Page 34 of If Anything Happens To Me

“That and other things,” he said softly, squeezing my hand. “You know about the bracelet, right? It’s also called a sailor’s knot.”

Sailor’s knot.I felt a shiver run through my body, but in a good way this time. Mariners out on a ship for months at a time used to make sailor’s knots for the ones they loved. Then, when they left land and returned to sea again, the bracelet was a romantic reminder that the sailor’s love was strong, and absence was only temporary.

“Thank you,” I said.

“You don’t have to thank me,” Matt said. “It’s just how it is.”

“How it is . . .” I said quietly.

“You know what I mean, right?” he asked.

“I think so,” I said. My heart was pounding. His eyes held a secret message. Was I reading it right? Did he feel the same way about me as I felt about him?

“I’ve wanted to give you the bracelet,” he said. “But I never pictured doing it like this.” He glanced back toward where Iris was sleeping.

Iris.I wanted this moment to last forever, but we couldn’t get offtrack. I knew, better than anyone, that this situation was life-or-death. I reluctantly pulled my hand away.

“What is our plan?” I asked. It was hard to switch my thoughts from him putting the bracelet on my wrist to plotting our next move.

“We have to call the cops, Oli. No matter what Iris says.”

It was amazing how quickly Matt and I went from that incredible moment, in our own little world, into a different mode. I still felt the magic of the bracelet on my wrist, but now we had a job to do—a mission.

“That’s what I thought at first,” I said. “But Iris convinced me that it would be too dangerous. They swore they’d kill Hayley. She won’t even let us take her to a clinic.”

Matt took that in. “Let’s try to convince her when she wakes up, okay? And meanwhile I’ll call Fitch again. If he doesn’t pick up, we’re driving over to see him. Iris doesn’t seem okay to me. It could be an emergency.”

“I agree,” I said.

I took a breath as Matt pulled out his phone. I touched the bracelet again, and in spite of everything, I felt my entire face beaming in a smile I couldn’t begin to hide.

“Good,” Matt said. His smile was as big as mine. I loved the space between his front teeth. It was so Matt. His blue eyes locked with mine as he called our friend.

Fitch answered, and Matt put him on speaker so I could hear.

“Can you come meet me and Oli and our friend?” Matt asked Fitch. “We’re at Osprey Hill.”

“I can’t right now,” Fitch replied, clearly distracted. “I’m in the middle of something and have to finish it.”

“We can come pick you up?” Matt offered.

“Normally I’d say yes,” Fitch said, “but it’s not a good time to come over here.”

“Okay,” Matt said.

“You know, ‘stuff,’?” Fitch said, sounding dejected.

I knew there could be lots of reasons why it wasn’t “a good time.” Was his mother back from her latest trip? Was he trying to spend time with her? Or was it about Abigail?

“Sounds like something is getting to you,” Matt said to Fitch. “What’s going on?”

“It’s no big deal,” Fitch said. “Anyway, is your friend okay?”

“That’s why I’m calling,” Matt said. “We’re worried about her. Why don’t we pick you up? Get you out of there. And we’d feel better if you saw her.”

“Why don’t you take her to the ER?” Fitch asked.

“Long story,” Matt said. “But that’s not going to work.”

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