quickly as she could, and hung on as he spun out on the wet pathway. She slid back and forth across the slick seat, grasping the bar that ran up the side for dear life. “How can you see?”
It was dark as midnight with leaves and palms blowing in front of them across the path, and the rain slicing across the windshield in waves. “I can’t!” he yelled over the roar of the wind.
He was going to end up driving them right into the water where they’d drown or get eaten. It was a chance she’d have to take, because she wasn’t going to tell him to slow down. His dad was in that helicopter. MJ had to get to him and Maddie would carry him across a desert on her back to get him there if she had to.
Two white golf carts came into view up ahead. “There!” She pointed.
“Got it.” MJ pulled up alongside them and they jumped out.
The wreckage wasn’t hard to find. It smoldered on the ground a few yards inside a dense grouping of Mangroves. “There’s Beck,” MJ said, and he took off jogging.
She ran to catch up.
Beck limped out of the trees with Riley supporting him on one side and Joan on the other. He held his hand across his chest, gripping his ribs tightly. “We’re okay, Junior. You’re dad’s right behind me.”
Maddie stepped up beside MJ. He took her hand. “What happened?” he asked. She felt him shaking.
“Tail got hit by lightning. Controls went out. Engine followed suit.” Beck winced in pain. “Hold up,” he said, and bent at the waist, panting. “I think I cracked a few ribs. It’s hard to take a deep breath.”
“I’ll bring the cart over,” Riley said, and took off running.
Maddie spotted Merrick limping out of the trees with his arm around Rachael. “MJ,” she whispered and nodded toward them. “Go.”
MJ jogged to Merrick’s side. “Are you okay? You’re limping.”
Merrick put a hand on MJ’s shoulder. “I’m fine.”
Tears flowed freely down Rachael’s face. Merrick brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it. He whispered something in her ear and held her face in his hands for a moment before turning back to MJ.
“Your head’s bleeding,” MJ said.
Merrick reached up and dabbed his forehead with his fingertips, then examined them. “It is.” He shrugged and wiped his hand on his torn pants. “It doesn’t hurt.”
“Probably a concussion,” MJ said. “I’ll go bring a golf cart over.” He spun Maddie around. “Come with me.”
The two of them tread across the landing pad to the golf cart. He was shaking, his face pale. She ran her fingers through the back of his hair. “It scared you.”
“I just got him. I don’t want to lose him yet.” He stopped the cart in front of Merrick and Rachael and got out. Maddie followed.
MJ put a shoulder under Merrick’s arm. “Let me help.”
Rachael wiped her eyes and fell into step with Maddie behind the father and son. “He could’ve died,” Rachael said, her voice cracking. She sniffled and exhaled a deep breath. “I could’ve lost him.”
“He didn’t.” Maddie stopped her and wrapped her in a firm hug. “He’s fine and he’s here now.”
“I know,” Rachael said. “I guess you don’t realize how much someone means to you until you think you’ve lost them for good.”
Her words hit home with Maddie. “You’re right. There’s nothing worse than not having someone you love in your life.” She watched MJ help Merrick into the passenger seat of the golf cart as she and Rachael approached to get into the back.
God, if it had been MJ in that helicopter. If she’d heard it go down knowing he was inside… She would’ve hated herself for not being with him for the past year and a half. Hated herself more than she already did. Not being with him, but knowing he was still in the world, hoping and praying he was happy—that was something she could find a way to live with. But, if something happened to MJ… if Maddie woke up tomorrow and found out he was gone from this life… No. She’d never be able to forgive herself for wasting even one day without him.
What the hell had she been thinking all of this time?
Twenty-Three
When they got to the hotel, Beck was already sitting in the lounge in a pair of fresh shorts, shirtless with a bandage wrapped tight around his chest. MJ’s feet sloshed in his shoes as he and Rachael helped Merrick upstairs to