Page 58 of Gripp

“We want you out on location as much as possible,” Greg said. “We want more of that incredible spirit of yours. More of the amazing talent you have to show the story in a very relatable and entertaining way that still does justice to the subject.”

“No, no, no,” April said, shaking her head. “Before all that … what did you say?”

The three executives looked at each other.

“About your home base?” Nathan asked. April nodded, still feeling numb as she absorbed what they were telling her.

“You can live anywhere you like, dear,” Cynthia said, waving a hand. “That isn’t a problem. We needed you on hand for this project, especially for the promotions and legal requirements, but you can send in your reports digitally from now on and only visit the studio occasionally, as you like.”

“Yes,” Greg said, smiling. “It’s important that you’re out on location where you can get fresh inspiration and really amazing footage for your stories.”

April grinned, feeling hope surging in her. “I can work on anything I want, anywhere I want?”

“Correct,” Cynthia said. “We want a minimum of two documentaries per year. Your work is so outstanding that we don’t feel the need to dictate your subject material.”

April knew she was smiling like a fool, but she couldn’t help herself. Her excitement grew until she couldn’t sit still any longer, and she shot out of her chair with the force of champagne rushing from a freshly popped bottle. The execs shook hands with her, congratulating her and sharing her excitement.

April didn’t wait. She ran home and packed her bags, barely slowing down the whole time. She was so happy that she felt like her feet weren’t even touching the ground.

The last few months had made everything so clear to her. As much as she needed her work, she would not be complete without Gripp. While it was true that she didn’t like being alone and sometimes needed moral support, Gripp meant far more to her than that.

He completed her.

April rushed to the airport to catch the next plane.

She knew exactly where she was going.

THIRTY-TWO

GRIPP

For the first month back on Eblax, Gripp remained in a daze. He threw himself into the back-breaking labor of building houses and plumbing systems, keeping himself moving all day, every day.

Sometimes, he’d pause for a break and look up into the clear blue sky. He’d wanted to get out of the Supermax so badly, and yet, in some ways, nothing had changed.

Gripp was still dead tired and miserable all the time. The sun crisped his skin to a dark brown, baking his muscles and making him sweat so much that he was always thirsty. His heart and soul had never known such misery.

He would glare at the sky as if its perfect beauty was an affront to him. It was the same sky and the same brutal sun that had looked down on him while he toiled at the Supermax.

It was also the same sun that had shone down on him and April.

April.

The cry was like a torrent of sorrow constantly pouring from his heart. He was making a real difference now. His labor was not for nothing. He was actually helping people. This caused him to keep working beyond endurance every day. He lifted stones and planks until his back ached, hammered nails and set walls until his hands bled, and moved equipment until his joints burned.

The pain became the only thing he could rely on, the only thing that gave him any kind of peace. Seeing the new houses going up under his hands gave him a fierce feeling of pride and achievement.

He left himself no time to think. He worked all day, played sports with the local children in the evening, and retired to bed as soon as possible to begin the routine again the next day.

After he had been there a few weeks, Gripp noticed that several of the single women in the village were paying him a lot of attention. Even though he kept busy and politely avoided them, it was clear they’d be happy to share his bed for an evening.

Gripp was not tempted, not in the slightest. It wasn’t as if desire had left him … only one woman could satisfy him. She’d made her choice not to be with him, and he was free to do as he wished.

But no one stirred him the way April did. He couldn’t compare any other woman on the face of the earth to her. If he chose to sleep with another … no matter how beautiful she might be … it would be April he saw when he made love.

It wasn’t fair to anyone, not himself, his supposed lover, or April. Gripp did not want to take out his frustrated desire on someone who deserved far better, and he would not betray his own heart by sleeping with someone he did not truly want.

As he made his way through the village after a hard day’s work, he saw a few of the women finding excuses to be in their front yards as he passed by. They smiled and waved, encouraging him to stop for a while. Gripp kept moving, smiling, and waving but not accepting any invitations.

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