“She left without her phone? How’d she get back to her hotel?”
My heart races, and while the rational side of my brain says this isn’t a big deal and to calm the fuck down, my body’s gone into fight or flight mode. It sure doesn’t help that it’s Camila, of all people, with my girlfriend’s phone. The same chick who tried repeatedly, daily, to get with me on Shred Live.
“I’m not sure actually. Do you know if she’s staying at the Marriott? It’s like a block from this bar so she could have walked.”
I actually don’t know where she’s staying. Griff might know, but probably not.
“I’m sure she’ll realize she left her phone and come back to get it soon. How long ago did she leave?”
“Only fifteen minutes or so.”
I can’t help but be a little suspicious of the situation, but I do hear noise in the background that sounds like a bar. “Who all is there?”
Jordan’s at the competition solo. Her roommates couldn’t justify the time off from school and their jobs, or the travel expense. Brie’s not at this competition and Moses, Lennon, and Taylor are at Apexx in Florida. Wait.
I interrupt Camila, who is listing off the women who were at the bar with them. “I thought you were going to Apexx this weekend? I thought everyone from Shred Live would be there?” Except me.
“Oh, I pulled out and decided to come to Fusion instead.”
When she doesn’t offer an explanation, I ask, “Why?”
“It’s complicated.” I hear the noises in the background fade and figure she went outside or somewhere. I’m not real eager to spend time on the phone with her when I want to hang up and find where Jordan is staying so I can call her room, but I figure I should take this time to try to figure out Camila’s deal. It’s definitely safer to talk by phone than it is being next to the predatory woman in person.
“What’s complicated about it?”
“It’s Donnie. I made the mistake of being a little too nice to him and now he wants, well, he wants to be a couple? I can’t shake him off.”
“So you pulled out of his event at the last minute to go to another one?” I clarify, not needing to spell out how dumb that is. Donnie Guzman is one of those rare guys who isn’t well liked, but manages to wield a lot of power. A bully, I guess you could call him. A manipulator. I’ve heard enough stories about him screwing people over that I play along to avoid getting on his shit list.
“Yeah, I figure at this point the only way to get him to back off is to piss him off.”
An unwanted spike of alarm goes off at that, because his attention on Camila must be real bad for her to take this option. But even as her explanation causes me unease on her behalf, I make myself dismiss it. It’s not my job to protect her. She’s mean, possibly a cheater, and also quite possibly a little unhinged if her behavior toward me on Shred Live is any indicator. Either that or blindly ambitious, willing to do anything to further her career. But if that’s the case, she wouldn’t be intentionally pissing off Donnie Guzman. I shake my head; this isn’t a conundrum I need to resolve. What I need to be doing is finding Jordan and making sure she’s okay.
“I’ll try to track down Jordan and let her know you’ve got her phone.”
Camila doesn’t answer right away, but her tone is a little different, less pitiful and more resolved, when she responds. “Okay. You have my number. Or, you have Jordan’s number on this phone. I’ll hold on to it.”
“Thanks.” I hang up without a goodbye.
I find Griff and our sisters outside at the pool. It’s a good thing Griff is there because it looks like some college athletic team – likely basketball by the height of the guys – is hanging out, drinking. Sure there are already plenty of women with them, but Naomi and Summer don’t necessarily look underage anymore. And while they’re smart girls, they’re also way too ready to grow up and have all the experiences.
Griff nods to me from where he sits on the pool’s edge, watching our sisters float around the deep end on one of those giant flamingos.
“Do you know where Jordan is staying in Vancouver?”
Griff shakes his head. “No, my assistant set it up for her. You need me to find out?”
“Yeah. She left her phone at a bar.”
“A bar?” Griff’s eyebrows rise in surprise.
“I guess a bunch of the pro women went out together after the prelims today. She doesn’t have any friends with her so maybe she just wanted to connect, get to know people.” The guys have their prelims tomorrow, so she’s basically got a day off. I know she’s planning to use the day to watch the men, get a better feel for the course, and then do some homework so she doesn’t get too far behind. But I also get why she wouldn’t want to go back to an empty hotel room too early after the rush from competing. Besides, most of the pro women are pretty cool chicks. It just so happens she’s met the main exceptions – Sarah, Camila and Kelly.
Griff makes a call to his assistant but leaves a voicemail, and then sends a text. “It’s late, and it’s kind of shitty to hear from your boss on a Saturday night,” Griff tells me when I let out a sound of frustration.
“I’ll try the Marriott. Camila said it’s nearby and a lot of people are staying there.”
“Camila?” Griff sits up straighter.
“Yeah, she’s the one who answered Jordan’s phone.” I shoot him a look that says, See? My slight desperation is totally justified.
“Huh. Thought she and the Shred Live crew were at Apexx.”
I don’t answer him, as I’m already calling the front desk at the Marriott. I let out a relieved breath when they don’t tell me there’s no Jordan Slattery and instead transfer my call. But when no one answers her room phone, my relief is short-lived. Various scenarios circle in my mind. If she walked home and it’s only a block, she should be there by now. She could have been accosted on the way back. Or maybe Camila is up to something sinister.
Griff hops up to stand beside me. “Dude, calm down. I’m sure you’ll hear from her soon. I bet she’s on her way back to the bar right now to get her phone.”
I take a deep breath. “Five minutes. I’m giving it five minutes. Then we’re calling everyone we know at the competition and starting a search party.”
Griff gives me a wry smile. “Let’s not humiliate her in front of the people she’s just starting to be accepted by, all right? She’ll be really pissed if you overreact.”
I grit my teeth. “Fine, ten minutes. I’m starting a timer.”
Griff shakes his head, trying to look amused, but I see the flash of concern in his eyes too, and I know I’m not overreacting. Fine, I’m overreacting a little, but there’s definitely reason to be worried.
Chapter Fourteen
Jordan
It doesn’t hit me until I’m standing in my hotel room in a towel. I feel lonely. After taking a shower and using the hotel’s delicious-smelling complimentary lotion, I thought I’d enjoy relaxing alone before falling asleep. But despite the nice hotel room, some solid runs at the prelims earlier, and a refreshing shower, my mood is melancholy.