Were they?
Lucas stood there, frozen. Jake. Of course, it had to be him, didn’t it? Of all the first responders in the area, he had to show his smug face? What the hell did that mean now?
And how was Lucas expected to deal with this?
‘What are you even doing here?’ Willow gasped.
Jake stepped back. Lucas almost wanted to choke on his words as he muttered out a greeting. Jake really was the all-American hero – dressed in his uniform and looking the part with his hands on his hips, ready to save lives.
But where had he been? Had he been there for Willow?
Did he ever even love her? Lucas had his doubts.
‘I was asked to help out. When I heard it was a rescue mission in Honey Springs, I didn’t hesitate,’ Jake said proudly. ‘I needed to make sure you were OK.’
‘I’m fine,’ Willow said. Lucas could detect the awkwardness in her tone. Did she already regret what they had done?
Jake had a flashlight; he cast it over Willow. ‘You don’t look fine. You look pale. Are you shaking?’
‘No – no, it’s just the shock I think …’ She batted him away. ‘It’s your dad you need to worry about, Jake. He got hurt in the landslide.’
‘Eric?’ Jake seemed stunned. ‘He’s hurt?’
He turned, flashing his light back into the main room. ‘I didn’t see him when I first walked in …’ he muttered.
Funny that, Lucas thought. Jake had barely noticed Eric these past few years.
‘He’s sleeping on the floor, near Janice,’ Lucas said instead. ‘She’s been looking after him real good.’
‘I see.’ Jake nodded, seeming to take this all in. He walked slowly over to Lucas and patted him on the arm. ‘I should thank you too then.’
‘Thank me?’ Lucas blinked back, confused. ‘For what?’
‘For looking after Willow. She means a lot to me.’ Jake grinned. ‘But I’m back now. I can pick things up from here.’
Can you now? Lucas thought darkly, but he kept his thoughts locked deep inside, buried alongside so many that he longed to say but knew he never could.
Lucas tried to keep busy, helping the first responders move between the townsfolk. He offered calm responses to those that needed it and gave information where required. The first responders had used specialized emergency vehicles to reach the site and could take a few people back to the nearest hospital just outside of Honey Springs. It was clear that Eric and Ava were the most urgent patients, but Lucas also persuaded Adam to go too. The swelling on his ankle was pretty bad, and Lucas was concerned it might be a break, aggravated by the fact that Adam had continued to walk on it. Luckily, the other injuries that people had sustained seemed mainly superficial and could be treated at The Diner.
Willow and Jake stayed with Eric as the first responders prepared to move him. Lucas could see that Jake looked pretty cut up. He clasped his dad’s hand.
‘I’m sorry I wasn’t here,’ he muttered. ‘I should have visited sooner. I didn’t realize how bad things had gotten.’
‘You should thank Willow,’ Lucas said coolly. ‘She ran back to rescue him. It’s because of her that Eric is here now.’
Jake looked up at Willow. ‘You did that? For me?’
Willow coughed. ‘Well, I did it more for Eric, Jake …’
‘Yeah, but for me too. This is my dad after all.’ Jake shook his head slowly. ‘I always knew you cared, Willow, but this is something else.’
She tipped her head away from him, and her eyes briefly caught Lucas’s. She looked in pain. ‘Yeah, I guess it is.’
‘Well anyway, it made me realize a few things. I’m going to talk to my boss. Will, I’m going to ask for a transfer, so that I can move back to Honey Springs. I want to move into mountain rescue work and I think that will be popular on my pages.’
‘Will it?’ Willow looked a little stunned. ‘I thought you wanted to stay in Seattle?’
‘Yeah, I did, but now I’m thinking there might be more in Honey Springs than I remembered. I’m thinking maybe it could be good for us too, you know?’ His expression was a little sheepish. ‘Maybe this time apart has made me realize a few things …’
