Page 37 of Hidden Ascent

“I’ve never gone on a date like this.”

Jay stood in front of her and took her hand.

“What are you doing?” She looked at her hand when he ran his thumb across the back of it.

“Isla. I know we haven’t known each other long, but I’ve got this fundraiser I’m attending, and I’d love if you’d come as my plus one. What do you think?”

She tried to keep a straight face, but she finally laughed. “Nice try, but I don’t think it will work.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s not real.”

“Come on, I’m not that bad-looking. There must be at least some part of you that finds me the smallest bit attractive and wouldn’t mind letting me take you out. I promise I won’t try to kiss you goodnight.”

Attractiveness wasn’t the problem. “Just promise me you won’t leave me on my own.”

“You really are uncomfortable with this.”

“Yes.”

“Okay. I promise I won’t leave you alone. But we should get going. We’ve got a long drive ahead of us. I’m assuming you can sit in a car without too much trouble?”

“I think I can manage, yes.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Look at you two,” Peter said, entering the room. He had Jemi on his arm.

She smiled at them both and said, “You guys are gonna do great. We’ll be praying.”

“I know you will,” Isla said. “Thank you. I’ll definitely need it.”

* * *

Isla and Jay said little on the drive. Jay tried to make conversation, but Isla could only offer one- or two-word answers. She focused out the window trying to figure out what to say to Whitlock when they met.

She’d shaken his hand once and saw kindness in his eyes, but you couldn’t always tell with people. And despite what Baker had said, no one could be fully trusted. She could be making a big mistake. But that wasn’t the only thing bothering her.

“What if he doesn’t believe me?” She hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but it was too late to take it back now.

“Who, Whitlock? You’re not some nut off the street telling him these things. Not just anyone can get into this fundraiser, remember?”

“No, only salt-encrusted lunatics who take long swims in freezing cold water.”

“Exactly.” He smiled. “Isla, you’re a beautiful and confident woman who was there when your team died. He’ll have no reason not to believe you.”

“He won’t care about how I look, and I’m far from confident.”

“You’re confident about what happened the other night. He’ll believe you.”

“I hope so. Because if he doesn’t, I don’t know what to do.”

“You need to stop stressing yourself over this. All we can do is try. And I’ll be right by your side. If this doesn’t work, we’ll figure something else out.”

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

“Should I not be?”

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