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Goldie gasps. “Wow.”

“You’re not even eating them. You’re giving them to those assholes.” I tilt my head to the crowd of seagulls and all the beady eyes currently fixed on the two of us.

She laughs and takes another drink, stretching one leg out beneath the table while her hand settles over the side of her stomach. My phone buzzes beside my cup before I can ask if the baby’s bothering her again, and Goldie glances at the screen as I reach for it.

“What’s Jenny blowing up your phone about now?”

I unlock it and read the preview. “He wants to know if I saw the last fix on Ruth.”

COLSTON: you seeing this?

COLSTON: the pressure dropped again

Our crew is already scheduled to fly Hurricane Ruth later. She’s a Category Four out over the Gulf and has been strengthening all day, so Colston and I have both been watching every new update while we wait for our report time.

This is another jump in the wrong direction for everybody in her path.

Another message comes through while I’m still reading the most recent report.

COLSTON: if she keeps this shit up we’re getting our five

I go back over the pressure and wind numbers. He’s probably right.

SUMNER: yeah i think we are

His reply comes almost immediately.

COLSTON: holy shit

COLSTON: first five shamu

That’s followed by about a dozen confetti and unhinged emojis.

I grin before I can stop myself, and when I look up, Goldie is watching me.

“What are you smiling about?”

“If the numbers keep going in the direction they are right now, we’re getting our first Five.”

Her eyebrows lift. “And you’re happy about that.”

“I’ve never flown one.” I set my phone down beside my cup. “So yeah. I am.”

She stares at me for a second before shaking her head. “You’re fucking insane.”

I laugh and pick up my drink. “Probably.”

Her smile hangs around, but she runs her thumb slowly through the condensation on the side of her cup. “You know what’s messed up? I’m happy for you. I can see how excited you are, and I want you to get to do this. I just hate that the thing making you this happy scares the shit out of me.”

I reach across the table and take her hand. “I get it. You don’t have to be excited about this just because I am.”

She lets out a breath. “Good, because I’m definitely not.”

Her fingers tighten around mine, and some of the tension leaves her face before my phone buzzes again beside my cup.

COLSTON: also tell goldie girl no labor while we’re gone

COLSTON: trace is not meeting that baby before i do because im stuck flying with your ass