Page 76 of Broken Pieces

Summer rolls her eyes at the phone. “Really? You think that would have worked logistically?”

Easton goes to answer, but Summer cuts him off again. “That would never have worked, you big goon. I need her here. You need her safe. And if I am being honest, which you know I always am,” she winks at me and I know her answer can’t be good. “She is much safer in that cottage with Brooks and his need to be big and manly at all times. Ain’t no one getting in his way.”

“Do I even want to know how long this has been going on?”

“Not if you know what’s good for you.”

I wave my hand at her, gesturing her for hurry the fuck up so we can get back to the real issue at hand.

“I can’t believe Brett didn’t tell me,” he grumbles into the phone.

“I threatened him with no sex and a divorce if he opened that mouth.”

Easton gives a soft chuckle, “I really doubt he was threatened by that.”

“Not the point,” she stammers.

I rip the phone from her hand. “So, you really have no idea where she may be?”

“I don’t, man. I’m sorry.”

I am about to tell him to fuck off and be more worried about finding his damn sister when he shouts into the phone.

“Fuck!”

I pull the phone away from us. “What the hell, man?”

“It’s August eighth.”

“What does that mean?”

He swears again into the phone and I hear him shuffling around his house. “Tyler died three years ago. Damnit. Rae has got to be a fuckin’ mess. She has never been alone on his anniversary. Me or Tacoma were always there for her. I got so caught up with Theo today I completely forgot.”

Shit. Fuck. I know what he means. The one thing she never talks about. The thing I know she blames herself for daily. “I’ll go find her. She can’t be far. She has no way to get around out here.”

“I’ll head that way. Harper is working late at her office, but I’ll go drop Theo off with her.”

I rub my hand over my face, my pulse kicking up as I think about where the hell she could have gone. “Don’t worry about it man, I’ll look for her. Take care of your baby. I’ll find her. Don’t worry.”

“I am a piece of shit. How could I have forgotten this?”

I don’t answer him because honestly, he makes a fair point. He shouldn’t have forgotten how this day tore her apart. “I’ll call you.”

I go to hang up the phone, but Easton starts to talk, his voice turning earnest. “Brooks,” he pauses and sighs. “Thank you. Please find her.”

“I will.” I hang up the phone and toss it back to Summer. I try not to think about how Easton might have just figured out that I may, in fact, be fucking his sister because if I were him, I would wonder why I cared so much.

“Where you going to look for her?” Summer asks just as Brett comes down the stairs.

“What’s going on?” he asks.

“Raelynn is missing,” Summer answers.

His face turns serious. “What do you mean she’s missing?”

“She isn’t at the cottage.”

Summer adds, “She left here a few hours ago. I don’t know where she would have gone.”