"You should use his name, it will open you some doors." He simply answers, not giving me the answer I need.
"I don’t think I can," I tell him right away.
"You shouldn't be distracted by boys either," he continues as if I was a teenager.
"No worries about that. I haven't had someone in a while." There is no need to tell him about King.
"You're sure about that? Because that guy," he points with his index to a guy I recognize right away, "has been here for a while, and he seemed more worried than he should be for a no one. He reminded me of your mother the first time she came on the tracks."
"Quinn!" I scream for my friend to come join us. "He's only a married and overbearing friend who thinks I can't hold my own," I tell Dereck loudly enough for Quinn to hear. He rolls his eyes, annoyed at me as usual.
"If you want me to give you some wiggling room for this crazy new hobby you have, I needed to see it with my own eyes," he says, offering his hand to Dereck before introducing himself.
"She was driving before you could walk, Son. Don't worry about her. It's in her blood."
"Slight exaggeration on Dereck's part. Who told you I was here, Quinn?" I already know the answer. Only Green-eyes knew what I was doing today, and I made note to tell him not to share my whereabouts with the guard dog, Quinn can be.
"Mark," he answers, and I frown, wondering how Dixon knew. "There is a situation at the office, and it seems only you can help with the new guy. Because you weren't answering your phone, he tracked you down and was going to ask one of the guys to fetch you, but I wanted to come and see you in action."
"Can it wait? I still need to do a few things here, talk to Dereck and shower, of course." Dereck nods beside me.
"Up to you, Murdock, but your guy kind of disappeared, and Mark is worried. Something about his ex-parent-in-law passing by his motel last night and the guy vanishing. His phone is at the motel, he's not back in New York, and we just can't find him. But I mean take your shower and shit. I'm sure Dixon can wait." The ass shrugs.
I don't miss the fact he called Oliver, my guy, and I don't correct him.
There is no time for that.
After what he told me yesterday, I can't imagine facing her parents would be easy.
Jumping to my feet, I don't pretend to play it cool and hurry to take a shower and get changed, leaving Dereck alone without any explanation about my behavior.
Maybe he's right, I am distracted by a boy.
A boy with green eyes.
But I'm certainly not ready to hear yet again another lecture about it.
Chapter Eleven
TESSA
As soon as I arrive at the office, I can feel the effervescence in the air.
Mark is worried.
If his pacing wasn’t a hint, him barking orders to anyone and everyone in his way is an excellent indication he’s not the goofy and laid-back guy he usually is.
No one has heard from Oliver in twenty hours, and no one has any idea where he is.
“Tessa!” Mark calls out to me from his office.
Hurrying my steps, I join him and the seat he’s pointing at without a word. “What do you know about Oliver’s whereabouts last night?”
A redhead I don’t know is next to Mark and seems pretty familiar with him, which is unsettling as they are both wearing wedding bands. There is something familiar about her, but I’m not sure I know her from my past or from anywhere else. She’s looking at Mark, worry written on her face.
“I dropped him off around five last night. He didn’t tell me anything. We don’t talk much.” I admit, wincing.
“Do you do other things than talking?” The redhead asks with a little annoyance in her voice.
Who is she to come in here, sit too close to Mark, and question my relationship with Green-eyes? Is Oliver married and the kind of guy who doesn’t wear a ring so he can bed other women? Or does he have a stupid excuse like Jenkins that when he wears his band women hit on him more?
Uncomfortable and on the defensive, I attack back.
“I’m sorry. I’m not sure why you care about my relationship with Oliver. Who are you exactly?” Please, don’t say his wife, I pray silently.
“Feisty… That’s assuredly why he hasn’t jumped her yet. He prefers them easy for his one-night stands.” The redhead says. She still hasn’t looked at me, and it bothers me not to be able to look at her in the eyes and tell her what I think.
“Anna… I don’t think Tessa is the kind to jump into bed with a guy who is passing by. Now can we focus more on the whereabouts of your brother than who he beds?” The so-called Anna shrugs and finally looks at me.
Sister.
Now that I see her eyes, I can see it.
They’re the same color, the same intensity but happier. They are full of concern but not as lost as her brother’s.
“Sorry, Anna Darling,” she smiles genuinely, “Oliver’s sister.”
“Tessa,” I smile back, “Oliver’s driver.” She nods as if she knew about me and turned back to Mark.
“Okay, so he didn’t call or text last night as we usually do since Elaine died. I mean, are there times we don’t call? Yes, but he usually texts me. And he didn’t call Naomi either to speak to his son. Then you called asking if I heard from him as it seems Elaine’s dad passed by his motel last night, and since then, no one has heard from him. Seeing Pat after all these years triggered something. I came by because Dan and I weren’t far anyway and it was just a one-hour drive. I promised Oliver I wasn’t going to show up and check on him, but
