Page 18 of Lost At Sea With A Billionaire

She paused in her cleaning.“And if rescue doesn’t come soon?What then?”

The question was heavier than it should have been.What then, indeed?How long before temporary survival became permanent existence?How long before we had to accept this island as our new reality?

“Then we adapt,” I said finally.“Like you did on that cooking show.We work with what we have.”

Janet studied me for a long moment.“You’re different than I expected, Jonathan Black.”

“How so?”

“When we met, I thought you were just another entitled rich guy playing with his expensive toys.”She set the clean palm leaves aside.“But you’re more...”

“More?”

“Adaptable,” she finished.“In spite of your control issues.”

“That’s high praise from the survival expert,” I said, smiling and high fiving myself.

She laughed and rolled her eyes.“Don’t let it go to your head.You still take unnecessarily long showers in our limited freshwater pool.”

“Cleanliness is next to godliness.”

“Practicality is next to survival,” she countered.

We moved around each other easily, banking the fire for the night and securing our camp.Our shelter, while basic, had become oddly comfortable.We’d created separate sleeping areas using salvaged fabric and palm fronds, maintaining a pretense of privacy that grew thinner each day.

As we prepared for sleep, Janet turned to face me.“Jonathan?”

“Yes?”

“I’m glad it was you,” she said softly.“That I’m stranded with, I mean.Could have been worse.”

She disappeared inside the hut, leaving me standing in the moonlight, pondering her words.

It could have been worse, indeed.A week ago, I would have considered this situation the worst possible outcome—no communication, no control, no certainty of rescue.Now, I wasn’t so sure.

Because even with everything we lacked, I’d found something unexpected on this island—a connection with someone who saw me, not my wealth or status or accomplishments, but me—someone who challenged, frustrated, and impressed me in equal measure.

I entered the shelter quietly, careful not to disturb Janet in her section.I could just make out her form in the dim light, already relaxed in sleep.Tomorrow would bring new challenges, but for now, in this moment, powerlessness didn’t feel quite so threatening.

There may be freedom in letting go of control.

Chapter6

Jonathan

The yacht’s radio equipment lay submerged under two feet of water, its once-blinking lights now dark and lifeless.I waited for low tide, hoping some part of the bridge would be accessible, but the hull had shifted during last night’s storm, sinking deeper into the sandbar.

“There has to be something salvageable,” I muttered, wading carefully through the tilted cabin.

Salt water stung a fresh cut on my arm as I reached for the communication panel.The sharp edge of broken equipment had sliced me earlier when a sudden wave rocked the yacht, throwing me off balance.I ignored the pain, focusing instead on extracting the radio components.

Ten days on this island, and I still hadn’t given up hope of contacting the outside world.While Janet focused on immediate survival needs, I remained obsessed with rescue.Not that her approach wasn’t practical—it was.Without her skills, we’d eat raw fish and sleep exposed to the elements.But someone needed to think long-term, and that someone was me.

I pulled at the radio panel, the metal edges cutting into my palms.With a groan, it broke free, sending me stumbling backward into the rising water.

“Damn it!”The salt water hit my wound like fire.Blood mixed with seawater created crimson swirls around my arm.

Clutching my prize, I returned to the broken window we used as an entrance.The tide was rising faster than I’d anticipated.Time to go.

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