Wandering Heart (9781101561362) (9 page)

Charlotte nodded, too exhausted to speak. Her arms felt like
rubber, but she got them around him, and he wound one arm around her body and used the other arm and his strong legs to leverage up the rope ladder, carrying them both up the side of the boat as if it were a short flight of steps on dry land.

Some foggy part of Charlotte’s brain registered how strong he was and how safe she suddenly felt. She had been saved. She wasn’t going to die. She felt overwhelmed and thought she might start crying again.

Her body went completely slack with relief and exhaustion as he pushed her over the edge of the boat. She flopped onto the deck like a big fish, her hair a mess of tangles in front of her face as she coughed up seawater.

Her sweatshirt had floated off at some point in the ordeal and her dress clung to her body, her skin covered in goose bumps. She felt an uncontrollable shiver. Even her teeth chattered out loud.

Her rescuer jumped over the edge of the bow and knelt down quickly to help her. “Are you all right? Can you breathe?”

Charlotte nodded but couldn’t speak. He wrapped a heavy gray blanket around her. It smelled moldy, but she felt warmer and snuggled into the folds.

“You must be in shock. You’re shivering.”

She finally lifted her head and looked at him. He was about her age, tall and slim with broad shoulders. He had dirty blond hair and a scruffy, unshaven look. His eyes were deep blue, the piercing color of the ocean on a sunny day.

She tried to answer him, but her stomach lurched and she ended up vomiting. She was so mortified, she wished she could just disappear.

He didn’t flinch or seem repulsed. “You swallowed a lot of water. About half the ocean, I’d say. Feel any better?”

“A little … I’m sorry about that,” she mumbled, turning her head away.

“No problem. Better to get it all up now.”

She was still embarrassed and shaken to the core. “I-I’m probably in shock,” she stammered. “I feel so … disoriented. As if this is all happening in a dream. Or I’m just acting in a movie …”

He gently took hold of her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Can you stand? I’ll get you belowdecks. It’s much warmer down there.”

Charlotte’s legs felt weak, almost like liquid. She wasn’t sure she could make it, but the word “warmer” was a lure. With the stranger’s arm around her waist, supporting her, she came to her feet and stumbled the few steps across the deck and down a short flight of stairs.

The boat rocked from side to side and the smell of gas from the motor made Charlotte feel sick again, but she fought the urge, distracting herself by looking around the cabin.

The cabin space was close and rough. There was a small metal sink and counter area tucked near the steps, a wooden bunk on one side, and two small bench seats on the other. Charlotte was seated on one. At least she was out of the wind and rain and a little drier. That was all she cared about now.

“I’m going to take you to the dock. It’s a short ride,” her rescuer said. “I’m just curious. How did you fall in the water? Were you on a boat?”

“I was walking on a jetty, on the beach below the inn. It was so stupid of me, really. I slipped on a rock and fell in.”

He looked amazed at her reply. “I know those rocks. You’re lucky you didn’t crack your head open.”

“I guess I am.” It was, she thought, just one of the lucky breaks she’d had that day.

She’d come so close to losing her life and the realization was stunning. Life was so fragile. It could be taken away in an instant, without any warning at all. Charlotte knew she took her life for granted, like most people, feeling as if she would live forever. But that just wasn’t true. She closed her eyes and thanked God again for sparing her.

Life was so strange. So mysterious. What had led her to this island, to come so close to death today, only to feel the hand of fate pluck her up again?

Was there some meaning—some lesson she should learn from all this?

“Are you all right?” he asked quietly.

She opened her eyes to find him staring at her. “I’m okay, thanks. Just tired.”

“You must be beat. You had the fight of your life out there. Would you like some tea? I think I have a bag or two around here somewhere.” He rummaged through a drawer near the sink and pulled out a tea bag.

“That would be great. If it isn’t too much trouble.”

He put a pot of water on a burner and lit it with a match. “It’s just a camp stove. But it does the job.”

She smelled the Sterno and it reminded her of camping with her family, before her father died. They’d been too poor to take big vacations, but she hadn’t realized that at the time. She thought camping was the best vacation and couldn’t wait for the trip every summer.

The little boat cabin reminded her of the inside of a tent, rustic but cozy.

“So what are you doing around here? Are you a guest at the inn?”

“Not exactly. I’m in a movie. We’re filming some scenes on the island this week.”

“A real movie or a commercial? Are you a model?”

“I was for a short time … Now I’m an actress, Charlotte Miller.” She paused, trying to gauge his reaction. But his back was turned as he fixed the tea and she couldn’t see his expression. When he finally turned, he looked a bit surprised but didn’t seem exactly overwhelmed.

“Sure. I’ve heard of you.” He glanced at her over his shoulder. “How do you like your tea? I don’t have milk or lemon but I have a packet of sugar around here somewhere.”

“Plain is fine,” she said. When he handed her the mug, she thought she noticed a spark of humor in his blue eyes. Was he putting her on? Did he really not recognize her or was that an act?

Lately, Charlotte enjoyed it when people didn’t recognize her and she could walk around with some anonymity. But for some reason, she wanted this man to know who she was. She wanted him to be impressed. Just a little.

She held the mug in both hands and blew on the tea. Just holding the cup warmed her.

“Wow, Charlotte Miller …” He pulled a yellow slicker off a hook over the bunk and shook his head. “The guys on the dock will never believe me. I might get the prize for biggest catch of the summer. You even top the fifty-pound lobster Crawley brought in last August.”

Charlotte felt weak and tired, actually dizzy. But she had to smile at the comparison.

“Gee, thanks. No one’s ever compared me to a big crustacean before.”

“Yeah, well … I think you beat the crustacean. But there will be some debate, I’m sure.”

“Are you a fisherman?” She blew on her tea and glanced over at him.

“Yes, ma’am, I am. It’s hard work. But it has its moments. You never know what’s going to swim into your net, that’s for sure.”

He was teasing her again. Charlotte had to smile but wasn’t up to any clever banter. She was so tired, she could hardly keep her eyes open.

He took a towel from another hook and handed it to her. “This one is clean. You can use it for your hair.”

She glanced at him, suddenly feeling self-conscious. She touched her hair with her hand and felt a tangled, matted mess. She wouldn’t doubt there was some seaweed stuck in there as well.

“I’m going above. We should be at the dock in a few minutes. If you need anything, just holler.”

Charlotte nodded and watched him climb the short flight of wooden steps to the deck. A few moments later she heard the boat motor start and they were underway. The sturdy boat plowed through the choppy sea, bouncing as it hit the waves. Charlotte felt seasick again, but the hot tea seemed to help.

She wondered how long she had been gone from the film crew. It was hard to tell. Once she fell in the water, it was all a blur in her memory. It could have been hours or only a few minutes.

She wondered if everyone on the set knew she had been picked up by the fishing boat. Maybe the lifeguard on the skiff had seen her rescued. She hoped so. It would be awful if they all thought she had drowned.

Charlotte moved from the hard bench to the bunk and turned to look out the small window. It was still raining, and she couldn’t see much through the thick, smudged glass.

She suddenly realized that she didn’t know her rescuer’s name. He must think she was horribly self-involved and rude. The man saved her life, and she hadn’t even thanked him. She had to say something, right away.

Charlotte grasped the railing with one hand and her blanket with the other as she slowly climbed up to the deck. The waves were still rough, but the rain had tapered off to a fine drizzle.

She saw him up in the boat’s cockpit, which was a few more steps above the deck. He stood at the wheel, staring at the sea. He was tall, Charlotte noticed. Tall and slender, wearing worn jeans and big boots. He hadn’t changed out of any of his wet clothes, only pulled on the rain slicker, but he must have been accustomed to being wet, out on the sea all the time, she reasoned.

What a hard life. She could hardly imagine it.

He turned and smiled at her. “Need a little air?” Charlotte nodded. “Sorry for the bumps,” he said. “It’s hard to get a smooth ride today.”

“That’s all right.” Charlotte had to shout to be heard over the boat engine. “I’m sorry, I didn’t ask your name.”

He flashed her a quick smile. She could tell that he had noticed but had written off her rudeness to either being a celebrity or being half-drowned.

“It’s Colin. Colin Doyle,” he shouted back.

Charlotte nodded again. She wanted to ask him more questions, but it was hard to shout over the engine. He seemed to realize that and beckoned with his hand.

“Come on up. I can’t hear you. You’re in the rain out there, besides.”

Charlotte clutched at her blanket and went up. The cockpit of the boat was a small space, dominated by the steering wheel and a
wooden panel of instruments. Sheltered on three sides by a flat glass windshield, it afforded a great view.

Charlotte gazed out at the ocean. “It’s so empty out here. So vast and empty.”

He glanced at her. “Does it frighten you?”

“No, not at all. I guess I should be frightened, after being lost out there. But when I look out now, I feel like it’s just … such a relief.”

He smiled at her answer. “That’s the way I feel about it, too. The sea can be frightening at times and dangerous. You have to respect it.” He paused. “You were lucky today.”

“Yes, I really was,” she said, thinking again about what happened to her. “I was very lucky that you came along and pulled me out. You saved my life. Thank you, Colin. I wish there was something more I could say or do for you.”

He glanced at her then quickly looked away. He seemed embarrassed by her gratitude. “No thanks necessary. I was in the right place at the right time. My mother used to say everything happens for a reason. That’s not even the usual place I cruise. I guess I was just meant to be there. To help you.”

Charlotte just nodded. “I guess so.”

He was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the open water ahead of the boat. “There’s a legend about this island. People say angels live here and help folks in need, make things happen that seem impossible.”

She glanced at him. “I’m not sure I believe in angels,” she admitted. “But maybe I should start. I sure gave up hope of being rescued. It seemed impossible.”

Before he could answer, the boat hit a series of high-cresting waves and Charlotte lost her balance as the deck below her feet tilted one way and then the other.

Colin grabbed her around her shoulder with one arm, steering with the other. “Whoa there … We don’t want you to slip overboard again. That wouldn’t do,” he joked, his tone easy and affectionate.

Charlotte leaned against his warm, hard body for support as the boat continued to bounce on the water. With his strong arm circled around her shoulder, she felt secure and safe. She was glad, though, that she couldn’t see his face or look into his eyes. She was used to the attention of attractive men, but she suddenly felt overwhelmed and self-conscious.

She felt drawn to him, unaccountably comfortable and relaxed with his arm around her. As if she’d known him forever.

Was that some strange reaction to being saved? Probably, she realized. Though it did feel like something more. Something very heady and real.

He turned his head to say something and suddenly, he was close enough to kiss her, if he wanted to. But the moment passed and he looked straight ahead again. His arm slipped from her shoulder as he slowed the boat down and then pointed to the shoreline.

“There’s the dock. Looks like they’re expecting you. Someone must have seen me pick you up.”

“I guess so.” Charlotte looked out at the throng of people from the movie crew who stood waiting for her. She waved to show she was all right, then felt surprised at her own reaction: She didn’t want to get off the boat.

I should be happy, overjoyed, thrilled. I’ve been rescued and brought back to safety. People who know and care for me are waiting. I’ll be stepping into a hot shower and dry clothes in no time. I may even snuggle
under a quilt on that beautiful bed in my room at the inn.

Still, something tugged at her heart and she wished that the man who had pulled her from the icy cold water would turn the boat around and take her out to the vast quiet sea again.

Colin glanced over at her. He suddenly seemed different. It was in the way he held his tall, strong body and in the expression on his face. The easy intimacy between them had vanished. He seemed distant and more formal. And a little tense, she thought.

He cut the engine then steered the bow of the boat close to the dock. He jumped down to the deck, grabbed a line, and tossed it at one of the techs who stood near a piling, waiting to help them tie up.

The tech pulled the rope, bringing the boat alongside the dock’s edge, then twisted it around a brass hook. The film crew was starting to crowd around, but Colin called out to them, “She’s cold and wet and tired but otherwise fine. Give her a little room and I’ll help her disembark.”

Charlotte stood right behind him. He had one foot on the boat deck and the other on the dock. He took her hand and helped her cross over to the dock, where Meredith, Mike, and Judy were all waiting. Charlotte’s legs felt rubbery as she stepped onto the dock, and Mike and Judy rushed to hold her up.