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Even though I can barely feel my arms, I throw them around him. Brookes hugs me to him, his arms squeezing me so tight that I think I might explode.
“I’m glad you’re okay, Jessie.” His voice is gruff as he squeezes me again before letting me go. “We need to go get you checked out. Patrick needs to know everything is fine with you too.”
“Did you guys find the other hikers?” I grab the harness for the rescue sled, but Brookes takes it from me and pulls it on. I shoot him a look, but he just smiles.
“Yeah, we found them. One of them got separated from the others, but I found him when I was coming to get you. Clara was dragging him back to the camp.”
I nod and start trudging through the snow alongside him. “It’s good that you were able to find them. How far are we from the clearing?”
Brookes pulls up his neck warmer and barks out a laugh. “Ten minutes at most.”
My cheeks flame and I’m grateful he can’t see them. “Ten minutes. I was that close, and I couldn’t make it. My navigation skills really are shit.”
“They really are. I’ll teach you to get better at it though.”
I stuff my hands deep into my pockets. “I don’t know. I’m starting to think that this really isn’t for me. I doubt Patrick is going to let me continue with the program, which means I’m probably going to lose my chance at a fellowship.”
“He’s not going to get rid of you. Sure, you might not be great at navigation, but you’re great at the rest of it. You’re an amazing doctor, Jessie, and people could really use you out here.”
The trees start to thin as the falling snow slows. The wind dies down as we enter the clearing.
Each step feels like a lead weight is tied to my feet. Patrick’s arms are crossed over his chest and his ponytail sways in the breeze. When I slide off my sunglasses and take off the scarf covering my mouth, Patrick grins.
“It’s good to see you.” Patrick crosses the open space and pulls me into a tight hug. “We were all worried that something happened out there.”
Tears blur my vision as he releases me. “I thought something was going to happen to me too. Clara left the sled with me, but I still wasn’t sure anyone was going to find me before the cold sank in.”
Patrick glances at Brookes before looking back at me. “She left you there?”
Butterflies erupt in my stomach. “I was sure I would be fine on my own. I was supposed to head back to the clearing to wait for everybody. I got lost on the way there.”
“But she was still left on her own in the middle of a fucking snowstorm.” Brookes’ tone is sharp as he glares at Clara from across the clearing. “I don’t know what you want to do about that, Patrick, but something needs to be done. Can you trust someone who’s going to leave a member of their team in the middle of a whiteout because they’re tired of working with that person?”
I drive an elbow into Brookes’ side. “This isn’t necessary. Really. It happened, and I just want to move past it.”
Patrick motions to one of the waiting vehicles. “Go get yourself checked out, Jessie. I’m going to be speaking to Dani and Fletcher as soon as we get back to the Barn.”
“Patrick, you don’t have to.” I try to keep my teeth from chattering as the cold weather sinks in. “Really. She wasn’t trying to cause a problem.”
“You need more navigation lessons, Jessie, but that doesn’t mean someone can leave you out there to potentially die. Not on this team. We’re supposed to be a family who works together. I will be speaking to Dani and Fletcher, and I’ll support their decision.”
Even though I don’t want to see Clara lose the volunteer position, I could have died. She’s doing her job to save people, but she was more than willing to leave me out on my own.
I could have died.
“Come on.” Brookes wraps his arm around me, guiding me across the clearing. “You’re starting to go into shock. We need to get you looked over and back into a warm building.”
Brookes helps me perch on the edge of one of the trucks. He takes the first aid kit from his rescue sled and starts to look me over. His hands move over me softly, making sure there are no injuries.
“Looks like you’re good.” He stands and takes my face in his hands. “Which means you’re going to be able to hear me when I tell you that I love you?”
“You love me?” My voice breaks and the tears I’ve been fighting to hold back finally spill over.
Brookes nods, his thumbs brushing away my tears. “I love you so damn much, Jessie. So much. I don’t know what I would have done if anything happened to you out there.”
My answering smile makes my cheeks ache. “I love you too. Just as much.”
“Good.” He kisses me again, this time soft and slow. His tongue slides along the seam of my mouth, parting my lips on a gentle gasp.
