to that spot, what was the worst that could happen? I’d kayaked tons with my parents—I could easily manage a three-mile round trip. Even if this list was completely ridiculous, I’d just enjoy a Saturday morning of kayaking.
I shut my laptop and let my thoughts drift. What if I actually found the island and just showed up at Ari’s door? He’d be shocked, probably angry, but he’d warm to me. We already had some sort of connection—he’d saved me from a shark and he’d known Dad. If I showed up and surprised him, he would finally have to tell me what that connection was.
Then the doorbell rang, breaking all my thoughts of Ari. I peeked out the window and saw Winnie’s Beetle parked in the driveway. She hadn’t popped in since right after the accident—maybe she could sense something was up.
I should have felt thankful to have a friend like Winnie, but as I trudged down the stairs to greet her, I kept wondering how long she’d stay. I had everything I needed to find Ari’s island except time.
~~~
Gran went to bed right after Winnie left. I tried telling myself that Gran’s early bedtime wasn’t about avoiding me. But that lie was too big to swallow. Tonight had been a sequel of this morning: more silence between Gran and me. Thank goodness for Winnie.
“So where is Mr. Clare?” Winnie had asked, over our dinner of lemon-garlic tilapia.
“He has a conference in Chicago this weekend,” Gran had said, giving Winnie a strained smile.
Silence.
“I’ve heard Chicago is exhilarating,” Winnie had said. She’d looked from Gran to me, then back to Gran.
“Yes,” Gran had said.
More silence.
I cringed at the memory and sank onto my bed, grabbing my phone. If I was going to kayak to Ari’s island, completely alone and vulnerable, I could at least check the weather first. Mom had taught me that much. Dad had always been too lazy to check conditions the night before going out on the water. Instead, he would ask Mom that morning, knowing she had already checked.
Right on cue, my chest ached. Ah, yes. That. I exhaled and saw the conditions would be safe the next morning. Perfect.
As I was setting my phone down, a text from Jordan came through. Another one. He’d been texting me possible spots for our date all day long. At first, he’d stuck to local restaurants and parks but then he’d graduated to increasingly ridiculous exotic places. He’d just sent another.
Jordan: Pancake breakfast in Bora Bora?
Chandler: Not really into pancakes. Try again.
I set down my phone and began my nighttime routine. As I was showering, I wondered if I was flirting with Jordan. Probably. Which was really mean. I couldn’t date him, not when I was so messed up. Maybe later. After I’d figured out the deal with my parents’ death and my body wasn’t freaking out on me. Or maybe we should just stay friends. We’d done that for over a decade and it had gone well. Like, really well. But I wasn’t sure I could even swing that right now—or if Jordan would want to.
I closed my eyes and let the hot water wash over my body. It pounded against my skin, and I welcomed the distraction.
After I’d showered, I changed the band-aid on my face and set my alarm for six fifteen. I tucked the baggie with the xaris under my phone for safe keeping. Twice, I lifted my phone to make sure it was still there. When I went in for a third time, I forced my hand back under the blanket. The xaris wasn’t going anywhere.
I wiggled deeper into the soft cotton sheets, dreading the nightmares that would soon descend on me. That was when I heard a sound outside my window. Faint padding against cement. Footsteps?
I crawled out of bed, crept to my window, and peered down. Nothing but a deserted street met my gaze. It was probably just a neighbor getting home late, but then, I hadn’t heard a car engine or a front door shut.
~~~
My phone blared to life in a series
I shut my laptop and let my thoughts drift. What if I actually found the island and just showed up at Ari’s door? He’d be shocked, probably angry, but he’d warm to me. We already had some sort of connection—he’d saved me from a shark and he’d known Dad. If I showed up and surprised him, he would finally have to tell me what that connection was.
Then the doorbell rang, breaking all my thoughts of Ari. I peeked out the window and saw Winnie’s Beetle parked in the driveway. She hadn’t popped in since right after the accident—maybe she could sense something was up.
I should have felt thankful to have a friend like Winnie, but as I trudged down the stairs to greet her, I kept wondering how long she’d stay. I had everything I needed to find Ari’s island except time.
~~~
Gran went to bed right after Winnie left. I tried telling myself that Gran’s early bedtime wasn’t about avoiding me. But that lie was too big to swallow. Tonight had been a sequel of this morning: more silence between Gran and me. Thank goodness for Winnie.
“So where is Mr. Clare?” Winnie had asked, over our dinner of lemon-garlic tilapia.
“He has a conference in Chicago this weekend,” Gran had said, giving Winnie a strained smile.
Silence.
“I’ve heard Chicago is exhilarating,” Winnie had said. She’d looked from Gran to me, then back to Gran.
“Yes,” Gran had said.
More silence.
I cringed at the memory and sank onto my bed, grabbing my phone. If I was going to kayak to Ari’s island, completely alone and vulnerable, I could at least check the weather first. Mom had taught me that much. Dad had always been too lazy to check conditions the night before going out on the water. Instead, he would ask Mom that morning, knowing she had already checked.
Right on cue, my chest ached. Ah, yes. That. I exhaled and saw the conditions would be safe the next morning. Perfect.
As I was setting my phone down, a text from Jordan came through. Another one. He’d been texting me possible spots for our date all day long. At first, he’d stuck to local restaurants and parks but then he’d graduated to increasingly ridiculous exotic places. He’d just sent another.
Jordan: Pancake breakfast in Bora Bora?
Chandler: Not really into pancakes. Try again.
I set down my phone and began my nighttime routine. As I was showering, I wondered if I was flirting with Jordan. Probably. Which was really mean. I couldn’t date him, not when I was so messed up. Maybe later. After I’d figured out the deal with my parents’ death and my body wasn’t freaking out on me. Or maybe we should just stay friends. We’d done that for over a decade and it had gone well. Like, really well. But I wasn’t sure I could even swing that right now—or if Jordan would want to.
I closed my eyes and let the hot water wash over my body. It pounded against my skin, and I welcomed the distraction.
After I’d showered, I changed the band-aid on my face and set my alarm for six fifteen. I tucked the baggie with the xaris under my phone for safe keeping. Twice, I lifted my phone to make sure it was still there. When I went in for a third time, I forced my hand back under the blanket. The xaris wasn’t going anywhere.
I wiggled deeper into the soft cotton sheets, dreading the nightmares that would soon descend on me. That was when I heard a sound outside my window. Faint padding against cement. Footsteps?
I crawled out of bed, crept to my window, and peered down. Nothing but a deserted street met my gaze. It was probably just a neighbor getting home late, but then, I hadn’t heard a car engine or a front door shut.
~~~
My phone blared to life in a series
Similar Books
