Eternal Vows (32 page)

Smirking, Mike pointed the remote control at the CD stereo in the cockpit, increasing the volume until Jack’s voice was drowned out entirely. She watched him inch closer, his hot breath brushing her cheek as he whispered in her ear, “C’mon on. Let’s jam to the beat of steel drums.”

She felt her heartbeat speed up. Mike was just being flirty, as usual. To him, life was all about having fun, and nothing more. “C’mon, Jack!” she yelled over her shoulder, as Mike’s hand clasped around hers, making her skin tingle. His warm, soft fingers rubbed against the back of her hand lightly as he pulled her toward the deck.

“
Dance with Mike?” called back Jack. “No thanks, I’d rather fish.”

Playing the macho card, is he? Well, to each his own.
Now she could give Prince Charming her undivided attention. Mike smiled and kissed her hand before letting go.

“
I’m beginning to feel the rhythm of the tropics.” Casey swung her hips to the beat while her hands swirled above her head. She stared into Mike’s piercing eyes. With eyes so green, it was no wonder four magazines had splashed his perfect face on their covers. Well, that along with his shaggy blond hair and that hip Malibu style.

A booming noise cracked through the air. Casey cupped an ear to hear above the music.
Was that thunder? No, that had to be a loud, thumping bass note.
The forecast hadn’t mentioned rain; but then again, she swore she saw lightning.

Mike pointed up at a twinkling light in the Caribbean night sky. “Hey, what’s that?”

She studied the odd light as it flashed red, green, blue, and white at regular intervals. Maybe it was a great and glorious sign
from the cosmos, telling the world that she and Mike were meant to be together. She laughed at her own dumb logic. It couldn’t be a plane, because it would’ve already flown over them. “It’s a star…or maybe Venus.”

His gaze swung back between her and the horizon. “I’ve never seen a star or a planet change colors like that. Have you?”

Casey shook her head. She’d never seen a star change colors at all.
Is that even possible?
“Weird, huh?”

“
Totally. Let’s go ask our very own walking encyclopedia.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, Jack knows everything.” Jack had broken the “dumb jock” stereotype: what’s wrong with being smart and a Heisman trophy sure bet all rolled into one?

Strong gusts of wind rocked the sailboat. Casey’s balance wavered and she grabbed onto Mike’s arm. “Whoa. It’s getting a little choppy out here.”

She blinked. Overhead, a brilliant burst of light ripped across the sky. Thunder crashed. Her pulse spiked as she broke Mike’s embrace and looked up at him, their eyes connecting. His forehead creased in a worried frown, and for a moment, she knew exactly what he thought:
No way do we want to be on a boat in the middle of the ocean with a storm gathering above our heads.
They sprinted to the bow, where Jack and her parents waited.

Dazzling streaks of lightning crisscrossed the night sky, quickly followed by a howling wind. Her breath quickened. Lifting her hands, she felt light droplets on her skin. She swallowed as she tried to calm her nerves.

Her dad gripped the rail and struggled to keep his footing. Rain poured, and the waves grew larger. “Looks like this fishing trip’s over. Everyone downstairs. I’m taking us back.”

Upon hearing this, Casey thought about the ironic humor in being stuck at the hotel all day while her friends enjoyed ninety-degree weather back home in California.

A bolt of electricity branched across the clouds
like a neon spider web. Another crash of thunder made her mom jump. She wrapped an arm around Casey as the boat shuddered. “Don’t worry, honey. You know your dad’s an experienced sailor.”

Compared to other storms I’ve encountered before, this will be a piece of cake.” Captain Dad forced a smile and headed for the wheelhouse.

Jack bolted after him. “Need any help?”

“
No. Just get yourself and everyone else below deck where it’s safe.”

“
I agree!” shouted Casey’s mom, water streaming down her face and hair. “Let’s go!”

She heard her dad yell over the whine of the wind, “Everyone. Life vests on. NOW!”

Just then, a huge plume of salty white spray burst into the air and splashed over Casey. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand as she motioned to Mike and Jack. “C’mon, guys!”

Her mom charged through the sheets of rain, thunder crashing overhead. Casey and the others followed. Angry waves exploded against the hull and filled the air with tumbling water.

The boat pitched as a wave broke over the side rail, ramming into Casey’s legs. She grabbed hold of a deck chair mounted to the floor to try and steady herself. Water, four or five inches deep, spread across the fiberglass exterior, threatening to wash her feet from under her.
Should I veer off course to get a life jacket and chance being thrown overboard? No way. There are plenty downstairs, and I want off this deck.

She slowly made her way toward the cabin door. Just above her, another crack of thunder exploded. Goosebumps pimpled her skin. There was more blindingly white light before the single streak of lightning broke into several branches. She breathed in and out deeply, hoping to make it to the cabin. Once she was behind that door, she knew she would be okay. She had no doubt her father could steer
Wind Dancer
safely back to the island.

The boat lurched again. Sodas and chunks of ice from the open cooler shot past her, barely missing her head. Shivering, Casey shielded her face with an arm, clenching her teeth as she inched forward.
Almost there
. Stinging rain pounded down harder. She took one more brave step and slipped, falling on one knee. The pain surging up her leg made her bite her lip to stifle a scream.
No need to worry the others
.

As she pushed herself up, an enormous wall of water rose high above them, crested, and slowly fell over their heads like a collapsing building. She tried to scream and swallowed a lungful of bitter seawater as she slammed into something hard. She wrapped her arms around it—the rail—and clung with all her might. A shudder ripped through her body. Salt stung her eyes and throat, but she didn’t dare let go."

"Casey!” Casey’s head jerked toward the sound of her mother’s frantic scream. As the water passed over her, she caught a glimpse of her mom’s face. Her mother shrieked, terror in her wide-open eyes, her mouth gaping, her hands reaching out for help as she was torn from the boat and swallowed by the dark, furious sea. “Mom!” Casey yelled.

This isn’t happening. It can’t be
. In a blur, Casey scrambled up, coughing and choking. Crying, she screamed hysterically and scoured the undulating water. “Help! My mom’s gone overboard.” She continued to peer into the rain, but she couldn’t see a thing. Her heart drummed harder against her chest, and when she could breathe again, she let out another horrified wail. She decided she’d do for her mother what she knew without a doubt that her mother would do for her: She would find her no matter what, rainstorm or not! Casey untied a red and white life ring, climbed over the rail, and positioned herself to jump.

Jack grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back. “What the heck do you think you’re doing? Get down."

Strong arms encircled her waist. She struggled against Jack’s iron grip as he lifted her off her feet, pulling her back on deck. “Are you crazy?” he yelled above the crashing waves.

Another shot of adrenaline surged through her veins. “Let go of me! The wave! It…it swept my mom overboard. I’ve gotta help her!”

"No.”
Jack refused to let her go, shaking his head adamantly. “You’ll get yourself killed out there.”

She punched and kicked, hitting him hard.
Doesn’t he get it? That’s my mother out there!
“I don’t care!” she shouted furiously through a veil of tears. “My mom needs me.”

“
Calm down,” he said in her ear. “Would your mom want you to jump in there? No, she wouldn’t, and you know it.”

Casey continued to struggle, but her attempts became less forceful, her body giving in before her will. She turned to face him. Water drizzled from his nose, chin, and hair. Letting out a breath, she said, “But my mom’s…she’s…out there.”

Jack leaned over the edge and yelled, “Mrs. Smith!” He glanced over, his eyes wide. “Where’s Mike?”

“
I dunno.” She swiveled one of the deck lights directly at the ocean, swinging the yellow beam in a wide arc. Her voice thundered through the storm, shaky as it was. “Mom? Mom? Mike? Where are you?” Even if they couldn’t hear her over the ocean roars, she hoped they might see the light and try to swim toward it. The wind whipped across her face as she cried out, “Do you see them?”

Jack shielded his eyes and peered out through the driving rain. “Nothing.”

Suddenly a muffled yell pierced the air. “Mike?” Casey shouted.

Jack’s head whipped around, and he pointed toward the bow. “Over there.”

A familiar figure emerged through the gloom. It was indeed Mike, and he hadn’t fallen overboard. Casey clutched her chest and let out a long sigh of relief. The thought of anything happening to him tore at her heart. Now she could focus all of her energy on finding her mom. She threw her arms around Mike, tears flowing down her face. She spoke between sobs. “I’m so glad you’re okay, but my mom went overboard”—she gripped his wet shirt tightly—“and we have to find her.”

“
What?” said Mike, staggering backward. “Where’s your dad?”

“
He’s in the wheelhouse,” shouted Casey. “C’mon!”

“
If another wave hits, hang onto anything you can find that’s bolted down.” Jack was trying to be brave, but he could never fool her. She saw the fear in his eyes.

Something cold swirled around Casey’s ankles. Water. Rushing in. And fast. She gasped. Floating floorboards, cushions, charts, and magazines sloshed about the deck.
What if this boat sinks like a giant rock?
She froze, her breath caught in her throat.

Mike shook her shoulder, terror etched in his voice. “Crap! We’re sinking.”

Casey saw her own fears mirrored in their tense faces. “Keep moving!” She grabbed their hands, and they raced through the fierce wind and rain. When they finally reached the wheelhouse, Casey flung the door open and shouted, “Dad!”

Lightning flashed, and in the brightness, she saw that the tiny room was vacant. The windows rattled, and heavy rain beat against the glass. The microphone dangled from the radio, almost touching the ground. Her dad’s floppy fishing hat slid across the wet floor.

Casey trembled as a feeling of dread encompassed her body. “Dad! Where
are
you?”

Goosebumps covered Casey’s arms as
Wind Dancer
teetered on the crest of a mountainous swell. Tilting forward, the sailboat dropped through the air like an elevator in free fall. Casey clenched her teeth, gripping the doorframe till her knuckles went white. When the boat slammed into the trench, a towering surge of spray crashed over her head. Pushing back wet strands of tangled hair, she wiped her eyes. Jack staggered and grabbed hold of the steering wheel.

Mike stumbled to his feet and yelled over his shoulder, “You two stay here. I’ll hunt for your dad.”

Without me? No way!
Casey opened her mouth to object, but Mike was already bounding down the deck. She let out a breath. “Wait, Mike! I’m coming with you!” A strong breeze swept over her, and she wondered whether he’d heard her.

Mike spun around as rain sheeted down, his drenched clothes clinging to his body. Casey dashed after him, not realizing he’d spoken until he threw up his hands. “What?” she shouted over the ear-splitting thunder.

“
I said, you’re the only one who knows how to use the radio.” Mike cupped his hands around his mouth to make himself heard.

She flicked her long hair out of her face. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right.

“
Okay, I’ll get help. Find my dad.” She shot a last pleading glance at him before she turned on her slippery heels.

“
I promise. I’ll look everywhere!” he shouted.

Casey skidded back to the wheelhouse, desperate to get to the radio. As she flung open the door, Jack scrambled to help her inside. Together, they battled the strong wind until the door finally clicked shut.

“
I’ll send out an SOS,” Casey panted, her heart hammering.

A flash of lightning illuminated the night sky. Casey switched on the radio and picked up the microphone. She jumped when a violent clap of thunder cracked above her, as if someone had snapped a bullwhip just inches from her ear. With shaky fingers, she tuned in to Channel 16. Her voice broke as she forced herself to speak. “Mayday, mayday, mayday! This is
Wind Dancer.
Can anybody hear me?” She gripped the receiver tightly with both hands. “Somebody, please answer!”