Page 80 of The Edge of Never

When Callan came back, the silence between Kit and me was awkward. He eyed us with some concern, but rather than saying anything, he handed Kit their pack and picked up my stuff. He led us to his car, placing everything in the boot before he opened the passenger side door for me.

My eyes went to Kit. They had this nervous look in their eyes. When they glanced at me, desperation filled their features. My heart ached at the sight of it.

“Am gonnae sit in the back with Kit,” I said to Callan.

The way he blinked and bit his lip told me everything. He was putting two and two together. I didn’t want him to see that, but I knew better than to expect anything less. Callan was the most astute person I’d ever met. He saw all.

“Aye, let me pull the seat forward for ye.”

He ducked into the passenger side to move it forward. I opened the door behind us and slid in, putting my seatbelt on. My ankle throbbed, but they’d given me painkillers in the hospital. I’d have to get more, especially since they advised me to return to normal activities as much as possible. I still needed to rest it as well.

Kit got into the back with me. Their relief was palpable. They told me they didn’t do well in social situations. The unfamiliar surroundings were likely not helping either.

Callan got into the driver’s side and set off.

I turned my attention to the window outside.

“Am gonnae take ye tae the lodge. Yer car is still there, and Kit needs tae pick up their stuff.”

“Ye gonnae get off home?” I asked Kit without turning my head.

“Um, I hadn’t decided. Kind of still reeling from the whole being rescued business.”

You still have some time with them then.

I told my brain to shove it.

“If ye dinnae wannae leave today, am sure we can find ye somewhere tae stay,” Callan said.

My head twisted to find Kit shrugging. There were a lot of reasons why they might not want to leave yet. Sienna came to mind first. They wouldn’t want to see her, and I didn’t blame them. But they’d been here longer than they planned. They couldn’t stay indefinitely. They had a job to get back to and so did I.

“Can I borrow yer phone? Mine likely took a dip in the stream I fell in,” I asked, rather than make Kit reply to Callan about what their plans were.

“Ye fell in a stream?”

“Aye, that’s how I twisted mah ankle. Am sure Kit can tell ye the details. I need tae call mah boss.”

Callan grabbed his phone off the dash holder and shoved it at me.

“I told yer parents ye’re safe. They’re worried aboot ye.”

I took his phone.

“Aye, I hope ye told them tae leave me be.”

The look in his eyes spoke volumes.

“I said they should let ye get yer bearings today, but I cannae promise they willnae drop by.”

A huff escaped my mouth. Dealing with them was not what I wanted to do right then. It might seem callous, but honestly, it would only fill me with guilt if I had to speak to them right after the ordeal I’d been through. I needed a minute to breathe, to get my shite together before seeing them.

I dialled my boss’s number rather than respond to Callan. He asked Kit to regale him with our wee adventure while the phone rang. When my boss answered, we spoke for several minutes. I’d already had time off to go on Callan’s course, but with my injury, she agreed it was best I stay off for a wee bit longer. After all, I had been stuck in the snow for several days. I needed time to recover.

By the time I finished talking to her, Kit had got to the part about us being rescued. I set Callan’s phone down between us, watching Kit’s animated face.

“It was like a fucking miracle seeing that helicopter in the sky. We were losing hope that someone would come.”

In the rearview mirror, I could see Callan’s serious expression.

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