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“It’s an implant?” she said.
“Yeah. It’s pretty small—about the size of a grain of rice. But it’s connected—” I said, rummaging through my bag, “to this.”
I picked up a small device, which looked like a pager.
“Activate the device, and Paul can trace my location and come get me. It even has settings. See? Emergency, ASAP, whatever. I’ll tell him to come pick us up in the chopper once the weather’s cleared.”
“That’s crazy,” said Jamie. “Why do you have that?”
“I have it,” I said, pulling a few dry logs from the basket by the fireplace, “in case I get kidnapped or there’s any kind of security leak. I can drop the pager and Paul will still be able to locate me. Or the authorities.”
“This is insane,” said Jamie. “GPS. Satellite tracking. You hacked my phone, and now you’re telling me you’ve got a microchip?”
“Hey,” I said. “Think what would have happened if I didn’t have all those things. You might have ended up stranded out there tonight.”
“Instead, I’m stranded in here with you,” said Jamie rudely.
I pursed my lips and tried to remain calm at what she said. Why was she always like this? So quick to judge me and make me feel like the bad guy? I hadn’t wanted to come and get her—though I’m glad that I had. I couldn’t deny that I’d been worried about Jamie. I’d switched off my normal reactions and had gone into survival mode when I saw her out there, stranded in the rain.
“Look,” I said, as I finally lit the fire and it began to burn cheerily in the grate. “The important thing is that you’re safe.”
“Why do you care?”
“Because,” I said, but I didn’t know how to tell her what I was feeling. That no one could have found her except me. And now, no one was better placed to get her home safe than me. I was burning with a protective instinct for her.
“Well?”
“Because I was worried! Okay?” I snapped the words.
And then, to my shock, I saw Jamie’s lip trembling.
She was taking deep breaths, and then I was at her side. It happened before I could even think about it. Suddenly I was holding her. She was so soaked from the storm that we were dripping in a puddle together. And her head was in my chest, and she was sobbing.
“I was worried too,” she sobbed. “There was a moment when—for a second, I thought…”
“Thought what?” I said. Trying to act like I didn’t want this. Didn’t want her this close to me, didn’t want her arms, which were reaching around my broad torso, pulling me closer.
“I thought I was going to end up like Mom,” she said.
“Listen,” I said. I lifted her chin, and then she was looking at me, her eyes glimmering by the light of the fire. “You’re safe, okay?”
Jamie was shivering. “Come on,” I said. “You need to get out of those wet clothes.”
She nodded, but I could tell she didn’t want to be alone. So, I picked up her bag and followed her past the kitchen and down the hallway of the cabin towards one of the bedrooms. I pulled out her towel and handed it to her. Turned around. “It’s fine,” I said. “I’m not looking.”
“Nothing you haven’t seen before,” she sniffed. I was happy she’d stopped crying.
“I’m cold,” said Jamie.
I turned around. I was cold too. But there was a warm feeling creeping up my spine, penetrating my chest. I felt like I might burst with concern for her, like an animal was pacing the bars of its cage inside of me. One which wanted to break out. To comfort her. I kept my eyes on the wall, conscious of the fact, although we were wet and tired. I was confused and angry with her. I wanted her.
“Listen,” I said. “It’s gonna be fine. Paul will be here in the morning.”
“Okay,” she said.
“Are you all right to stay here for a little while? Until the rain stops.”
“Sure.”
