Chapter 5
Ten minutes later, Keston weaves the vessel between towering craggy rocks. White birds roosting in crevices squawk at us.
I shut my eyes. “We’re going to die.”
“Don’t be silly.”
I peek to see Keston weaving the boat in and out of the towering rock spires, maneuvering through the imposing stone giants that loom high above the water.
“Oh my God. We’re going to hit one of those giant thingies.”
“Rocks?”
“That’s bigger than a rock. They’re almost mountains. In the middle of the sea.”
“We call them rocks.”
“Very funny, pay attention.”
“Geez, woman. I’ve been boating here all my life. We’re not going to hit anything. Unless you jinx us.”
That shuts me up. I cover my mouth with my hands in case I’m tempted to say any more.
I brace myself internally and outwardly for a massive crash. Which never comes.
“It’s a shortcut. The other boats can’t come this way.”
“Can’t or won’t? Maybe they’re smarter than I thought. Unlike you!”
“Whoa, CJ. You gotta have faith. I’m not crashing our boat. At least not until we name it.”
The boat engine slows to a gentle murmur. Rough, calloused hands cover my arms, hugging me close to warm skin.
“Open your eyes all the way, baby. This is the best part.”
I cautiously peek between my fingers.
“No faith,” he fake grumbles.
I drop my hands and feel my mouth falling wide open.
Our boat sits in the middle of a clear, turquoise, sunlit pool. Rainbow-colored fish peck at the white sand below.
“But we’re in the middle of the sea. How can the water be so clear and so shallow in this spot?”
“St. Nicholas is surrounded by reefs. With secret havens like this. Which is why pirates loved to hide out on this island.”
“But what is this called?”
“Welcome to Mermaid Pool,” Keston says dropping the small butterfly anchor onto a clear sandy patch.
Everything that felt as if it was going wrong today has been righted.
“This is breathtaking.” I blink hard.
Keston swoops me up in his arms. “You ready to go dive for the mermaid shell?”
“Me?” I blubber.
He reaches under the console and hands me a dive mask and snorkel. Then, he pulls off his bandana and yanks down his mask over his head.
“Us! It’ll always be us. Try to remember that.”
“Us,” I repeat, letting the short but meaningful word sit on my tongue.
As I shake out my curls and twist the mask into place, Keston scans the bottom of the pool. “It’s pretty shallow. Less than fifteen feet.”
“Okay,” I say, unsure what that has to do with me. I’m not going any further than sticking my face in the water.
“Are we doing this?” he asks. “Before they catch up?”
“Yes,” I say, settling the mask. “Let’s do this.”
Excitement grips me. I’m in a make-believe setting. A place for mermaids, it seems.
I have this hunk of a man at my side saying we’ll always be an “us.”
I grip the edge of the boat to leap over the side. I can’t wait to get into the gorgeous, shimmering blue ripples.
Keston takes my hand. Kisses my knuckles and looks into my eyes behind my mask.
“Woman, why do I love you so much?” Without waiting for an answer, he says, “On three?”
“Wait,” I shout. “Go back to how you love me so much.”
But too late. Keston sings out, “One, two, three!”
And we leap.
Fingers entwined.
Right into the magical Mermaid Pool.
Maybe the Universe is trying to tell me something.
Keston and I are in this thing together.
Not only the race but this thing called life.