Page 178 of The Otherworld

I narrow my eyes. “You calling me lazy?”

“No,” he says with a laugh. “You work harder than anyone I know when you want something badly enough. So if you really want this…”

“I do.”

Adam nods, clapping a hand firmly on my shoulder. “Then you should go for it.” I could swear I see a glint of pride in his eyes.

Seriously, pride.

For me.

“Have you told Mom and Dad?”

I shake my head. “Not yet. I wanted you to be there. To back me up.”

Adam grins. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

* * *

I tell them over breakfast. And sure enough, Mom freaks out.

“Jackie,” she says, “this is so rash. You can’t be serious.”

But I am serious, and I prove it by keeping my cool while explaining my reasons to them. In the end, I win. Mom sheds a few tears of irrational fear, but I assure her that nothing bad will happen to me—it’s not like there’s a war going on.

Dad thinks it’s a good idea. There’s a look of respect in his eyes as he listens to me explain my plans. I can tell he wasn’t expecting this—but he doesn’t try to talk me out of it.

“I can’t believe they’re okay with it,” I say to Adam afterward. We’re outside on the deck, watching the sky darken as a thunderstorm rolls in from the ocean. “I mean, Mom’s always gonna worry—”

“Well, she’d have to be a little mentally unstable not to worry at the thought of you as a fighter pilot,” Adam says.

I laugh, shaking my head. “You’re such a jerk, you know that?”

He smirks, crossing his arms smugly and leaning back against the railing. I look down at the floorboards, a wave of guilt rising in my chest.

“No, actually,” I admit in a low voice, “I’m the one who’s been a jerk. I think I always knew that I was pushing my luck with Orca. Knew she didn’t like me, not the way she likes you.” I sigh a humorless laugh. “I thought that I could make her fall for me. But it doesn’t work like that, I guess.”

A distant rumble of thunder punctuates my statement.

Adam thinks for a silent moment before responding. “When you meet the right woman, you won’t have to make her love you, Jack. It’ll just… happen. Without your say-so. Probably against your will. It’ll turn your life upside down, but you won’t care because nothing else will matter to you except her.”

I turn to look at him. “Is that how you feel about Orca?”

He nods.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt that way for anyone.”

“Well, you’re only eighteen, Jack. You’ve got plenty of time.”

“Whereas you are an old man, getting more ancient by the minute. Better hurry up and marry her before you go gray.”

Adam laughs, tipping his head back. “As a matter of fact, I was planning on flying out there tomorrow to ask for her father’s permission.”

“No kidding. Really?”

He nods.

“Were you going to invite any of us to the wedding or just sneak off and do that when nobody’s looking?”

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