Chapter 57
—Kasey—
Reed: Mornin’ babe.
I glared at my phone in disbelief, then tossed it aside like it had offered me rabies. I’d worried my ass off all weekend because I hadn’t heard from him, and his minimal text sent a splice of unease through me.
After tapping my foot a few times, I snatched it from my bed and cringed internally as I sent a desperate message to Simone.
Me: Is Reed okay?
Me: Not to sound needy, BUT…
Me: He’s being weird.
Me: And I hadn’t heard from him all weekend, then he just sent me a “Mornin’ babe”.
Best Bitch: *Sigh* Something bad happened at work. I thought he would have filled you in. I’ll call you.
My heart dropped, and I swallowed the wedge of selfishness in my chest as I accepted Simone’s phone call.
I tried to sound light and breezy. “Hey, bitch.”
“Hey, babe. How are you?”
I snorted. “Aside from feeling like I’ve done something wrong? I’m fine. Worried about this call though. What’s going on?”
“There was a drowning on Friday and Reed and Eric—his partner— were on the callout,” Simone started.
“Okaaaay…”
“A baby drowned, Kase. A little girl just a few months older than Posie.”
“Shit.” I sat heavily on the edge of my bed as my stomach turned over at the thought.
“Yeah, it was absolutely horrible. A new mom was on the dock with her baby in a stroller, plus the family dog. The dog’s lead was tethered to the handle, and it jumped into the lake to chase a duck, pulling the stroller in with it.”
“Jesus,” I murmured, holding my throat. It clamped with sickening shock, locking and drying no matter how many times I tried to swallow.
As Simone carefully elaborated, that sinking feeling in my stomach turned into the wrenching urge to cry.
“The mom jumped in to unclip the baby, but it was too late. Reed and Eric were the ones who attended the nine-one-one callout.”
“Fuck.” The single word choked past my lips. “I had no idea…”
“I’m sorry, babe. I assumed he would reach out over the weekend after he’d processed the initial shock of it all.”
I blinked rapidly to clear the tears in my eyes. “I’m upset that he didn’t.”
My bestie sighed. “It’s not just you, Kase. Reed’s completely shut down. He barely talked to Banks all weekend and didn’t let Posie out of his sight the entire time. It’s really messing with him, babe.”
Guilt over not knowing this and not helping him sooner had my eyes lowering to my lap. Sharp emotion stung the back of my nose. I’d been angry that he’d pushed me away, but now I was offended and hurt that he hadn’t confided in me, all while my heart ached with grief for a stranger’s loss.
“It happened on Friday?” I asked.
“Yeah. Mid-morning.”
That made sense. I hadn’t heard from him at all since first thing Friday morning. No wonder.
“Oh my god, Sim,” I murmured, completely at a loss.
“I know.”
Wheels started turning in my head—the fastest they’d spun in months. I felt alive again, revived by a sudden sense of purpose as my thoughts shifted from myself to Reed’s struggles.
I started to form a choppy plan. If he wasn’t coming to me, then my stubborn ass was going to him.
“Simmy? Can you do me a massive favor?”