38

Lou ran her finger around the rim of the cup as she sat at the kitchen table. Steam wafted upwards and she inhaled deeply. “Smells good.”

Evan sat beside her and pulled across the box of biscuits. He removed the lid. “Here you go.” He waited until she’d taken one before he helped himself. He immediately dunked his into his cocoa.

“You know, Dad does this as well. He thinks he can get me to talk if he plies me with hot chocolate.”

“We don’t have to talk if you don’t want.”

“It’s fine.” She raised her cup and sipped. The smooth liquid slid down her throat. “You’re right. It’s much better made with melted chocolate, rather than the tinned chocolate powder.”

He grinned. “Can I say I told you so?”

“No.”

Lou wrapped both hands around the cup. “His name was Deefer.” Simply mentioning his name brought back the sharp stab of grief she’d felt when he’d died so many years ago. “He was a sheltie. Same colouring as Lilly.”

He tilted his head. “Deefer?”

“Very bad joke. D for dog.”

“Clever. So I suppose if you had a cat you’d call it Ceefer.”

“Maybe. On reflection, I should have called him Shadow, because he followed me everywhere when he was a puppy. Mum said he’d sit in the hall when I went to school and pine for me every minute until I came home. He didn’t even mind being on the boat for several months when we went to search for Jim and Staci’s parents.”

“Months? Sounds like a long trek.”

Lou studied him, knowing he already knew but not saying as much. Instead, she swigged a long sip and then began to tell him about how they ended up shipwrecked on Agrihan on the other side of the world. “Anyway, in January, we set off for the abandoned American Air Force base. Deefer tried to stop me from wandering off the path and trod in one of those infernal, rusty traps. He died a day or so before we were rescued by Dad and his team.” Tears ran unheeded down her cheeks. “We buried Deefer on the cliff overlooking the beach.”

Evan laid a gentle hand on hers. “Your stepfather rescued you?”

She wiped her tears on the hanky, which was now almost too wet to use. “Yeah. He was tasked with the rescue mission Jim’s Morse code message triggered. Anyway, the surgeons couldn’t save my leg, but Dad encouraged me to do the physio, learn to walk again and so on. I’d never have been in the world championships or been to uni if it hadn’t been for him.”

He squeezed her hand. “You never did explain that to me.”

Lou sucked in a deep breath. “Jim and I took the dingy out to go fishing. I splashed the water to annoy him and attracted a shark. It knocked over the dingy. Jim made it back to our boat. I didn’t.” She swallowed. “I was out of it for a while. Jim did his best, but my leg got infected in the weeks between the shark and when we got rescued. They had to remove it to save my life.”

She changed the subject. “I had another dog after Deefer, but it wasn’t the same. When he died, I didn’t bother having another. Besides, being as transient as I am, it’s probably best. I’m hardly ever at home. I live in hotel rooms and out of a suitcase.”

Evan set down his empty cup. “Lilly usually comes to London with me, but she’s been in plaster, and I felt it best she stayed here. Plus, it was touch and go for a few days.” He carried both cups to the sink. “Did you read any of the journal?”

“No. I was waiting for—” She broke off as the doorbell rang.

“Ira will get it. Go on.”

“I figured we could read it together in the morning. That’s if you wanted.” She glanced at the door as loud voices came from the hallway.

“One moment.” Evan headed into the hall, leaving the door open. “Can I help you?”

Lou got up and moved to the door, peeping through the gap.

A tall man in a green camouflage uniform stood in the hallway, helmet on his head and clipboard in hand. “Corporal Brown. I’ve been tasked with overseeing the evacuation of Dark Lake. You have to leave tonight, sir. Transport is being provided.”

“That’s not happening.” Evan shook his head. “I own Xenon. I’m in charge of the dam. My team is currently working there in an effort to stabilize it.”

“Is anyone else here?”

“My staff. Can I ask where the evacuation order came from, because I didn’t issue it, and I’m the only one with the authority to do so.”

“It came from a Mr. Monty Sparrow from the Sparrow Foundation.”

“Figures. By all means, evacuate the village, but it’s nothing to do with me or my team. I’m not leaving nor are they.” He lowered his voice so it no longer carried.

Lou went back to the sink and washed up the cups.

Rain pounded against the windows, thunder rumbled in the distance.

Evan strode back in, his brows furrowed and his lips set. “He’s gone.”

“So, tell me. If that dam goes, how long have we got?”

“I already told you, it’s not likely to go tonight. Otherwise I’d have issued a red warning myself. The water level is now such that it wouldn’t destroy as much as a full lake would.” He paused. “Am I worried? Yes, I am. It’s my job to worry. I have a bad feeling about all this, and it’s nothing to do with the dam. Maybe, on reflection, you and your dad should take the jet and fly back to London where you’ll be safe.”

“That’s a little extreme. Surely the flood won’t go that far.” She rolled her eyes.

Evan clicked his tongue. “You know what I mean. Varian won’t think of looking for you there.”

“And you?”

“I have to stay here. The dam is my problem.”

“No way.” She shook her head. “I’m not leaving without you.”

“I’m not arguing.” He grabbed her shoulders. The firm touch sent shockwaves of pleasure through her. His intense blue gaze captured her. “I want you safe. I want you far, far away from the dam and Varian. I want…”

Lou raised her hands to grab his arms. “I want you,” she whispered, not caring if that was forward of her. “Just shut up arguing and kiss me.”

“Shut up? I’m talking about your safety and you want me to shut up?”

She reached up on tiptoe and kissed his lips lightly. “Yes.”

Without further comment, his lips were on hers. His arms surrounded her, lifting her off her feet and setting her on the worktop, before pulling her against him firmly. Lightning flashed and the thunder echoed almost immediately, rolling off the hills. Each kiss sent her higher, his touch setting nerve ends afire.

She knew without a doubt that she loved him, and she prayed this meant he felt the same way.