“Why don’t you sit up front with Logan? View’s the best from up there,” Stone says, avoiding my gaze.
“Yeah. Sure.”
“Careful of the controls,” Logan says, offering me a hand as I literally climb over all the knobs and dials to get into my seat.
Logan hands me a headset.
“You’ll be able to talk to Stone, but I’ll be on a frequency with the ground crew until we’re in position,” Logan explains before ignoring me and doing what I assume is a pre-flight check.
“How you doing, Han?” Stone’s voice rings in my head.
“Fine,” I answer.
“I can hear how fast you’re breathing. Try to slow your heart rate down. This is a walk in the park. We’ll be back on the ground long before the storm settles in.”
I honestly don’t know what to do with myself when Stone acts like this. Like he cares. Like he’s still my big brother. Like he did the day he taught me to ski, so patient and understanding.
“Yeah, I know. I’mgood.”
Suddenly, Stone’s fingers are on my neck, pressing against my pulse point, and there’s nowhere for me to escape.
Logan flashes us a raised brow.
“I’m checking his pulse,” Stone yells, covering his microphone so he doesn’t burst my eardrum.
“Okay, but why?” Logan asks, flipping a switch and turning a knob.
“Because he’s hyperventilating and lying to me about it.”
“Stone, I’m not?—”
“Your pulse is one hundred and ten, Han. Not only are you hyperventilating, but you’re also tachycardic. You’re getting out.”
“No!” I shout, angry at myself for not being able to pull it together and pissed at Stone for trying to call the shots…even if they’re probably the right shots to call. “No. Let me stay. I just need a minute.”
I can do this.
Chapter 11
Stone
As much as I admire Hanlon’s stubborn streak and his refusal to be a victim ofanything, I’m also pretty sure it’s what’s going to get him killed at some point.
I know that if we don’t get this chopper off the ground in the next five minutes, we’re going to miss our blasting window. I also know Hanlon isn’t going to get out like I want him to.
I’m starting to get a headache behind my left eye. What the fuck was Hanlon going to do if he’d gotten an internship that required successful avalanche triggers and he couldn’t go up in the helicopter?
Or worse, what if he’d tried and passed out, and I wasn’t there?
You haven’t been there for him in a long time, my brain reminds me, albeit unnecessarily, since Hanlon did a good job reminding me of that himself on his first day here.
“Logan, can we reconfigure? I want Hanlon back here with me so I can monitor him.”
“He won’t be able to see anything,” Logan points out.
I blow out a breath, trying to rein in my frustration.
“There are windows on both sides. I’ll hold the drop until we’re just north of the coordinates. The light southerly winds will carry it to its target, and he’ll be able to see out that side. Okay?”
