I shut my laptop. “Time to save some lives.”

…

I cracked a yawn and reached for my phone when the notification went off. I’d already talked to Fin this morning, but the coffee hadn’t quite kicked in yet. It was still weird as hell to see Claire in my home, moving around in the background.

My screen flashed with Morgan’s name, and I immediately smiled.

Morgan: Why is there a giant apple in my classroom?

I grinned.

Jackson: Because you’re a teacher, duh.

Morgan: This thing takes up my entire whiteboard space.

I had half a mind to FaceTime her, but I knew she wouldn’t accept. She never picked up my calls, either. That was the demarcation line of our relationship. Text was fine. Voice was not.

Jackson: I don’t believe you.

A minute later, a picture came through of a giant red apple consuming her instruction space.

Jackson: I fail to see the problem.

Morgan: You. Are. Impossible.

Jackson: I. Am. In. Love. With. You.

Just like it always did after I dropped the L word, the conversation fell quiet. At least she wasn’t hot and cold. The woman made her choice and was sticking to her guns.

Jackson: Are you leaving for Washington tomorrow?

Morgan: Right now. I just stopped by to grab something.

My chest tightened. I couldn’t imagine how hard the next two days would be on her, and I wasn’t even there to hold her hand.

Jackson: I’m sorry I’m not there.

Morgan: Me, too.

It was the closest she’d come to admitting that she missed me.

Jackson: Eight more weeks.

We’d already been here seven.

She didn’t reply.

I grabbed chow, then headed to the op center for another fun day of briefings, workouts, and waiting to be needed.

“We saved you a seat, honey,” Sawyer said as he patted the office chair next to him at the long conference table.

“Thanks.” I slid in between him and Moreno, with Garrett just across the table. Every one of the twenty-two guys in this room was from our unit at Hatteras, and it was standing room only by the time the captain walked in.

“Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,” Patterson said as he stood at the head of the conference table. “Daily brief is as follows.”

He launched into the mundane and saved the important stuff for last, probably so we didn’t sneak out or fall asleep.

“Jerry continues to be our primary concern. Warren, you want to talk weather?”

The meteorologist stood and nodded, heading to the monitor. “Jerry is absolutely a concern. We’re predicting a category four landfall, but if he follows this model, he could pick up speed in the warm waters here and elevate to a five.”

Damn, if that thing came anywhere near us, it was going to level the place.

“I told you,” Garrett mouthed.

“Shut up,” Sawyer retorted.