Cutter’s was what they call the fishing spot just up from Gerald Cutter's cabin.
“I'm on my way back.”
“No, don't,” Zeke said. “Seriously, a bunch of us are out looking for him. And everybody's gonna be pissed at me because I told you.”
“This is my job, Zeke. You should've told me. Someone should have told me a few hours ago. Where're Michael and Theo?”
“They're heading up the search. They’ve been up and down a lot of the bayou. They started out on their own and now called in some extra guys to help cover more area.”
Fuck. That meant Sharp wasn’t in any of the obvious, usual places. Sharp was either actually lost, in hiding, or had been taken somewhere he couldn’t be easily found. Whatever the case, they had to figure out where he was and if he was alive, safe, and voluntarily there.
Zander's eyes went to Caroline again. She was watching with her arms hugged against her body. She looked concerned. And sad.
He'd never met a more gorgeous woman. It wasn't just her hair or her lips or her curves. It was her personality, her attitude, her humor, and her sweetness. There was so much more to her than first met the eye, and he was completely addicted. The sparks and chemistry had been there from the very beginning, but everything had only grown in the short amount of time he'd known her. He had the impression from the very start that he was going to fall hard and fast and sure enough, he was in deep.
“I'll be there as soon as I can,” he told Zeke.
This was for the best. Having a reason to leave. It was also a great reminder to both of them that his job had to come first. Autre would always pull him back. His sense of responsibility there would always have to come first.
He knew it was dramatic, he knew he overreacted at times, he knew that no one was asking him to put the town in front of having a relationship with Caroline. But even the idea of Zeke and Fletcher and the rest of his family out looking for a missing man, who was mixed up in God knew what, had his gut tightening and him itching to get back to Autre to take care of it himself.
He didn't think he would ever shake that.
“You really don't care that I'm going to be in trouble?” Zeke asked.
“You can just tell everybody that when you called I was already on my way back.”
“They will never believe that.”
Zander rolled his eyes. “They’ll never believe that my date got cut short because I can't actually follow through on any kind of romantic commitment to a woman?” he asked, watching Caroline as he said it.
She just met his eyes, pressing her lips together.
Zeke chuckled softly. “Well, when you put it that way.”
“See you soon.” Zander disconnected and tucked his phone back into his pocket. He intended to ignore any more calls that might come in. “I need to head back to Autre,” he told her.
“I heard. Someone’s missing?”
“Yeah. And the bayou can be a nasty place. Especially at night. Not a great place to be out on your own in the dark. And if he's been drinking, it could be really dangerous.”
She nodded.
How was he going to leave this woman? How was he never going to see her again?
He cleared his throat.
“Caroline—”
“I get it, Zander. You want to protect me the way you do your family and town, but I won’t be good and just stay on the sidelines.”
“My brothers are going out looking for this guy,” Zander said. “In the dark. On the bayou. Where there are all kinds of dangers. Not the least of which is a group of guys who might have recruited the man they’re looking for. Or kidnapped him. Who might shoot first and ask questions later. Basically, they’re going into a potentially unstable situation and if something happens to one of them, it will devastate every single person I love.”
She frowned, clear concern pulling her brows together.
“So yeah, I’m a huge fan of metaphorical bubble wrap.”
She nodded. “I'm a complication you didn't ask for.”
“I didn't mean for anything to happen between us. I shouldn’t have started any of this.”
She shook her head. “Don't say that. I'm glad this happened.”
He lifted a hand to her face and brought her in for a soft kiss. “If you ever need anything, call me.”
“Don't worry,” she said with a little smile and more tears in her eyes. “I will really try not to do that.”
His heart slammed against his rib cage. He appreciated what she was saying. Her not calling would make his life a lot easier. But he also loved and hated the fact that she understood that.
“I do mean it though.”
She nodded. “I know. And if I'm ever running away from another wedding or stealing another baby animal, don't be surprised to find me in Autre.”
He knew she was trying to lighten the tone but the idea of her in another wedding dress, walking down the aisle toward another man, made everything in him rage. Whether she was running away or maybe even worse, not running, he hated everything about that idea.
But he had no right.
“Goodbye, Caroline.”
“Goodbye, Zander.”
He somehow turned and started down the block again.
She didn’t follow him this time.
17
Michael and Theo were standing with a group of volunteers just inside the big doors where the fire truck was parked when Zander finally pulled into Autre.
“Tell me what the fuck is going on,” Zander demanded as he approached.
The volunteers, all of whom Zander knew and half of whom he was related to, scattered. Likely because of the look on his face. He was not in the mood for…anything.
Michael and Theo turned to face him with frowns.
“What’re you doing here?” Michael asked.
“Sharp’s missing. Where the fuck else would I be?”
“On your date in New Orleans,” Michael said, crossing his arms.
“You should've called me,” Zander told him.
“Why? We’re looking for him. There's nothing to tell you and you don't have any magical searching abilities that we don’t have. It's okay for you to take a night off, you know. We have it handled.”
“You handled it? Has he been found?”
Theo had his hands tucked in his pockets. But the much bigger, much wider, ex-Navy-SEAL-now-game-warden drew himself up to his full height and managed to look incredibly imposing when he said, “We’ve got it handled.”
“What you've got are my brothers and, I'm sure, a bunch of my cousins out looking for this guy instead of calling me.”
“We just needed a little more manpower.”
“For a lost fisherman, I might say fine. But this is Sharp.”
Michael and Theo exchanged a look. Then Theo relaxed slightly from his I’m-two-seconds-away-from-kicking-your-ass stance and replied, “Sharp parked his truck down by the bayou, his boots are missing, and last anybody knew, he said he was going out fishing. I think he's drunk and floating.”
So Theo thought Sharp had gone out fishing alone and possibly passed out, if not simply gotten lost, and was floating along waiting for someone to find him.