Dammit. I really hoped that wasn’t the case, and regretted not fighting her more than a week ago. I knew I should have just picked her up and forced her to listen to us. I could even have locked her up in a room and waited until she was ready to talk to us. “You really think she left, or is she at Darcy’s?”

“I think Darcy is your best shot right now, and let’s hope she’s with her or at the very least has heard from her.” Kelsey was looking at me kind of skeptically.

“Am I screwed?” I asked, hating that I had to ask.

“I don’t think you are. Jane is a beautiful person. I think if you did it right, she would forgive you, but I think she is also going to make you work for it. So be prepared.” Kelsey finished giving Rose her bottle, and I scooped her up again to burp her.

I walked out of the room, needing to think about what she had said. I missed Jane and I hated that I hadn’t heard from her. Absence definitely makes the heart grow fonder because right now my heart was frantically trying to scour my brain for any piece of information she may have told me that I had overlooked.

Rose burped again, and I looked at her, wishing life was this simple. Eat, sleep, burp, and maybe play. Must be nice to have food catered for you. I held my niece, wishing for some clarity, when she snuggled into me grabbing my shirt, rubbing her face on my chest and falling asleep. She was absolutely adorable, and I couldn’t imagine a life without this cute-ass baby. The more I looked at Rose, the more I felt like what Kelsey had said was right.

Jane went home and instead of staying at her condo, which she said she always had a hard time being at, she might have stayed at that hotel her friend owned. A jolt of excitement coursed through me, and I was eager to put Rose down for her nap. I walked back into her room, laying her down in her crib, waiting a moment to make sure she stayed down.

“I’m sorry Kelsey, Rose is in her crib, but she doesn’t have that straitjacket thing on but she’s asleep.” I was rushing through the house to get to my Bronco while trying to find the number for the hotel.

“I’m guessing you might know where she is?” Kelsey followed me outside.

“Maybe. Love you, bye,” I shouted, getting into the Bronco and finding the number. I hit call, and as I drove, I waited for someone to answer the call.

“Hotel Magnolia. How can I help you?” A woman answered the phone.