Page 3 of Won't Back Down

Starting to get really concerned, I tried to put myself in her head, to imagine where she might have gone. I didn’t see the dog she’d been playing with earlier. If she’d gotten overwhelmed, she might have stepped away. While she’d promised not to leave the beach, if she’d taken a walk farther down the sand, she probably thought that didn’t count.

Following instinct, I headed north, toward the section of the island that her grandparents owned. It was the largest uninhabited stretch of Hatterwick. She knew that area like the back of her hand. If she’d wanted to get away, that would’ve felt safe. But would she have headed up the beach or into the woods?

Without a flashlight, searching the woods was a recipe for a sprained ankle. I’d explore the beach for a stretch. If I didn’t find her, I’d head back to the truck to grab a light. Breaking into a jog, I headed north along the shoreline. Worst-case scenario, we got caught in the rain. We wouldn’t melt. I’d get her home safe, either way.

But when I hadn’t found her in any reasonable range of the party, worry rolled in with the tide that was steadily rising. The wind had kicked up, and the storm was all but on top of us now.

“Willa!” I bellowed her name, over and over.

What trouble could she have gotten into on her own? She was too smart to go into the water on this side of the island. She well knew about all the riptides. And she’d hardly risk a swim when an obvious storm was coming.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe she’d gotten overwhelmed and hadn’t been able to force herself to navigate the crowd to find me. Maybe she’d taken herself home. The island was only three miles across at its widest point, and she was no stranger to walking. I should go back, see if she’d found one of the guys. At least grab a flashlight from my truck.

I was just on the verge of turning around when I heard a soft sound beneath the gale winds. What was that?

“Willa?”

I spun in a circle, hunting for the source. And despite all my certainty, I looked toward the water.

In the next flash of lightning, I spotted something white amid the frothing waves.

A slim, pale arm.

Terror turned my insides to ice. “Willa!”

I was already running toward the ocean when I saw that arm disappear beneath the surface.

CHAPTER 1

WILLA

Years later…

“Willa!”

I glanced up from the grant application on my laptop to find one of my oldest friends stepping straight over the long, low planters that edged the perimeter of the outdoor patio space at Panadería de la Isla.

“Gabi!” I shoved up from the table so fast that my massive pit bull, Roy, came to his feet in alarm. He settled on his haunches as I launched myself at her. “I wasn’t expecting you until next week!”

“Got in on the latest ferry. I was able to come back a little early. I’m just on my way to the clinic to sign the last of my hiring paperwork.”

Pulling back, I beamed at her. “Welcome back to Hatterwick, Dr. Carrera.”

Gabi grinned, but I couldn’t help but notice it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I do like the sound of that.”

“Do you have a few minutes?” I gestured at the empty seat across from mine. “Time for a coffee?” Maybe I could suss out what was going on with her.

“No time for coffee, but I’ll sit for a few.” She moved toward the table. “This cutie must be Roy. Is he good with pets?”

“He looks terrifying, but he’s really a big teddy bear.” My hand automatically dropped to scratch just behind his ears, and Roy leaned his bulk against me.

Gabi let him sniff her hand and waited for a nuzzle before she likewise gave him a good ear scritch. “I gotta know. Why Roy?”

“He’s black and scowlly, but secretly has a heart of gold, like a certain AFC Richmond player in Ted Lasso.”

“Ahhh, Roy Kent. I got it.”

We took our seats, and I closed the lid of my laptop. “So, when do you start?”

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