Page 59 of Fated

Ha.

I open an eye and squint at him. There’s a slight smile on his face, the wariness receding.

“Mamamama,” Sean says, banging his hammer on the floor. McCormick sends a grin his way and Sean switches to, “Dadadadada.”

“This is exactly how I feel about staying on island for another four years,” Amy says, pointing out my revulsion for the slimy drink. I get the impression she never misses an opportunity to drive home a point.

“Well said,” I tell her, and she smiles.

Then, because my positive thinking didn’t cure the dizziness or the rolling in my stomach, I grab the glass, plug my nose, and then tilt my head back and chug the nasty glass of doom.

It’s awful.

It’s horrible.

It’s like two fat slugs sliding down my throat, with an aftertaste of peppery tomato.

I cough, hit my chest, and my eyes water.

“Mama?” Sean says, concern tinting his baby voice.

McCormick watches me with a carefully neutral expression.

“I’m okay,” I say, coughing again and then wiping my mouth. The pepper and tomato bite my tongue and the olive oil coats my mouth. It’s horrible.

Amy shakes her head and then grabs her book. “I’m going to read on the hammock.”

She leaves then, the door banging after her. A gust of wind, hinting of morning blooming flowers and sand, blows through, lifting the ends of my hair.

McCormick takes the glass from my hand then and replaces it with the mug of coffee. The ceramic is hot, the steam rising. I take a hesitant sip.

It’s good. Thank goodness.

McCormick gives a tight smile as my shoulders relax and the coffee chases away the taste of the eggs and oil.

“Thank you.”

He nods then and starts to stand. He’s turning away, and I can tell there’s a lot that isn’t being said. A lot that happened between our almost kiss and now.

I reach out and press a hand to his arm, arresting him mid-rise. “Wait.”

He stops, crouched before me.

My heart clatters at his guarded look.

“What happened?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “What do you mean?”

“What happened last night after we kissed?”

He jerks back then as if I knocked him off-balance. It takes him a moment to steady himself. Finally, he looks me directly in the eyes.

“We didn’t.”

“We didn’t what?”

“Kiss.”

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