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“That could’ve been you.” Keaton’s hot breath tickled her neck. “Don’t you ever pull a stunt like that again.”
She whipped her head around. “Excuse me?”
He stared deep into her eyes. A hint of anger was etched into his dark brown irises. “Dawson went out there with the Coast Guard to look foryou.We were all worried that something had happened toyou.” Keaton exhaled through his nose, and a second later, he inhaled sharply. She hadn’t known him all that long, but she didn’t have to. From the moment they’d met, they’d been like oil drizzled on top of water with a lit match dropped on top.
The instant heat—instant attraction—had been palpable, and she knew it hadn’t been one-sided. No. He’d looked her over like a tongue licking a Popsicle on a hot summer day. They had stared each other down like a couple of sex-starved teenagers. Then one of them had opened their mouth, and the next thing she knew, they were fighting.
Every day it was the same. She did something he found offensive or reckless, and he was overbearing and opinionated.
It didn’t matter that he was sexy as hell. He drove her crazy.
Besides, she had a boyfriend, something she constantly forgot about whenever she was in Keaton’s presence.
She pursed her lips. “If I needed help, I would have radioed. I’m not stupid.”
He cocked his head. “But you didn’t think to radio anyone to tell them you were safe or what you were doing. Or that you were helping someone or even heading in until after you’d been in that storm for a good forty minutes to an hour.” He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Do you think those people were standing out there to watch you back your pretty toy into the dock? No. They were worried that something bad had happened to you. We all were. I would’ve hated to have to call that boyfriend of yours to tell him you’d been lost at sea.” He turned on his heel and marched his sexy ass right out the door.
“Jeez, that was totally unnecessary,” she mumbled.
“I can’t believe I’m going to side with him, but no, it wasn’t.” Baily sighed and leaned across the counter, taking Trinity’s hand. “I tried to radio you, but you never answered.”
“Crap. I switched to channel sixteen when the storm hit, and the reception was spotty anyway with all that rain and wind. Why didn’t you try me on?—”
“That’s for emergencies. Two is what we use for marina chatter. You know that.”
“You’re right. You’re right. I’m sorry, Baily. It won’t ever happen again. I swear.” The old Trinity would havegotten her panties in a twist and huffed out. But not the new and improved Trinity. No, this version valued and respected her friends and their feelings.
She could admit when she was wrong.
And this time, she could have been dead wrong.
The following morning,Trinity raced out her front door and flew down the porch steps, flinging herself at Mallary Shaw. She pulled her friend into her arms and hugged her tightly. “I’m so sorry, Mallary.” Tears poured out of her eyes. “If I had known that Jared was on the boat that sank last night, I would have…” A guttural sob filled her throat, choking off the rest of her…what? Words? There were no words to express the horrible guilt and the terrible sadness that swirled around in Trinity’s heart.
“I can’t believe he’s gone,” Mallary whispered. Her shoulders bobbed up and down. Her body grew heavy as she collapsed onto the steps.
Trinity sank with her friend, clinging to her, wishing she could take away all the pain, but not even time would do that. She cradled Mallary in her arms, stroking her hair, letting her friend purge all the emotions. No amount of caring and kind words would ever make this okay.
She stared out over the ocean. Barely a ripple showed on the water as the calm sea gently lapped against the shore. Not a single cloud in the sky intercepted the bright sunrays as they stretched long fingers,warming her skin. She blinked. So many questions might never be answered.
But Trinity knew what she’d seen… a boat lost to the sea.
She was told that Keaton, Dawson, Hayes, and Fletcher had volunteered to scuba dive in the area where the vessel may have gone down, but no one was sure of the exact location. They were trained Navy SEALs. If anyone could find the boat—and Jared—it would be those four men. She glanced at her watch. They would already be a hundred feet down by now.
But Trinity, a certified deep scuba diver herself, knew how hard that would be. She knew how deep those waters could be, how the currents and the wind from the storm could have taken Jared’s body farther out to sea. It might be a futile attempt. Even the boat could have twisted, turned, and landed in a very different location. However, she was grateful they were good enough men to go out there and try.
That included Keaton.
No matter how much they clashed, she couldn’t rid herself of the attraction. And she tried.
“I don’t understand why my brother was out there alone. He said he was taking his new friends with him. I hate those guys. Especially that Ralph idiot. He’s bad news.” Mallary pushed from Trinity’s embrace.
Trinity had never met Ralph or his friends. But she’d heard all about them from Mallary, and how Mallary had believed they were a bad influence on her little brother, how they’d been using Jared and his kindness. His generosity and his desire to be liked and acceptedby his peers were things Trinity understood all too well.
“I know taking a gap year isn’t a bad thing,” Mallary said, swiping her cheeks. “Jared wanted to stay and work with our dad. He loved fishing. They talked about taking over Daddy’s business all the time. He thought he should spend a year seeing how things were done in all facets of the charter business before spending four years in business school. I supported that idea. I mean, I took a gap year, and it was the best decision I ever made.” Mallary spoke so fast it was amazing she managed to choke up a few sobs. “His mother hated everything about that idea. She bragged about how she finished her four-year degree in three and a half years and had just turned twenty-one. Of course, I reminded her that she ended up pregnant by a man twice her age. I know my dad loves her, though I can’t fathom why. She’s a brainless twit and not half the woman my mother was. I’m not bitter, but I miss my mother so much right now. Her death was so pointless, and I still don’t understand it. She had so much to live for.”
“I know. I know.” Trinity had met Mallary years after her mother had died by suicide. She had swallowed a bunch of pills that no one had known she’d been taking for anxiety and depression. Not even Mallary’s father had known. It had all been a shock, and Mallary had been so close to her mom. She had shared pictures of them going to get their hair and nails done—always with big, bright smiles.
“I wanted to like my stepmom, but she tried too hard to be my mother. It was gross.” Mallary sniffled. Shetilted her head and smiled. “I did, however, adore my half-brother. He was sweet and pure and didn’t deserve to be lost at sea. Do you think he might still be alive?”