"Oh?Did you see them?"Eve scanned the area, but the crowd was thick by the grandstand.
I nodded."Yeah, right before I found you.”
“You didn’t ask where Ford was?”
I looked away.“It was kind of chaotic.The crowd was loud, and we were shouting at each other.It wasn’t a good time.”
Eve nodded.
What if it was about him leaving me, and he wasn't hurt or sick?The thought only heightened my anxiety.Why was this how relationships always ended?The important people in my life always left me.
"Are you okay?"she asked me, her voice laced with concern.
I steeled my shoulders."I will be."
"You're writing him off, aren't you?You're putting up all those walls again, the ones that you've always had."
I sighed."What other choice do I have?He's not here.He let me down.There's no coming back from that."
Eve's nose wrinkled."He could have a good explanation for not being here."
"Then why not tell me what it is?Why leave me hanging?I feel like I'm back in high school again, waiting for a boy to call me and realizing that he never will."
Eve pursed her lips."This isn't high school, and you aren't kids anymore.I'm sure Ford will tell you what's going on as soon as he's able."
Her cryptic comments didn't help the free fall of my stomach.I wanted to clean up the parade and hide in my room the rest of the night.I wanted to be alone, free from the pity and scrutiny.
The fact was that I couldn't hold onto anyone.The only person who stuck around was Eve, and she was my sister.
Chapter24
Ford
When I landed, I met River at the airport.We greeted each other.Then he led me through the terminal.
"Thanks for coming."
"We promised to be there for each other."
"When Mitchell's brother called asking for help, I couldn't say no.I thought it would help to have everyone here."
I hadn't bothered to book a hotel room.I figured we'd be at Mitchell's place most of the time.
We stepped through the automatic doors, the air warmer than in Colorado."I thought we could go to Mitchell's first."
"That works for me."I shrugged off my jacket before getting into his truck.
River drove me to an apartment complex, and we knocked on a first-floor apartment door.A sharp bark inside told me that Mitchell had a dog.
A few seconds later, my friend Ryan opened the door."Hey, thanks for coming."
We slapped each other's backs and stepped inside.The room itself was dark, the curtains closed, and it took a few seconds to adjust to the light.
"Sorry about the light.I couldn't convince Mitchell to open the blinds," Ryan whispered.
"The other guys are on their way," River told Ryan.
"Good," Ryan said to River, and then to Mitchell, he said, "Your friends are here."
