Page 62 of Adrift

I’ve had two concussions before, neither from football. Fell out of a bunk bed in college and the second time I hit my head on a beam in an engine room. I felt like shit for five days, and that was with drugs. So I get it.

“I’m going to get wood to start a fire,” I say. “We’ll need it for signaling a plane. And other things.” Do I believe a plane is going to see us? Hell no. But I know she does. I hold my breath. “I’m sorry, Haley. I would never want you to get hurt.”

“I know, Calvin. But you shouldn’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“I’m sorry too.” Easton is sucking up to her. He doesn’t mean it. The rich SOBs never do. “But you should never get in between fighting men.”

“I know that now.” She’s giving him the I-don’t-need-to-be-mansplained stare.

“What were you going to do?” I ask.

“I was going to flash both of you.”

Chapter 26

Harbor

Haley

It’s not the brightest plan I’ve ever come up with. But the way the two of them were, well, rubbing on me a couple hours ago... “I figured if I flashed my breasts, you would both be so shocked you’d stop.” I’d just taken off my life vest, carefully hiding Calvin’s soggy bear inside it.

“Lots of men have become stupefied by a lot less. Brilliant plan but poor execution,” Dante says, his arm over his eyes. “I don’t suppose you’d want to help lift my spirits by doing it now?” He doesn’t raise his head, so I know he’s joking. Maybe. It’s hard to tell. He’s had a head injury.

“No.” My ankle hurts.

“Do you want one of the painkillers?” Easton asks.

Calvin didn’t want Dante to have one. We had to vote, and I had to convince Zane to change his vote to even get Dante some. And Dante was unconscious.

“Do you need some?” Easton asks again.

“No.” Yes, I want them. “But Dante should have some more.”

All the guys but Dante are glaring at each other.

“Dante, do you want some more pain relievers?” I ask.

“If you don’t care if I lie here, I’m fine without them.” Dante doesn’t move his head.

Calvin stands. “I’m going to get some wood.”

“I’ll go with you.” Easton gets up too.

They march off into the woods—jungle? Whatever it’s called. I don’t know—leaving me with Dante. “Are you feeling okay?”

“As long as I don’t move or talk. It’s nice to be on land. Even if the land doesn’t have air conditioning, beds, and a kitchen.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” I whisper.

I think he heard me. Dante’s chest moves slowly. I’m watching him even now. Worry is eating me up. We’ve lost enough already with Candy dying. And Sam... I take a big breath in. Easton and Zane are right. We don’t know what happened to him. Like Schrödinger’s cat. Although, if I’d gotten my hands on Schrödinger, we’d know if the cat was alive. I’m not so sure about the physicist, though.

I’m also not sure where Zane went. I lean over the edge of the raft to pull myself up. I stand mostly on one leg.

“You heard what the golden boy said: no standing.” Dante hasn’t moved his arm. He’s like my grandfather asleep watching baseball. When I tried to change the channel, he’d yell at me.

“Well, I’m bored. And I can be of some help.”

“Be some help by not getting injured any further. Sit down. Those two are liable to start tearing each other apart in the woods.”

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