“Yeah. I just wrote it because any time you see someone in the movies who decides to change their life, or even just work their way through a bucket list or whatever, they always end up jumping out of a plane. So I thoughtIshould do that too.”
“But then you changed your mind, because you’re afraid of flying?”
“And even more afraid of heights,” I confirm, nodding. “I figured just gettingontoa plane — which is resolution number 2 — would be more than enough interaction with planes. So I replaced it with climbing a mountain, which also involves heights, but… well, it’s just much less scary, isn’t it? At least mountains can’t crash.”
“Well, you’ve come to the right place,” Alex says, closing the book and handing it back. “Mount Teide is the highest peak in Spain. And you go up it by cable car, so you don’t even have to climb if you don’t want to.”
“Really?”
I gnaw my thumb nail, thoughtfully.
“Can cable cars crash, though?” I ask cautiously. “What if something goes wrong?”
Alex sighs.
“Anything can go wrong, Summer,” he says, getting to his feet. “Anything at all. Even the things you think are safe.”
He pushes open the sliding door on his balcony, which is identical to the one on mine.
“Anyway,” he says quietly. “It’s getting chilly out; I think I’m going to turn in. ‘Night.”
“Night,” I reply, looking down at the diary in my hands as the doors close behind him, leaving me alone in the darkness.
Anything could go wrong.
But that means it could also goright.
And all I have to do is figure out which things are worth the risk.
Nine
When I wake up the next morning, the first thing I do is reach for my phone to see if Jamie’s messaged me while I’ve been asleep.
Negative.
No messages. No missed calls. Not even from Chloe, who’s finally given up firing questions at me about where I am, and what the hell I think I’m doing.
(I didn’t tell her I came out here to find Jamie Reynolds, needless to say. The last thing I need is Chloe turning up to pull focus; which is exactly the kind of thing she’d do…)
I quickly check the phone settings, just to make sure it’s still picking up the Spanish network it connected to when I arrived, and that I haven’t accidentally left it on airplane mode.
Nope.
The phone is working perfectly; which means he just hasn’t bothered to call me.
It’s fine, though.
He’s probably busy.
Or… or sick! Yes, that’s it. Maybe he’s sick, and, even now, is lying on his deathbed, his trembling fingers desperately reaching for his phone as he tries to—
“Summer, are you in there, dear?”
I open the door to find Alice and Julian outside. Alice is riding a bright red motorized mobility scooter this morning, and Julian’s wearing a linen suit, which makes him look like he’s off to star in a classic movie, rather than just heading down to the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet.
“Are you coming to breakfast?” Alice asks. “You really missed out yesterday; it was superb, wasn’t it, Julian?”
“Indeed it was,” says her husband, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. “There’s nothing like an all-inclusive breakfast buffet, Summer. You take it from me.”
