Page 40 of Survival

“Sign here, please.”

I signed my name with shaky, excited fingers, and the man handed me a vase with four equally beautiful full-bloom roses, each in a different color. My stomach tensed for a moment, reminded of Zane before I saw the card, and my heart swelled as I read.

For the girl who means the most to me.

A yellow rose to say, I’m sorry,

A red rose to say, I love you,

A white rose to tell you you’re beautiful,

And a pink rose so I can see you smile.

Waiting here with open arms to hold you again…

“So, I’m guessing Tucker’s forgiven now?” Annie said from over my shoulder.

“Yeah. He’s forgiven.” I couldn’t help but smile as I read the card again, and I closed my eyes, pressing my nose to the flowers to smell. He was getting a call the secondI was done with twin duty tonight. I couldn’t wait to be back in his arms.

JET

“Jet, someone’s at the door for you.” Nic appeared in our bedroom doorway to lean against the frame. I pulled a shirt from my closet, fresh from my shower, and gave him a questioning look. “Izzy,” he added.

I nodded, pulling on my shirt as I headed for the door and found Izzy smiling and bouncing on her heels in her workout clothes.

“Hey,” I greeted, relieved to see her happy.

“Hey. I’m here to take you to your present.”

My brow furrowed. “You have to take me to my present? What about Annie? I was about to go meet her.”

“She’s there waiting for us. Now, come on. I’m supposed to meet Leo at the studio soon.”

“Uh…alright. Am I supposed to bring anything?” I felt thrown, the date suddenly different than I’d expected.

“Just whatever you were planning to bring. Annie’s covered the rest.” She glanced down at her Fitbit. “Okay, now seriously. Get what you need, and let’s go. I promised Annie I wouldn’t be late.”

“You mean you’re on time?” I cocked my head in mock disbelief, earning me a glare.

“Yes, but I won’t be for long if you don’t hurry up, and thenyou’llhave to deal with Annie’s attitude.I’llbe off the hook, dancing my ass off as I try to prep for my audition.”

Shit.She had a point. I ran to grab what I needed and followed Izzy out the door.

“There. Listen… Did you hear it?”

“Izzy, it’s nothing.” We were a few miles outside Breaker Ridge, heading to God knows where Annie was waiting when Izzy swore her truck was making some weird noise.

“No, Jet. Really. I hear something different. Like a whirring noise or something. It doesn’t sound right. I think it’s sick.”

I rolled my eyes. “Your truckalwayssounds like it’s coughing up a lung.”

“But now, it sounds like it has full-blown pneumonia, and I have to drive all the way out to Summer Ridge after this.” She pulled to a stop on the side of the road. “Can you take a look at it? Please?”

Shaking my head slightly, I chuckled. “Alright, I’ll take a look.” She clearly wasn’t going to let up until I did, and if it’d make her feel better…

“Thanks.” She twirled her fingers through the long strands of her ponytail that was draped past her shoulder. Her giveaway for nerves, and I gave her a funny look. Stepping down from the truck, I headed around to the front and smacked my hand on the faded blue hood.

“Okay, pop it, Izzy.”

---