The video showed us how to control the power kite. Most important was how to stop. After that, it showed all the mischief we might get up to. They should never have shown us we could start on top of a building and let the wind sail us to the water. Cassidy distracted the guy by having him help her get everything sorted out while I boosted Brook onto the roof of the hut. I’d just pulled myself up when …
“Crap! You two get down from there!”
Brook let her kite go, and it caught the wind. Suddenly a big gust came along and jerked her off the roof. I was sure she was going to die. I think several people on the beach believed
If Brook could do it, I could, right?
Not quite. I forgot that I weighed a hundred pounds more than Brook. Cassidy and the hut guy both dove out of the way when my big butt got dragged off the roof of the hut and through the sand. I pulled back hard to get some lift and was able to skim over the sand and into the water. I leaned back and put the edge of the board into the water, and it was like I’d been shot out of a cannon. When Cassidy finally joined us, we had the time of our lives. Cassidy was smaller and had more upper-body strength than Brook, so she was able to do more tricks. Pam and Fritz had taught me more moves surfing. Between the three of us, we figured out some really cool stuff to do.
I dropped in as if surfing and was able to sit right in the of the wave’s curl forever. The kiteboard kept my speed up so I wasn’t sucked under. When the wave died, I would just lean over and let the kite pull me along.
Our moms finally found us on the beach and made us come in. I’m afraid I acted like a ten-year-old when I came bouncing up.
“Did you see me?” I asked, a little too overexcited.
Mom and Ava had amused looks as we all seemed to talk at the same time.
It was for the best that they’d brought us in because we were all exhausted and needed to eat. I guessed there might be a nap in my near future, too.
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The dads had come back like big-game hunters and had a mess of red snappers, which made Sophie happy. She’d gone grocery shopping while we had our morning adventures. She made us a lunch of a simple pan-seared red snapper with fresh tomatoes and black olives. With fresh French bread and a salad, Sophie had herself another winner.
Our next destination was Saint Kitts and Nevis. We had about 145 miles to sail, so I had time for my nap. I found out later that Brook had drawn the short straw, so she had to keep the parental units in sight while Cassidy robbed me of my nap. Well, she delayed it.
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We stopped midafternoon at a small island, one of the hidden treasures the crew knew about. Brook and I went SCUBA diving while everyone else either snorkeled or went shell-hunting. We ended up getting back first, took quick showers, and wandered to the aft section to relax and enjoy a late afternoon on a yacht.
“I don’t believe I’ve seen you smile so much.”
“It seems I haven’t had time to just relax in like forever. I really needed this,” I admitted.
“What are your plans for Cassidy?” Brook asked.
“I guess everything will go back the way it was when we get home.”
“You like her a lot, don’t you?”
I just smiled. If it weren’t for all the stuff waiting for me when I got back, I’d love to see where things might go with Cassidy. The problem was I’d made promises to her dad. My life was too crazy right now to put her in the middle of it. He was right; she deserved to enjoy high school. I was sure either Brook or Halle could stand up to the press and the rumors the tabloids would unleash. Cassidy was too trusting, and I expected she might not handle lies about herself very well. I would protect her from all that, even if it meant we were only friends.
“Are you okay with what we’re doing on vacation?” I asked.
“Yeah. I just worry that she might get hurt.”
“I’ll talk to her.”
“No, I’ll take care of it. Cassidy realizes this is only for the week. I need to explain that she needs to share,” she said with a smirk.
“That she does. I want to spend time with you, too.”
We didn’t get to finish our talk as everyone came back. For dinner, we had a pork dish with black beans and rice and fried plantains. I could have done without the plantains.
I rolled my eyes when Mom pulled out my movie. Ava and Ian hadn’t seen it, and it was coming out on DVD soon. I had fun snuggling up between Brook and Cassidy and eating popcorn while we watched
Being out in the sun and in the water all day meant that by the end of the day, you were tired. After bed check—Dad got the honors tonight—Brook snuck into my bed. Believe it or not, we talked more than we had sex. Finally, at around three, I had to kick her out, or we would have fallen asleep and been caught for sure in the morning.
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Chapter 29 – Police Escorts Can Be a Lot of Fun Tuesday March 29
