Concealed Affliction by Harlow Stone Read Free Book Online

a hurry if the boys have the week off?”
     
    I don’t feel like lying right now, even though I’m damn good at it. If Ryder is up to something, I need to know about it. I could ask him, and I will when he gets back. But to say I’m intrigued as to why he ran off for work when the rest of the crew has time off would be an understatement.
     
    “Job in Chicago.”
     
    Brock stares at me for what feels like an hour before he finally speaks again.
     
    “Not going to tell you how to live your life, not that you’d listen anyway. But something doesn’t sit right with me when it comes to him. I know as far as Denny is concerned, he assumed Ryder was still here with you. The only reason he knows that is because he’s tight with the tech guy on their crew whose job it was to track you down.
     
    “I’m all for a man tracking down the woman he loves, but babe, something is not right there. Not sure what, but do me a favor and keep your eyes wide open.”
     
    His speech makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I know this feeling, it’s like the calm before the storm. Soon enough, the proverbial shit will hit the fan. Not often is my gut feeling wrong, I knew something was up with Ryder this morning.
     
    Not wanting to deal with this any longer, with Brock no less, I change the subject.
     
    “I need to get back to packing Brock. But I promise you, I’ll keep in touch and keep my eyes open.”
     
    My answer seems to placate him enough that he reaches out and pulls me in for a hug.
     
    “You do that babe. Then you put Denny’s number into your phone and call the rental office for Vinny.”
     
    I give him a quick squeeze back before letting go.
     
    “I will. And thanks.”
     
    “No need to thank me. Safe travels babe.”
     
    He puts his fist out for a bump, which I reciprocate, before he leaves.
     
    I watch the man who’s taught me more than I will ever be able to thank him for walk down my driveway. I’m left hoping to hell that moving back to North Carolina doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass.
     
     
    * * *
     
     
    “Come on Norm!”
     
    I holler from where I’m standing near the truck. We pulled off the highway in West Virginia so I could stretch my legs and Norma could get some exercise. I wandered around for what must be half an hour by now, watching her sniff around the trees and drink from a small pond near the rest station.
     
    There are a few other families milling about. I’m thankful this rest stop includes a canteen, so I grabbed Norm and I each a burger when we got here.
     
    Double patties for my healthy girl, single on mine .
     
    I’ve wandered aimlessly just watching my dog and thinking about Ryder’s trip to Chicago. I texted him when we left this morning, but I’m not sure if he got it because he never responded. I understand he said he would be busy with work, but I can’t help but wonder why he’s off working with some mayor when the rest of his guys are supposedly boozing it up in Jacksonville.
     
    He has no reason to lie to me, or at least I don’t think he does. I just can’t shake the feeling that something is off. I’m not often wrong when it comes to my gut feeling either. Something’s not right, and it hasn’t been since he woke up yesterday morning. I think about the effort he put into searching for me when I first left, and it calms me a little. That is until I think about how he hasn’t contacted me since he left, especially after he made such a big deal of finding me in the first place.
     
    I’ve never been one to worry or over-analyze anything, but this new life of mine causes me to do both of those things. I can’t stop now because it’s what’s kept me alive this long.
     
    After my thirty or so minutes of wandering around, I come to the conclusion the only way I am going to get answers is if I ask him. Knowing that’s not something I want to do over the phone, I get Norm in the truck and continue my trek toward the cottage. It’ll be