“Umm, nothing. Just...give me a sec.” She padded up the beach and into the trees.

I stared after her. Either she had to use the facilities or there was something she wasn’t telling me.

Who was I kidding? There was a lot she wasn’t telling me.

I tried to put it out of my mind while the kids shoved their kebabs into the fire and I taught them the best way to chargrill an octopus, but I couldn’t.

I hated that she hadn’t opened up to me. I hated that I still knew nothing about her.

That’s because the price of her past comes with demanding yours.

And I wasn’t ready to spill that can of dirty worms.

Finally (not that much time had passed) Estelle returned, slightly sheepish, slightly afraid, but mostly defiant.

I frowned. “What do you have behind your back?”

She came forward, still keeping it hidden. “Now...before you spaz out, listen to me.”

My spine stiffened as every muscle seized. “Spaz out? Why the hell would I ‘spaz out?’ I don’t spaz out.”

She pinned me with a ‘yeah right’ look. “Because you’re protective and won’t like what I’m about to say.”

My fist curled tighter around my stick. “Go on.”

“A couple of weeks ago, I ate one of the leaves that passed the scratch test.”

I sucked in a breath. Christ almighty, she had a death wish. That was all I could think of because eating foreign material was a sure way to kill yourself.

I couldn’t speak.

Estelle took that as a sign to keep going. Pulling a haphazardly woven basket from behind her back, she revealed a thicket of mismatched leaves.

More than one type.

A damn salad full with some knobbly looking potato things hidden below.

I glowered. “How many?”

She ducked her eyes. “Four so far.” Glancing at the kids, she added, “I’ve sampled each one every day for the past week to see if my system could handle it long term. I wouldn’t give anything to you guys unless I was sure it was edible.” She shrugged, seeming smaller and less certain. “We needed something to supplement our diet with...well, now we do.”

I wanted to throw my damn octopus stick at her. I wanted to grab her and kiss the bloody daylights out of her. I wanted to scream and yell and get on my knees and thank her for being brave enough to do something so selfless.

“I can’t believe you.” My growl hid my true thoughts. “I can’t believe you went behind my back.”

She flinched. “I know. I’m sorry. But I was willing to take the risk. Like I said, it’s my body—” She cut herself off, rolling her shoulders. “Anyway, I figured we have a great dinner tonight, so let’s make it even better with a salad. And if we can figure out how to prepare the taro...that’s another element of food we can enjoy.”

“Yay!” Pippa jumped up and down. “Yum. Gimme.” Her hand disappeared into the basket, and before I could yell, stuffed a few leaves into her mouth.

“What the hell did she just eat?” My question was for Estelle, but Pippa answered with her mouth full. “Rabbit food.”

Estelle looked at me from beneath lowered eyes. “It’s sharper and more bitter than what we’ve eaten before, but we’ll get used to it. Not to mention, there’s an endless supply if we grow to like the taste.”

“I like it.” Pippa reached for another handful. “I like it better than clams.”

Conner wrinkled his nose but accepted a glossy leaf as Pippa practically shoved it in his mouth.

He chewed hesitantly.

I waited until he swallowed. “Well?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Not as bad as I thought.”

Pippa rushed to grab the salt and a few coconut shards that we’d sliced that afternoon. Sprinkling the white flesh over the salad and a small pinch of seasoning, she grinned. “Mummy taught me everything tastes better with salt.”

What an odd kid.

Estelle caught my eye. She wouldn’t relax until I gave my permission. And when she looked at me that way, how could I not give it?

She played every chord on my heart like a damn maestro.

Shedding my annoyance, I nodded. “I won’t forgive you for doing something so reckless behind my back. But I won’t refuse to eat it if you say it’s safe. I trust you and won’t waste your sacrifice.”

She exhaled with huge relief.

Having her emotions tied intrinsically to my happiness was yet another hint that she’d lied about only wanting to be friends.

Well, she knew where I lived if she changed her mind.

Forcing a grin for the kids, I clapped. “I guess tonight’s menu no longer just features an octopus.

“Let’s tuck in.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

...............................................

E S T E L L E

......

Why? Why do you do this to me? Why can’t I fight it? Why do you entice me so? Why can’t I ignore it?

Why do I have to be so strong?

You want me. I want you.

Together, we’re right.

Apart, we are wrong.

But is it worth the consequences if we give into this song?

Lyrics to ‘Why’ Taken from the notepad of E.E.

...

TWELVE WEEKS

(December)

ONCE WITHIN A song, a girl had everything stripped away in an instant. But in nothing, she found the value of something far more precious.

The night we had octopus was a changing point for us.