Page 86 of Prime Time Romance

Brynn slides down the bar toward it. “I think that might belong to Spencer,” she says. “It’s his LA kombucha.”

Sherry picks up the flask, screws off the top, and sniffs. “Kombucha, huh? Is that what he’s calling it? In my day, we called it straight-up moonshine. From the smell of it, I’m guessing this is at least a hundred and fifty proof.” Sherry looks up at me. “He didn’t drive home, did he?”

“No. I asked.”

There’s a gasp from Brynn. I turn and watch as all of the color drains from her face.

“What’s wrong?”

She jumps out of her seat. “He didn’t drive his car here. We took the boat.” She looks directly at me, her eyes wide with panic. “Sheldon said things would get dark. But I didn’t think he’d—”

She doesn’t finish the sentence. She leaves it hanging as she turns and runs out the front door.

“Brynn, wait!” I call, hoisting myself up and over the bar to follow her.

“Fletcher!” Sherry calls out just as I reach the front door. “Be careful out there.” Her sharp tone fades to a waver. “I don’t want to see someone else get hurt again. But I especially don’t want it to be you.”

If she says anything else, I don’t hear it as I run out the door.

I catch Brynn just as she reaches the beach.

“What’s going on?”

“Out there!” She points to a speedboat that’s trying to navigate the still-choppy waters. The shadows of two figures are visible in the moonlight. “I didn’t think he’d take it this far. But now I’m not so sure. He won’t hurt Spencer, but I’m worried about…”

She doesn’t finish the sentence. She turns and cups her hands around her mouth.

“Luce! Spencer!” she screams into the night. But her voice is swallowed up by the waves—and a shriek as one of the bodies falls straight into the water.

24

Brynn

I’m paralyzed.

It’s as if my feet are stuck in the sand. As if I’m watching the horror unfold on my television screen and not in the dark waters in front of me.

Beside me, Josh kicks off both shoes and then reaches for his belt. It isn’t until he’s down to nothing but his T-shirt and boxers that I even realize what is happening.

He’s going in.

He’s going after her.

“You can’t go in there!” I call as Josh runs into the water, but my warning is drowned out by the wind. I’m helpless as I watch Josh make even strokes out into the bay, where Spencer and the boat are still making circles.

Josh reaches the spot where Luce went under. He waves down Spencer, who finally brings the boat to a stop.

I stop breathing completely as Josh dives beneath the waves, and I only resume with a few shallow breaths when I catch a glimpse of white as Josh surfaces before diving under the water again.

My heart is in my throat, hammering hard. It’s almost impossible to breathe.

Please find her. Please be careful.

It’s an excruciating minute before there’s another break on the surface of the water.

This time, the flash of white stays. I squint and make out a second body. Luce.

Spencer reaches down and pulls her from the water. Josh climbs out next, his body disappearing from my view as he lifts himself up and over the gunwale of the boat.