Swear (Landry Family 4)

“Get it,” she says, her hand lying on the base of her throat. “Get it and give me a second, okay?”

“You sure? I’m happy to send him to voicemail.”

“Please get it.”

“Yeah?” I say into the receiver.

“Hey, Ford. You okay?” Barrett asks.

“Fine. What’s up?”

He starts in about his possible next political move. All I want to do is to tell him how much of a fuck I don’t give right now and turn back to Ellie. To what matters.

Instead, I turn away from her so she doesn’t see the irritation in my eyes. I know that won’t help her tell me what’s happened. And I need to know. Now.

“Hey, Barrett,” I say, rounding the corner into the dining room. “I don’t mean to be a dick, but I have my hands full right now with some things, and I need to call you back.”

“No problem,” he says. “Take care of you first. Talk to you soon, man.”

“See ya.”

Ending the call, I turn the corner.

She’s gone.

“Damn it, Ellie!”

My truck roars to life as her phone goes to voicemail again. I have no idea where she went or why or what in the hell has happened to make her this shaken up.

I shouldn’t have turned my back. I should’ve given her all my attention.

With one hand on the wheel and the other swiping across my contacts list, I call Violet. She picks up as the wheels hit the street.

“Hello?”

“Violet, it’s Ford. Where’s Ellie?”

“She’s with you, isn’t she?” There’s a panic in her voice that almost sends me over the edge.

“No, she’s not. She was and just walked out. She was a mess when she got there and I have no idea why.”

“Where are you?”

“On the road. I’m . . . I don’t even know where I’m going, Violet. I just need to find her.”

A soft laugh wafts through the phone. I hear her click me to speakerphone. “First of all, calm down. Okay?”

“Calm down? And why are you laughing?” I boom. “This is not funny.”

“No, it’s not,” she says. “But trust me when I tell you that it’s going to be all right.”

“So you know what she was upset about?” I ask, re-gripping the wheel.

“Yes.”

My palm smacks off the console. “Great. Then tell me or tell me where to find her because I’m a nervous fucking wreck.”

There’s an extended silence that does nothing for my anxiety as I pull out onto the road taking me into Savannah. “Violet?”