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I slowly slid to the edge of the lounge chair, being careful to be fully alert. If Yury had found me and had to travel here to get me, he would be beyond angry and, no doubt, have backup.
I should have taken Cota’s advice and allowed him to give me a cell phone.
There was no one on the shoreline, no boats, none of the staff on the patio. Where and, more importantly, who was calling me? My sandals were just below me in the sand. I wiggled my feet into them without ever looking down. I calculated the distance to the house versus the distance to the dock, where I now saw some of the staff loading what looked like suitcases.
There it went again. Just run for it.
I’d only gotten as far as the furthest edge of the patio area when Cota stepped out in front of me. I nearly lost my balance as he startled me pretty good.
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“I was in the mood for a jog.” I lied. “Where are you coming from?”
“A jog, you say?” Cota asked suspiciously. “Then why are you running in sandals?”
“Oh, I didn’t feel like going up to change. I’m not even sure I have something to wear.”
“A bikini and flip flops sound close, but I think real islanders jog barefooted.” Cota stood looking down at me. “Your feet must be tough from ballet.”
“If you mean to ask if I can handle huge bubble blisters, then yes!” I walked slower now. “By any chance, did you hear someone saying my name?”
“No, I can’t say that I did.” Cota looked around, then back at me. “Is something wrong?”
We continued walking until we reached the dock. I once again heard my name. I did everything in my power not to grab onto Cota to hide but, when Sawyer and the yacht captain popped their heads out of the engine room, we could hear the radio blaring out a song that said my name.
Oh my God! Thank God I didn’t tell anyone what I thought was happening. I would have looked like such an idiot.
“Sabrina?” Cota put his hand on my arm. “Sabrina? Are you alright?”
“Oh, yeah, sorry. What is that song?” I tried to take the attention off of me. “I’ve never heard a song with my name before.”
“I was just thinking the same thing. I don’t think I know that song.” Cota looked to Sawyer. “What is that song?”
“I don’t know, the captain has some oldies channel on.” Sawyer laughed. “Sabrina, it’s you. Maybe we should find out who the artist is.”
The captain appeared on the deck dancing at that moment. We all had a good laugh. I was shaking inside still from the fear that Yury had found me, but it was subsiding with every second we laughed. The men chatted about departure details while my stomach did a dance of its own.
“Hey, you ready for some lunch?” Cota was standing in front of me.
“I’m not hungry right now, but I will sit with you.” I smiled up at him.
“You, not hungry? I doubt that. You eat better than me.” He gently pushed my hat back. “Something is wrong.”
“It’s nothing, I just got myself rattled.” I smiled bigger. “Maybe it’s just anxiety about going back to the city.”
“I thought you were excited to go back.”
“I was. I am.”
“Come on, let’s have a last walk on the shore before we leave.” He gestured to walk with him. “And while we’re walking you can tell me what is worrying you.”
“I appreciate your concern, I do, but it’s alright.”
“Well, maybe I’ll feel better if you let me in on it. Then we can be alright together,” Cota softly urged. “You don’t have to, of course.”
We had reached the shoreline. The cold waves lapped around our ankles and I felt the tension leaving. This man had already helped me so much, I felt I owed it to him to be honest.
“It’s silly and I feel embarrassed to say it out loud.”
