‘Looking for me?’ she said, feeling strangely pleased, but then she noticed their furrowed brows and frowns, and the way Fox ran his hands distractedly through his hair, rather than showering her with his usual flirty banter. ‘What’s up?’
‘Have you heard from Walker?’ Etienne asked abruptly.
‘Not since he carried me and my crutches out of The Bolthole,’ she said, trying to make a joke of it, but they didn’t laugh. ‘Why?’
They exchanged sombre glances and Alex sighed. ‘Because he’s not been seen since.’
Etienne showed her his phone. ‘He’s not responding to any messages. From anyone.’
Fox shook his head. ‘Walker’s just. . . disappeared.’
Gabi’s stomach sank. A bad feeling crept in.
‘So, have you heard from him?’ Etienne asked again.
‘We’re not exactly talking right now. . .’ Gabi said. Etienne’s fingers drummed the table.
‘After he carried you out, he didn’t come back into the party. We presumed that you guys may have gone home together,’ Alex said.
‘Believe me, he didn’t want me anywhere near him.’ Gabi blew on her coffee, remembering the set of Walker’s clenched jaw, the look on his face as she left him on the pavement.
‘When I went in his room the morning after The Bolthole to see if he was home, the duvet was on the floor, and there was a glass knocked over on the carpet,’ Alex said. ‘That, in itself, doesn’t sound like much, but Walker likes a tidy room. He makes his bed every time he gets out of it, so that it’s nice to get back in after a late-night shift. It’s one of his things.’ Gabi remembered the quiet order of the bedroom, the sense of calm she had felt there. ‘And since then, he hasn’t been home. It’s been more than twenty-four hours.’
Gabi glanced from one to the other of the men and saw her concern mirrored in their eyes. Her chest tightened and she knew deep inside that something wasn’t right.
‘I messaged his sister and she’s not heard from him,’ Fox said.
‘And Rosie has tried him several times too and he’s not even replied to her,’ Etienne said. ‘And they’re best friends.’
‘What happened with you two after you left?’ Fox asked.
‘Because it looks like you were the last person to see him,’ Alex added.
‘You’re making it sound like a crime scene,’ Gabi said, not wanting to tell them. Feeling suddenly ashamed of the things she’d said, the way she’d acted. All three men leaned their elbows on the table. There was nothing else for it: she had to confess.
‘We had a fight,’ Gabi said with a grimace. ‘I was pissed off that he’d carried me out in front of everyone and told him so. In return, he told me what he thought of me.’ She dropped her eyes under their scrutiny, but when she glanced up again, they were all still staring at her.
‘What exactly was said?’ Fox asked gently. She bit her lip until it hurt before replying.
‘I called him a frightened little boy and told him to fuck off,’ she whispered. ‘Fuck off and sort himself out, rather than keep trying to save everyone else.’ She saw a ripple of shock pass over Fox’s face and started to gabble. ‘It sounds awful now. I just said it in the heat of the moment to hurt him.’ She could feel the heat of a flush on her neck, her cheeks, and she put her hands to her face in shame. A silence settled across the booth as the men exchanged glances. Eventually, Etienne spoke.
‘Unfortunately, I think he’s taken you at your word and fucked off,’ he said. ‘It’s not like him at all.’
The anxiety between them was rising. Alex turned to Gabi again.
‘What did you mean– when you called Walker a frightened little boy and told him to sort himself out?’
Gabi paused, seeing the total confusion on his face. She wasn’t sure how much they knew about what Walker had been through.
‘Just because I think he’s caught up in the past. . .’ she said, measuring her words. Not wanting to discuss Walker’s secret without him there.
Fox shook his head, confused. Alex and Etienne looked at each other blankly. They didn’t know. Not about his past, or how deeply he hated himself. Walker had only told her, and she had thrown it back in his face.
‘It doesn’t make sense. . .’ Fox said. ‘He’s normally so reliable.’
‘Something’s definitely not right,’ Alex agreed.
‘Call us– or tell Isabella– if you hear from him?’ Etienne asked and Gabi collected her crutches and stumbled out, assuring them she’d call them immediately with any updates.
