24. Mae
TWENTY-FOUR
Mae
The next morning, the office is empty. Seth sent me a message asking me to meet him last night because he had something to talk about, but I told him I was busy—which wasn’t a lie. Abi and I scoured the thirst trap threads to see what we could get Levi to do next—but also, I can’t be alone with him. The temptation is too strong.
Seth’s computer is off. It’s unusual for me to beat him to the office. He’s always here very early, dressed impeccably and smelling lightly of his expensive cologne.
I spotted the bottle in his bathroom when I was at his house for thunderstorm night and looked it up later in case I wanted to buy it as a gift, or maybe I could spray my pillow with it at night and have it smell like him. But I can’t afford those prices.
I open my emails and answer one for the Vegas conference we’re going to next week. The conference is where we’ll push out the idea of the full program, not just the end of the summer influencer Hideaway. I’ll be the one doing the presentation, and I’m starting to freak out, but Seth and I practice it almost every day and make small changes.
I glance through the other emails and there’s nothing important. My Facebook and Instagram messenger accounts have about a hundred messages. We’ve had a couple of viral videos, and everyone wants to know where we are and what we do. I have a few standard cut-and-paste responses ready, explaining that the website will be fully functional after the Vegas announcement. I also make it very clear that our exact location will remain anonymous.
After a couple of hours, I stand and stretch. Seth still isn’t back. This isn’t like him, and now I’m starting to worry.
I check my phone, but I don’t have any messages, and I’ve texted him a few times already.
This is really strange. Maybe it’s a ploy to get me to go to his cabin. I roll my eyes. He would do something like that.
I work for another hour, and now I’m angry. If this is just some trick to get me alone, he’s got another thing coming. I’ll go see him, but I’m going to have words for him.
I cut across the property to the parking lot for the cabins. His golf cart is parked there, but his car is missing. Where would he go? Why wouldn’t he tell me?
My heart constricts. He messaged me last night and said he had something important to tell me. I bet he got a job offer he couldn’t refuse and left this morning.
That’s why he’s not responding to messages. Because he’s on an airplane. I swallow and tug at my hair. This is ridiculous. He probably went to town for something. I shouldn’t be overreacting.
Instead of heading to his cabin, I cut across to the beach and find Abi looking bored. It’s a slow day.
“You seen Seth?”
She shakes her head.
“Where’s Mark?” Maybe he knows.
“Out hiking with Levi.”
I can’t shake the feeling that something is off. If he needed to talk to me, he would’ve come over right away this morning. Maybe he went hiking with his brothers. But that doesn’t seem like him. And why wouldn’t he have mentioned it to me?
He left without saying a word. Just like my mom did. Like my dad always warned would happen.
I try to push away these thoughts and tell myself I’m being irrational, but the pain and fear run deep. Even if he didn’t physically leave, he’s emotionally gone right now. And a part of me fears he may never come back. Maybe I shouldn’t have pushed him away.
I spend the rest of the day trying to distract myself. I go for a run, get caught up on work, and even attempt to solicit a few more sales. But tension and anxiety continue to build inside of me.
As evening approaches, I give in and decide to go see Seth at his cabin. If he’s still there, great. If not, at least I can get some closure.
The lights are out, and he’s not there.
Bisbee and Gilbert run circles around me, their third partner suspiciously missing.
Maybe he really is gone.