Your Alluring Love (The Bennett Family 6)

“I assure you everyone’s doing their best.” His jaw ticks. His patience is wearing thin, but I couldn’t care less. This is my brother we’re talking about.

I swear loudly after he leaves.

“I’ll call everyone and tell them about the update,” Blake says, and all I can do is give him a grateful smile. I couldn’t make it through another round of calls.

Just as Blake puts his phone to his ear, the sound of my own ringing startles me. Fully expecting the caller to be someone in my family, I steel myself mentally. Glancing at the screen, an unexpected name pops up: Nate. For the first time in hours, a smile tugs at the corners of my lips.

“Hey,” I greet him, placing the phone to my ear, and hurry away from the tables.

“How’s the climb? Did you murder Daniel yet?”

At the sound of my brother’s name, I inhale sharply, the knot in my stomach twisting.

“What’s wrong?” Nate asks at once, his voice devoid of humor.

“How could you tell something is wrong?”

“Don’t know. Something tipped me off. What happened?”

I tell him quickly.

“Shit, I’m sorry, Alice! But I’m sure everything will be okay.”

“Can you please repeat that at least a hundred times?” My voice is pleading, even as the muscles in my body unwind a tad. God, how I needed someone to tell me everything will be okay.

“I’ll do it as soon as I’m there.”

“You’re coming here?”

“Damn right, I am.”

“Oh shit, I forgot you had plans with Daniel afterward. Your team—”

“Will be fine on their own. I need to be with you,” he says simply, and I all but melt.

“I’d really like that. If it’s not too much trouble.”

“I’ll be there right away, baby.”

Despite my general state of anxiety, my stomach flutters at the word baby. He’s never called me that before. As I hang up, the muscles in my body relax a tad at the mere idea of him here.

Nate arrives shortly afterward. “Any news?”

Blake, who is lying on one of the picnic benches, merely groans. Summer shakes her head.

“Not since we spoke on the phone.”

“I’ll go talk to the information desk,” he offers.

“I’m coming with you.” It’s pointless, because Tom would have told us if there was any news, but it gives me an excuse to feel like I’m doing something productive.

The second we’re inside the center, Nate places his hand at the small of my back, which has the surprising effect of liquefying my bones. I lean into his touch, hungry for more. I could really use a bear hug right now, or any kind of hug, really. Together, we step inside the information office.

Tom snaps his head up, smiling at Nate. His smile morphs into a grimace when he notices me. “I don’t have any news, miss. As I said, I’ll pop outside as soon as the rescue team contacts me.”

“When does the center close?” Nate asks.

“In three hours, but I’ll stay here to update you.”