“Same,” Maria said.
As I stuck my debit card chip into the machine, I looked around at all the people here. So many people hugging and crying or looking worried on the phone.
Speaking of which, I pulled my phone out to see if maybe, just maybe, Bailey had written back.
My heart leapt when I saw that I had a text message. It wasn’t from Bailey, but it was from Ryder.
Hey. Where are you? I’ve been trying to call!
I looked at my phone and somehow the ringer had been turned off.
OMG I’m sorry. My ringer was off. Where are you? Have you heard from the girls? What happened tonight?
I haven’t heard from the girls, and I’m still not really sure what happened at the event. I’m at the Starbucks where we were supposed to meet up, but they’re not here.
I’m at a Starbucks too. Which one are you at?
The one on third street about four blocks from the convention center.
My head shot up from my phone and looked around. Ryder was here? Maria came over and handed me my coffee. “Are you ready to go?”
“Wait. The brother of my sister’s friend is here!” I was looking all around.
“The who of your what?” she asked.
“My sister went to the concert with a friend. Her brother is here!” Just then, I saw his dark hair over by the restrooms. “Ryder!”
His head raised at the sound of his name and I had never been happier to see a familiar face in my life.
“Oh Ryder!” I ran across the crowded room and straight into his arms. Tears I didn’t know I’d been holding back came streaming out and I pressed my face into his chest. “I am so glad you’re here.”
The smell of his leather jacket was very comforting and I felt safe in his arms. Between the attack in the parking lot and the girls going missing, there was a lot of pent up emotion as I’d been trying to hold it together.
I heard someone clear their throat and realized that Maria was standing right there.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” I said, wiping my tears away. “Ryder, this is my neighbor Maria. Maria this is…”
“The brother of the friend of your sister.” She was smiling. “Nice to meet you.”
“The police told me to check at La Playa Memorial and so we stopped for some coffee on our way,” I said.
“I’m glad you did. I was supposed to meet the girls here after the concert but they never showed.” He stood to grab his trash and said, “Let’s go to the hospital together.”
I looked at Maria, who said, “No worries. I’ll go home and keep your parents company.”
“Maria, you’ve done so much. You should just go home and rest.”
She smiled and said, “What are new amigas for?” Holding up her coffee, she said, “Besides. I just had coffee. I can go talk their ears off until you get home.”
We exchanged phone numbers so that I could keep her updated and then we hugged before she left. She leaned in close and whispered, “That is one fine-looking man, and he’s definitely into you.”
I didn’t know how she could tell from having met him for five minutes, but I wasn’t going to question it. I had other things on my mind...
Twenty-Nine
Ryder
As soon as my phone powered on, my heart sank. No calls or texts from Lily. There were several missed calls from Paige, and that’s why I decided to text her. Little did I know she was standing a few feet away from me.
