I called her at work to come right away and she hasn’t shown up. She’s not answerin’ my calls or texts now either. When I called her job, they said she left over an hour ago.”

“Oh my God. Is your Dad gonna be okay? Any idea where Harlow would go?”

“He’s not in good shape. Mom found him unconscious after he went to lie down and he hasn’t woken up. She found several empty pill bottles and called 911. But Harlow shoulda been here over a half an hour ago.”

“Oh, shit.” I scrub a hand down my face, sweating with nerves. “I’ll drive into town and see if I can find her.”

“Thanks, lemme know if you hear from her, please.”

“I will. And keep me updated if she shows up.”

Delilah agrees and then we hang up.

“I gotta go.” I rush to grab my keys but then Wilder pulls out his.

“You’re a mess. I’ll drive.”

“Drive safe! Text me if you need me to do anything,” Noah calls as we rush out the door.

“I have a bad feelin’ about this,” I tell Wilder as he guns it down the gravel driveway. “She’d go right to the hospital or at least keep her sister update on where she is.”

“We’re gonna find her,” Wilder tries to reassure me but my stomach’s in knots.

Wilder gets us into town in twelve minutes and then goes downtown.

“Drive behind the building,” I tell him. “That’s where most of the employees park.”

“There’s her truck!” I point toward it so he knows where to go.

As soon as we get close enough, I jump out and look inside. The door’s locked and her bag isn’t inside.

“I’m gonna go into the store and double-check if she’s still here,” I tell Wilder.

“I’ll come with you,” he says, turning off the engine.

When we walk inside, I find her manager, Ashley.

“Waylon! Wilder! Oh my gosh. Hey!” Her eyes light up in a way that creeps me out.

“Is Harlow here?”

“No. She had a family emergency.”

“Her truck’s still in the parking lot, so she didn’t leave.”

“It is? She rushed outta here as soon as she heard her dad was in the hospital.”

“Where the hell is she?” I spin around, ripping at my hair.

“Maybe she got a ride from her friend.”

I turn back around and meet her eyes. “What friend? Who?”

“I dunno his name just that he’s been visitin’ her all week.”

My heart drops into my gut.

“What’s he look like?” Wilder asks.

“Uh…brown hair, clean-shaved jawline…short.”

“How short?” I quickly ask.

“Five-nine, five-ten?”

“Motherfucker,” I hiss. “Was his name Emery?”

She shrugs. “She never told me. Just that they had a date a few weeks ago.”

Why the hell wouldn’t she tell me that he was coming to her job?

“Thanks, Ashley. Wilder, let’s go.”

I storm out and call Delilah back.

“Hey, did ya find her?”

“Not yet. Do you know her friend, Natalie?” I ask urgently.

“Yeah, of course.”

“Any chance you have her number?”

“Yeah, what’s this about?”

“Natalie tracks her location. I need you to ask if she can see Harlow’s location. Assuming she still has her phone with her, Natalie might be able to see where he took her.”

“Where who took her?”

“A guy named Emery. They met on a dating app, but according to Harlow’s manager, he’s been showing up here,” I explain, pacing back and forth in the parking lot. “Her truck is still here.”

“Oh my God. She never said anything to you?”

“No.” I clench my jaw. “But if he’s been stalkin’ her, who knows what else he’s capable of.”

“I’m texting Natalie right now, hold on.”

After what feels like an eternity, Delilah finally gets a response. “Natalie sent me her location. It’s pinging at…” She pauses. “That can’t be right. It says she’s at Murphy’s ranch.”

“Jake’s parent’s house?” I ask in disbelief.

“Yeah…why the hell would she be there?”

Good fucking question.

“I dunno but we’re gonna find out. I’ll call you back.”

“Waylon!” she quickly blurts. “Call the sheriff and have him meet you out there.”

“I will, bye.”

Wilder and I hop in the truck, then we head out of town toward Jake’s parent’s.

“You’re not callin’ the sheriff, are you?”

I look over at him, my pulse beating erratically. “You still have your shotgun in the back?”

“Yeah?”

I look straight ahead at the road. “Then, no. I’m not callin’ him.”