Submerged

Before Adam realized what was happening, Laura and Jen pulled Cobie from his arms and into theirs, ushering her out of the small room where her father’s body had been found, and putting Adam in his place.

Just as well. He had no business attempting to comfort her. Her friends were more suitable for the task, so Adam buried his anguish and went to see how he could assist Ray and busy himself until this experience was behind him.

* * *

On the beach, Adam tossed his bag into Billy’s seaplane, which he’d maneuvered right up to the sand. After Adam placed Cobie’s bags inside, he turned and shook Billy’s hand.

“Thanks for coming on such short notice, man.”

“Not a problem.” Billy tugged on his Mountain Cove Air ball cap, his expression somber. “This isn’t out of my way, and even if it was, you know I’d come for you. I came back earlier to check on Cobie and saw she wasn’t alone, so left it at that.”

“I appreciate it. It’s not that I couldn’t leave with Gary, but—”

“You don’t have to explain.” Billy continued readying his plane to take Cobie and Adam back home.

Mountain Cove.

He hadn’t planned on going back until, well, Christmas. It had been hard enough to leave as it was. He’d finally worked up his nerve to explore the world outside Alaska, and losing his business to the fire had given him the perfect opportunity—freedom. He didn’t have a business to tie him down anymore.

And then today had happened.

His friends stood on the beach, talking to Ray and Mel. Cobie still huddled with Laura and Jen a few yards away, saying goodbye to her friends. She looked better. The color was back in her cheeks. Her friends had bolstered her, probably in a way Adam never could, so for that, he was thankful they’d come. Grateful they’d interfered with his attempts to comfort her upon discovering her father’s body. But they would leave her behind today when they headed back to their homes and lives in Laura’s boat, and Cobie would fly back to Mountain Cove with Billy.

And Adam, though she didn’t know that yet.

Nate, Jared and Gary wanted to stop on another island and explore another cave, maybe survey it, too. Regret hung around Adam’s neck for the horrible way this planned trip had turned out, pulling him down until he thought he would simply fall flat on his face and quit trying to move forward and on with his life.

If this were about any other woman except Cobie, Adam would go with his friends and try to forget the past. Then he’d follow through on the plans that would take him away from life in Alaska. That’s what he wanted. Or thought he had wanted until Cobie stepped back into his life.

I don’t know what you’re doing here, God, if anything.