Ma parks off to the side, Trey and Lewis are checking the lot for Audrey’s car while I go into the office to ask about her.
The night desk clerk is an older woman with thin grey hair. She looks up from her crossword puzzle and I ask her if a woman meeting Audrey’s description has gotten a room recently.
“She has dark brown hair, that hangs past her shoulders. Her eyes are the prettiest shade of green, like the green of a forest on the first day of spring.”
“Sorry.” She frowns. “I don’t pay much attention and my eyes aren’t good. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go the bathroom for about five minutes.” She drops her pen on the guestbook with a wink, and I smile faintly as she shuffles to the bathroom.
I look down at the pages scanning the signatures quickly, hoping and praying to see her name. I don’t find it, but there is a signature that isn’t legible.
She may have signed while she was still upset. With a small shred of hope and my only clue, I join the guys back at the car.
“We found her car, parked at the back of the building,” Trey tells me.
“Go get our girl,” Lewis encourages me, clamping his hand down on my shoulder. “We’ll be here waiting for you. Both of you.”
I nod with a grin, glad that they are here to support me as much as they drive me nuts.
I jog around the building wishing on a star that Audrey is here, and she can find it in her heart to forgive me. I didn’t mean to hurt her. It’s the last thing I ever wanted.
I can’t let her go. We’re meant to be. I love her. I have fallen so fast and hard for her I don’t know which way is up.
I round the building and see her car parked in the middle, in front of the rooms on the bottom floor. I look at the windows, most of them have the curtains drawn shut, except one room. The curtains are parted enough to let a little light spill through.
Gathering my strength and courage, I prepare to knock on the door. I faced many enemies while serving my country, but none of my training could have ever prepared me to face Audrey right now.
I knock on the door and step to the side, afraid if she sees me through the peephole she won’t answer. If this is even her room. I’ll knock on every door and wait all night if I have to.
Whatever it takes. I’m not leaving here without her.
The curtain moves in the window, then the door creaks open slightly.
A rain I wasn’t expecting starts pouring down.
I chuckle softly at the timing as she says, “Who’s there?”
“Audrey, it’s me…Nate. Can we talk? Please.”
She peers through the crack at me, and I can see she’s only dressed in a thin cream lace camisole and matching panties. I have to fight the urge to adjust my dick.
“You see me so talk,” she tells me not budging an inch.
I nod and swallow. She won’t make it easy on me. Not that I expected her to. Nothing with us has been easy.
“I’m sorry, I fucked up. I know I pushed you too hard too soon. I scared you away, and the way I feel so strongly for you scares me too. But my feelings for you are the only thing that makes sense. I need you in my life, however you’ll allow me to be in yours. If you don’t want to be with me, I’ll back off, but you can’t tell me you don’t feel something for me too.”
She cracks the door open a bit more.
“Nathan, I don’t know what you expect from me. I’m fucked up. We both are.”
She’s never called me Nathan before, and I smile loving the way it sounds coming from her lips.
I rest my arm against the door, edging my foot in the doorway to prevent her from shutting me out. She moves over, staring past me. My crazy family is standing behind me in the rain. Ma included.
“Come home, Audrey,” Ma calls to her.
Audrey shakes her head with a sarcastic laugh.
“Nate…”