Page 106 of One Last Shot

Didn’t want to wake Hannah or Boo and send them spiraling back into pain.

He’d been sitting here for the past six hours, drawing a map in his head of the terrain, listening to the wind howl, and he couldn’t escape the voices that said he should have gone for help.

Worse, Moose was also in his head, over and over.“You can trust that God loves you and that he’ll carry you through the storm.”

Oaken hated to admit it, but he wanted to believe it. Needed to believe it.

Because maybe there was no other way to survive.

Moose hung around, too, with his stupid but probably accurate sailing analogy.

“The answer isn’t to seek the purpose but to ride the waves, respond to what God isteaching you.”

Oaken didn’t have a clue what God might be saying to him. But maybe it was enough to consider that God wasn’t punishing him, or Boo or little Hannah.

Still, it was a little too loud in his head for sleep, so he’d sat up, debating everything.

Including whether he could walk away from the music. Because as much as this world called to him... it wasn’t real. But it could be, maybe?—

Under his arm, Boo shifted. He liked the nickname he’d given her—Boomer. Like she’d set off some sort of thunderclap in his life.

She lifted her head. Made a noise, deep inside her body.

“You okay?”

She sighed. “If I don’t move it, maybe. How’s Hannah?”

“She whimpered a bit in her sleep, but I think splinting her leg helped.”

“We need to get her to medical care, ASAP.”

“I’ve been thinking about that all night. The wind doesn’t seem to be lifting. I’m going to have to carry her out.”

“Yeah,” Boo said. “Maybe I can...” She tried to move then and stiffened. “Shoot. I think I really hurt my leg.” She looked up at him. “I’m going to have to stay here.”

The words put a fist in his chest.

“I’m sorry, I’m... I’m sorry I turned into a burden.”

“What?” he said quietly. “What are you talking about?”

“I went from being an asset to being... well, I’m sorry?—”

“Stop. Right now. You’re not a burden. You’re injured.” He caught her chin. “Why would you say that?”

Her mouth tightened. “Just . . . because.”

“Boo?”

She sighed. “My real name is Brontë.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“It’s after?—”

“TheBrontë sisters?”

“Yes. My mom was a big fan.”