Summer Secrets - Barbara Freethy [149]
Kate had persuaded her father to sit the race out. Yesterday she'd notified the race officials from the Winston Around-the-World Challenge of the true events of eight years ago. There would be an investigation and probably some type of recompense to be made in terms of the prize money they'd already spent. Kate had no idea where they'd get the money to pay it back or whether her father would suffer any further penalties, but it didn't matter. It was a relief to have it all out in the open.
They'd also faced the Amberson family and had come clean on every detail of the last few days of Jeremy's life. The Ambersons had been understandably furious and hurt, the pain once again as fresh as it had been eight years ago. But hopefully in time they would understand that Jeremy had still died a hero.
He'd come aboard the Moon Dancer to help and support the McKenna girls, and he'd done exactly that right up until the last minute.
It didn't take long for the news to race around the island, and gossip and speculation were running rampant. The McKennas had been the talk at every bar and on every boat on the island. But today was a new day. A new race. And, like all good sailors, they weren't looking behind them. Their eyes were fixed on the horizon.
"I can't believe I'm doing this again," Ashley murmured.
"Me, either," Caroline said with a dimpled smile. "But it feels good. I feel good."
"So do I," Kate said.
"That's because you're in love," Caroline teased.
Kate was in love -- lust, infatuation, she had it all. She still didn't know what the future would hold. Loving a man like Tyler would no doubt offer its own set of challenges. He was a roamer at heart, and, even though he claimed he wanted roots, she wasn't sure how the reality of island living would fit him. Something else she'd deal with as she went along. She could live anywhere. She knew that now. She no longer needed a place to hide, but a place to live.
"Hello, girls," a familiar voice said.
They turned to see K.C. and David bearing down on them.
"Hello," they said in unison.
"It's been quite a week, hasn't it?" K.C. said, looking at Kate.
"Yes, it has."
"I didn't remember, you know. I almost wish I had. I almost wish my plan had been as devious as you no doubt thought it was," K.C. said. "I realize now that Duncan thought I came back here to torture him with the possibility of revealing the truth. But I just came back to rub his face in the sight of me sailing his boat."
"Not for long," Kate said. "We're going to win it back. The bet still stands, right? Whether my father races or not?"
"Why would you want the Moon Dancer? You girls don't want to race or even sail."
"Because it's ours. It's our home, our legacy. My mother would want us to have it."
K.C. met her gaze with a long, serious look of his own. "I wish you luck, then," he said, tipping his head.
"We won't need luck. We're McKennas," Kate called after him, repeating her father's favorite phrase.
"I'm not so sure we don't need luck," Ashley said somewhat darkly. "We haven't raced in eight years. We're a little out of practice."
"That's true, but we're still strong and fit, and, frankly, I think it's ingrained in us, don't you? There was a time when we could do this in our sleep. I'm hoping it comes back. But, if it doesn't, at least we will have tried our best." Kate paused, giving her sister a curious look. "By the way, how is Sean?" Ashley blushed and Kate had her answer. "That good, huh?"
"We're working things out."
"I'm so glad."
"I left him a message that we were racing today, but I'm not sure he wants to be a part of it." Ashley looked around. "I thought Dad might come down to see us off. Although he's probably angry with us for