I’m losing them already. It’s been a whole six hours since Jack showed up, and already I feel like I’ve lost Autumn. If I lose her, I lose Lily once we get her back.
It’s so frustrating to compete against a guy that has all the advantages in the world, and you have none. If it hadn’t been for his own moronic actions, Jack and Autumn probably would’ve been married by now. They would be living happily ever after, and I would never have fallen in love with her.
Then again, maybe I would have anyway. I think if I had stayed friends with Autumn, there would have come a day when I would’ve taken that fall. It’s fate. It has to be fate. What else would you call it?
I know what I call this moment right now. As I sit here and watch Autumn curled up in Jack’s arms like they’re the world’s most perfect couple, I feel rage. Helplessness. Sorrow.
Fear.
Hell, yeah, I’m freaking out. I’m about to lose the woman I’m in love with to a guy who wasn’t even around for the last seven or eight months. And, when he was, he made her life miserable.
What the hell is wrong with women? Why do they put themselves through hell like this? Jack’s going to leave again as soon as Lily comes home, and then what’ll I do? I’ll turn into that oh-so-annoying cliché: the best guy friend who’s desperately in love with the perfect girl.
Remember “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton”? Yeah, I know, it’s a chick flick. I only watched it because Kate Bosworth is hot with a double T.
Sorry.
What I’m trying to say is, that Topher Grace in that movie is what I’ll turn into when Jack wreaks havoc again.
Except that my best friend isn’t in love with me back. In fact, the only reason she’s my best friend is because we have this fake marriage going on to boost our careers, and, because we were stuck together for so long, we just clicked.
And then I went and ruined it all by falling for her.
And now I’m going to lose her.
I know I should be focusing on the fact that my sweet, sweet Lily is missing. The aunt, who’s really a bitch from hell, kidnapped her and won’t even give us a fucking chance to get her back. Sometimes, I wish I had X-ray vision or something. That way, I’d go through every building in the city, maybe the East Coast, to find Summer and Lily.
And when I find Summer, I’ll…
Well, let’s just say it won’t be pretty. But, until that happy day, I get to sit here, in this overly crowded hotel suite, and watch the woman I love fall for the jackass archaeologist. Again.
If they were any closer, Nick thought it might count as indecent. Except for the fact that they had clothes on. His teeth were clenched together so tightly that he was getting a headache from it.
“Nick.” Brian and AJ surrounded him, arms folded over their chests.
He spared them a glance before his gaze fixed on Autumn and Jack again. “The two of you look ridiculous. Are you gonna play good cop, bad cop?”
Brian looked at AJ. “Were we? If we are, can I be the bad cop? I’m tired of the whole saint deal.”
Nick lifted a brow, eyes still on the couple on the couch. “Since when are you a saint?”
“Uh, haven’t you been keeping up with fanfiction, Nick?” Brian wiggled his brows. “You are behind if you didn’t notice that I’m type-casted as the nice, saintly one who’s constantly emotionally abused by the woman I love.”
“Yeah? Join the club,” Nick muttered. Brian and AJ exchanged glances before AJ took over.
“Oh? You feel like you need to live up to the expectations of yourself in fanfiction?” AJ frowned. “That should be easy for you to do, except that you have to contract cancer and have your leg chopped off.”
It only took a second before Nick finally looked at the two of them. “What the hell are you talking about? Cancer and chopped off legs?”
Brian shrugged. “Yeah. We’ve been keeping ourselves busy while you play the tortured hero. Which actually fits your fanfic persona, didn’t you know?”
“Shut up.” He couldn’t help it, he had to laugh. “The two of you have been reading fanfiction? About us? Have you officially lost it?”
“We weren’t reading fanfiction,” AJ replied. “We were reading this fanfiction forum where these authors write about the cliches that show up in fanfiction about us.”
Nick rubbed his hands over his face, wondering if he’d been dropped in a parallel universe.
“You know, that’s one way fanfiction about us is written,” Brian offered. He nodded when Nick could only stare at him. “Yep. It’s true. Sometimes, we get to play superheros, or cops, or Star Wars-y space commanders or whatever. It’s kinda cool. In a weird way,” he added quickly.
Nick just stared some more. “Are you reading my mind now?”
“No. You muttered something about being in a parallel universe.” AJ shook his head. “You’re not in a parallel universe, you’re in the real world, buddy. Although, when I think about the last eight months of your life, they just read exactly like a fanfiction story. So maybe we all need to pinch each other to make sure we’re awake and not imagining all of this.”
Nick held up his hands before they could pinch him. “Stop it! Both of you, are you out of your minds? My daughter is missing, my wife is in love with her ex, my world is falling apart, and the two of you are reading about fanfiction? This is too surreal.”
Brian nodded soberly, though his eyes gleamed with mischief. “We know all that, Nick, and we agree that it sucks. I’m sorry that I’m not as saintly as everyone thinks, otherwise I’d pray up a miracle for you.”
“Shut up.” But he was laughing now.
Brian looked at AJ. “I guess it worked,” he whispered as Nick continued to howl with laughter. Autumn lifted her head from Jack’s shoulder and frowned as Nick giggled away. “I think he’s the one who’s finally lost it.”
“Agreed,” AJ whispered back. “But, hey, it’s better than watching him get lockjaw, right?”
Brian made a face at that, but he, too, agreed. Placing his hands firmly on Nick’s shoulders, he shook Nick until he stopped laughing. “Nickolas. Control yourself, man.”
“Sorry.” Nick wiped at the tears that had slipped from his eyes. “It was just too funny. Fanfiction. Holy shit, what is this group coming to?”
“What, like you’ve never read any?” AJ demanded. “I know for a fact that you did, so don’t even start.”
Nick waved it off. “Whatever. Anyway, thanks guys.”
“For what? Letting you make fun of us?” Brian pouted. “That hurts my feelings. Doesn’t it hurt yours, AJ?”
AJ raised his eyebrows. “It sure does. So, what are you gonna do to make it up to us, Carter?”
In response, Nick threw his arms around them both and hugged them. When his eyes met Autumn’s, he was the first to look away and missed the pained look in her eyes. He didn’t want to hurt anymore, he thought, and, for self-preservation, he was going to take the first step away. That way, it won’t hurt as much when we’re over.
“Thanks, guys,” he murmured to Brian and AJ. “I know you were trying to make me feel better. You won.”
Brian gave AJ an “I told you so” look before studying Nick closely. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”
Nick shrugged. “Sure. As soon as Lily’s home. Maybe things will get back to normal then.”
“Normal?” AJ turned around to see Jack stroking Autumn’s hair and whispering in her ear. “Oh, yeah. With him around, things are definitely not going to be normal even with Lily back.”
Brian elbowed him. “Way to think positive, AJ!”
Before AJ could retaliate, Nick stepped between the two of them. “God, I can’t believe I have to break up your fights, now. Way too surreal. Anyway.” He glared at both of them. “This is my life, and I’ll deal with things as they come. First thing is telepathically getting Summer to just call or send a smoke signal or something because this waiting is fucking killing me.” He glanced over at the two officers that sat in the corner of the room. They’d been there for two days now, waiting for Summer’s call. Not to mention the officers that took shifts outside the suite door. He was surrounded, Nick thought, but it wasn’t helping.
“Nick, she’ll call. She’s got to make a move soon.” AJ put his arm around Nick’s shoulders. “From the sounds of it, she’s not a very patient person. It’s only a matter of time.”
Yeah, Nick thought. Only a matter of time. Except that it had been three days, and things were not looking up.
“Do you know what Summer could’ve done in three days?” he asked Brian, AJ, and Howie, who had joined the group.
Howie sighed. “Nicky, you can’t think about it that way. Positive thinking, remember?”
“Shut it, Howard.” Nick scowled. “You try thinking positively when your kid gets kidnapped by your seriously nutso sister-in-law.”
“He has a point,” AJ muttered and earned another elbow jab from Brian. “Ouch!”
Nick lifted his brows. “Children,” he said in a long-suffering tone. “Whenever you’re ready.” When he was met by three incredulous stares, he nodded. “Right, as I was saying. In three days, Summer could’ve left the country with Lily. She could be on a boat in the middle of the Pacific or she could be in some hotel in Greece. She could’ve sold Lily to the black market baby industry.”
“ “Black market baby industry’?” AJ’s jaw dropped. “Is that real?”
Nick ignored him. “My point is, I’m tired of just sitting here and waiting. We could be out there, searching. Waiting for Summer is like waiting for hell to freeze over. It ain’t gonna happen, and she’s not gonna show.”
“So what do you want to do?” Howie asked calmly, though he, too, thought Nick was becoming slightly crazed. “Put on a detective hat and magnifying glass and go solve the mystery of where Summer is hiding Lily?”
“Seriously, Nick. People who make their living solving kidnapping cases are working on finding Lily. What makes you think that you could find her better than they could?” Brian rested a hand on Nick’s shoulder. “I know you’re scared sick, but you have to let the police do their job.”
“There’s been no progress!” Nick slammed a fist on the wall, startling everyone in the room.
Jack slid off the couch and walked over to where Nick stood with his friends. “Carter, are you out of your mind? Autumn’s a wreck, and you’re not making things easier for her by breaking the wall. So grow up.”
AJ, Howie, and Brian had to grab hold of Nick to stop him from punching Jack—or worse. “Don’t do it, Nick,” Brian gasped as he tried to hold his ground while Nick struggled against them. “You’re not gonna feel better.”
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Nick growled at Jack. “You think you can waltz in here, eight months after you break Autumn’s heart, and you think things will be fine again? La-de-fucking-da, Jack’s here, so all will be well, now?”
“You’re a mess,” Jack sneered. “Look at you. You’re so pathetic, you can’t even take care of your stepdaughter. I looked after Lily for a year and a half, and nothing happened. Suddenly, you pop onto the scene as her stepdad, and she’s been kidnapped. What does that tell everyone about you? Not much,” he answered before Nick could. “Grow up, Nick, and accept defeat. You lose, I win.”
Autumn stepped between them, unaware of the words that had been exchanged. “Stop it! Both of you. Jack, can you just leave him alone? Please?” Jack mumbled something under his breath, but he went. Then, Autumn turned to Nick. “Nick, what is wrong with you? Do you have to pick a fight with him? I know that he wasn’t exactly nice to you last Thanksgiving, but can’t you just be a gentleman and let it go? Especially now?” She brushed at the tears on her lashes, and Nick felt like the jackass, now. “God, my baby is missing, and all you can do is strut your male ego around? I need Jack here, Nick. I didn’t realize how much, but I do. So, please, do me a favor and back off.”
Nick stared at the floor, trying to suppress the twin emotions of rage and hurt that bubbled within him. Couldn’t she see that he was upset, too? But, no, fucking Jack had to waltz in and change everything. “Fine,” he said finally, meeting her gaze. “I’ll back off. Completely.”
He turned away from her and, brushing past AJ and Brian, he started towards the door. Autumn reached for him. “Nick, wait-”
And the phone rang.
Everyone seemed to freeze for a second, but the second ring put them into motion again. Autumn practically leapt across the room to grab the phone. One of the officers slipped on a pair of headphones and pressed play for the recorder on the tracing device.
Nick watched helplessly as Jack knelt next to Autumn. Even as she took a deep breath before speaking, she grabbed his hand and held onto it for support. “Hello?”
“Hi, sis.”
“Summer!” Autumn tried not to let her voice tremble. “Summer, we know you took Lily. Please, if you have any heart, please bring her back. I swear, I won’t press any charges against you if you do.”
Summer laughed. “Are you really naïve enough to think I’ll give my precious niece back just because you said so?”
“Summer, please. This fight, this conflict we have, it’s only between the two of us. Please, leave Lily out of it. Bring her back, and I swear I’ll do whatever you want.” Out of the corner of her eye, Autumn saw one of the officers signal for her to hang on for thirty seconds more for an accurate trace of the call.
There was a pause. Then, “No, I don’t think so. I’m getting enormous joy out of watching you squirm and suffer. It’s pretty amusing. So, no, to all of it. If you want your daughter, come get her.”
“Where? Summer, where are you? Please tell me. Is Lily okay? Have you been taking care of her?”
“Shut up, Autumn. You’ll see her when you get here. If you get here.” She laughed again. “I don’t think you’ll remember, but where I am? We promised to stick by each other through thick and thin. Forever and always.”
The line went dead, and Autumn stared, shocked, at the phone buzzing in her hand.
“She cut off at fifty-six seconds,” one of the officers said, frustrated. “We didn’t get enough time to get a good trace, but we know it’s from somewhere in the city.”
Nick sighed, a little relieved. At least, they knew Summer wasn’t too far away. “Autumn, what did she say? Did she give you a clue?”
Autumn just stared at the phone. “We promised to stick by each other through thick and thin. Forever and always.” Her breath shuddered out. “That’s all she said.”
Jack gathered her into his arms, his hand stroking her back soothingly. “It’s okay, baby. Take your time and think about what she could possibly mean. Just take your time.”
Autumn clung to him, her mind racing with the possibilities.
Nick felt useless. Worse than useless. There was nothing he could do for her, nothing that she would let him do. After all, with Jack here, there was no need for him, anyway, Nick thought bitterly.
With a glance over his shoulder at Autumn, he pushed aside everyone in his way and left the suite.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Whee! I'm SO on a roll! I think this story will actually be finished by the end of November, so whoo! This chapter's a little shorter than the others, but the next chapter will more than make up for it *winks* So, enjoy!
