They made camp for the night in a wet, secluded ditch, and though the task required only one man, Jed and Paul took the first watch while the others caught some much needed sleep.
Jed stretched out in the mud on his belly, his sharp gaze trained on the only approach point, trying to ignore the warmth of the body beside him.
Paul brushed some dirt from Jed’s face. “You should rest too. You haven’t slept in two days.”
Jed’s heart drew him into Paul’s touch, drawing him closer and closer, until….
No.
His head won out, and he shrugged away from Paul’s hand. “Quit your nagging. I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
…. MAXBALANCEDperilously on the back of the boat and leaned out so far Jed could only see his legs and his strong hand gripping the jetty.
“What the hell are you doing?”
It was a phrase he often found himself throwing at Max. Sometimes he didn’t get an answer—mainly because Max didn’t seem to know—but this time he did.
“I missed a bit when I was painting. I didn’t see it until I was doing the dishes this morning. Can you believe that? I missed a whole section.”
Though Max couldn’t see him, Jed refrained from rolling his eyes. Max’s problem was his sketchy attention span. He hadn’t missed a bit—he’d forgotten he was painting at all and drifted off to do something else.
The trait was irritating and endearing in equal measure, but at times like this, when Max was dangerously close to falling into the icy lake, it was terrifying.
What if he slipped? Jed reckoned he could haul him back out pretty quick, but what if he fell in when Jed wasn’t here? The water was deep and cold at this time of year. Even a strong swimmer would flounder fast.
Jed had seen a drowned man once, when he was a child, not far from where Max’s cabin stood now. Aside from his own mother, it was the first dead body he’d ever seen. He imagined Max being pulled from the lake, limp and lifeless, his lips blue and his dark, playful gaze shuttered forever.
A shudder passed through him. No. He couldn’t see it. Not him. Not Max. Not the man so bright and vibrant he made Jed’s eyes water….
Day Two
HEDIDN’Tknow the woman’s face, but her voice was familiar. She leaned over him, getting closer and closer until her eyes widened. “Well, look who’s waking up. Don’t move, honey. I’m going to wake Max, okay? You stay with me a moment.”
The words meant little to Jed. He heard a soft shuffling on the bed. The movement was slight, but it hurt like hell. What little sight he had faded away and someone groaned.
Shit, was that me?
Something warm touched his face, warm and rough, the calloused fingertips of an honest, hardworking hand. “Jed? Can you hear me? Jed?”
He knew that voice too, knew it like his own. Max. It had to be Max, right? He tried to force his eyes open again, but they hurt. Even the faint glimmer of light was too much.
“Jed? Can you hear me?”
I hear you, dammit.
He tried to respond, but nothing happened. He felt like he’d forgotten how to make his tongue work. He tried a deep breath. That didn’t work either. Something was rammed in his throat.
Panic surged through him, and with it came pain, real pain. Every part of him hurt—hurt so much he wanted to scream….
“Shh, Jed. It’s okay.”
Muffled voices washed over him, but he heard only one. The voice was soothing, and it matched the warmth gripping his hand. “Jed, they’re going to take the tube out, okay? You have to lie still.”
The intrusion in his throat slid out like a fire-breathing dragon. Hacking convulsions tore through his chest. The warmth in his hand rubbed his forearm and touched his face, but it wasn’t enough. He was out again before he could wonder if he’d ever really been awake.
Sometime later, Max seemed to notice Jed’s eyes were open before he did. “Jed? Hey, you squeezed my hand. Can you do it again?”
Jed tried, but by the downturn of Max’s lips, he guessed he failed. Wait. Max. He could see him. That was… new.