Chapter 16
The rescue boat showed up
three days later. Reanesta watched it, wondering if she might
vomit. Could she be carrying Con’s pup? She’d been ill the last few
mornings, but it was too soon to tell—and frankly, just the thought
of Con disappearing forever was enough to make her feel ill. And
she would fight a thousand great whites before trying to keep him
on the island when he so obviously wanted to get back to his life.
His show.
His stupid, silly survivor show. Survivor! Ha!
Con was waving madly, having hurriedly dressed
in his shorts and shirt. The large boat honked twice in response,
anchored, and then she could see men preparing to lower a smaller
boat into the water.
“I don’t want them to see me,” she told him
quietly. “I will leave now.”
“Wha—now? Now now? But I
wanted to introduce you to my crew!”
“I,” she replied, “do not wish to see
them.”
“Oh.” He rubbed his jaw, which was sporting a
reddish brown beard after all this time. “Like that, huh? Done with
your little pet project, now?”
She didn’t know what he was talking about.
He was the one who couldn’t wait to leave.
“I will not be back,” she said, and turned to leave.
“Wait!” he snarled, snatching her elbow. She
coolly considered breaking his wrist and decided that would be
unusually—what was the word? Bitchy. “Jeez,
you just can’t wait to get out of here, can you? I gave you the
chance last week! You said you wanted to stay with me.”
“And you,” she said coldly, “love your show more
than you love any living creature.” Couldn’t he see her pride?
Didn’t he understand she couldn’t ask him to give up his life to
stay with her? “Now remove your hand, before I remove your
lungs.”
He let go of her like she was hot. “Fine,” he
snapped. “Thanks for saving my life and for all the sex.”
“You are most welcome,” she replied icily and
walked around to the far end of the island where the small boat
couldn’t see her, and when she hit the water it was a great relief
because the salt water nicely camouflaged her tears.