I threw my cell on the bed. She was avoiding me. And deservedly so. I’d thrown a tantrum like a toddler.

Either that or she was …

I shook my head to clear away another paranoid thought.

It was 7:30 am. We had press and publicity scheduled for 4:30 that afternoon. I could easily get to LA and back before then.

I rang Bandit.

“You’d better be dead. Or a size 0 blonde with big tits and a wet pussy, ringing me for a good time.” He grumbled into the phone.

“I’m heading back to LA but I’ll be back in town for the meet and greet.”

“You forget something?” I could hear the concern in his gruff voice. But I wasn’t about to explain myself to him. He’d call me pussy-whipped and I wasn’t in the mood.

“Yeah, I left the iron on.”

Delta had a 9:30 am flight to John Wayne but it was delayed so we didn’t get into the air until after 10 am. But we made good time and by eleven o’clock I was standing in Harlow’s doorway, looking across at Bridget.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in Vegas?” she asked, yawning.

I wondered if Harlow had told her about our argument.

“I have to take care of something first. Is Harlow home?”

Bridget shook her head. “I haven’t seen her since yesterday.”

Her words sent my paranoia into overdrive. Harlow hadn’t come home last night?

Panic set in. “She didn’t come home last night?”

Bridge must have noticed the desperation in my voice because she was quick to correct me.

“She probably did, Heath. I just haven’t seen her, that’s all. I pulled a late one at The Palace last night and only just got up. What’s wrong?”

I felt sick. “I just … I need to talk to her.” I paused. “Colton’s back.”

“Oh, yes.” She suddenly looked preoccupied with her painted toenails. “She told me.”

“Bridge … do I have anything to worry about? With Colton?”

She looked up. “I don’t think so, Heath.” She made sure she looked me square in the eye. “Once you’ve burned your bridge with Harlow there’s no swimming to shore and begging for forgiveness. Once she’s done; she’s done. And he made sure of it when he cheated on her with her best friend.”

Somewhere inside the apartment her cell phone beeped.

“Come in, that’s probably her. If not, she might’ve sent me one earlier. She usually sends me a text if we keep missing each other.”

I waited by the kitchen counter as she checked her cell. Panic swelled like a wave when I saw her frown and pause.

“Harlow?” I asked.

She nodded and paused as if she was trying to work something out. Then she smiled brightly but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. I couldn’t help but feel like she was keeping something from me.

“She’s fine. Colton has talked her into brunch at The Vine.”

It was a restaurant ten minutes away. If Colton was taking her there, then I’d be meeting them there. If she wasn’t going to answer my phone calls, she’d have no choice but to talk to me face to face.

Bridge sneezed. “Damn hay fever.” She sneezed again, put down her phone and disappeared to the bathroom to retrieve a tissue.

I didn’t touch her phone. I didn’t have to. The screen was still lit up. I glanced at it, hating myself but desperate to know where my girl was. I twisted my head so I could read the screen. And there it was. Written in a text in front of me:

Sorry I didn’t come home last night. Long story. Explain later. With Colton. At The Vine for brunch.

My stomach flipped and twisted on itself. My girl was with her charismatic ex-boyfriend and hadn’t been home all night. Black shadows filled my head and the urge to punch something was palpable. The dread was like deadly venom carving a slow and painful course through my brain.

This was killing me. I had to find her. I had to sort this shit out.

Exhaling deeply I ran my hand through my hair and tried to control the surge of anxiety firing against every nerve and fiber.

Bridge walked back in and could tell by the look on my face something was up. Her eyes dropped to the phone and back to me and her lips settled into a thin line. She sighed.

“She didn’t say she was with him last night.”

“No,” I snapped and headed for the door. “She didn’t have to.”

* * * * *

I’d heard that love led you to do crazy shit. But I’d never experienced it firsthand. It didn’t seem like that long ago when I’d pitied those fools around me who seemed determined to swim those stormy waters. I was never going to be one of them.

Yet here I was. Flailing about in the water like I was caught in a shark attack.

Fear. Panic. Anxiety. I wasn’t used to this bullshit. And I was never this paranoid.

The Vine was less than ten minutes away. Parking across the street I took a moment to work out my game plan. I needed to handle this right. To work out the best angle to play this instead of charging into the restaurant like a psycho and freaking her out. I wanted things to be right between us. It was tough to admit it but I really needed to hear her tell me we were okay. It was the only thing that would calm me down.

Christ, what had happened to me? This girl had messed me up.

Inhaling deeply I closed my eyes and took a moment to center myself. To get myself calm. I’d handle this with a composed heart. I’d go in and tell my girl I was sorry. And fix this.

Feeling calmer I exhaled and opened my eyes. I was ready to climb out of the car when she came into my line of vision. My girlfriend. Across the road. Out the front of the restaurant. In Colton’s arms.

Kissing him.

She. Was. Fucking. Kissing. Him.

* * * * *

HARLOW

My cell phone had died. I knew Bridge would be worried and Heath would probably be frantic. My visit with Poppy had turned into an all-nighter. Even though visiting hours had long past, when you’re a determined old Southern lady with more money than the national deficit, you pretty much got what you asked for.

The stroke had taken its toll on her. Usually feisty and stubborn, she was weak and tired. But my visit was a good elixir, or so she said, smiling up at me from her hospital bed.

When Colton left for the evening, she asked me to stay and eat dinner with her. Dinner turned in to me reading to her until she fell asleep which wasn’t until late in the evening. Still seething from my argument with Heath, I wasn’t eager to return home and was pleased for the distraction. It was easy to fall asleep on the plush sofa in her impressive suite, which was more luxurious than some five star hotels.

I woke up startled when Colton appeared, freshly showered and bearing a Starbucks for me. I was surprised to see it was after eight o’clock.

“Oh hell, my cell has died,” I said, noticing the blank screen. In my rush to get away from Heath and our argument I hadn’t made sure my phone was charged.

“You can charge it in my rental.”

“That’s okay Colton. I can get a cab home.”

“Now what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t see a lady to her door?” he drawled. “Let me drop you home Harlow, I promise I won’t bite.”

After we bid Poppy a goodbye and I promised to make more effort to keep in touch, Colton and I left in his rented Audi Spyder and headed south. I plugged my cell into his phone charger and was disappointed to see nothing from Heath. He was obviously still sulking.

I considered texting him but thought better of it. Still annoyed by his words and his lack of trust in me, I needed to get my head right first. Once I’d calmed down I would ring him. Maybe we could talk and I could still fly to Vegas for their performance at the festival.

“Where are we going?” I asked Colton when he missed the turnoff to my street.

“I really appreciate you taking time out to visit Poppy. Your visit meant a lot to her and I know it’s come at a cost. So I’m taking you for breakfast.”

“I should really just get home.”