Nantucket Romance 3-in-1 Bundle (50 page)

“I can’t,” she said. “I need to clean and catch up on laundry and prepare for a phone interview. Plus we need groceries, and I need to run to the bank.”

“I saw your list.” Lucas filled a glass with tap water. “We can do those things tomorrow. I’ll help.” He gulped down the water.

“The bank is closed tomorrow.”

“We can run by the bank on our way to the harbor.”

“My phone interview—”

“Can wait until tomorrow.” He set the glass on the countertop. At her look, he opened the dishwasher and set it inside. “Any more excuses?”

They weren’t excuses. Well, not exactly. She just wanted to get her list done. But she’d never seen Lucas’s eyes lit like they were now, and he’d done so much for her lately in return for so little.

“Come on. It’s seventy-five degrees, the sky is clear blue, and there’s a good steady breeze.”

“I’ve never been sailing,” she said lamely, hoping he’d rescind the offer.

“Doesn’t matter.” His Colgate smile illuminated his face. “Get your shower, and I’ll gather supplies.”

Two hours later, Kate watched Lucas from a bench seat on the boat. He hadn’t
stopped since they’d left the harbor, pulling
on this line and that, tying them off on their cleats.

“Can I do anything?” She tightened the strap on her bulky orange life vest.

He pulled up a sail, his muscles straining under his red tank. “Nope,” he called over the wind. As he turned the boat with the tiller, the sails fluttered like gulls’ wings, and he adjusted them with one hand. He continued doing what seemed like three things at a time, handling the jobs with the ease and dexterity of a man who’d done it a thousand times.

Soon, he turned the boat slightly into the wind and pulled the white sails tight. Kate dug in her satchel for sunglasses and joined Lucas where he steered the vessel. The deck felt unsteady under her feet, and she grappled for a hold.

“Having fun yet?” he asked. His eyes hid behind his own sun-glasses, and she saw herself reflected in them.

“I had no idea there was so much involved in sailing.”

He smiled, clearly in his element. “It’s a blast. I sail a couple times a month at least. More, if I have time.”

“Who taught you?” Kate thought it’d take her years to learn everything he’d just done, but then she wasn’t a mechanical person. And she could tell already sailing wasn’t going to become her favorite pastime. Being at the mercy of the wind was unsettling. What happened when it changed directions? How did you go back where you came from if the wind was blowing the other way?

“Mom. Dad knows how, too, but Mom’s the expert. Want to take a stab at it?” He moved to the side, offering her steering privileges.

Her legs shook at the thought. “No, you go ahead.”

He shrugged. “Suit yourself. There’s soda in the cabin if you get thirsty. Otherwise, just relax and enjoy.”

Kate took the bench nearby and grabbed the railing. The hot sun beat down on her face, and she was glad she’d applied sunscreen before they left. Lucas hadn’t applied any and she wondered if he’d burn. His sandal-clad feet were braced a shoulder width apart, and his dark hair and T-shirt fluttered behind. He seemed unconcerned about the lack of sunscreen and life vest.

In the distance, other sailboats dotted the ocean. She looked down at the water rushing by and wondered how deep it was. Just then the boat tilted. She gasped and gripped the metal rail. A glance at Lucas hinted nothing was awry, but her nerves jangled just the same. What if they tipped over? The idea of floating in the middle of the ocean made her palms clammy. Maybe she’d feel better below deck, where she didn’t have to see the wide expanse of water.

She stood, steadying herself with whatever she could grab. “I think I’ll get a soda,” she said.

Lucas nodded, lost in apparent nirvana, oblivious to her discomfort.

“Okay, then.”

Rolling her eyes, she took the steps down to the galley. Below, the room was dark and cool after the brightness of the sun. Sliding her glasses up, she noted the tiny galley and a booth; beyond that a bed consumed an entire room. The cabin was pleasantly tidy, but she supposed it had to be; otherwise things would bump around.

As if reading her thoughts, the boat turned, and Kate sank onto the soft blue cushions of the booth. A fake plant was anchored to ivory Formica, and Kate smoothed her hands over the surface, appreciating the solid coolness against her palms.

She hadn’t known sailing would disconcert her. She hoped she didn’t get motion sickness.
Just my luck I’ll be hurling over the side of
this thing while Lucas laughs at me. Gee, how fun.

Was her stomach feeling unsettled now, or was she imagining it? She swallowed compulsively as the boat turned again. Was he zig-zagging?
For heaven’s sake, can’t he just point the thing in one direction?

She remembered the soda Lucas had mentioned and walked carefully across the galley, grabbing a Sprite from the fridge before falling onto the bench as the boat heeled once again.

How long would Lucas want to be on the water? Was this an all-day thing, or would a couple of hours suffice? She checked her watch and wondered if she’d have time to finish her list once they got home. She didn’t want to spoil his fun, but there was nothing to do down here, and she hadn’t brought a book to read or writing materials to work. What did people do on boats? She didn’t see anything in the small cabin to occupy herself, but the thought of going up on deck was enough to weaken her legs.

Suddenly, the boat slowed, its change in momentum bottoming out her stomach. Had something gone wrong? She wanted to go see but couldn’t make herself leave the booth’s security. Instead she sipped her Sprite, then realized her stomach felt worse.
Please don’t
let me puke!

Footsteps sounded, and Lucas entered the cabin, ducking under the header.

“Is something wrong?” Kate asked.

He grabbed a soda from the fridge, then a brown bag, which he dangled in front of her. “Thought you might be getting hungry.”

“You packed food?” He intended to be out here awhile. Her spirits sank.

“Just sandwiches. You hungry?”

Kate’s stomach protested, but the sooner they ate, the sooner they could return. “Sure.”

He put the food on paper plates with sides of potato salad and chips and headed up the steps. “Coming?”

She wanted to eat there in the enclosed cabin where she could almost pretend she was on dry land. But Lucas was already on deck. The last thing she needed was to give him one more reason to tease her. She stood and followed. The next time he suggested sailing, the answer would be a flat no.

Outside the sun was too bright. Kate pulled down her sunglasses and followed Lucas to the bench she’d vacated earlier. The wind drove the boat, and it rocked gently in the waves.

Lucas handed her a plate. “Beautiful day,” he said around a bite of sandwich.

The heat of the sun made her skin prickle, and its glare on the water hurt her eyes. “That it is.”

She started on the turkey and bacon sandwich. Would they head back after they ate? She could only hope. She scanned the horizon. Land was nowhere to be seen. With that knowledge, a sudden dizziness overtook her, and she focused on her plate. Did Lucas know where they were, how to get back?

“Love the sounds out here, don’t you?”

The water splashed against the boat’s side, and the wind billowed the sails. A seagull, on its way somewhere, called out. Maybe she was just a city girl, but she liked the sound of people, vehicles splashing through puddles, and the scrape of sandals on the sidewalk.

Ugh.
Her stomach stirred uncomfortably. Maybe she shouldn’t eat. The boat dipped.
Be still!
she thought, as if she could stop it. She set her sandwich on her plate and sipped her Sprite.

“You okay?” Lucas cocked his head, but she couldn’t see his eyes past the sunglasses.

“I’m fine.” She smiled to prove it and bit into a salty chip.

When the wind gusted and the boat dipped again, she steadied herself with the first thing she could reach: Lucas’s leg. “Sorry.” She removed her hand as quickly as she’d placed it.

The second chip went down. On the third, she stopped. There was no getting around it: her stomach was definitely threatening to expel her lunch. Kate couldn’t take another bite. Her head spun, exacerbated by the boat’s movement, and she grasped her plate with both hands.

“Kate.” Lucas took her plate, tugging it from her tightened grasp. He set it on his other side. “What’s wrong?”

She closed her eyes, but that made her head and stomach feel worse. “I’m not—feeling so well.” She swallowed, reminding her stomach that things were supposed to go down, not up.

“Oh,
honey, why didn’t you say something?”
He helped her up. “Come over here.”

She pulled toward the cabin. “I just want to lie down. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
If I don’t die first.
She hadn’t felt this bad since she had the stomach flu in the seventh grade and vomited all over Miss Heinschneider’s white leather Reeboks in gym.

“Lying down is the worst thing you can do.” He guided her to the center of the boat and turned her toward the ocean. She didn’t want to look at the water. And there was no place to sit. She was willing to sink to the floor, but there wasn’t room. Instead she grabbed the railing and leaned over it. She was beyond pretending she was fine. Pride had fled, leaving desperation it its wake.

Lucas put an arm around her middle and pulled her against him. “Look at the horizon. It’ll help.”

Kate had read something about that, but given the condition of her stomach, she was skeptical. She followed his directions anyway.

“I don’t think we have any medications aboard,” Lucas said.

Her head fell against his chest, and she smothered a moan. How had she lived this long and not known the body could feel so bad? At this point, she wished she could just get it over with, Lucas’s presence notwithstanding.

“Are you watching the horizon?”

His stubbly chin rubbed against her temple, a welcome distraction. She nodded. The horizon was a fuzzy line against the blue sky. She focused on that line like her life depended on it.

“I’m sorry, Katie.” His hand moved up and down against her side. His stomach was like a solid wall against her back. “I should point us toward shore. The sooner you’re on dry land, the better you’ll feel.” His arms loosened, but she clutched them, fearing dizziness would overtake her.

“Wait,” she said. If only she could sit down.

He tightened his arms, supporting her, and she stared at the horizon. Was the dizziness improving?

“I shouldn’t have let you go down to the cabin earlier. You probably would’ve been fine.”

She hadn’t been feeling right before she’d gone down, but she didn’t have the strength to say so.

“There are saltines and Coke in the cabin. Will you be all right for a minute if I get them?”

Kate wasn’t sure she’d ever feel all right again. She wanted to say no, hesitant to stand without the strength of his support, but she nodded anyway and realized she must have a shred of pride left. She leaned forward on the railing, wishing she’d vomit while he was gone and get it over with.

No such luck. He returned a quick minute later and handed her a cracker. “This’ll help.”

Kate bit into it and followed the cracker with a sip of the Coke he’d brought while he rubbed her shoulders. It seemed her infirmity had granted him touching rights, but it was a welcome distraction. So welcome, she leaned against him moments later and his arms came around her again.

The saltines were working a little magic, and for the first time since she’d eaten, Kate began to believe lunch might stay put. Relief flowed through her and she relaxed against Lucas’s chest. She became aware of his breath at her temple, the heat of his arms against hers. Gradually, relief morphed into self-consciousness. She felt silly and vulnerable. She wanted her strength, her dignity back. Yet, the security of his embrace comforted her.

“Feeling better?” The closeness of his voice startled her.

“I am, actually.” Her stomach still rebelled; her head still swam.
But at least I’m not wishing I was dead.
It was an improvement.

“Good.” He squeezed her and let go. “I’ll get us back to shore as quick as I can.”