Feels Like Home (Southern Bride 5)

Me: Hey. You around? I’ve got someone I want you to meet.

Hitting send, I made my way back over to her house. Zeus found himself a stick, and I sat down on her front porch. I frowned as I looked at the time. My meeting with Lucy hadn’t taken long. I had to sign a few contracts, which Robert had insisted be done in person and not scanned back and forth. They were for a deal to do a duet with another musician where all the proceeds would go directly to charity. They needed my signature first to move ahead with everything.

Thirty minutes passed by, and I still hadn’t heard from Bristol. It was nearing 8:00, and the sun was already starting to sink lower in the sky. I stood, a heavy feeling sitting on my chest, and I pulled up Drake’s name and hit call.

“Hey, miss me already?”

“Have you heard from Bristol?”

“No, not since I left there earlier today. Why?”

“I called her earlier to tell her I was heading to her place, and she never called me back. Then I stopped by and knocked and she’s not here.”

“The tea room?”

With a sigh, I replied, “I checked it. I sent her another text about thirty minutes ago, and she hasn’t answered. I’m starting to get worried, Drake.”

“Have you tried Mindy?”

A flicker of relief passed over me. I hadn’t thought she might be with Mindy. “No, let me call her.”

“Let me know when you hear from her. I’ll give her a call as well.”

“Thanks. Let me know if you find out anything,” I said before I hit End and pulled up Mindy’s number.

“Whatever you’re selling, I’m not buying.”

I laughed. “Mindy, it’s Anson.”

“Anson? Um, hey. Guess I must have deleted your number.”

I rolled my eyes.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Have you heard from Bristol in the last few hours?”

“No, I haven’t heard from her since I saw her earlier today. Why?”

“I’ve been trying to reach her, and she isn’t home, and she’s not answering her phone or texts.”

“Maybe she’s pissed at you.”

I sighed. “What for now?”

“Let me take a stab at this. You slept with her, then pretty much just ignored her for the last week, oh…and you met with some woman from Nashville at a hotel in Kerrville. Do you need me to explain it anymore?”

“She told you we slept together?” I asked.

“Or course she did. Best friends and all, in case you forgot.”

I wanted to ask her if Bristol had mentioned how careless we had been, but I let that part go.

“The woman I met with was my manager’s assistant. She needed me to sign a contract, and she flew into the Kerrville airport late last night and flew right back out. Granddad needed his truck today, so I asked Drake to take me. I’m guessing that’s how y’all found out about the meeting?”

“You would be correct. I sent her a text, and she’s not answering me either.”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Mindy, it’s not like Bristol to do this.”

“Really? How would you know what Bristol is like these days, Anson?”

I didn’t want to admit how true her words were or how much they stung.

“I’m going to hang out here a bit longer. If you hear from her, will you…”

Zeus barked and ran past me. I looked over to see Bristol drop down and laugh when Zeus nearly knocked her over.

“She’s home.”

“Oh, good.” I could hear the relief in Mindy’s voice. “I’ll let Drake know. He messaged me too.”

“Thanks. Talk later.”

“Anson?” Mindy said.

“Yeah?” I asked, my eyes taking in the sight of Zeus loving all up on Bristol. “It might not be my place to say anything, but as much as she claims to have moved on, she’s just as in love with you now as she was the day you left. I just thought you should know that.”

I smiled. “The feeling is mutual, Mindy.”

She wished me a good evening, and then the phone went silent.

Zeus jumped all around Bristol, and she laughed as she told him what a pretty boy he was. Her laughter felt like a balm to my soul.

“He’s beautiful, Anson!” she said with another laugh. My dog barked in agreement with her.

“He is. My assistant’s husband looked after him for me when I left for Texas. He offered to drive Zeus down for me since I don’t like for him to fly. He was delayed coming down to meet her. They’re staying in Fredericksburg for a few weeks, although I think Robert, my manager, wants Lanny around for a while to keep an eye on me.”

Her smile grew a bit more. “Why don’t you want him flying?”

“Makes him too nervous, and he doesn’t handle the pills they gave him to knock him out very well.”

“Poor baby,” Bristol said as she looked lovingly at my dog.

Zeus ran and found his stick then brought it back to Bristol. She gave it a toss and watched him take off running to retrieve it.