Page 22 of Until We Break

“Of course,” she responded with a smile and left us alone.

I groaned with frustration. The reasons piled up.

“I could call the base and see if there is an ID on the boat yet. Maybe the parents have called it in. Someone would report a missing sailor.”

“Yeah, you should go. You don’t have to stay.” I wanted to shove his muscled arms out of here.

“I’m not leaving. I’m going to make a phone call,” he explained.

I sighed. “But you could leave. You don’t have to stay.”

He cocked his head. “Are you trying to get rid of me, Margot?”

I closed my eyes. “No.” I plastered a fake smile on my face.

“How would you get back to Marshoak Island if I take off now?”

“There’s a ferry,” I answered.

“Right. The ferry.” He leaned against the wall. When he folded his arms, his biceps seemed to fill half the room.

I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “You don’t have to worry about me, you know. I’m fine. I’m just watching out for the kid, that’s all.”

He reached into his back pocket, opened his wallet, and began to finger through some bills. “Here.”

I gawked at him, feeling the rage seep through my skin. “No.”

“You don’t have anything on you. Take it.”

I hated that he was right. I hated that he was planning when I couldn’t. I hated that he seemed to care what happened to me, even though he knew what happened the last time he did.

ELEVEN

Caleb

Damn. She was stubborn. I also knew she was strong. Athletic. Fearless. She rescued that kid. He was alive because of her. I knew guys who failed the course because they panicked when it came to saving actual people in the water. I couldn’t dismiss what Margot had been through today, even if she kept trying to push me away. The adrenaline would fade, and she was going to be left with a hollow shell. I didn’t want to see that happen to her—not after she saved him. She shouldn’t be alone, even if she thought that was what she wanted.

I held the folded bills between us. She glared at me. “If you don’t want the money, then I’ll just stay.”

She bit her lower lip. That was the other thing about her. She was beautiful. Every time I looked into her eyes there was the slightest quiver under my ribcage. And she was a fucking mess. I could tell. But here I was, offering her whatever I could to get her through this day. I couldn’t explain it. Why I was doing it. Why I wanted to stay. Again.

Her green eyes seemed to hold me in place.

“I can figure it out. You don’t have to do everything for me.”

“I’m not doing everything for you,” I argued. It was also a lie. I knew I would do more if she would let me.

The door handle moved, and we jumped. A nurse peeked her head inside. “Dr. Mason said I could find you here.”

“Is he already done with testing?” Margot asked.

“No. It’s going to take a little while. She said you can see him if you’d like.”

Margot nodded and rushed to the door. I was right behind her. The nurse led us through the emergency room to a curtained stall at the end of the open room. She pulled back the mesh and blue fabric.

“You can sit with him until we take him up.” She motioned to the chairs and walked away.

Margot took a seat. “Hi,” she whispered. “I’m Margot. You know, the girl who jumped in and swam out to get you?” She followed up with nervous laughter. “Now we’re in Pointe Harbor at the hospital. I’m sure the doctors told you that part. But don’t worry, we are trying to find your parents. They’ll be here soon. Really soon.”

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