Page 45 of Signed With Love

Claire

My father’s text has been with me the entire drive north. I disregarded speed limits and take the quickest path. I need to find Jamison and bring him home, then we are going to have a serious talk. If my letter didn’t work on the stubborn man and our time apart wasn’t enough space, then it was time for another conversation. Maddie always said to take dating a day at a time, and that sometimes falling in love happens when you least expect it. I don’t know when it happened exactly, but I was done falling. Now I need Jamison to know he’s it for me.

I pull into the hangar and rush across the lot. I find Finn first. My dad is close behind. Both are in bright yellow search and rescue gear. There is a flurry of activity around them. Everyone is ready to bring my man home, and I’m ready to help them.

My gaze lands on Dad first. They are going over their flight plan, and we have their distress beacon. Chadwick is in the air and found their crash but can’t land there. We are flying up now, but we only have an hour or so of light left.

My heart is pounding as I digest each thing he tells me.

We are starting a ground search, then camp. We will bring him home, I promise. Go be with your mother, and I’ll keep you up to date.

I’m going with you, I tell him, then rush toward Thorne, who seems to be leading others. There is no way everyone is taking on this search without me. I’ll be out there searching for Jamison regardless, but it makes the most sense to do it with the search and rescue team.

When I reach Thorne, he wears a worried look when his gaze meets mine. My hands travel up and down my body, noting I want to be outfitted with the same outerwear because I’m going with the search team. “I’m going,” I say to emphasize my point.

His gaze travels over my shoulder, where I’m sure my father or Finn is coming up behind me. His lips move, and I struggle to focus so I can catch his words.

She’s not going out there, Thorne says.

“Yes I am,” I demand.

His head snaps back to me. His head shakes, but I charge past him. They aren’t holding me back from bringing Jamison home. There are things I have to say to him, like that I love him and we are going to make this relationship work. I don’t want to live without him. Falling in love is messy, sure, but I’m certain I haven’t done it alone. I just have to communicate with my man and make sure he knows it.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I’ve ignored it multiple times, but it won’t stop. I finally pull the phone out as I step inside Thorne Air. There’s a man in search and rescue gear stepping from a side room. That’s where I head as I bring up my phone to read the message.

It’s my mother. I open her text as I continue the walk toward the room. I’m sure she’s not happy Dad is part of the rescue team, but that’s his decision. He and Jamison are close, so I’m not surprised. I’m worried about his heart, but I’ll be there to make sure he’s okay too.

You aren’t going out there! Search and rescue will bring Jamison and Rylee home without you two risking your lives like this.

It’s a locker room and storage area I’ve stepped into. I close my phone and throw my bag aside. There’s a woman who glances up. She’s strapping a backpack on her shoulders. She’s dressed in the same yellow jackets as the others. Her gray hair is tied back, and she looks somewhat familiar. It clicks as I recall she’s the woman who served us at the restaurant. Norma, I believe it was.

“I need gear,” I tell her.

She takes only a moment to gather my words before she waves a hand over her shoulder. Her lips are moving, but she turns around as she walks. I don’t really care what she says as long as it gets me in gear before the final plane takes off. I slip on the jacket Norma hands over, wondering if Jamison even has a jacket up there. Do they have the supplies they need? Are they hurt? It feels like I’ve climbed to the top of Mount Thor and the air is thin around me. My lungs are constricting as I struggle to breathe.

I’m pulling on hiking boots that Norma found when Finn dips down in front of me. He’s shaking his head no. Once I look at him, he starts speaking slowly. Finn knows I can read his lips. “Jamison will kill me if I let you go out there. I swear I’ll bring him and Rylee home.”

“You can’t stop me.”

My father’s hand lands on Finn’s shoulder. Now that I know Rylee is out there too, I’m even more determined. There aren’t many I consider friends, but she is a friend, and I want to help bring her home. Why don’t they understand that I have the same driving purpose they have, that drive to stop at nothing to help save the people I love?

Dad is speaking to Finn. His hand lifts away and he signs, We aren’t going to stop her. His finger points my way. But you will stay with me or Finn at all times.

That was my plan—I didn’t want Dad out there with his heart problems if I wasn’t there—but I don’t argue. I return to putting on the backpack Norma gave me. There’s commotion around me, but I continue to focus on the gear rather than turning fully. I strap on whatever is handed to me from Finn. My only focus is to move as quickly as possible. Finn takes over and makes sure there is a device strapped on the top of my yellow jacket.

When I glance in his eyes, they’re firm but filled with understanding too. He knows I have to be out there with them. I have to help bring my loved ones home. I don’t have a choice. It’s what you do for the people you love. We have to be there for them regardless of how hard the mission might be.

I focus on Finn’s lips as he speaks. His face is drawn, and he wears a thick beard so it’s harder to see the words. A personal locator Beacon. Don’t ever take it off. Got it? He’s concerned for his friends, and I’m an added stressor to an already risky mission.

I nod that I understand. My hand comes up to rest on his cheek. “Thank you.” He’s going against his better judgment to help me. I want him to know I appreciate it.

Once I’m in gear, we are a flurry of movement as we head toward the plane. I keep a quick pace with the others and mask the initial fear I have of getting on a plane for the first time.

The plane looms ahead. It’s a white one with red stripes down the center, and it’s larger than the usual plane Jamison flies. I glance at the floats and a wave of nausea hits me. I recall Jamison telling me they are called floats for when he has to land on water. Flying in the bush country is always dangerous, and sometimes in the wild he has to make water an airstrip, especially when the ground won’t allow for a safe landing. That’s how remote it gets up here.

Finn opens the door for me, and I climb inside. My heart races, but my mind is sure of the path it’s on. When my hands fumble with the harness, Finn is there to help. Despite his calm exterior, I feel the shake of his hands as he checks the harness is secure. My hand lands on his shoulder and squeezes, a reassuring gesture, so he releases a deep breath.

“We will bring them home,” I swear.

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