Chapter 26 - Just when everything is perfect

Keegan’s POV

The holiday period always goes in a blink of an eye, so much planning goes into Christmas day and the present you’ll buy your loved ones and then it’s over. You don’t remember the gifts you got, you remember the time you spent with your loved ones. For me, it was watching corny Christmas movies cuddled up with Ryder gorging ourselves on Santa shaped cookies. It was teaching Faith how to play gin with Grams. Grams and I did both of these things every holiday, and now it was like our family circle had doubled and I felt blessed to be able to share it with them.

New Years was just as magical. Ryder had a game on New Year's Eve, so he convinced me to come with him. He declined the normal accommodation the team usually set up and booked a suite at a hotel overlooking Central Park, where we watched the fireworks from the balcony. We spent the rest of the night having hot, sweaty sex on every available surface we could find. It was the perfect holiday.

After that day, our lives seemed to get back to normal. Ryder travelled, played and trained, and I worked at the bank and hung out with Faith. That is when she wasn’t busy with her friends or studying. She was definitely a social butterfly. While Faith was busy and Ryder was out of town, I kept myself occupied trying out my new sewing machine. When I had opened Ryder’s present at Christmas, I was shocked and upset. I thought replacing my mother’s machine with another felt like I was betraying her memory, that I would lose what little I had left of her. But my Grams reminded me that the sewing machine was just that, a machine. I would always have my memories of her and would carry her in my heart.

This new machine was so much more advanced than my old one, and with that upgrade, it opened the door as to what I could design and create. After the success of Faith’s dress, I decided that I would create something to wear to the fundraiser that was happening at the end of the month. I wanted something sexy yet elegant and refined, something that would showcase my talent and creativity. It took me two weeks and hundreds of designs to settle on the finished product, and now it was just about making it into a reality in time for the big day.

Ryder told me that my walk-in closet was not enough space to work, so he cleaned out the room I had been previously sleeping in and set it up as a studio for me, sparing no expense in getting me everything I needed to create my pieces. I was so grateful to have such a supportive boyfriend.

I was in the zone, music blaring as I tried to figure out how long I wanted the dress to be, whether I wanted it to fall to my ankle or the ground. I was so focused that I didn’t hear the door open. The first sign I wasn’t alone was a hand on my shoulder, causing me to jump out of my seat and scream.

When I spun around, I was surprised to see Ryder standing there grinning. “Not the warm welcome home I was expecting, baby.”

Squealing again, this time out of joy instead of fear, and leapt into his arms, “You’re home, what are you doing home today? You’re not supposed to be back until tonight.”

He laughed at my reaction, squeezing me tightly. “Grabbed an earlier flight. I wanted to take my girl out for lunch.”

“That sounds amazing.” I exclaimed before mentally kicking myself, “Crap, I promised Grams, I would join her and her friends for lunch today. You could always come with me. I’m sure my Grams’ friends would love to meet you.”

He scrunched his nose up, pulling a funny face, “As much as I love your Grams, if her friends are like her, I don’t think I would be able to handle them.”

I giggled, knowing he was right. My grandmother’s friends were an acquired taste. I had known them all of my entire life, and even I sometimes needed a stiff drink after one of these lunches so I would give him a free pass. With a kiss and a promise that I would get in and out as quickly as possible, I got ready for my lunch, and he called up Marcus for some boys time instead.

The drive to my grandmothers took a little bit longer than usual, traffic was a bit heavier, and by the time I pulled into the driveway, I was late. My Grams’ hated it when I was late. I rushed out of the car so fast that I left my phone in the car. I was leaning in to grab it when I heard a twig snap behind me. God, she couldn’t even wait until I got inside to bust my chops. She must have seen me pull up from the window.

“Jeez, Grams, give me a chance to come inside. I’m only five minutes late.” I pleaded, grabbing my phone and standing back up. My back still turned.

Before I could turn around, a hand covered my mouth, and something sharp poked me in the neck. I dropped my phone, hearing it shatter on the ground as I fought against the person’s hold as much as I could, but they were too strong, and moments later, everything started going hazy, my limbs heavily. Then there was nothing, just darkness.


Ryder’s POV

Having lunch with Marcus was not my plan for the day. I had come home expecting lunch with my girl and then maybe an afternoon in bed with her, but alas, she had made other plans for the day. I guess I couldn’t blame her. I didn’t exactly tell her I was coming home early. When I saw her working on one of her dresses, I was so proud. She had such a talent, and the more I saw her create, the more I knew I had to help her grow that talent.

When she told me that she was making her dress for the fundraiser coming up, I saw it as a chance to introduce her designs to the right people and get her some backing. She needed to quit her job at the bank and concentrate on putting a clothing line together. I would back her financially myself, but I knew she would think I was doing it just because I was her boyfriend. She wouldn’t believe that it was just because she was good.

“Nice to spend some quality time together, buddy. It’s been a while since we’ve done this. How does it feel to be a taken man?” He joked.

“You know what, man, I know you are hanging shit on me, but I really don’t care. There is nothing like it.” I advised him, sipping my beer as we chilled on the back deck.

My phone started buzzing in my pocket, and when I pulled it out, I laughed when I saw Trixie’s name flash across the screen. The last time I got a call like this when they had a catch-up, it was to come to pick Keegan up because she had too many wines, and I had to carry her into the house.

I pressed the pick up button and held the phone to my ear, “Hey Trix, did Keegan get into the wine again?”

“Keegan isn’t here.” She replied, I could hear the worry in her voice, “I tried calling her, but she isn’t answering. I thought she might be at home.”

“What do you mean she’s not there?” I said, panicking a little, “She left here hours ago. I’ll call you back. I just want to check something.”

When I hung up, I immediately accessed the find my friends app on my phone, but it couldn’t locate her phone. I was now officially worried. She could have had an accident somewhere. My next step was to turn on the GPS tracker on her car. I know it sounded weird, but I had trackers on all my vehicles. Marcus drove and navigated, and we ended up about ten miles from her Grams’ house in a convenience store car park. The doors were unlocked, the keys were still in the ignition, and her purse was still on the front seat next to her phone, which was shattered.

I couldn’t take my eyes off of it, “Marcus, call the cops, now!”