Page 21 of Restoration

“What should we do now?” I ask him, still jittery and at loose ends.

What the hell is a woman supposed to do in this position—stranded on an island with her hot, mostly clueless boss?

“I don’t know about you, but I’m going to take a nap. I feel like I could crash right this second.”

“Oh.” I take a couple of breaths. “Okay. That’s probably a good idea.”

Edmund is already lying down with one arm folded above his head. His eyes are closed.

“I guess I’ll nap too.”

His mouth twitches, so I know he’s not asleep yet, but he doesn’t reply.

With nothing else available to fill my time, I lie back on the towel, comfortable in the shade of the trees, and close my eyes too.

I’m not a nap person. I’ve never been a nap person. But I’ve also never been as tired and stressed and helpless as I am right now.

It only takes me a minute to fall asleep.

five

LATER THAT AFTERNOON, we find the energy to venture into the tropical forest that’s covering most of the island.

As expected, we find coconut palm trees after no more than a three-minute walk.

Since searching for food is our primary priority at the moment, we don’t bother going any farther. We collect four brown coconuts that Edmund swears are ripe—I have absolutely no clue—and carry them back to the beach where we’re set up.

“Okay,” I say when we drop them onto the sand near the entrance to our newly established hut. “Since you’re the self-proclaimed coconut expert, how do you suggest we get these things open without any tools?”

He scratches his head, ruffling his hair, which is in wild disarray from getting dunked in salt water and drying without combing. He stares down at the four large, rough globes on the sand. “Crack them open on a rock?”

I shrug. “That’s probably our best option. Have you seen any rocks around here?”

I haven’t, but I also haven’t been looking. And I’m honestly not the most observant person in the world because so often I’m caught up in my own thoughts.

He rolls his eyes at me. “That’s my Autumn. Always getting in the way of my good ideas with her practicalities.”