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Derek gave him a long look. “The person I sent to check in with her is worried that she doesn’t sound right. I’m going to check on her.”
“I want to come with you. Or I’m calling the cops,” he said desperately. “You can’t hold her against her will.”
“She’s not here against her will,” Derek told him firmly. “Everyone on this property is under my protection, guests included.”
Fuck. He was coming across like a stalker.
“I’m just worried about her. I’m not a creep or anything.”
Was it his imagination or did the other man soften?
“Let me see what I can do.” Stepping away to his truck, he brought his phone up to his ear.
Brand wanted to get in his car and take off down the driveway. Storm the place until he found his girl. But he got the feeling that wouldn’t go well for him.
Then Derek Hawkins climbed out of his truck and walked back toward him, holding out his phone. “For you.”
He took the phone. “Hello?”
Derek stepped away to give him privacy. All right, maybe he wasn’t a bad guy.
“Brand? Is that really you?”
“Jolie?” he asked relief filling him. “Are you all right?”
“Um, yes.”
She didn’t sound all that sure. In fact, she didn’t really sound like Jolie at all.
“You don’t sound sure.”
“What… what are you doing here, Brand?” she asked.
“You wouldn’t answer your phone. And you didn’t wait for me. After the concert, I went to the bus, but Owen said you were gone. I figured I would see you the next day, but you didn’t come to the lunch the label put on for us.”
“You went looking for me?” Jolie sounded so shocked that it floored him. “Why would you do that?”
Why would he do that? Was she for real right now? He rubbed his forehead. Well, he hadn’t exactly shown her that he cared, had he? In fact… he’d kind of been a dick.
“Because I was worried about you.”
“You found out where I was staying and came all the way to Montana because you were worried about me?” she asked incredulously.
She still sounded off. Like she was nasally. Did she have a cold?
“I was in the neighborhood,” he lied. Then he groaned. What was he doing? If he wanted her to take him seriously, then he had to prove that he cared. “That’s a lie. I fucking pressed Mikey to give me your phone number and tell me where you were. He and I just totally violated your privacy, and I’d apologize except I’m not fucking sorry. Because I really needed to see you. To make sure you’re all right. And to scold you for taking off like that and worrying the shit out of me. What were you thinking?”
“Okay, that was a lot of emotions you just threw at me, big guy. You wanna take a moment? Have a breath?”
“Jolie,” he said warningly. He wasn’t going to let her push him away or make light of this. “I want to see you. Now.”
“Bossy bastard.”
He closed his eyes. “Look, I’m not trying to be an asshole here, but the fact of the matter is I’m a pushy guy who is used to getting what I want.”
“And you want to see me?”
“Yes.”
