Summer Secrets - Barbara Freethy [130]
The boat bounced and Sean stiffened, taking a minute to get the boat back under control before gazing back at her. "I don't understand. If Jeremy was on your boat, then what happened to him? You all survived. Why didn't he make it, too?"
"So many things happened all at once," Kate murmured. "I'm not even sure I know the sequence of events."
"It started with me," Ashley said. "I was down in the main cabin, and I was crying. I wasn't feeling well, and I was scared. The storm was just starting then. It wasn't that bad yet. Jeremy told me it would be all right. Just like you did a minute ago, Sean." She paused. "That's when he put his arm around me, and I kissed him. I wanted to distract myself from the storm. I wanted to forget where I was. Then Kate walked in." Ashley looked at her sister. "You had the most awful look in your eyes when you saw us, like I'd just stabbed you in the heart."
"I couldn't believe it," Kate said painfully. "I misunderstood the situation. I went a little berserk, and I said things I shouldn't have." Her eyes watered as guilt swamped her. She'd never had a chance to tell Jeremy she was sorry.
"But he knew you didn't mean it, Kate. And he knew Ashley was just scared," Caroline interrupted. "Because I talked to Jeremy right after that. He understood that tensions were running high. We were all on edge. We had been for months, but when Jeremy came onboard, it tipped the scales. Dad was furious. That's why he started drinking. He'd been so good the rest of the time. But, that night, it all came to a head."
"Yes, it did." Kate wished the memories weren't flooding back, but they were, and she couldn't stop them. "Dad and Jeremy were fighting about something. I don't even know what really. I was too mad at Jeremy to talk to him about it, and then I was too busy trying to keep the boat afloat to worry about it."
"Jeremy accused Dad of cheating," Caroline said. "I was down in our cabin, and I heard them talking. Jeremy said Dad had been cheating all along, bribing some of the crew members of the Betsy Marie to slow K.C. down, stuff like that. Then Dad accused Jeremy of coming on board for K.C. and not for Kate." Caroline stopped, an odd look in her eyes. "I just remembered that. He thought Jeremy was K.C.'s spy."
"You never said that before," Kate said.
"I didn't remember until now."
"Get back to how my brother ended up in the ocean," Sean said harshly, drawing all three women' eyes back to him.
"It was later that day," Ashley said. "Kate was at the wheel. Caroline and I were down in the cabin. I don't know which one of us was crying more." She exchanged a poignant look with Caroline. "Jeremy came down to check on us. I guess that's when he took off his safety harness."
"And when he came back up, Dad started shouting at him," Kate continued. "I told them both to stop fighting and come help me with the sails. They started toward me, and then they collided." Kate saw the scene unfolding in front of her eyes. Jeremy rushing toward her, then Duncan getting in his way, the shove, hands, fists, arms, legs flying, Jeremy landing on his back with a crack. She had turned in horror, and as she'd done so, the boat was hit by a huge wave, and suddenly Jeremy was sliding away, right over the side of the boat and into that awful, monstrous sea. "Jeremy fell. And then he was gone, over the side," she muttered.
"Oh, my God!" Sean said, horror in his eyes.
"I remember unhooking my safety harness. I ran to the side, and I saw him in the water," Kate continued.
"And then you jumped in after him," Ashley said. "I couldn't believe it. Dad and I went running for the lines so we could rescue you both."
"I had Jeremy's hand in mine " Kate looked at the brother of the man she had loved so fiercely. "I tried to save him, Sean. I swear I did." Her voice broke. "But I couldn't hold on. His hand was too slippery, and he wasn't conscious. His eyes were closed.