Page 81 of Rule 4: Never Get Stranded with a Sports Reporter

“I owe you a huge thank you,” I say. “Thank you for finding us.”

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Rex says, but his words are stiff, and his direction remains focused on Cal and Jeremy who are chattering quickly on the side.

This is good.

This is amazing.

But worry bubbles through me all the same.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Cal

We’ve been saved. Joy fills me, and I’m not sure I’ll ever stop smiling.

“I can’t believe you were stuck on this island with Larvik,” Jeremy says, now he’s finished exclaiming about the wonderful fact that I’m still alive, a fact that also makes me exceedingly happy.

It’s hard to ignore his misplaced sympathy, and I try to avoid his gaze.

“You should get an immediate raise.”

My eyes flick up. “I haven’t done anything yet.”

“Dude, you survived being alone with Larvik for days. Where did you even sleep?” Jeremy sweeps his gaze around the beach. His gaze falls on the tiny shelter Jason built. “You weren’t stuck in there together?”

“It rained super hard last night. We were lucky we had that.”

“Sounds horrible, dude.”

I’m silent.

Parts of it were horrible.

And yet...

Oh, God. Other parts were so good.

I dart my gaze toward Jason, even though I shouldn’t be looking at him. I don’t think it’s possible for me to look at Jason with a neutral expression on my face anymore.

The last thing I want is for Jeremy and Rex to suspect anything. Fuck, if my boss found out I’d slept with the person I had an assignment to write a profile on? That’s definitely a journalistic no, no.

I shudder.

I spent so long wanting this position.

“Larvik was great,” I tell Jeremy, because I’m not going to let him think anything bad about Jason.

Jeremy gives me a hard stare. “You have to make sure to get checked for sunstroke.”

“He was!”

“I get it. Low expectations and everything.”

“He got us food, he built our shelter... And I woke up sick today, and he was so sweet and went searching for food.”

“Dude! I have food!” Jeremy hands me protein bars and water from his satchel. I rip them open and eat and drink eagerly.

“And he didn’t have tools. Or proper materials. I don’t know how I would have survived without him.”