Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 58342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 194(@300wpm)
Trinity takes the phone, her expression turning wary. “I appreciate it, but I won’t be able to get on a plane.”
He nods. “Of course. I understand. We’ll figure something out that you’re comfortable with.”
Cheri shows Trin how to dial the sat phone and I approach Skyler, shaking his hand. “We’re so grateful for everything.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
Trin walks to the other side of the cabin, the phone to her ear, as Cheri turns to me and Skyler.
“Um...Lincoln, we’d really appreciate you not mentioning the bear spray.”
Skyler scrunches his forehead in confusion. “What bear spray?”
Cheri looks up at her boss, who’s a solid foot taller than her. “Logan pulled bear spray on them when we walked in.”
Skyler rolls his eyes. “Please tell me he didn’t spray any of it.”
I answer. “No, and it’s forgotten, really. I know it was alarming to walk in and see two strangers eating at the kitchen table.”
The subject is forgotten when I hear Trinity crying. I turn to look at her and she’s facing me, tears streaming down her face. “We’re okay, Dalton. We’re both just fine. I’m so sorry for the way I treated you the last time I saw you. You were—” She pauses to listen. “I know. I love you, too.”
I smile at her, the fact that it’s over sinking all the way in. Using an outhouse, never being completely warm and eating tuna out of a can as a main course—all over.
I’ll go back to my life in Minneapolis, to my team. And Trin will go back to her life in Chicago. I knew it had to happen at some point, but I didn’t expect to feel such a stab of regret over it.
It’s us—me and her—that’s the only thing I regret being over.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Trinity
I open my eyes and they immediately fall closed again. My eyelids feel like lead.
“Linc?” I try to say his name, but I can’t seem to get my mouth to work like I want it to.
Though I can’t see him, I hear his voice. He’s right next to me. “Everything’s good, Trin. Go back to sleep.” A brief pause, and then, “She might need some more of that medicine; she’s waking up.”
I’m in a hospital bed. I can tell from the feel of the bed and the smell of the air around me—like plastic tubing and lemon cleaner.
“Mom, she’s awake.”
When I turn toward the voice, Dalton is sitting there, one of my hands cradled in both of his.
“Dalton.”
My eyes fill with tears. His hair is a little shorter and he has the shadow of a couple days’ beard growth, but otherwise he looks the same.
“Oh, my girl.” Our mom walks up to the other side of the bed, tears on her cheeks.
There’s a lot more gray in her hair than I remember. Her face, which was lean before, is now almost sunken, dark circles beneath her eyes.
I reach out to her. “Mom, are you okay?”
She smiles at me, fresh tears flooding her eyes. “Of course I am. Now that I know you’re okay, I’m just fine.”
She picks up a cup of water with a straw in it from the table next to my bed, holding it in front of my mouth so I can take a drink.
“Where am I?”
Dalton answers. “A hospital in Seattle.”
I have no idea what day it is. Skyler Cross’s team called for rescuers, and Lincoln and I were taken from the cabin to Fairbanks by a team of paramedics on snowmobiles. We were evaluated at a hospital in Fairbanks, where we got the bad news that we couldn’t drive to our homes because we didn’t have passports to get through Canada. There was no choice but to fly on a plane.
That was when I started to melt down inside from my anxiety, and it’s also when Lincoln gently asked me if I wanted medication to make things easier.
I asked to be sedated for the flight if possible, and it seems that the rescue team understood the assignment. I have no memory of even seeing a plane. Was I even on one?
“Did I come here on a plane?” I croak.
My brother smiles at me. “Yep. Linc said you only woke up a little bit one time. And you’re doing fine, just getting some nutrients in the IV. When you get released, Mom will drive you back to Chicago in a rental car.”
I just stare at him, still feeling woozy. “Where’s Linc?”
“He’s here in another room. They’re working on his release paperwork. Unfortunately, I can’t be here much longer because he and I have to get back to the team.”
My eyes widen with alarm. Lincoln is leaving? And his team expects him to go play hockey?
“How long have I been out?”
Dalton checks his watch. “You got here a couple of hours ago. So not that long.”
“So...you and Linc are going to play a game.”