her hand slipped from mine. I held out my hand for Chloe. She took it and tugged me away.
For some reason, I kept looking back at Samantha.
And every time I did, she was staring right back at me.
Chapter 2
Ian
I sat dejected, the sounds of Chloe’s distressed sobs still echoing in my ears long after she and Samantha had walked away.
We had failed.
Despite our search, we never located Stitch.
I took Chloe everywhere she had told me they had been that morning. The monkey bars, the swings, the slide. Even the café. We asked everyone we came across, Chloe’s description of Stitch getting more detailed as the minutes passed. When Chloe got tired, I set her on my shoulders, and we kept looking. She told me all about the adventures she’d had with her koala and how much she loved him. About his special place on her bed. His favorite food and color. His loose ear he got when she shut it in the door. How much he loved to wear the scarves her mom made him with scraps of wool. I even found out Stitch became her best friend after her dad left, so I had my answer to my unspoken question. With every word, I fell a little bit more under her sweet influence.
After an hour, we had to give up. We’d been everywhere they had been that morning. Chloe was quiet as we walked back to her mom, who was waiting with open arms for my little hugger. Chloe started to cry, telling her mom that Stitch didn’t like the rain and it was cloudy and he’d be alone.
Samantha stood, holding Chloe. She handed me back my phone, took hers, her voice cordial but cooler than before. “Thank you, Dr. Taylor.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t find him.”
She shook her head. “You were very kind. I hope we didn’t disrupt your day too much.”
I didn’t like the formal sound of her tone. I preferred her teasing, sweet one. I waved off her apology. “Not at all.”
I stroked my hand over Chloe’s wild curls. “Will she be okay?” The thought of her being sad bothered me.
“She will,” Sam assured me.
“Ah…” I hesitated, wanting to ask for her number, but for some reason knowing she wouldn’t give it to me. She had shut down, and I wasn’t sure why or how to ask her. Before I could figure out what to say, she offered me a tight smile, then turned and walked away, her limp still there, but not as bad. Chloe lifted her sad face and waved before burying her head back into her mother’s shoulder. I hated seeing the tears clouding her eyes. I also hated the sudden change in Samantha’s demeanor.
I sat, feeling strangely bereft. What had caused the abrupt shift in Samantha’s manner was a mystery. I picked up my messenger bag and headed toward home. My pocket vibrated with a reminder, and I realized I had missed a text. It was from Gail.
Gail: I’m done with Marv. Meet me later, and we’ll figure out our exit strategy. By midnight, we can be in the Bahamas.
Normally, her text would have made me laugh. No doubt, Marv had called her with some inane question or, heaven forbid, made a decision without her.
Except, I knew Samantha had seen the message. She had no idea it was a joke, and she thought—well, I had no idea what she thought, but it was wrong. I wasn’t running away with anyone. She had no clue it was all in fun.
I shook my head in frustration and shoved my phone back into my pocket.
“Thanks, Gail,” I muttered. “You’re always going on about me finding someone, then you yourself cockblock me.”
I passed a garbage can and remembered my cup and wrapper were in my other pocket from earlier. I stopped to shove them into the can, only to miss the opening. I bent to grab them when I saw it. A furry paw sticking out of the corner of the overflowing waste bin. I yanked on it and pulled out a koala bear, wearing a knitted orange scarf with a loose ear.
I found him.
Too late.
Samantha and Chloe were gone, and I hadn’t gotten her number.
I somehow doubted she took mine after seeing Gail’s message either.
I was about to stuff Stitch back in the garbage, but I hesitated and for some reason shoved him in my messenger bag.
After all, it was going to rain, and Stitch shouldn’t be alone.
I finished a chart and drained my coffee. I