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He handed the bird to me and shovelled in a few mouthfuls of breakfast before putting his plate in the sink. “I really have to go. I’m sorry I can’t help today. Hopefully the roads are clear and they restore some power soon.” Then he made a face. “And if the news crew are there again, maybe Doreen will be mad at them instead.”
I hadn’t thought of that...
“If those arseholes are there again, you call me.”
He fished his phone out of his pocket and tapped the screen. “I would if I could, but we still have no service.”
Goddammit.
“Maybe I should come with you.”
He shook his head. “I’ll be fine. They’ll have enough stories to cover without bothering me. I’m old news. And I’m sure you have enough to do at your work.”
Mum waved her hand. “Your father’s already been down this morning. There’s some minor damage. Mostly water damage, but the loading docks look okay. The engineers will need to assess them, of course.”
Shit.
I put my hand to my forehead. I hadn’t even thought about my work.
Guilt hit me hard because Ishouldhave thought about it. I should have considered my parents’ lifework. “Mum, I’m sorry. I didn’t even think. Are we able to go down today? Is the admin building okay?”
She patted my arm. “It’s fine. You’ve had enough to worry about. We’ll go back after we’ve finished here.”
That didn’t make me feel any better.
Jeremiah took the keys to the Jeep. “I have to go. I’ll come back as fast as I can and help with whatever’s needed. I doubt there’s much I can do at the office anyway, apart from cleaning up and assessing the damage. But without power or radio signals or internet, there’s not much I can do at all. But I told Doreen I’d be back first thing.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “Be careful.”
“Always am.”
“That’s a lie.”
He opened his mouth, then shut it again. “Well, I’ll try to be.”
I smiled at him again. “At least promise me you won’t try to die today.”
He sighed. “I don’t try... It’s not deliberate. I simply—”
“Jeremiah,” I said, walking up to him. Still holding the bird to my chest, I leaned up on my toes and kissed him. “Have a good day. Be careful out there. I love you.”
His eyes went wide, and his whole face went red. He glanced over at my mother. “Tully,” he hissed.
I laughed. “Tell Doreen I said hello. And I hope Suri’s okay today.”
He mumbled something as he backed out, and he turned for the door. He looked back and waved, completely flustered, then made a quick exit.
I laughed, and Mum clucked her tongue at me. “Leave the poor boy alone.”
I sighed happily—who would’ve known that being in love was such a fucking rush—and I went out onto the balcony to see if Dad and Ellis needed some help.
“My god, the sea is so calm,” I said. Sure, the palm trees were a mess, but the bay was like glass.
Ellis put one piece of plyboard against the wall. “Crazy, huh?”
“How are you this morning?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Yeah, I’m okay. Luckily I took a bag with a change of clothes to Mum and Dad’s, and my toothbrush. Everything I own fits in a backpack, but I’m okay.”
