Annihilate Me (Vol. 4) (The Annihilate Me Series) (6 page)

His
hand tightened around mine and he pulled me closer to him in a way that was so
loving and protective, I felt myself relax.
 
I felt safe with him.
 
I rested my head against his
chest—felt his warmth against my cheek, the solid foundation of his
muscular build—and we just stood there, looking out at a moon that was
larger than any of our problems and so deeply orange that it set fire to the
ocean’s surface.
 
In peace, I closed
my eyes, only to open them a moment later in surprise when he said in my ear,
“You
’
re the love of my life,
Jennifer.”

I
wasn’t sure how to respond to that.
 
Certainly, Diana had been the love of his life.
 
Was it
possible
for me to take her place so quickly?
 
As it usually did at moments like this,
my father
’
s voice entered my head to
tell me not to buy it because Alex was lying to me.
 
But I knew better.
 
Alex had never lied to me, and he
wasn
’
t one to make such grand statements.
 
In my gut, I knew that he meant it, and
once again, I counted my blessings and shut my father down.

How
is this possible?
 
No man has ever
loved me.
 
Not like this.

Later,
after dinner, he took me in bed with such compassion and tenderness that I knew
what he’d said was the truth.
 
He
was in love with me.
 
He was beyond
in love with me.
 
As he entered me
for the second time that day, I felt him in my heart and I knew I was the
luckiest girl in the world.
 
I
prayed for that luck to follow us to New York and to assist us when we
confronted all that awaited us there.

*
 
*
 
*

The
next morning, we woke naked in each other
’
s
arms with my head against his bare chest.
 
Only a sheet was pulled around us.
 
Our bedroom
’
s glass
walls were open, as they usually were, and the smell of the fresh, salty ocean
air was something I thought I might actually miss.
 

Everything
was so pure on the island.
 
No
smog.
 
No noise.
 
No bustle.
 
No traffic.
 
Just the two of us, along with Ann
’
s family, whom we saw only occasionally
because we mostly did business through Skype and email so she and Mark could
raise Max without interruption.

But
today was different.
 
Today was
going to be a celebration.
 
It was
our last day on the island, and I was determined to make it as special as Alex
had made it for me last night.

“How
do you feel about me making breakfast today?”

He
turned to look at me with a raised brow.
 
“
You cook?
”

“We’ve
discussed this.
 
You know I can,
just not as fancy as you.
 
I
’
m a Maine girl who learned from her
grandmother, and my grandmother cooked delicious, home-style food.
 
I was thinking about freshly squeezed
orange juice and eggs.”

“How
about if we team up?
 
You go and
collect the oranges and squeeze them.
 
I
’
ll make the eggs and maybe
some toast.
 
We
’
ll treat each other.”

“I
’
m down for that.
 
But here
’
s what else I
’
d like to do today.
 
I
’
d
like to have Ann and her family over for a late lunch.
 
Today is our last day here.
 
Tomorrow, we leave for New York.
 
I think it
’
s important that we all come together for a
final meal on the island.”

“What
did you have in mind?”

“They
’
ve given us a month of their lives.
 
It needs to be something none of them
will forget.
 
Even Max.”

“Do
I get to give him the keys to his
Jeep?
”

“When
he
’
s sixteen and legal to
drive, you can give him the keys to his own Jeep.
 
I
’
ve
come to adore that boy.
 
Even if it
freaks me out that he
’
ll be
driving in Manhattan, I’ll support your buying him a Jeep.”

Alex
took my hand and lowered it beneath the sheets to his hardness, which I
grasped.

“Do
you support that?”

I
climbed on top of him.
 
“I think you
know the answer.
 
But why not remind
me why I do?”

*
 
*
 
*

After
breakfast, we launched into action.
 
While Alex gathered branches and sticks to build a large bonfire near
the ocean, I called Ann.
 
When she
picked up, she seemed slightly out of breath.

“Are
you packing?” I asked.

“How
did you guess?”

“Can
I help?”

“Mark
is being a very good husband and Max is being a very good son.
 
They
’
re both helping me, though Max
’
s idea of help apparently means making more
of a mess than necessary.
 
I told
him there are only so many shells he can bring back home.
 
To him, that means every single shell he
’
s found on the island since we
’
ve been here.
 
But we
’
re getting through it.
 
And thanks, Jennifer.
 
I appreciate the offer.”

“It
sounds to me as if you could use a break later.”

She
paused for a moment.
 
“What did you
have in mind?”

“A
late lunch.
 
Our house.
 
Or hut.
 
Or whatever you want to call it.
 
Three p.m.?
 
There
’
s no need to do anything but hop in the Jeep
and make sure that all of you come hungry.
 
Alex and I are going to put on a spread.
 
It
’
s
our last full day here, so let’s celebrate.
 
Are you up for it?”

“What
a great idea.
 
We would love
that.
 
At least let me bring a
pitcher of margaritas.”

“As
if I
’
m going to say no to
that.
 
And maybe I
’
ll put you in charge of the martinis after
the sun goes down.
 
Remember when
you first made me a martini?
 
When I
interviewed for Alex?
 
You said you
’
d make it as smooth as silk and as cold as
January.
 
And it was.
 
I
’
ll
never forget that.
 
When I first met
you, I thought you were one of the most elegant women I’d met in my life.
 
And I still do.
 
You made me one of the best martinis I
’
ve ever had—or ever needed as much as
I did at that point in my life.”

“I’ll
happily be in charge of the martinis.
 
After all of this packing, just think of the aggression I can shake off
by shaking the hell out of some ice and vodka.”

I
laughed at that, mostly because I could hear in her voice that she was
genuinely excited to have some fun and a bit of downtime.
 
“Perfect.
 
Right now, Alex is building a bonfire
that we
’
ll light when the sun goes
down.
 
In about thirty minutes, he
and I will be on food duty.
 
Can
’
t wait to see you and to give a proper
farewell to the island.”

“Are
you going to miss it here?” she asked.

“Parts
of it.
 
It is beautiful.
 
And Alex and I have become closer than
ever.
 
How about you, Mark, and
Max?”

“We
’
ll
also miss it here.
 
But, for many reasons, it
’
s time to go home.
 
For instance, I need a massive shopping
infusion.
 
Maybe you
’
ll join me?”

“Consider
it done.
 
We
’
ve never gone shopping together.
 
We
’
ll
bring Lisa and Blackwell.
 
It
’
ll be epic because Blackwell will have it no
other way.
 
Which store do you miss
most?”

“Is
that even a question?
 
Prada.”

“I
knew we had become friends for a reason.”

“But
Prada only after I have a much-needed pedicure to turn my feet back into
something that resembles feet again.
 
I want a new pair of shoes.
 
Is that too much for a girl to ask?”

“Not
for this girl.
 
Sounds perfectly
reasonable to me.”

“And
maybe a cute dress?”

“And
maybe a cute skirt?”

“And
maybe a cute shirt?”

“And
maybe cute new lingerie things?”

“And
maybe a trip to Tom Ford after that?”

“And
maybe we
’
ll happen by Gucci for the
boys?”

“Just
for the boys?”

“OK,
maybe not just for the boys.”

She
hesitated for a moment, and then her voice became serious.
 
“Look, Jennifer, none of this is my
business, so there
’
s no
need to answer if you don
’
t want to.
 
But we
’
re concerned.
 
Are both of you going to be OK back
home?”

At
first, I considered softening the situation, but I couldn
’
t do that to her.
 
She and her family had been faithful to
us.
 
If she asked the question, she
deserved the truth.
 
“
I don’
t know,” I said.
 
“
But we can
’
t
not
go back.
 
Being here isn
’
t solving the issue the way we
’
d hoped it would.
 
Nobody has found solid leads on anything
yet.
 
So, it
’
s time to go back to Manhattan and face
whatever awaits us there.”

“We
’
re worried for you both.”

I
tried to keep my voice even.
 
“So
are we.
 
It
’
s natural and we appreciate that you
’
re thinking of us.
 
Seriously
.
 
But let’
s not go there today.
 
Today, let’s have fun.
 
Let’s
eat until we burst.
 
Let’s indulge
in your cold margaritas and January
martinis.
 
So, we
’
ll see you at three?”

“Can
’
t wait.
 
See you then.”

When
I hung up the phone, I had to fight off the darkness I felt creeping within
me.
 
I turned and looked out the
open doors at Alex, who had his shirt off and was piling sticks and branches
high against each other.
 
He was
focused and he looked happy, probably because he was distracted.
 
I watched him for a moment, felt a
groundswell of love for him, and then I walked out onto the deck.

“Ann
and the boys will be here at three!” I called out into the wind.