Page 407 of Seasons of Love
“You can’t know that for sure.”
“You’re right. But we can get back on the island as soon as possible and verify for ourselves.”
Frank and Gabe.
“Can you get through to Frank and Gabe?” I asked.
“No, the mobile signal is probably out. It doesn’t take much on the island for that to happen.”
I’d experienced that before, a few weeks ago when a storm cut off all power and it took a few days until both the internet and cell signal were working fully.
“How do we get back on the island?”
“Did you know the resort is a designated shelter for the island?” he asked.
“Yes. In cases of emergency, we can offer shelter and food to the entire population of the island.”
“Who needs to be at the resort when that happens?”
“Me.” Thank fuck for Jake being here because my panic over Griff’s safety was affecting my ability to keep calm under pressure. “I have the number for the fire department on my phone. They can airlift us there.”
Jake smiled and nodded.
“You’re a fucking genius,” I said, and before my brain caught up with me, I pulled Jake in and pressed my lips against his.
10
JAKE
It happened quicker than the blink of an eye.
One moment Mal’s lips were on mine, and the next, they were gone. It could barely be called a kiss. I mean, our lips touched, but it wasn’t a soft, slow kiss. It was hard and so fast my brain didn’t catch on until it was over.
But I felt it, oh man, I felt it…but it wasn’t really a kiss, was it?
It was Mal releasing the tension he was holding from worrying about Griff. The relief of finding a solution to getting back to the island.
The proof of that was in how he was already up and packing his few belongings in his overnight bag, the fear of future tremors seemingly gone.
“Aren’t you going to grab your bag?” he asked, looking over his shoulder at me, still sitting on the floor.
I stood up, feeling off-balance, and walked to my room.
Get a grip, Jake.
His reaction wasn’t out of character for someone going through a difficult experience, but from the little I knew of Mal, it was out of character for him. The calm, composed Mal, who always seemed in control, always knew what was going on, always armed with a solution.
Still, I understood how he felt. All my life, I’d been worried about someone in one way or another. I’d worried about my mom. If she was happy. If she would ever find what she wanted so she could come home for me.
I’d worried about Aunt Annie when she got sick until we eventually lost her, and after she died, I started worrying about Uncle Frank and Gabe. Uncle Frank, who’d lost the love of his life, and Gabe, who sometimes seemed to be just lost.
Even Zak. Thousands of miles away. I worried that one day his incessant search for happiness in someone else’s body would get him into trouble.
My life was one big pot full of worry. There was very little I could control, so I mostly dabbed between constant crippling worry and pretending nothing bad could ever happen to anyone.
And now I was adding Griff and Mal to my already long list.
Two safety marshals came over to escort everyone to the safest place within the resort a few minutes later. I cringed when I saw Mal and I were the only ones carrying our belongings. So much for all the training that told us to stay put until someone came for us.
