Minutes later, she learned Nir had missed the fireball and the concussive wave and the wake that rocked the boat and the moment when the last of the yacht’s bow submerged into the Arabian Sea. He hadn’t experienced any of it. Instead, he was passed out on the floor of the inflatable.

September 2021: (One Week Later)

SEPTEMBER 2021

(ONE WEEK LATER)

Chapter 66

CHAPTER 66

ONE WEEK LATER

EILAT, ISRAEL—SEPTEMBER 1, 2021—14:45 / 2:45 P.M. IST

It is so stupid hot,” Nir said. According to the forecast, they were in a cooling trend, which for Eilat in September meant the high was still 38 degrees Celsius. In just the short walk from the car onto the beach, he’d already sweated through his shirt.

“If you’re going to bring me to the Red Sea,” said Nicole, “I won’t spend the whole day somewhere in air-conditioning. I’ll be here, stupid hot or not.” She was carrying both their beach chairs and a small cooler. Nir was on crutches.

“You know these things weren’t made for sand,” he said, trying to keep both balance and forward progress. The docs had said that it would only be another day or two before the swelling would be down enough for him to walk on his own.

“Want me to get some of those big hunky guys playing volleyball to carry you?” she asked with a wink.

He just growled.

She pointed to the left. “Look, there’s an open one.”

“Of course no one is using the umbrella. Everyone’s inside in air-conditioning.”

Nicole laughed and punched his arm. Then realizing what she’d just done, she said, “I’m sorry. You okay?”

“Oh, the abuse I endure.”

They reached the large, thatched umbrella, and Nicole set up the beach chairs. Nir settled into his with a sigh and laid his crutches in the sand. She knelt next to the cooler and lifted the lid.

“Ah, finally, the mystery is about to be revealed,” he said.

“Prepare to be amazed.” She removed two tall glasses and set them on the lid. Then she opened a container of blueberries and dropped a handful into each glass. Next came some peach slices. This was followed by a bottle of Torani vanilla syrup, which Nicole tipped briefly. After placing the bottle back into the cooler, she took out a muddler and began mushing the ingredients together.

“Wait a second. Are you making gazoz? Who taught you to do that?”

Nicole had a big smile on her face. “Liora and Dafna. They had a CARL gazoz party a few days ago with the Kidon team. I think it was just an excuse for Liora to see Imri. But look at this. They even gave me a muddler.”

Imri and Liora? That’s interesting, he thought as he watched Nicole work. Going to have to keep my eye on that.

“You never cease to surprise me,” he said.

Nicole beamed at the compliment.