Page 86 of Obsession Under the Southern Stars

“Except that it looks as if they’re getting along,” she says with a laugh, “and not annoying the hell out of each other.”

It’s true that is how we’ve been for the past few years—flirting without acknowledging it, driving each other crazy. What happened last night felt inevitable; the only puzzle is to discover what happens next.

Ahead of us, the forest appears to be coming to an end, and we emerge from the line of trees to a wide-open grassy plateau, dotted with sheep that stare at us as if astonished to see people up here in their deserted playground.

“Carry on west?” Zoe asks, and I nod. The sun behind us, we continue walking along the rough path. We pass a group of sheds that, although deserted, gives us hope that the island isn’t completely empty, round another group of trees, then discover that the view opens out before us. The island stretches away, long and thin, the woodland mainly cleared, leading to—at the end in the distance—a small settlement with about half a dozen houses that line the coast.

“Civilization!” Zoe says enthusiastically. She goes to walk forward, then stops as she discovers I’m standing still.

“Let’s go back to the cabin,” I say. “I’ll buy it from the Department of Conservation. Let’s live there for the rest of our days and grow old and gray together. Let’s not go back to the world.”

Her lips curve up, and she moves closer to me. “What’s the matter?” she asks softly.

I swallow, looking at her green eyes, beautiful and bright in the early sun. “Last night was perfect.”

“Hardly,” she says with a laugh. “We were soaked through, had hardly any food, and were squeezed together on a tiny bunk.”

“That’s what I meant. There wasn’t anything else to distract us. Nobody else interfering. Nothing to spoil the moment.”

“Apart from the gale-force winds and the torrential rain.”

“Apart from that, yes.”

Her green eyes search mine. “The danger of the storm made the fact that we were together seem precious, I know. Sunlight is always brighter when it’s contrasted with shadow.”

“That’s very poetic.”

She shrugs. She looks down at her feet for a moment. Then, eventually, she looks back up at me. “Are you worried about what’s going to happen next?”

“It’s crossed my mind.”

She sucks her bottom lip, looking away across the plateau. “Can we talk about it once we’re back?”

“Of course.”

“It’s just… I need to think…”

“I know.”

She looks back at me. “Last night was amazing. And I don’t mean the storm.”

I study her face, thinking how beautiful she is.

She lifts a hand to my face. “I could fall heavily for you, Joel. I’ve known that all along. And I just need to make sure that’s what I want before I jump in with both feet. Does that make sense?”

Conflicting emotions spiral through me—joy at her admission, frustration that she’s making me wait, and sadness that there’s a possibility she might end up saying no. But I can’tforce her to love me. She told me,You need to let go of the feeling that if you’re not in control, your life is going to fall apart.I’m going to have to give up the tiller, and let the wind take me where it pleases.

“Come on,” she says softly, taking my hand. “Not far now.”

It takes us about half an hour to cross the plateau. We’re just closing in on the houses when we realize we finally have a signal on our phones.

“Thank God,” I say. “I’ll call Manu and get a boat to pick us up.”

“Okay. I’m going to call my parents, if that’s all right.” She walks a few feet away, dialing.

Manu answers in two rings, obviously sees my name on his screen, and yells, “Bro! Jesus, you’re alive! Where are you?”

“We’re on Moturoa Island. We got caught in the storm coming back from Waewaetorea Island. We made it as far as the Black Rocks, but we had to abandon the boat. I anchored it, but I’m guessing it foundered.”

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