Lynn gives Kas and me the go-ahead to leave, and we walk over to the caution tape and duck under.
“Hey, Ivan.”
“Dude!” Ivan rushes up and gives me an uncharacteristic hug. “We were freaking out, bro. I came back this way when I heard about the flooding, but the cops had already blocked the road. Said even my Jeep wouldn’t make it. All the phone
s were out, so I looked everywhere for you. I came back and told them you had to be here, but shit, dude. They said we couldn’t do anything until the rain stopped.”
Ivan stops his frantic monologue long enough to hug me again. He looks at my face, and I swear there are tears in the corners of his eyes. I’ve never seen him so emotional. Off to my left, Kas is having a similar conversation with Paula.
“I’m okay, Ivan. It was a little scary there in the beginning, but once we got to the second level, everything was okay. Just had to wait it out. Thanks for doing all that, though.”
“Glad you’re okay, bro.” He smacks my shoulder a couple of times. “Really, I am.”
“We’re all good.” I break away from his embrace and glance over at Kas and Paula.
Paula is crying, and Kas is comforting her. Ivan stays uncharacteristically quiet as we both listen to their brief conversation, mostly consisting of Kas telling Paula that none of it was her fault. They hug briefly before one of the police officers comes over and asks Paula to give him more information. When Kas turns back to me, I reach out and take her hand.
“This is Kas,” I say to Ivan.
“Hey, Kas!” He reaches out to shake her hand but ends up giving her a hug, too. “I’m so sorry you got stuck all night with this loser. Hopefully, the next time will be with someone more entertaining.”
“Cree was pretty entertaining, really,” Kas says, blushing.
“Was he, now?” Ivan grins broadly and wiggles his eyebrows at me.
“Can you give her a ride home?” I ask before Ivan can say anything crude. “It was a long night, and I think we could both use some time in our own beds.”
“Of course!” Ivan leads us over to the Jeep parked on the other side of the road. “You two get in back, and I’ll play chauffeur. Do you need me to drive through somewhere for food?”
“I’m okay,” Kas says. “I have food at home.”
“Me, too.”
Kas gives Ivan directions to her place, and I hold her hand the whole way there. She’s quiet, and Ivan has enough sense not to pepper her with questions along the way. By the time we reach her apartment, she’s beginning to nod off.
“I’m going to walk her up to the door.”
We get out of the Jeep and I take her hand again. Kas unlocks her apartment door and turns back to me.
“Thank you, Cree. I don’t think I would have gotten through all of that without you.”
“I feel like I should be thanking you,” I reply. “I know it sounds ridiculous, but I’m kind of glad it all happened. Otherwise, I’d be turning in a paper right now and wouldn’t be thinking about how much I want to see you again tonight.”
Kas grins and looks down at the ground. I reach over and take her chin in my hand, turning her face back up.
“You’re important to me, Kas,” I say softly. “I’m so glad we got reacquainted and that you want to see me again.”
“I’m glad of that part, too,” she says.
We grin at each other for a moment, and then I suddenly remember something.
“Oh, shit!”
“What is it?” Kas asks.
“Do you recall me asking you to remind me about the condoms?” I press my lips together, trying not to laugh out loud.
“Are you serious?” Kas’s eyes go wide.