EMP Catastrophe , Hamilton, Grace [phonics readers txt] 📗

he had managed to make it out alive and even save his nephew in the process.

Now, he could study the sky in a wondering daze, thanking everyone and everything for his second chance at life. As he surveyed the tall greenery and the moss-covered boulders, he realized he didn’t want to do it anywhere else. Kathleen’s deal still lingered in his mind and he knew he would try to do right by her. No more secrets. He wanted them to trust each other. He wanted to be part of the Riley family, not just in the I’ll-see-you-every-other-Christmas way but in the I-need-to-ask-Uncle-Max-for-advice tight-knit kind of way. It made him smile, thinking of Patton dismissing Matthew’s cautious advice and coming to cool Uncle Max for the real answers.

They could even do fun things. He would spoil the kids rotten. Kathleen would have to give him a stern talking-to about boundaries, and Max would dismiss each of them while taking the kids out for ice cream in the middle of the night.

Well. Maybe not ice cream. Whatever the apocalypse equivalent would be. He’d figure it out. He had time.

Next to him, Jade made a soft huff of pain, and Max realized he’d sped up his stride in excitement. She was having a difficult time keeping up. He pulled back and let her lean on him, even if it made the bruises around his ribs ache anew. His hands were red with road rash from throwing himself to the ground to cover Patton. His head had started to get that swimming feeling again, but once they started walking, it seemed as if his mind had finally cleared. Ahead of them, Patton was talking a mile a minute and pointing things out to his grandfather, who listened attentively. Wyatt and Matthew were in deep conversation ahead of them, their hands mimicking each other as if they were having the same exact ideas. Max snorted, inclined his head toward those ahead, and said, “They left us poor wounded behind, didn’t they? Aren’t we the real heroes here?”

Jade didn’t smile at his joke. But her grimace lessened.

“I mean, you’re certainly the hero,” Max continued and wished he could figure out when to keep quiet. “My hero. If you hadn’t taken pity on me when you found me, I might not have even gotten here.”

“You mean gotten here at a cartel shoot-out?” Jade asked. “Might want to rethink that one.”

Whoa. Spicy. Max backpedaled. “What I mean is that I don’t know what convinced you to help some random guy lying face-down in the ground and comatose, but I’m glad you did nonetheless.”

Jade shrugged. “No biggie.”

“Seriously,” Max said, worried she might not be getting his brand of humor and deciding to go for genuine. “I’m thankful. You saved me big time and reunited me with my family. I couldn’t say thank you enough.”

“It’s not a problem,” Jade said, and pressed her hand against her shoulder with a wince. Her pony tail, usually high, had fallen down, and her dark hair brushed over her shoulder. “You paid me back in kind. Matthew somewhat trusts me now, so I consider that a win.”

“Meh, Matthew’s not that great.” Max winked. It was his duty to give his brother-in-law crap. That just came with the territory when Matthew married Kathleen.

“He made sure we saved you, so he can’t be all bad,” Jade said archly.

“You don’t strike me as the type who particularly cares what people think. Especially Matthew,” Max said, feeling like he’d made a big misstep and was trying to rectify it piece by piece. He remembered when he’d first seen her—post concussion, that is—when she’d been arguing with his brother-in-law outside his hotel room. “Honestly, it seems like he gave you crap and you gave it right back to him.”

“You’re right about that,” Jade said. “Just saying you shouldn’t talk badly about someone who came to your rescue.”

“I’m not,” Max said, bewildered. “I was just making a joke. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“I’m not offended,” Jade said, sounding highly defensive. “I don’t care what you think. I don’t care what Matthew thinks.” She made a frustrated sound. “Can we just walk? It’s been a long day.”

“Sure,” Max said and cursed himself when he couldn’t resist adding, “I mean, Matthew definitely trusts you. From what I see. Just my two cents.”

“I don’t care,” Jade said. “All I care about is that it’s nice to be on the same side again. I’m just glad I can heal up at the hotel and Matthew’s not going to kick me out again and that’s thanks to you.”

“So now you’re thanking me?”

Jade rolled her eyes. “No. Whatever. It doesn’t matter.”

For the first time in his life, Max decided to hold his tongue. There was a lot of “not caring” in Jade’s speech that made it seem as though she felt the exact opposite. Even though she wanted it to seem like Matthew’s good opinion didn’t matter to her, the undertone to her words and even the stiffening of her posture made him think it did. Very much.

Max was no stranger to idols. He’d worshipped movie stars, models, and rock legends openly. But when it came to people he personally knew and respected? He’d drop dead before he let on that he cared. Just look at him and Kathleen, for example. If he kept revealing his soft parts, she’d think he actually looked up to her and he couldn’t have that.

Walk in silence, Max. No one wants to listen to your philosophical rambles that belong more on social media than out in the open. And since social media doesn’t exist anymore, you should just be quiet. For god’s sake, be quiet.

Ahead of them, Patton’s ongoing ramble came to a stop, and the young boy put his hand on David’s arm. David had stopped walking and looked hunched over. His hands moved in jerking motions to clutch his heart.

“Grandpa?” Patton asked in a high-pitched voice. “Grandpa, are you okay?”

“Oh god,” Jade whispered next to Max and