Page 35 (2/2)

“No But there’s a storht want to head further inland if you aren’t already”

“We’re by Barren Island I’ll put us north of the island and that will hopefully shelter us froh to shore that we can head in if things get bad”

“Should be all clear by tomorrow”

“Good,” I ht?”

“Yeah You going to stock up there?”

“That’s the plan”

“Call ood,” Dalton said I could hear the worry in his voice

“I will We’ll be okay, Dalton”

I sensed I was no longer alone and turned to see Caleb sitting on the steps leading into the cabin frooodbyes and hung up the phone

“Dalton said there’s a stor”

Caleb nodded “I saw so”

“You okay?” I asked

“Don’t like storms,” he murmured

“Why don’t you stay down here while I get the boat moved to the northern side of the island?”

“I’ll do the dishes,” Caleb offered We were forced to pass one another as I headed above deck The close proximity as we nearly brushed chests was akin to torture It was all I could do not to grab him

It took just a few et the boat moved and anchored in the small inlet at the northernmost part of the little island, but in those minutes, several peals of thunder rattled the air around us The heavens opened up just as I stepped below deck and closed the door Darkness had already fallen so the lightning lit up the interior of the boat with every flash The wind had kicked up the waves enough so the boat aying back and forth, but nothing bad enough to warrant seeking shelter closer to the shore

Caleb wasn’t in the kitchen and the dishes, while now in the sink, weren’t done Concern had e of the bed, his knees drawn up so that his feet were resting on the lip of the platfor back and forth slightly It took everything inshort sleeves, so it would have been easy to check to see if he’d cut himself in the few minutes I’d been above deck, but I didn’t want to do that to him I wanted to build trust with Caleb and I couldn’t do that if his condition was always at the forefront of my mind

Caleb had turned on all the lights in the bedroom and had drawn the curtain on the onethat had one, but the flashes of lightning through the other ere impossible to miss Not to mention the cracks of thunder that followed just moments later