“We finally sold her apartment and moved into our own place. It feels strange not to have her around, but a new place will be good.”
“It will. That’s a huge step for you both.”
“I wish I could move.” The woman with bright-purple hair sniffed. “But what if she came back and I wasn’t there?”
“How long has Kayleigh been missing now?” the man holding the picture asked her.
“Two years, seven months, and twenty-three days.”
Shit.This poor woman’s daughter was gone, and here I was, sniffling like a baby because my father died. These people had real problems. My daddy issues couldn’t compare. I felt sure I’d come to a few of these meetings, then tell Ethan and my mother I was fine and finally able to sleep.
I straightened my shoulders and gritted my teeth, determined to act like the adult I was. The woman with the missing daughter was still speaking.
“My husband left. He said he couldn’t spend the rest of his life on hold, but I don’t have a life without her. What am I supposed to do? Leave?”
Monroe walked over to her and kneeled at her side. “Elyse, you’re still seeing the psychiatrist, right? And taking your meds? It’s very important.”
Her head bobbed up and down. “Yes, but I need to keep coming here. Please.”
“Of course, of course,” he soothed, and my earlier annoyance at him for flirting with Presley faded. He cared for these people. “We’re always here for you. And we’ll never give up hope Kayleigh will be found.”
“How terrible for her.” Press’s soft voice sent tingles through me. “I can’t imagine the pain she lives through every day, not knowing where her daughter is. There’s nothing stronger than a parent’s love for their child.”
“One would think, but it isn’t always the case.”
He narrowed his eyes at me, but I ignored him in favor of listening to other people. A slender, sad-faced man wearing a T-shirt and faded jeans cleared his throat.
“Yesterday was two months since Danielle died. And I finally slept in our bed. I was up half the night, but eventually I fell asleep. And when I woke up, I felt like she was with me and telling me it was going to be okay.”
His broken smile couldn’t hide the fact that he didn’t believe a word of what he said. I knew that look intimately. For a year after my father died, I remembered my mother walking the floors, unable to sleep. When she’d finally collapse from exhaustion, it would be in a spare room. Never once in their bedroom. One morning we found her tossing clothes out of the dressers. By the end of the week she had donated all the furniture, and in a month the entire master suite had been redone so not a trace of my father remained. I could tell him it would take time. Lots and lots of time.
“That’s a wonderful first step, Leo. We’re all proud of you; right, everyone?”
The group nodded, and to my surprise, I followed along with them. I didn’t plan on getting caught up in these strangers’ lives. I was here because Ethan and my sister-in-law, Alison, nagged me to death to do something about my inability to step away from the anger I couldn’t keep from spilling over every time my father’s name was mentioned. Ethan especially, since he saw me at work every day—our father had been one of the founding partners of the firm. I knew I was more of a son of a bitch than usual, both from lack of sleep and the pain running inside me like a second skin. I’d tried working it away and drinking it away. I’d even tried fucking it out of me, but nothing helped. I remained empty and cold.
Afraid.
Afraid I’d always be angry and alone like this.
The meeting ended, and people stood around talking quietly. Press sat in his seat, head down, and I didn’t want to go home and stare at my television.
“Want to grab a bite to eat?”
He jerked upright. “What? I’m sorry.”
“Food? Do you want to get some?”
“Oh, uh…” He chewed his lip, and his face flooded with color. He might be in his midthirties, but there was something rather innocent about Presley. A sad sweetness. “I guess, sure.”
“It’s only dinner, and maybe drinks after?” I said, although I planned on seeing if I could get him to come back to my house.
“Okay.” His tentative smile fired up my desire to kiss him until his clothes came off.
I wasn’t sure I’d be returning to the group, but I certainly wanted to see more of Presley Dawson.
Chapter Three
Dinner was a surprise. Instead of the diner at the corner, Nate took my hand and we ended up at a little bistro tucked away on 79th Street, with blindingly white tablecloths and flickering candles on the table. It was intimate, romantic, and reminded me of my first date with Jared.
