Chapter 36
Ike
Something drags me from sleep. When did I drift off?
Diana and I had huddled on the floor to stay warm.
I told her stories to distract her from what was happening outside, and she did her best to distract me in her own way.
Being across the water from Cape Georgeana and powerless to help is aggravating, but I could tell Diana was trying to keep my mind off of it.
I remember the feeling of her curled up against my flannel shirt, and I smile in the haze of half-sleep.
Then the sound that woke me echoes through the hollow tower again. I jolt awake. It’s water—churning, sloshing, and running inside the tower.
As quickly and carefully as I can, I slide my arm out from beneath Diana’s neck and tuck the blanket around her. I don’t know what I’m going to find, but I don’t want her to be awake for this. She shivers in her sleep. I need to check things out before the cold wakes her up.
It doesn’t take long to confirm that water is inside the lighthouse. I move quietly down the stairs, pulling my phone out of my back pocket.
“Please,” I mutter. Don’t be dead. I swipe it open. There’s still no service, but my battery is at eighteen percent. That’s one miracle. I need a few more. And I need to make this quick. There’s no telling when we’ll get power back.
I turn on the flashlight, pointing it toward the bottom of the tower as I peer over the rail. Murky water swirls and rushes against the bottom stair. With shaking hands, I turn off my flashlight and power down my phone to save the battery.
It’s good that we came into the tower. It will stand strong, no matter what happens to the house. Diana and I are safe. But sleep isn’t happening tonight.
I climb the stairs and lie down, wrapping Diana in my big spoon while I listen.
The sound of the ocean flowing through the tower is unsettling.
Terrible. But after a few minutes, I match my breathing to Diana’s and focus on happier sounds, like her soft snoring and the way her voice sounded when she off-handedly mentioned that she loves me last night.
She tried to play it off, and I know she’s still undecided about us, but that was a major victory. Diana loves me, too. I haven’t quite told her I love her—it was implied when I told her that I want to make this marriage real. But I need to say it. I shouldn’t have let her say it first.
I’m not okay with the man I love being this town’s sacrificial lamb.
I’ll never forget those words. They opened my eyes.
I’ve loved this town more than anything.
It’s my home. My family. The last name Wentworth is synonymous with Cape Georgeana.
But now there’s something—someone—I love more.
If she loves me, maybe she’ll change her mind about marriage. Maybe she’ll stay.
Thunder cracks and Diana burrows into me with a shiver.
I need her to stay.
∞∞∞
It’s hard to say how much time has passed at the top of this lighthouse, but the storm is over, the light is gray through the windows, and I haven’t slept.
It’s time to get up and check the damage, but Diana is asleep on my arm.
I’m putting off the inevitable. I close my eyes again, begging the skies for fifteen minutes of sleep.
But my worry over what happened in town last night won’t allow it.
The weight of my phone in my back pocket keeps me awake.
I need to check in with Desmond and the guys.
With a long exhale, I slide out my phone and power it on, fully aware that this is likely my last moment of peace for a while.
From the sound of it, I can tell the water has receded which means a muddy mess is waiting for me downstairs.
If the storm surge got that high last night, I can only imagine what it did to Cape Georgeana.
After my phone restarts I have a string of text messages from everyone who was expecting my help last night—Desmond, August, and the guys, my mother, and even a few from Louise.
I skim them, and it’s what I expect—worry over whether I made it to the island and updates on the effects of the storm on shore.
I need to get over there and help. When I open Louise’s messages, I bolt upright.
LOUISE:
Boone is gone
LOUISE:
Call me
Then, nothing else. My heart is jackhammering behind my ribs. I jump to my feet, but there’s nowhere to go. I dial Louise.
“Come on, Lou.” I drag my hands down my face while I wait for her to pick up.
“Ike,” she finally answers.
“What’s going on?” I hold my phone away from my ear to check the charge. I’m at ten percent now.
“Boone is gone.” She’s out of breath, and obviously moving.
“We put him to bed like usual last night, but Jim didn’t…
We forgot to lock the doors, and I guess Boone got out.
I don’t know if the storm s-scared him, or what.
I don’t know where he is, and everything is a mess.
We need your help.” She pulls in a shuddering breath.
“Have you called the police?”
“Yeah. They set up a volunteer command post at Marlow’s. I’m here. I’ve been up all night. Everyone is out looking, but… they made me take a break.” I hate the terror in her voice.
“Okay. I’m at the lighthouse, but I’m coming.
” I try to sound reassuring, but I’m worried.
No one should’ve been out in that weather last night, but especially not Boone.
He could be anywhere, and he has no survival skills.
Now is the time for blind optimism and false hope.
“We’ll find him, Louise. He’ll be okay. I’m sure of it. ”
When I end the call, Diana's worried voice is rough from sleep. “Boone is missing?”
“Yeah. I need to get over there.” I’m already moving toward the stairs.
“I’m coming.” Diana scrambles to her feet, following me.
We rush down the stairs. Diana gasps, watery-eyed and holding her hand over her mouth when we step carefully through the silt and mud at the bottom of the tower. “The water,” she mutters, “It came so high.”
“I know.” I’m not ready to see the full extent of the damage yet, so I move toward the exterior door, bypassing the house that was almost finished being renovated. That stuff is repairable. We need to get to Boone.
The island is a muddy mess as we jog through the lingering wind toward the shore. The storm water has receded, but the tide is coming up. We’re about to get wet. Again. I have déjà vu watching Diana pick her way through the rocky water toward the other shore. The current is up to her knees.
“You have to be going nuts at my pace, and Boone…” She trails off, her voice shaking with cold. “You can go ahead. Or feel free to sweep me off my feet,” she says with a half-hearted laugh.
Don’t mind if I do. Another wave of déjà vu hits as I scoop up Diana and double our pace to the parking lot. She isn’t complaining this time. So much has changed.
When we reach my truck, I fling open my door, anxious to help with the search. But there’s a blond-haired boy curled on the bench seat, fast asleep.
He’s safe.
“Boone?!” Diana is gawking at the sleeping kid from the passenger door. She covers her heart with her hands and pinches her eyes shut. She sighs with relief. Her anxiety over the kid who still smacks her on occasion makes me love her even more.
Boone stirs at the sound of his name, huddling closer to the back of the seat. His skinny arms are covered in goosebumps and wrapped around his knees. His mud-caked Pikachu pajama pants can’t be doing much to keep him warm. But he’s safe. I can’t believe he’s here. I need to get him back to Louise.
“Boone, get up. We need to get you home.” I shake his shoulder. “Everyone is looking for you, buddy.”
His eyes pop open and he glares at me, then scrambles to the passenger seat with a panicky grunt. He throws his skinny arms around Diana, and his familiar guttural moan says a thousand words. He must’ve been so cold. So frightened.
Diana wraps her arms around his small shoulders, looking at me over his head with awe in her blinking, teary eyes. She smoothes his blond hair over and over. “You’re okay, buddy.”
He sobs against her shoulder. “You stay with Ike,” Boone mumbles, tucking his blond head against Diana’s neck. “You stay with Ike.” He repeats the words a few more times, trailing off. His small body relaxes, and he slumps against Diana.
“I didn’t teach him to say that, I promise.” Not that I mind the help from my wingman.
“Yeah, right.” Diana laughs through her tears, holding Boone a little tighter.
“Ike is going to take you to your mom. She’s worried about you,” she says softly.
He lets Diana help him with his buckle and when she’s done she looks at me, her brow furrowed.
“I need to check on my grandparents. My phone was dead all night, and I’m worried… ” She bites her lip.
I nod. “Take your car. I’ll take him back to Louise and meet up with you in a few.
” I can’t stand the worry on her face, and I really don’t want to be separated from her after everything that’s happened in the last twenty-four hours.
“Everything is going to be okay, Di. Your grandparents’ place has survived a lot worse.
We’re both safe. All of this is repairable.
You love me. Remember how you said that you love me?
” I grin. “From where I’m standing, things are good. ”
“Classic Ike.” She rolls her eyes, but she can’t hide the smile in them. “Meet me later?”
I climb into the truck beside Boone. “Obviously.” Now that the stress of finding Boone is gone, I’m invigorated. I curl my finger at Diana, beckoning her closer. “C’mere.”
She leans over Boone with a question in her eyes. “Yeah?”
I stare at her for a beat, taking her in. I’m going to do everything I can to convince her to extend our contract. “I love you, Diana.”
She smirks. “I know.” She straightens, slamming the door with a wag of her perfectly-arched eyebrows.
I crank the engine. I can’t believe my wife just Han Solo-ed me.
I laugh as I navigate muddy streets toward Louise’s place.
The damage isn’t great, but it’s not as horrible as I pictured while I listened to the storm rage through the night.
We have plenty of debris to clear. We’ll be mucking out the houses closest to the shore for a week or two.
My back hurts thinking about it, but it’s fixable.
A few minutes later I walk into Marlow’s with Boone in tow. Louise is standing at the counter, her phone pressed to her ear. It clatters to the floor.
“Boone!” she screeches as she darts toward us, gathering him into her arms. She laughs through her tears, running her hand down the back of his short hair, holding him to her. A crowd gathers around them. “Where did you find him?”
“He was sleeping in my truck.” I shake my head. This town was overdue for a miracle. “In the lighthouse parking area.”
My mom is here, standing off to the side, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “I’ll call everyone and get the word out. Let them know to stop searching.”
“I can’t believe it.” Louise’s voice is tight. “Ike… I-I can’t thank you enough. You always save us.” Boone is still wrapped around her torso. I’m guessing he won’t be out of her sight for a decade or so.
I hate receiving praise for this. It was dumb luck that he spent the night in my truck. It makes sense, though. Boone likes to visit exactly two places: The fire station, and the view overlooking the lighthouse. I’m surprised no one thought to check there.
“Good work, as usual.” Muffie leans in for a wrinkly hug, then holds me at arms’ length, a lecture written all over her face. “But a few of us couldn’t help but notice your wife didn’t join in the search.”
A few of her old biddy friends nod, smug with their puckered frowns.
Marlow chimes in from behind her counter before I have a chance. “Muffie, you and your friends should know that Diana and Ike were stuck on the island all night.” She glares at the women. “I just got off the phone with her and—”
“Okay, you know what?” I’m glad Diana has an ally, but this needs to be said. “Sorry to cut you off, Marlow. Everyone gather around. I’m only going to say this once, so maybe take notes.” I search the room. “Where’s Tina?”
Tina raises her hand in the back, her acrylic nails painted orange, yellow, and red for the season. “I’m right here.” She grins. “Because people who love this town are here. They don’t run off to the city and only come back when—”
“Okay, that’s exactly what I’m getting at. That, right there.” I straighten at the front of the diner. We’re doing this press conference right here, right now. “My wife won’t be this town’s whipping post. Not anymore. And neither will I.”