Page 105 of 15 Summers Later

Ashleigh made a face. “You don’t think we started there? She refused to talk to us until we submit a formal interview request through her publisher. I don’t suppose you could help us cut through the red tape, could you?”

Madi frowned. “I meant what I said. I don’t have time for this. I’m interested in helping rescued animals, not in talking about events that happened years ago. Excuse me. I need to go grab some more water for them.”

She picked up the two gallon containers and hurried away, doing her best, he could tell, not to limp.

Luke saw the reporter let out an annoyed breath and start to take off after her. He gave her a stony look and shook his head. She opened her red-painted mouth, then closed it again in frustration and went to confer with her camera operator.

After making sure the volunteers had things under control in the stall, he went after Madi, who had gone to a potable water spigot near the restrooms.

“I said I don’t want to talk to you,” she snapped, then whirled around, features furious. The hot expression faded when she spied Luke.

“Sorry. I thought you were that reporter. Is she gone?”

“Not yet. But I am pretty sure you made your point about not wanting to talk to her.”

She sighed as she finished filling up one jug and moved the other one under the spigot. “I would have been happy to talk to her about the rescue, how we’re trying to provide animals in need with a better life. But no. Why would anybody want to talk about that, the animals who need helpnow, when they can focus instead on something that happened years ago? It’s apparently much more interesting to talk about two girls stranded in the wilderness with a pack of deranged survivalists on their heels.”

She set down the water container and swiped at her eyes. The sight of her frustrated tears moved him beyond measure.

“I hate that Ava has put me in this position. I would rather forget any of it ever happened and move on with life. Instead, I’m being forced to think about it every single day. I feel like it will never, ever end.”

“I’m sorry.”

She sighed. “What celebrities want to feature it in their book clubs, do you think?”

“I don’t know that it matters. The point is that the story you don’t want to think about has touched something in the public consciousness. I’m afraid you won’t be able to avoid talking about it forever.”

“Nobody can force me to do an interview.” She studied him. “What about you? You and your family are part of this story, too. Why don’t you have reporters knocking down your door?”

He decided not to mention that he and his family already had fielded media requests and were discussing how to handle them. As he had said to Madi, he knew they would eventually have to talk to someone. Interest was too high right now and it was better to take control of the narrative rather than letting others speak for them. He and his siblings and his mother were trying to figure out their best options.

He should have known Madi would be able to interpret his silence correctly. “Youhavehad reporters knocking down your door.”

“We’ve had a few phone calls. Not the same thing. We’re considering how best to handle the media interest.”

“Doesn’t it bother you to have strangers like Ashleigh Beaujolais digging into your past?”

“Our part in the whole thing was very small.”

“Small?”Her voice rose. “You saved our lives. You threw your body over mine when bullets started flying. Your father sacrificed his life for us. I wouldn’t call thatsmall. I can never repay you and your family for that. You saved us. I don’t want to think about where we might be today if we hadn’t stumbled onto your campsite.”

He couldn’t help it. He reached for her hand, tracing his thumb over her small, curled fingers.

“My dad might have helped rescue you and Ava from the dire situation you were in. But both of you are responsible for how you have survived and thrived since then.”

Her gaze met his, eyes wide and unblinking.

“I believe that’s a big part of the story that resonates with people. Your strength and integrity. Others might have withdrawn from the world. Become angry and bitter at all they had lost. Instead, you are the most generous, loving, giving person I have ever known.”

Her fingers flexed in his and he curled his own bigger hand over hers and brought her hand to his mouth. “I respect you for not wanting to live in the past, Madi. But I hope you can also acknowledge how that past has shaped you, forged you. It’s given you a strength of will the rest of the world can’t help but admire.”

28

The last page turns, but the story of our survival is far from over.

—Ghost Lakeby Ava Howell Brooks

Madison

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