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Hell, I’d even email if that made her happy.

We quickly exchange numbers, and I look at my phone asecond, seeing her face in the contact photo. Her nose is wrinkled and she’s winking, sticking out her tongue. She’s adorable.

Suddenly a text appears on my screen.

Haddy

I’ll talk to you soon.

Lifting my chin, I meet her eyes, which shine with interest. I want to step forward and pull her to me. I want to kiss her again. I want to chase her lips with mine, curl our tongues together. I want to trace my lips down her neck, pulling the skin between my teeth, marking her as mine. I want to hear that sexy little moan again.

Instead, I tap quickly on my phone.

Gavin

Looking forward to it, Princess.

15

Haddy

Daniel Ito is my counterpart in Japan. We’ve never met in person, and we don’t really know each other. We were assigned to work together by our graduate advisors.

Mine is Dr. Vera Cross. She works closely with a researcher at the Japanese Society of Kawasaki Disease, and the two of them are the leaders of this study.

Daniel and I are simply two of the many graduate students contributing to their work.

He doesn’t speak English very well, and I know zero Japanese, which means we communicate mostly in smiles and nods and Google Translate.

We both look forward to helping save many lives. As it is, we’re mostly tracking wind currents and noting timelines and directions on spreadsheets until something major happens or a pattern appears.

Despite all my excitement talking about the potential of my studies, for the most part, it’s pretty boring work.

It reminds me of the astronomers who sit out and listen to space noise. We’re the true believers. I think of Jodi Foster in that movie about aliens,Contact. I have always related deeply to the scene of her putting on headphones and leaning back on the hood of that car.

Maybe one day all of this watching on our part will lead to us cracking the code. Until then, we’re documenting the trade winds.

Glancing down, I see a text on my screen.

Gavin

You have a tattoo on your hip. What is it?

My brow wrinkles, and I quickly send a reply.

Haddy

Aren’t you supposed to be practicing?

Gavin

We have a break, and quit stalling. What’re you trying to hide?

Haddy

IPWs are not supposed to have tattoos.

Gavin