Before His Wedding, the Good Girl He Used Quietly Vanished Chapter 08

Before His Wedding, the Good Girl He Used Quietly Vanished Chapter 08

He hung up and headed for Holloway Group.

At a red light, he called his good girl.

It went straight to voicemail.

His thumb worked the edge of his phone case. She was probably still in class.

It didn’t matter.

He’d been late before. She always waited.

Nolan called as he pulled up to the Holloway building.

“Everett, you got her? I already have the photography team on standby…”

“No.”

“What?”

“I didn’t get her. She’s still in class, and it’s going straight to voicemail.”

Nolan paused. “Where are you?”

“The Holloways armbushed me.” Everett killed the engine and got out, slamming the door harder than he meant to. “I’ll show my face and leave. Swing by her campus for me and see if she’s

around.”

“On it. Get in and get out over there… Don’t let the Holloways blow this for you.”

“Yeah.”

He pocketed his phone and walked into the lobby.

The receptionist recognized him and brought him straight up to the top floor conference room.

Inside, his father and Conrad were on the couch with coffee. A young woman sat beside them.

Long hair, sharp features, perfectly put together.

He hesitated for half a step, then sat down next to his father.

“Everett’s here.”

Conrad smiled and poured him a cup.

“Your father and I agree it’s time to get things settled sooner rather than later.”

Everett took the cup and set it down.

“Mr. Holloway, I’m happy to talk business. But I’ve got somewhere to be, and I have a hard stop at

six.”

His father scoffed. “What could possibly be more important than this?”

Conrad slid the proposal across the table.

Everett went through it, signed off, and capped his pen.

“We can finalize the details next week. I need to…”

“What’s the rush?” Conrad caught his arm. “It’s barely four. Stay for dinner.”

His father pushed a glass of scotch toward him.

Everett took it and knocked it back.

Conrad seamlessly poured him another.

He ignored the second and checked his watch. “Mr. Holloway, I can go through the proposal again when I’m back…”

“Sit down. We haven’t finalized the details.” Conrad flipped to page three.

They went through every page.

Conrad talked. His father added. Blair kept the coffee coming.

Every time Everett turned a page, his eyes drifted to the door.

Outside, the sky bled from white to gold to burnt orange.

His phone buzzed three times in his pocket. He didn’t pull it out once.

Six o’clock.

He stood. His father pushed him back down.

“Sit. We haven’t eaten.”

Conrad had the dinner catered in.

Courses arrived in a slow, agonizing procession. Plates filled and emptied. Glasses filled and

emptied.

Everett checked his watch again, ignoring the fresh pour of wine.

“I…”

“You haven’t even finished.” Conrad pushed the salmon platter toward him.

Seven o’clock.

The Bellamy called. “Mr. Sterling, are we still holding the room for you?”

“I’ll be there.” He hung up.

Conrad casually ordered espressos.

Across the table, Blair smiled. “Have you ever been to Bellwether City?”

Bellwether City. His fingers tightened on the rim of his cup.

“No,” he said.

“Would you like to?” she asked.

“No.”

His good girl had told him she didn’t want to go there.

Why would he go somewhere she didn’t?

At seven thirty, he stood and grabbed his jacket.

He was halfway out the door when his father’s hand cracked against the table behind him. “Everett! If you walk out that door…”

Everett kept walking.

He had his phone out before the door closed behind him. He called her.

Still straight to voicemail.

It shouldn’t be off at this hour.

Before he could put his phone away, Nolan called.

“Everett, something’s wrong.”

Messages from Nolan had been stacking up.

[Went to Willa’s campus. Can’t find her. Asked around. Her classmates say she never showed up

today.]

[Are you sure you had the right campus? She wasn’t there.)