by Jamie Summer
“Which is exactly why there’s a chance for a boat coming,” I whispered.
She turned her green eyes to me. “Why are you so set on the boat coming?”
“It’s what I would do,” I admitted. Confusion marred her beautiful face. “The day before a storm, everything calms. No waves, no wind, no nothing. If I were one of the captains of a boat yesterday, seeing the amount of people still standing there, and had even the slightest chance of getting more people out today, I would take it.”
“Not everyone is as brave as you,” she commented. I felt warmth rush through my body.
“The Coast Guard needs to be. So we’ll see.”
She watched me carefully. God, how I wanted to be able to see inside her head sometimes.
The beeping behind me announced the arrival of coffee. I grabbed the milk out of the fridge and poured some into our cups before adding the brew. “I hope the way you take it hasn’t changed. Otherwise, my effort at being a gentleman was completely wasted,” I told her as I handed over her mug
She laughed and shook her head. “Still the same. A little milk and lots of coffee.”
Just the way I took mine.
We drank our rejuvenating morning drink in silence, the sound of us blowing on the steaming brew the only noise in the kitchen.
“This house is perfect, Jake. I can understand why you wanted to keep the structure and remodel it. There’s history here. It would be a shame to erase it.”
Betty had told me all about the couple who used to own the house. Two people stranded on a deserted island, trying to survive and falling hopelessly in love. It was a great love story, and the cheesy part of me had no issues admitting it was part of the reason I chose this place.
Maybe I’d be as happy one day as those two had been, together with the one I couldn’t imagine myself living without.
“They were ready to demolish it when I made the offer. I couldn’t let that happen. Plus, the view has always been amongst our favorite.” I watched her reaction. Did she know why I had bought this place? Could she guess? Part of me hoped she would, while the other one was petrified she’d find out.
“It was. I guess it still is. The sight below, with the shoreline and the miles and miles of nothing but the ocean in front of us, was always special.”
I nodded. “Which was exactly why I bought it.” I grabbed my coffee and took one last sip. “We should get ready. I want to bring the provisions to the shelter before everything starts going crazy.”
Maddy’s watchful gaze didn’t leave mine as she studied me closely. I had no idea what she looked for.
“By yourself?” she eventually asked.
I shook my head. “I’ll have Scott help me,” I replied, curiosity piqued.
“Maybe I could help you. I mean, I know I’m no man, but I’m guessing we’ll take one of the handcarts from the harbor, right? So it’s more about packing than it is about carrying stuff. I could definitely help with that.” Maddy bit her lip as she waited, and it took me a few seconds to register what she offered. I was surprised she’d thought of it so quickly. It showed me she hadn’t changed as much as I had feared. Maddy had always been quick, never shying away from a problem until it was solved.
Her dad’s death was the first and only one she hadn’t been able to figure out.
“I’d like that,” I told her, a smile on my face, the urge to kiss her stronger than ever. My body longed for that connection, the one I’d been hesitant to initiate again this morning.
I didn’t know where we stood. Maybe last night was all Maddy was ready for. Maybe she wanted to leave it at that and just act like friends once more. I didn’t know, and something held me back from asking.
She turned around, making her way over to the staircase in my shirt.
My shirt. On her body.
And it was one of the sexiest things I’d ever seen.
She faced me when she reached the bottom, and there it was—that bite of her bottom lip. “Do we have time for a quick shower?”
My body reacted. By the way her eyes slid downward, it didn’t take a genius to figure out how much such an innocent question affected me.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Maddy said, a wide grin spreading as she strolled over to where I stood. She came to a stop right in front of me, going up on her tiptoes. “Shower,” she whispered against my lips.
I didn’t need any other encouragement before I bent down, closing the gap between us. I captured her lips with mine, smiling at her surprised gasp. She leaned into me, eagerly meeting me in the same haste.
I picked her up, instantly transported back to the night before when we had been in a similar situation. When my heart had filled with hope at what the night would bring.
“Jake, stop thinking. Take me upstairs,” Maddy pleaded, her voice raspy in my ear.
It was all I needed to come undone.
Chapter Twenty-One
Maddy
We got to the shelter shortly before ten a.m., after we wasted more time in the shower and bedroom. I didn’t regret it. Maybe I should, but being with Jake reminded me why I fell in love with him in the first place.
He made me feel alive.
He made me feel safe.
And he made me feel at home.
Everything I hadn’t been able to let myself feel for years, he managed to bring to the surface in a single night, with a single touch.
Being with him felt right.
While I had planned on leaving this island behind, I knew I couldn’t. Not even if a boat anchored today. I couldn’t leave them alone another time.
This island was as much my home as theirs, and I’d left it alone for too long.
I didn’t voice any of this to Jake. Not yet. I wanted to wait out the storm before I did anything else.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” Anna greeted from the door to the underground shelter. She held a cup of coffee in her hand, and I was tempted to steal it. She caught me ogling and laughed. “There’s more in the kitchen. My mom made a fresh batch. However, before you go anywhere, we need to talk.”
Yeah, I had expected as much. Thankfully, Jake had already moved on and was currently caught up in a conversation with Scott over by the shelves holding the provisions. No doubt they were talking about the food Jake still had at his place.
Anna followed my line of vision and her eyes went wide.
I was prepared for it. Even though Jake and I had entered together, there was no handholding or anything. It could have been a coincidence we ended up arriving at the same time.
Not to Anna, though. She should’ve known where I spent the night, considering we would have spent it at the shelter together. Clearly, we hadn’t.
“What…happened.” She didn’t phrase it as a question, not giving me the chance to ignore it. She pretty much told me I had to tell her.
“Would you believe me if I said nothing?” I asked, somehow hesitant to tell her. I didn’t know why. After all, she was my best friend.
The moment you speak the words to someone, they become the truth, my mind helpfully provided.
“Nope, and you know it, so don’t try,” Anna replied before taking another sip of her coffee.
“I won’t tell you anything until I have my coffee,” I stated. She eyed me carefully over the rim of her cup, pondering my words.
“Okay,” she agreed, and the two of us made our way over to the kitchen area. There were a few people around, but given the time, most of the inhabitants seeking shelter probably had breakfast already, so I wasn’t surprised. Anna didn’t leave me alone, a shadow following me around.
“I won’t run off,” I told her.
She laughed. “Of course you won’t, but you know the saying. Better safe than sorry.”
“Maybe I don’t wanna tell you,” I threw in, though I knew I would.
“No way. The look on your face tells me you need to talk about it.”
I had no idea what look she talked about.
“You have this
very determined, yet sad expression. As if you’ve decided something but aren’t sure what to think about it.”
I stared at her. “That’s what I look like?”
Anna shrugged. “To me. To everyone else, it most likely appears weird.”
“Thanks,” I said, rolling my eyes. I turned away from her, grabbing one of the Styrofoam cups and putting coffee and milk into it.
“Let’s go over there,” I suggested, pointing to our beds. Mine unmade, hers messed up. Proof I hadn’t spent one minute of last night at the shelter.
When we sat down, Anna got right to the point. “You were with Jake, weren’t you?”
I didn’t answer, busying myself with the hot brew in my hands.
“Lying is useless.”
“I was.”
“Finally!” she exclaimed, her voice making a few people turn in our direction, Scott and Jake included. Jake arched a brow at me. I simply shrugged. “Sorry. Got a little excited there.”
“No kidding,” I replied, then went on to explain how I had ended up at Jake’s place last night.
“It’s not why you have that face, though. There has to be more,” Anna remarked as I finished. She was right. So far, I had failed to mention the decision I had made.
When I started to tell her, voices from behind us interrupted. Murmurs at first, growing louder with every passing second. I turned toward the doorway and saw several people talking animatedly. Their eyes were wide as they gestured widely outside.
Fear tingled in my stomach. Had the storm already arrived?
“What’s going on?” Anna asked.
I shrugged. “No idea. Let’s go check it out.”
More and more people joined. I saw Jake and Scott, as well as George, right in the midst of the growing chaos.
“Everyone, please stay calm. The good news is everyone who wants to leave the island before the storm can do so now. Your safety is the most important thing for me, so if you want to seek shelter on the mainland instead of staying here, please take your belongings and go over to the docks. The ship will leave in half an hour.”
I heard George talking, but my gaze was focused on Jake, who stood on the opposite side of the group. He smiled.
A ship. They had truly sent another ship to get more people off this island. Exactly as he had said they would.
“Maddy, you can leave after all,” Anna commented, and I barely nodded. I hadn’t yet told her how I didn’t plan on leaving.
“Please, listen up.” George’s voice echoed through the shelter, loud and clear for everyone to hear. “There will be housing and food provided on the mainland for the time being, in case you have nowhere to go. This is voluntary for anyone who lives on the island. However, this is a mandatory evacuation for anyone who doesn’t.”
What?
My eyes snapped to George as I tried to process what he had said.
“This storm is going to be bad. Really bad. While we have the shelter and are fully stocked for a few days, provisions aren’t as good as we hoped. So the council on the mainland and I agreed it would be best if people who don’t live here leave for their own safety. Anyone who lives here and wants to leave absolutely can, but it isn’t required. I can’t guarantee your safety, but I can do my best to assure it. I don’t want to have anyone on my conscience to start with, but knowing people are safe is going to keep me from having an early heart attack, too.”
I glanced around, eyes wide. I met Jake’s soft gaze.
I don’t want to leave.
The thought didn’t shock me as much anymore, but the certainty that came with it did. Somehow, my desire to leave this island had turned into a strong urge to never leave it again. My stomach acted up when I considered leaving everyone behind another time, not knowing what might happen to them.
I bent and put my hands on my knees, trying to catch the breath I was having trouble getting through my lungs.
I can’t leave. Not again. Not in a situation like this.
“Maddy?” I heard his voice and saw him as he knelt next to me, his blue eyes searching my face.
How could I explain to him that nothing was okay? That everything I said to him at some point didn’t hold any value anymore?
“Maddy, talk to me. Please. What’s going on?” His voice washed over me like a gentle breeze, and I held onto the warmth it brought. I needed something—someone—to anchor me.
“I’m okay,” I croaked out, hoping it wouldn’t convey the panic surging through me at the thought of getting on that boat.
“The hell you are. You’re shaking all over and you’ve gone pale. You’re not okay.” Jake’s voice was stern and laced with concern. He reached out, cupping my cheeks in his hands. I hadn’t even noticed I was shaking until he mentioned it. My whole body felt heavy, as if I suddenly didn’t possess any energy to move. To live.
“Maybe I should sit down,” I whispered and let myself fall to the ground in the middle of the shelter. In the middle of a group celebrating the arrival of another ship.
Not me.
I wasn’t celebrating.
I was slowly falling apart.
I don’t want to leave.
“What?” Jake asked curiously.
Had I spoken out loud? “I don’t want to leave,” I whispered. Jake dropped his hands from my face as his eyes widened.
“What do you mean you don’t want to leave?” I saw him swallow.
“I don’t want to leave Crystal Cove. I want to stay here. I left once, but I didn’t plan on leaving again.”
“But you said—” he started, but I cut him off.
“I know what I said, and I meant every word of it…at the time. Every moment I’ve spent here reminded me of what I left behind. My dad wouldn’t have wanted me to leave his pride and joy to go to waste. He loved this island, and I don’t think he’d be particularly proud of me if he could see me now.” I took a deep breath, feeling strength returning to my body with each word I spoke. “I want to stay here. I need to stay here. Not only for my dad, but for me, too.” I paused before I spoke the next words. “For us.”
Jake’s gaze didn’t leave my face. He watched me, his features clouded with confusion and hope. Relief. Sadness.
“You need to.”
The words weren’t what I had expected him to say at all.
I blinked at him. “I need to?”
“You need to leave. If you truly meant what you said, you need to leave. For me. For all the people who care about you.” He averted his gaze, but not before I caught sight of the deep sadness within his eyes.
“Jake, did you listen to anything I just said? I don’t want to leave. I want to stay here.” I stood. He followed suit until we were face to face.
“I heard you loud and clear, Maddy. I have been waiting for you to say those words, but now that I’ve heard them, all I want you to do is take them back. All I want is for you to be out of the danger zone, so this island is the last place you should be.”
I stared at him, feeling as if I’d been slapped. I tried to think of something to say, but couldn’t come up with anything.
“I want you here more than anything. I want you back here, though, meaning not here while the storm, unlike anything we’ve seen before, crashes through this island.” He looked at me, his eyes pleading with me to agree. To back down.
But I wasn’t going to.
“Jake, what makes you think I would get on that boat knowing the people I cared most about were left behind on this island? As you said, we have no idea how bad this storm is going to be. Everyone should be on their way to the ship out there.” I heard the sigh escape his lips.
God, how had it come to this? How did our roles become reversed?
“Maddy, you should go.”
I had completely forgotten about Anna next to me. She had a front seat to our heated discussion. Perfect.
She continued. “I know you care about us, but we care about you, too. If we have to push you onto the boat, you know we will.”
“Maybe we can talk to George. After all, technically, you’re not a tourist,” Scott’s voice broke through. I had no idea where he had come from and didn’t care. I gave him a thankful nod, glad someone saw my point. “I have no idea if it’s gonna work, but it’s worth a try.”
“Scott, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Jake’s voice was low and dangerous.
He held up his hands. “Look, I know why you’re doing what you are, but Maddy is right. We can’t expect her to go when we’re not prepared to do the same.”
Jake stared his best friend down, the muscles on his neck clenching and unclenching. He fisted his hands. I reached out, carefully touching his arm. The last thing we needed was a fight in the shelter.
“At least let her try,” Scott said.
I tugged on Jake’s arm, wanting him to calm down.
“Please,” I whispered, feeling some of the tension leave his body. Silence descended on our small group. I waited for someone to say something, but when no one did, I let go off Jake and searched the crowd for George.
Time to convince someone to let me stay on this island in the middle of a storm.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jake
I saw her gaze rake over the crowd that had gathered and wanted to pull her away. The urge to get her outside and on that ship was so strong, it took everything I had to stay put.
I didn’t like it, but Maddy and Scott were right. If we didn’t consider leaving, how could we ask her to? And yet I wanted nothing more. The thought of having her here when the storm hit made my stomach churn.
The shelter was somewhat safe, and while everybody acted as if nothing could hurt us here, I knew the truth.
The storm may kill us all. Every single person on this island. While the wind and rain may not do the deed, our provisions would only last a few days. Depending on the damage, we may very well starve.