Page 41 of Vacation Friends

Brody peered at her, pulling the bandana from his mouth. “Are you okay?”

Was she? She wasn’t sure.

Her world still spun.

She blinked as she tried to comprehend what had just happened.

Maddie really was safe, wasn’t she?

Thanks to Brody.

She nodded slowly, still feeling in a stupor. “Yes . . . I think so.”

The rest of the group surrounded them, questions flying.

Then Josh appeared at her door. “Madison! Why didn’t you jump out when I told you to?”

Wait . . . was he blaming this on her?

Their guide had said to always stay in their vehicles. Besides, Maddie had nowhere to jump except straight for the drop-off. What had Josh expected?

She opened her mouth to respond, but she didn’t even know what to say.

Before she could answer, Hilo pushed past Josh, opened her door, and helped her out.

But Maddie was trembling so bad she doubted she’d be able to stand on her own two feet. Instead, she leaned on the UTV.

It wasn’t so much the physical danger she’d barely avoided that had her shaky.

It was the fact Josh had jumped out and left her. He’d abandoned her in a dangerous situation.

She could have died as a result.

What kind of fiancé did that?

After the dust had died down, Hilo squatted on the trail to examine the vehicle. “This tire has been tampered with. I don’t know how that’s possible. I inspected them each myself before we left.”

Maddie’s heart lurched into her throat at his words.

She stepped to the side of the trail for a better look. Sure enough, the tire was slashed.

Her heart beat harder in her ears.

Was this a terrible accident? Or had someone done this on purpose?

She glanced at the group around her. At her new friends. Then at Josh. Logan. Darla. Tom.

Had one of them been so desperate to get rid of either Maddie or Josh that they’d tried to take them out this way?

And what was the deal with Josh jumping out of the side-by-side and leaving her to fend for herself? How dare he blame it on her.

Maddie still fumed over that fact. He had a lot of nerve.

Hilo had already given him a stern lecture about it, but Josh had looked unconvinced that he’d done anything wrong.

Typical Josh. Leaders don’t project weakness. Another one of his sayings. She personally thought that vulnerability led to relatability, which led to people actually wanting to follow those in charge.

“We’re going to need to have you checked out,” Hilo said as he turned toward Maddie.

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