Unseen Messages

If I had the damn Swiss Army knife, I could get into it.

I looked at my crutch. I could smash it open...but then it would be covered in sand. As much as my body demanded to feed, I wouldn’t waste it. Not if it was the only one we found.

“Yes. We can. But before we do...let’s see if we can find some more, yeah?”

She pouted. “But I want to eat it now.”

“Me, too. But we can’t forget about your brother or Estelle, can we? That wouldn’t be fair.”

Her stomach growled, a wildness entering her gaze. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the clam, but slowly, she switched from feral monster to empathetic girl. “I guess.”

Hopping forward, I dug another hole with my crutch. “I’ll dig and you search, okay? I can’t bend down.”

Seeing as she was soaking from landing on her butt, she crawled on all fours to the new hole and stuck her hands in it.

I didn’t breathe as she foraged.

A few moments later, she squealed with delight. Yanking her hands up, she presented another clam.

If I could’ve moved, I would’ve grabbed her and danced around like a crazy idiot. Instead, all I could do was pat her head and swallow back my happiness. “Good work, Pippi.”

She grinned. “One for me, one for Conner. We need one for you and Stel.”

“Stel?”

“Yes, she told me I can call her that.”

I hated the jealousy that a little girl was given a nickname to use when I’d kissed Estelle, wanted her, and been kept at arm’s length.

I had nothing to offer her.

But now...Pippa and I had found hope.

I’ll show her that I’m better than what I portray.

Looking at the expanse of beach, I murmured, “Come on, Pippi, let’s get dinner.”

.............................

Smoke.

Something’s on fire.

My hobbling became a painful mismatch of shuffle-hops. “Pippa, run ahead. Make sure the camp is in one piece.”

“Conner!” She took off, her entire body saturated from clam digging.

We weren’t far from home, but the fact I couldn’t run drove me insane!

Pippa would beat me but what the hell could she do if something was on fire?

We’ll lose everything.

Everything we couldn’t afford to lose.

I followed as fast as I could. The messenger bag dripped down my thigh from excreted seawater from the clams.

Nausea from moving too quickly mingled with starvation as I cut across the soft sand.

Instead of stumbling onto a scene of carnage where the sun had somehow incinerated our belongings just for the hell of it, I slammed to a halt as Conner grabbed Pippa in his arms and danced with her.

Estelle laughed, waving a palm frond with fiery ends.

“What the hell is going on?”

I couldn’t decide if I was impressed, grateful, or pissed off that, once again, Estelle had made me look like an idiot. She’d conjured fire. She’d created heat and cooking facilities and—

Goddammit, who am I kidding?

I wasn’t falling for this woman. I was absolutely bloody besotted.

Where had she come from and how the hell did I make her mine?

Conner clapped his hands, his face rosy and flushed. “Fire! We made fire!”

For a second, I ignored the massive implications of such a marvel and peered at Estelle.

Had she obeyed me? Had she avoided going near the dead? However, nothing haunted her gaze or tainted her voice. Her eyes glittered as she spun like a dancer, holding her burning frond aloft. “We did it! We created fire!”

“I can see that.” My gaze leapt to the sleigh-like contraption by our belongings. Not only had they succeeded in something wondrous, but they’d also carted back items that would extend our likelihood of survival.

I wasn’t besotted; I was infatuated, intoxicated, completely and utterly blown away by how incredible this island-wrecked woman was.

My heart pumped like an out-of-control locomotive complete with coal smoke. I couldn’t take my eyes off her as Estelle tossed the burning plant into the fire and wiped the back of her hand on her cheek, spreading soot over her skin. “You’re back. We were worried.”

Conner bounced up and down. “Fire. Fire. Fire!”

I fought my smile. I didn’t know why. I was just as excited as he was. But somehow, I felt excluded. Like I’d never be worthy of Estelle because she had no need for me when I had desperate need for her.

Stop being such an idiot.

Estelle made her way to me, pulling something from her pocket. The tanning skin of her arms and face clutched me around the throat.

Hell, she’s beautiful.

And smart. And brave. And strong. And so goddamn selfless.

“Here, I found something that belongs to you.”

“Oh?”

She took my hand. My skin charred beneath hers, zinging with attraction and desire. She sucked in a breath but didn’t look up, avoiding the sudden intensity between us. Uncurling my fingers, she placed half of my glasses into my palm.

There goes my ability to see clearly on this island.

I chuckled to hide my disappointment. “They didn’t survive the crash too well.”

She cringed. “I’m sorry. They’re not useful to you anymore, but they’re by far our most precious item.”

I looked over her head at the crackling, cheery blaze. “You used them to make that.”

“Yep.” A smile stretched her face. “It took a few goes but Conner helped. The sun truly is a wondrous thing.”