1

I was pulling up to the doctor’s office a few minutes late because it was f**king pouring out. People were hydroplaning everywhere and the roads were pretty terrifying. I’d expected to see CC’s Mazda in the parking lot; she was early for everything, but the fact it was missing actually made me smile. I didn’t want her rushing to be on time and getting in to an accident.

I sent Mason a text to see if he’d seen or heard from Dominic recently. That stupid ass**le had cheated on CC with Brittany and now he couldn’t ditch her to save his life. Mason told me he’d run into her one night at a bar and she was practically throwing herself at Dominic. It was pitiful.

Apparently, Mason was sitting at the bar waiting on Hailey, when Dominic sauntered over and sat down next to him with Brittany on the other side. Mason couldn’t stand the sleaze after what he’d done to his sister. He said he was trying to ignore them by watching the Phillies on the big ass flat screen, when the mention of Kenzie’s name sparked his interest.

“I don’t know why you don’t just tell him that Kenzie’s baby is yours. The sooner you admit it to yourself, and her, the better.” Brittany was saying to Dominic. This is when Mason started listening, still not outwardly acknowledging them.

“How many god damn times do I have to tell you? That baby is not mine! You do this shit every f**king time you start drinking.” Dominic yelled back at her.

“I know it is Dom, I saw how you used to look at her.” Brittany told him.

“It doesn’t matter how I looked at her, I f**ked all that up by f**king you. Not one of my best moments, that’s for damn sure. Now either sit there and shut the f**k up, or leave. Better yet, go back to Virginia.” Dominic spat at her.

Mason couldn’t bite his tongue any longer. “The both of you need to leave my f**king sister alone. She doesn’t need this shit right now,” he seethed. Then he settled his tab and texted Hailey, telling her he would meet her back at the house. He couldn’t stand being around those two a moment longer.

After that, Dominic ran into CC a few times at the grocery store; only once with Brittany though. She always told me after she’d seen them so I’d never think she was hiding things from me. I trusted her, but it did make me feel better knowing she told me these things. She also said that the one time she did run into Brittany, she’d started up again; claiming that she knew the baby was Dominic’s. CC just brushed it off and ignored her which apparently pissed Brittany off even more, because she started to threaten to tell me the ‘truth’. CC said she’d just laughed and walked away. I loved her for that. She was always being the better person; she didn’t let the damn drama get to her.

Me 12:12pm: Yo! You heard from Dom lately? Is that crazy bitch still here?

Mason 12:14pm: No and yeah she’s still here

Me 12:16pm: Damn where is your sister? She’s 15 mins late

Mason: 12:20pm: Hailey said she talked to her an hour ago

I waited a few more minutes before I tried to call her again but it still went straight to her voicemail. Thinking maybe her phone had died and she had parked on the other side of the building, I ran into the doctor’s office to check if she was there.

The lady sitting behind the glass — Tina, Tammy, something like that — greeted me, “Hunter, nice to see you again.” Since we were coming twice a week now, they’d started recognizing and greeting us before we even signed in.

“Nice to see you too. Is MacKenzie back there already? I was waiting for her out in the parking lot but didn’t see her. I thought I’d check in here.”

“No, I haven’t seen her. That’s strange; she’s always right on time.”

“I figured she might be running a few minutes late with the rain, but I can’t get hold of her - her cell phone is going straight to voicemail.”

The receptionist looked at the time and said, “Wow, yeah it’s past twelve-thirty. I hope everything’s ok.”

I pulled out my cell phone and tried to call again, but I was still getting her voicemail. “Look, I’m going to backtrack her way here, maybe she got a flat tire or something. If she happens to come in, can you please call my cell?”

“Yes sure, of course.” I jotted my number on a Post-It and handed it to her, thanking her before heading toward the door.

“I hope everything is ok, Hunter!” she yelled out to me.

I ran back to my truck with an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was really wrong. I called Cooper because I knew he was already out with Jaylinn.

“Yo, you heard from Kenz?”

I heard the fading voice of a much too cheerful DJ as Cooper turned down the radio, “No, I thought you guys had a doctor’s appointment today.”

“Yeah we do, but she never showed. Are you by our house?”

“Yeah, we’re right around the corner actually. We’ll swing by and see if she’s there. I’ll call you in a few.”

“Thanks.”

Fuck! Where is she?

I tore out of the lot, leaving a cloud of smoke behind me. What the hell could’ve happened?

I got on the ramp to Route 295 and was stopped dead in traffic. Shit! I slammed my fist on the steering wheel. This can’t happen today, I need to get home. I need to find CC!

After a few minutes at a standstill, my cell phone rang. I reached over and snatched it from the cup holder. “Coop?”

“Yeah, she isn’t here. She didn’t have to stop anywhere else before she went there?”

This traffic hasn’t moved in the last five minutes. I can’t even back up because there are cars up my ass. “Last time I talked to her was when I left and she didn’t mention anything.”

Jaylinn got on the phone, “Have you talked to Hailey? Maybe she’s talked to her.”

I should’ve called her, damn it. I can’t think straight. “Hailey talked to her an hour before the appointment but I haven’t talked to her since.”

Cooper again, “Jay’s calling Hailey now. Where are you at?”

In a few more feet I could probably bust a U-turn and go down the ramp. “I’m stuck in f**king traffic on 295; there must be an accident or something.”

I heard Jaylinn say something to Cooper, but the phone was breaking up. “I can’t hear what she’s saying, Coop.”

“Hailey talked to her an over an hour ago. Kenzie is supposed to go over there after the appointment.”