He frowned. “She’s seven. Turns eight in a few months.”
“I bet she seems really young to you.”
He smirked. “Hell, yeah. A baby, really.”
Please don’t let this backfire.
I hated confrontation (a nasty symptom of being an introvert) but if we had any chance of surviving together, then boundaries had to be put in place immediately.
I straightened. “Well, the way you think of Pippa, with how young she is...that’s how I think of you.”
Conner sucked in a sharp breath.
I didn’t say a word, merely waited for the backlash. Only...it didn’t come. “Do you understand what I’m saying? I want to be your friend, Conner. But I’m too old for you...”
His face didn’t hint his thoughts. His skin had already caught the sunshine. His brow and square nose had turned pink and his brown eyes glowed warmly. He was a great looking boy, and I had no doubt would break many female hearts...when he came of age. I just hoped I hadn’t emasculated him by treating him like a child.
He burst out laughing. “Ah, I get it.”
“You do?”
“You have the hots for Gal.”
“Gal?”
“Galloway.”
Embarrassment flushed my cheeks. “No. That’s not it at all.”
He leaned closer, encroaching on my personal bubble, making me slightly uncomfortable. How could a boy unnerve me so much?
Because he’s nailed it.
I acted as if Galloway pissed me off because I didn’t want to face reality. I was attracted to him. When I’d touched him to check his broken ankle, all I thought about was skimming my hands higher and seeing what wasn’t broken.
I’d never wanted to do that to anyone, let alone a complete stranger.
It was better for me to keep my distance, and if Conner kept his distance from me, believing I liked Galloway...well, where was the harm in that?
Besides, we were on a freaking island!
Alone.
We had more pressing things to worry about than romantic wishes and misunderstood arguments.
Clearing my throat, I picked up the stick again. “Hold that.”
Still chuckling, Conner did as I asked as I wrapped the leaf tighter and positioned the stick along his wrist from his palm to middle forearm. Once in place, I used my makeshift bandage, wrapping the fabric strips around him and binding tight.
It wasn’t pretty, but at least it would give him support and allow the bones – if they were broken—to knit correctly.
Galloway.
I’ll have to do the same for him.
He could growl and grumble all he wanted, but his leg wouldn’t heal without some sort of attention.
Conner sighed as soon as the knot was finished. “Thanks. That already feels better.”
I stood up. “No worries.” My eyes drifted from bright beach to gloomy jungle. We’d achieved more than just setting a damaged wrist. We’d formed the foundations of a friendship that I hoped would benefit both of us—no matter what happened.
My stomach rumbled and thirst nagged my dry throat. We’d wasted enough time exploring and hoping that help was just around the corner.
We had to face facts.
We had to be smarter and focus on items that would keep us alive rather than kill us faster. “Want to go back and get the others? I think it’s time for some food, don’t you?”
As if on cue, Conner’s tummy mimicked mine, growling with emptiness. “Food would be good...but what?” He scanned the island that’d become our prison, protector, and home. “Just like I don’t see a mall, I don’t see a supermarket or fast food joint.”
“Think you’re so smart, huh?” I laughed, doing my best to keep my tone jovial. Pretending everything was fine helped keep my unravelling despair from taking over.
Earlier, when I’d come back from the other side of the island and found Galloway propped up and the two children fighting, for a single horrible moment I’d wished they hadn’t survived. One awful, spiteful, selfish second, I wished such innocence hadn’t survived so they wouldn’t know the hardships of what was to come.
There was no luxury of purging myself with tears of self-pity. No way of screaming for help like a crazy person. I had to be the one others leaned on. I had to fight, not just for me, but for these precious children who deserved so much more than what they’d been given.
Brushing sand from my jeans, I strode back into the forest. “I know where some food might be. Let’s go check the helicopter. You said you knew where it was?”
“I do. But the dead pilot is that way.”
I fought my shudder. “I guess that can’t be helped.”
“I didn’t tell Pippa this, but I hate seeing dead people as much as she does.” His breathing stuttered. “I really miss them. It—it doesn’t feel real.”
What rational answer could I give to such an awful sentence? I drew a blank so didn’t reply. “We won’t go close to the pilot. We’ll grab our bags and any other supplies we might need and leave.”
Conner scrunched up his face, swiping at a rogue tear. The heartbreak of his parents’ death never left his eyes. “Okay.”
I waved him ahead. “Lead the way, Mr. Explorer. Let’s go get lunch so we can tend to the other invalids.”