Page 31 of Crash Over Us
“You want to go inside and eat your breakfast from Nan?” he suggested. “If we stay out here, we’re going to roast.”
He helped me to my feet. “Thank you for bringing the breakfast. And the coffee.”
We walked off the pier and onto the gravel. I opened the screen door. Caleb held my breakfast in his hand.
“Margot, do you think you’d be up for hearing what happened out there? If you’re ready.” His eyes crinkled with a forlorn look. My heart melted, but I swore there wasn’t an ounce of pity inside me. It was love.
I nodded. “Of course. Tell me everything.”
We walked inside and closed the door, locking the rest of the world outside.
SEVENTEEN
Caleb
I climbed in my truck. The paperwork had been filed. I had stopped by medical again and had my stitches re-bandaged. I was exhausted. Bone-weary tired. But that wasn’t going to stop me from driving to Pointe Harbor.
Guthrie had given me orders to take the next three days off. I didn’t like the idea of sitting around, but Margot needed help at the marina, and I didn’t have to sit on my ass for three days straight.
I pulled up to the gate to leave base. Charlie met me at the driver’s side window.
“O’Connor, it’s good to see you.”
“Yeah, man. I’m headed over to see Gabe,” I answered. Normally, he waved me through.
He shook his head. “Last night was crazy. I heard you’re a hero. Getting a medal or something like that?”
I pulled my sunglasses over my eyes. I didn’t want to talk about the commendation. I had scrambled out of Guthrie’s office this morning when he told me he was writing it up for recommendation. How did Charlie already know?
“Who knows?” I passed it off as gossip. “Going to check on Gabe, though.”
“Right.” Charlie slapped the side of the truck. “Give me best, will you?”
“Of course.” I rolled up the window and edged away from the gate guard.
When I pulled onto the ferry that would take me to Pointe Harbor, I noticed a few of the ferry workers pointed me out. Or was I imagining it? They seemed to huddle together and look over at me. What the hell was going on?
I leaned my seat back and closed my eyes with the windows down, letting the salt breeze move through the truck. I didn’t want to talk to anyone about the attack. I didn’t want them to ask how I was doing. I wanted to be left alone, like it never happened at all.
I wasn’t going to get my wish. One of the guys poked his head through my window.
“Caleb, man! I heard what happened. That’s a hell of a story.”
I cleared my throat. I didn’t move in my seat. “What’s up, Drew?”
He chuckled. “You’re a hero, you know that?”
I folded my arms across my chest. My stomach churned. I was liking that word less and less. The ferry’s horn blared. We were departing from the docks. Drew stepped back.
“I’ve got to get up top, but wanted to say I’m proud of you, man. Really.”
I grumbled and Drew disappeared. There was a hat in my console. I quickly retrieved and dropped it over my face, hoping no one else would recognize me. Although, on the island everyone knew my truck.
I wondered how long this fake hero shit was going to follow me around. First it was Nan, then Charlie, now the guys on the ferry? I wasn’t a hero. Gabe was unconscious in the hospital. What did that make me? Not a fucking hero.
* * *
Pointe Harbor Memorial had started to hold a peculiar collection of memories for me. When I walked through the sliding doors, the first thing I thought about was the day Margot and I had been here with Lucas.
