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What little color had returned to her face vanished. “I can’t.”
“You havenochoice. I’ll be with you—this time.” He kept his hand out, insisting she take it. “Let’s go.”
Undoubtedly, it was her desire to get on dry land that persuaded her. Once she slipped a clammy hand into his, he pulled her to her feet. “You, too, Simon.” Amos guided them up the steps toward the pilot house.
At the highest part of the boat, the bobbing was most evident. “I’m going to get sick.” Grace’s knees gave out as she beheld the view awaiting them.
Amos grabbed the back of her life vest just before her knees hit the deck. He pulled her upright and set her in front of the ship’s wheel.
“Getting sick is not an option. You have to do this. I’m right here with you, supporting you.” Literally, as he stood directly behind her. The autumn-spice scent of her shampoo made him want to bury his nose in her hair, then kiss her neck, and her shoulders, all while slowly removing her clothing. Instead, he unfurled her fisted hands and placed them on the wheel. “You’re going to steer. I’ll control the motor. Simon, sit down.”
With a lurch that brought a moan of fear out of the woman in front of him, the boat started moving. Grace began to slide down the wall of his body.
“Stand up.” He intentionally spoke harshly, pulling her upright but leaving the wheel in her control. “Look, we have all this open space in which to turn around. You see that crab pot buoy? Steer us around it.”
Her breath came in panicky little gasps, but she manipulated the wheel much as he would have done. On the other side of the buoy, however, she overcorrected, causing the boat to slide toward land. A whimper of terror escaped her.
“Relax.” He reduced their speed. “Just point her back in the right direction. There you go. Think with your head. Don’t listen to your fear, Grace. Fear is your enemy.”
Even as he coached her, step by step, back to the pier, his mind digested what he knew to be true. Grace had already made plans to return to Venezuela. At least he knew why, now. Because Mateo was thesecondchild she’d loved and lost. Had the death of her first child been the cause of her divorce?
“Cut the wheel a little to the right. Yes, good. Now straighten her up. That’s it.” He shifted the boat into reverse to counteract its forward momentum. “Well done, shipmate Garrett. You’re not exactly Captain Bligh, but you conquered your fear.” Having brought the boat to a standstill, he released her. “I’ll go tie her up. Simon, stay with Grace.”
As he hurried to secure the boat to the pier, Amos wondered if he could convince Grace to stay by promising to have Mateo safely deliveredtoher. But who, besides a mercenary who would charge tens of thousands of dollars, would willingly retrieve the boy from a country at war? No, Amos would have to fetch Mateo himself—somehow. If only he had let the boy come home with her the first time, this uncertainty wouldn’t be gnawing at him.
It was going to take everything in his power to make up for that mistake.
* * *
By the following day, Grace had nearly forgiven Amos for reducing her to a neurotic ball of fear. If he hadn’t forced her to control her fear well enough to steer the craft, she might have stayed away the next day. For Simon’s sake, she showed up.
Amos greeted her at the door of his houseboat, looking uncharacteristically preoccupied.
“I have to go out again this morning. I’m getting a cell phone.”
“Well! I’m glad to hear it.” Brushing past him, she went to join Simon in the breakfast nook. After waving goodbye to his father, he settled next to her, happy to read theToonbook one more time before moving to another. After that, he worked on forming letters in the colorful workbook while Grace praised his accomplishments.
“Let’s take the house on the water again,” he suggested as he put a tail on the letterQ.
Her stomach lurched at the mere thought. “You’ll have to ask your dad about that. I can’t stay long today. My sister gets three new horses for her ranch tomorrow, and everything has to be ready for them.”
Simon tore his eyes off the workbook. “Real horses?”
“Yes, real ones. Have you ever seen a horse in person?”
“Nope.”
“Would you like to come with me next week to see them? You could play with Olivia. She’s six, just like you.”
“A girl?” He wrinkled his nose with distaste.
Grace heard the door open, and in swept Amos, bearing a cell phone in his hand. He showed it to her. “What’s your number?”
Assuming he meant to put her into his contacts, she gave it to him, then watched him type away. In the next instant, her phone vibrated, telling her she’d received a text. Curious to know what he’d said to her, she pulled her own phone from her bag and read the text once, quickly, then again more carefully, her heart beginning to thump.
Grace, give me time, and I will find a way to get Mateo for you. You don’t have to go back.
She stared at him, nonplussed. How good of him to make an offer like that! How gallant. How…unexpected. But she’d already bought her tickets; her money was spent. Besides, she didn’t have the luxury of time. With her visa due to expire soon, and with Mateo losing ground on his emotional recovery, she had to get to Venezuela before it was too late.
