Chapter 93
"Do you want the big blue cooler or the small orange one?" Gray motioned to each cooler; unsure how much food Riley was packing. The woman loved her snacks.
"Big blue, please!" she called from the other room.
It had been two weeks since Riley had left the hospital. Riley expected an earlier release, but the staff, concerned about her oxygen levels, extended her stay by a few days.
Her parents went home a week after she was discharged. Though they all loved each other, Riley needed less hovering and more routine.
Even though she still wasn't cleared to return to work, the day she was released, she insisted Gray take her to the Lagoon.
"It'll be too hard to walk with your ribs still healing," he had winced as he said it, still feeling guilty for being the one to break them.
She had grasped his hands, locking eyes with him. "I need to see the dolphins. Please just take me there. I promise I won't stay long."
What could he do? There was no refusing her.
He drove as close as he could get to the walkway, then helped her navigate the rocky path slowly.
As soon as Riley came into view, Phoenix spotted her and began chirping and leaping out of the water repeatedly, practically bursting with joy.
Riley cried. "I'm coming, my sweet friend, just give me a minute. "
The walkway was too treacherous for Riley to navigate, but Marta had gone to the floating dock to sit with him, whispering quietly to Phoenix, who kept his eyes fixed on Riley. She missed him so much.
Knowing it would be weeks before Cam even considered letting her back to work, Gray had suggested they escape to the tiny island with Bear for two nights. It wasn't a luxury resort, but Riley would appreciate the simplicity, and the privacy.
"You okay in there?" Gray called out, wanting desperately to help her but knowing she needed to manage on her own. Part of her occupational rehab was being able to take care of herself.
Riley was struggling but smiling. She knew Gray wanted to swoop in and help, but she had to work on dressing herself.
Currently, however, she was in a predicament.
Her bikini top was twisted and tangled, and now she couldn't escape it.
She felt like a T-Rex trapped in a sticky web of glue. Why was this so hard?
Gray called again. "Riley, can I help?"
At that, Gray pushed open her door and burst out laughing. "Holy shit, Riles, what have you done?"
"I don't know!" she groaned as he walked over to assess the situation.
"I mean, did you grow extra arms while I was gone? How did this happen? You look like a cute T-Rex!"
She flailed her arms dramatically. "I'll T-rectify you!" she laughed.
He pulled her closer, taking advantage of the fact that her top was tangled, and kissed her forehead quickly. "Hold on, let me sort you out." As he tried to untangle the strings, they both fell into hysterics.
"I swear, I think I'm going to have to leave you like this! Why are there so many damn strings?" Eventually, the mess was too much to fix, and he had to cut the top off. "How about we try something with buttons?" he said with a grin, gently stroking her cheek before letting her try again.
Once they finished packing, they loaded the vehicle and set off with Bear. Johnny had been more than happy to lend them his boat. "Take your time. No rush to get it back to me," he'd said, handing over the keys. At the Conch Shack, he had hugged Riley gently but for a long time.
And Declan finally got his big party; everyone had shown up.
As they drove away from the slip, a thought struck Riley, and she sucked in a breath. "Gray!" she grabbed his arm, causing him to slow the boat.
"Did we forget something? I swear we have enough snacks for a month," he joked, but his face softened when he saw her expression. "What is it?"
"Your research. The tapes! I never asked what happened to them. I was too preoccupied."
"You were too preoccupied with healing." He smiled, pulling her close. "And I forgot to tell you the good news."
She looked up at him, curious.
"Shelley didn't realize when she threw the old dry bag overboard, the tapes wouldn't be destroyed.
It was still water-resistant, and she had wrapped them in a wetsuit.
It wasn't completely waterproof, but Anejo retrieved it fast; thankfully his Navy training for doing retrievals had kicked in.
Daniel, with his disaster brain in full gear, had already taken the tapes out and put them in the console as he took the boat and dolphins back to the Lagoon.
While I was in the hospital, Cam took them to the dive staff, and they were totally undamaged!
They made copies and sent them to my boss.
So, despite Shelley's efforts, the project is saved. I can finally start writing the paper."
Riley wrapped her arms around him, exhaling in relief. "That's incredible. You must be so relieved." She smiled up at him but was confused by the look in his eyes.
"Riley," he began softly, "you went after those tapes to help me. But if I'd lost you, I never would have forgiven myself. It wasn't worth it. You losing your life would never have been worth it."
He tilted her chin up to look at him. "I would've lost those tapes every time if it meant keeping you safe.
Please don't be a hero again. Not for something so trivial.
" He kissed her forehead, and she knew he was right.
She hadn't wanted to go back into the water, not since the accident.
This trip to the island was her first step in healing that fear.
Gray moved her in front of him, wrapping his arms around her as he steered the boat. Bear sat at the back, tongue lolling out, enjoying the saltwater spray.
"How tiny is this island, really?" Gray teased. "Is it so tiny we'll drive right past it? And if a tree falls on it, will it land on us?" He grinned, earning a playful jab in the ribs from Riley.
"No jokes about my tiny hideout! And no, we won't drive past it. The tree thing? Maybe," she smirked.
As they cruised along the coastline, they spotted a man, a woman, and a dog running along the beach: Carlos, Katrina, and Max. They waved as Riley, Gray, and Bear sped past, their boat slicing through the turquoise water, racing the sunset toward their oasis. It was perfect.