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"I had a few more hours before my flight. I was down there looking for you."
She shook her head. "I didn't know."
He stared back at her. "How did you survive? The boat was blown to bits."
"I jumped off before it blew up." She licked her lips. "I swam away, and eventually I made it to one of the small islands nearby. I was there for several days before anyone found me."
Her words were logical, but there was something about her story that sounded practiced.
"What about the other people on board? Did they make it?"
"No, I don't think so."
He didn't understand why she was acting so guarded. There was fear in her eyes, but she hadn't been afraid of him on the island. Why was she now? Why wasn't she smiling, laughing, telling him about the adventure she'd had, the miraculous escape from death?
"Ria, what's going on?"
"Could you let go of my arm? You're hurting me."
He hesitated, then released his grip. "Sorry. Why did you run away from me just now? You heard me call your name."
"I didn't want to talk to you. It's—awkward."
"Why?"
"Because it is." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "We had a one-night thing a long time ago. I don't know what you want me to say."
There were a lot of things he wanted her to say, and none of them were coming out of her mouth. "Your explanation of your escape doesn't make sense to me. Juan took me out to the scene of the explosion. There were dozens of people looking for you and your passenger. I was one of them. I was in the water searching for you. I don't see how you could have swum away."
Her face whitened. "I didn't know you were part of the search. Why were you out there?"
"Because I wanted to save your life."
"Oh. Well, that was generous of you."
"That's it?"
"I didn't know you looked for me. I'm touched."
"I waited on the island for two days. I know search parties went out in boats to the neighboring islands. They came back empty."
"I was on a really small island. It was very far away. I'm sure most people wouldn't have thought I could swim that far. But I have strong survival instincts."
He gave her a long look. She avoided his eyes. "I don't believe you," he said. "Why are you lying to me?"
She stiffened. "I don't care if you believe me. You asked me what happened, and I told you. So we're done."
"Hold on," he said forcefully. "We are not done. I thought I saw you on Fisherman's Wharf right before Thanksgiving. And now I'm sure it was you."
"I don't remember seeing you."
She was lying again.
"After I saw you," he continued. "I called Juan at Sea Charters, and I asked him if you or anyone else on your boat had been rescued after I left. He said no and that the tragedy still haunted him."
She stiffened. "I wish you hadn't done that."
"Why?"
"Because it's complicated."
"The fact that you're alive when you're supposed to be dead is complicated? Yeah, that's an understatement."
"I didn't go back to the island after I was rescued. I wasn't particularly close to anyone there, and it was time to come back to the States." She paused. "Did you call anyone else besides Juan?"
"I also spoke to Martin at the bar. He said he'd made peace with the fact that you'd died doing something you love. I wonder how they'll both react when they find out you're alive."
"You can't tell them," she said quickly.
"Why not?"
"I have my reasons."
"Tell me what they are."
"I can't."
"Then I'll make some calls."
This time it was Ria who grabbed his arm. "Drew, you can't do that."
"I need to know why. Are you in trouble?"
"I'm trying to avoid being in trouble," she said pointedly.
"Maybe I can help."
"You can help by leaving me alone. Just go away and forget you ever knew me."
Considering the fact that he'd been dreaming about her nonstop for the last five months, and for the year before that, he doubted that would be possible. "I'm going to need more information." He glanced at her dark jacket, at the yacht club emblem on the chest pocket. "Do you work for the yacht club?"
