The Vincent Brothers 2 (21 page)

              Jewel puckered her lips as if wanting to ask more and trying to keep from it then finally nodded, “Got it. Don’t tell one fucking soul that inquires about you that I’ve seen you. Done. Now get your perky ass in a bikini and slather on some sunblock because God knows you don’t need any more freckles.”

                                                                              ~*~

              Not being able to use my phone sucked. I needed something to read while I lay on the beach. My phone had my Kindle app on it. I didn’t have an actual book with me and all Jewel had were magazines that I wasn’t in the mood to read. I already knew those “How To” articles did not work. I’d tried most of them.

              Lana waved happily when she glanced up at me through her hot pink aviator sunglasses. She had a great setup out here. Two lounge chairs and large beach umbrella already tilted to shade the entire empty chair. She was bathed in the sun’s rays with a magazine in her lap and a large hurricane glass in her hand.

              “You look smoking, Lana banana,” she called out then whistled.

              I was beyond getting embarrassed by Jewel’s comments.

              I sat down in the shaded chair, leaned my head back, and sighed. This was nice. The breeze, the sound of the ocean...

              “Here take a sip. It’s got orange juice, pineapple juice, ginger ale, and vodka. It’s
amazing
.”

              I started to shake my head but instead reached for the cup and thought, what the hell.

              Taking a sip of the tropical flavored concoction, I realized it was really good. I could easily drink the whole thing. But I didn’t. I needed my sense about me right now. Drinking away my problems was a weak thing to do.

              I handed the drink back to Jewel, “Yum. Thanks.”

              Jewel started to stand up, “You keep it. I’ll go make another.”

              “No thanks. I don’t want to drink. Not now anyway.”

              Jewel frowned and took the glass before settling back in her chair.

              “You gonna tell me what happened?”

              No, probably not.

              “Don’t want to talk about it,” I replied.

              Jewel sighed, “Okay, fine. Be warned, I’m only going to let that answer fly for a little while. Eventually you
are
going to tell me what happened in Grove.”

              Fair enough. She had supplied me with an escape and she was keeping shut about it. When I was ready, she deserved an explanation.

              The phone in her lap began singing
Circus
by Britney Spears. It was Jewel’s theme song.

              She glanced down at the phone, and then up at me, “It’s your mom.”

              I’d been prepared for this. “Answer it. Act like you haven’t got a clue.”

              Jewel grinned. She loved the idea of getting to lie. It was ridiculous but she liked the feeling it gave her.

              “Hello?”

              She was quiet a moment. My mom was probably talking a mile a minute.

              “So, wait... she’s just missing? Have you talked to her?” Jewel winked at me. She was good at this.

              “Oh, wow. No, she hasn’t called or anything. Should I try calling her? I can see if she answers my phone call and tells me where she’s gone off to.”

              She was really good. Heck, I almost believed she didn’t know I’d left Grove.

              “Off? Ouch. Who pissed in her Wheaties?” I covered my mouth in shock. She’d just said
pissed
while talking to my mother.

              “Weird, Mrs. Mac, but no, she hasn’t called me. I was hoping she would but I haven’t  heard anything yet. I’ll let you know if I do.”

              My mother hated it when Jewel called her Mrs. Mac. Actually, my mother just hated Jewel. This phone call had to be annoying her to no end.

              “I gotta go, Mrs. Mac. Sorry, but my lifeguard is here and he is one yummy number, ya know? I’ll call if I hear anything,” she cooed and then hung up her phone. She double-checked to make sure it was disconnected before grinning up at me. “Go ahead and say it. I rocked that phone call.”

              If I wasn’t completely numb inside, I’d have laughed. “Yes, you were amazing. I’ll never be sure if you’re telling the truth again because that was completely believable. I’m almost convinced you haven’t seen or heard from me.”

              Jewel giggled and leaned back in her chair, “Whatev, you’re the only person on earth who can read through my lies. I prefer to think of it as acting. I so, think I need to move to Hollywood. I’d be brilliant on the big screen. Or maybe just a CW show...ooooooh. I could be on Vampire Diaries and lure Damon away from his infatuation from Elena. Then I could do one of those naked scenes he likes to do so much.”

              I closed my eyes as she went on and on about a naked Damon and how amazing she’d look on television.

Sawyer

             
Three days and nothing. Not even her mother could find her. I was empty. Nothing mattered anymore. I didn’t want to get out of bed. The only thing that kept me going was the hope that maybe today she’d call. Maybe today, I’d find her.

              I couldn’t sleep. Each night, I lay awake in my bed staring at the ceiling and going over all the thoughtless things I’d done to her. She’d been so damn sweet, too. I hadn’t deserved her but she’d wanted me. Me. No one else. Even after I called her a distraction she’d forgiven me. When she’d needed someone to hold her and listen to her, I’d pushed her away to comfort Ashton while she threw up. She’d forgiven me for that one too. Hell, all she’d done this month was forgive me for my stupidity. I wasn’t sure I could focus enough next week when I had to go to Florida for the first week of practice. How did I just leave Grove and not know Lana was okay, not get the chance to hold her and tell her how sorry I was? How could I go without being able to tell her that I was in love with her?

              Picking up the nearest thing I could get my hands on, a random picture frame, I hurled it across the room and roared in frustration. Anything to release the fear, pain, and suffocating feeling of loss churning inside me.

              “You put a hole in the sheetrock. Your mama ain’t gonna be real happy about that one I’m guessing,” Beau drawled and I jerked my gaze toward the door to see him standing there watching me.

              “Like I give a shit,” I replied with an angry snarl.

              Beau shrugged, “Just sayin’ you might want to go back to pounding your fist on brick since you can’t break that. Then again, you need those hands in working order for next week. Florida’s gonna need their golden boy draft pick if they want any chance at taking down the Tide anytime in the next four years.”

              I knew he was trying to get my mind off Lana but it was pointless. I wasn’t in the mood to argue SEC football with him. At the moment, I didn’t give a shit who won what. I just wanted Lana back. I dropped down to sit on the sofa behind me and let my head fall back on the black leather.

              “I gotta find her Beau,” the desperate sound in my voice wasn’t lost on me.

              “We will. Just takes some time. The girl doesn’t want to be found. She’s smart. She covered all her tracks.”

              She couldn’t have covered everything. Someone had to have helped her. But who?

              “She couldn’t just disappear like that. It isn’t like Grove has any damn taxis she can hail. Heck, she can’t even call one because they don’t exist. It’s at least thirty miles to the nearest bus station. SOMEONE had to have helped her. That’s my missing clue.”

              Beau sat down on the sofa across from me. “Her mama called that friend of hers at the beach, right?”

              I nodded, closing my eyes. I’d met Jewel. There was no way she just dropped everything and hauled ass that quickly to Grove to pick up Lana. No possible way. Even if she’d wanted to, she couldn’t have pulled that off.

              “She hadn’t heard from her. Lana’s mom said she was positive. She’d talked to Jewel herself and the girl didn’t have a clue. Nor was she really worried about it.”

              Beau frowned, “Her friend didn’t care that she was missing?”

              “You haven’t met Jewel. She’s interested in partying and guys. That’s the extent of her concerns. I spent an entire meal trying to keep her hand off my dick. Trust me. The girl is shallow.”

              “Just because she’s a party girl doesn’t mean she isn’t loyal to her friends. You spent what, one meal with her? I don’t think that’s enough time to decide about a person’s loyalties. She annoyed you but Lana doesn’t seem like a girl who’d put up with someone who had no good qualities. She’s pretty damn guarded. If she calls Jewel a friend then there is something about Jewel you don’t know.”

              Beau had a point.

              “You know, you’re right.” I stood up and reached for my phone. I now had Lana’s mother’s number on my speed dial.

              “Who you calling?” Beau asked, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his knees.

              “Lana’s mom. I need Jewel’s number.”

              Beau nodded, “Now, you’re thinking.”

              After getting Jewel’s phone number and assuring Lana’s mom I’d call her if I found out anything, I quickly hung up and dialed the number she’d give me.

              “Hello?” A bright chipper voice said after the third ring.

              “Jewel? This is Sawyer Vincent,” I replied.

              “Oooooh, well, isn’t this a surprise? I don’t recall giving you my phone number, Sawyer Vincent. Did you miss me so much you went to the trouble of hunting it down?” she cooed into the phone. Beau was wrong about this. I was already cringing. Now the chick had my number and the ability to annoy the shit out of me.

              “Uh, yeah, well, I’m hoping you can help me out—”

              “Anything you want, I’m sure I can accommodate. I’m very talented with my hands... and mouth.”

              She didn’t know how to take a hint. That much I was sure of.

              “Have you spoken to Lana recently? Has she called you? I know her mom has called you and you didn’t know anything but I’m desperate. I need to find her. If there is anything you know please, please tell me. I need her. Please.” I stopped begging and prayed silently this phone call wasn’t in vain.

              “Uh, wow. Um, what the heck happened with you two? I mean her mom called and was worried and I thought maybe Lana had taken off because of her dad or something. I’ve been expecting her to call me but she hasn’t yet. Is this your fault? Did you hurt her?”

              The small ray of hope I’d had was extinguished. I’d known better than to think Lana had run off to Jewel. Besides, it was impossible. Who would have taken her to Jewel? This girl really didn’t have a clue.

              “I need to speak with her. I need to see her. If she calls you or you have any idea where she could be, would you please call me? I’ll pay you for your trouble; just please let me know if you can think of anything. I’m not looking for her for her mother’s sake. This is for me. Just me.”

              “Ooookay Sawyer Vincent. I’ll be sure to let you know if anything comes up. But dang, I’m curious now. Did little Lana Banana snag herself a guy finally? I hope so, ‘cause the girl is way past due.”

              Gripping my phone tighter, I worked on controlling the need to tell the bitch off. The sole reason being that I couldn’t burn this bridge.

              “Just call me if you hear anything, okay?” I repeated.

              “Sure, sexy. In the meantime, you could come visit me. I’d make you real happy. I’m staying at Kiva Dunes condos on West Beach. Unit 103. My room is on the far corner looking straight at the water instead of the windows facing the pool.” I tuned her out as she drawled on. The girl didn’t have a clue.

              “No thanks, just, if you hear anything. Thanks.” I pressed end before she could tell me how happy she could make me.

              “Well?” Beau asked

              “She knows nothing. Your guess about her having some winning qualities was way off course.”

              “Huh,” was his only reply.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Lana

             
The music was thumping outside my window and the strangers I didn’t know filling up the living area of the condo were getting louder. I would think since this was a condo that the people in the other units would complain. But apparently this was a party hub. The speakers out at the pool were blasting dance music. I could hear the same noise going on over my head. This entire place was crazy. It wasn’t a large building. It had, at the most, 30 units and according to Jewel they were all used by their owners. They weren’t rented out. I closed my blinds to give me a little privacy. Three different people had already knocked on my door. After the second knock, I stopped answering. Drunk guys with equally drunk girls looking for a place to have nasty, unprotected, disease infested sex. Shuddering at the thought, I went to the private bathroom attached to my room. I was thankful for this small area of peace.

              “Open this door right now, Lana,” Jewel yelled while banging on my bedroom door. Great, she was already drunk and going to force me to party. Sighing, I headed to open the door and get this over with. I just wanted a long hot bath.

              Jerking the door open, I started to tell her I wasn’t interested when she barged past me slamming the door behind her. She locked it then spun around to face me.

              “What the
HELL
did you do to Sawyer Vincent?” she demanded with a look of awe on her face.