“To the back.” Her stomach turned. Could a person get seasick while still tied to the dock?

“Great.” He untied the boat, and they started moving away from the marina.

Louisa watched as the other boats grew smaller and smaller, saying nothing, trying her very best to keep her nausea in check.

After a few minutes, Cody glanced at her. “Everything all right?”

“Mmm-hmm.” She nodded, perhaps too enthusiastically. It rattled the insides of her head around, and a pain started throbbing at her temples.

“You’re quiet,” he said. “That’s not like you.”

“Are you saying I talk too much?”

“Yes.” He stared at her.

She would’ve smiled if she didn’t feel so sick.

“You look a little green.”

“I’m fine.”

He turned away, focused on the water. “Should we review the parts of the sailboat?”

“Sure,” she squeaked, knowing full well that whatever information he tried to give her in that moment would fall on deaf (and nauseated) ears.

He started with the rudder. “It’s attached to the tiller, here.” He had one hand on it. “Think of the tiller like your boat’s steering wheel.”

That was all she heard before her mind was caught somewhere between the middle of her nightmare and the memory of the angry ocean stealing her breath, turning her over like a child somersaulting down a hill.

She tried to focus on her breathing, but she couldn’t hear herself inhale. Was she still breathing? She reached up around her throat. Why was it so hard to breathe? Her heart raced, and her vision clouded over. She dipped her head down, and the waves were above her. She braced herself for impact, certain she was about to be thrown into the surf, certain there was no way out of it.

“Louisa?”

Through the depths, she heard his voice. It was muffled, though, as if she were listening from underwater.

“Hey, focus on my voice.” A little clearer now but still muffled.

The sound of the waves grew distant.

“Breathe, Lou.” Cody drew in a slow, deep breath, and Louisa mimicked him. Slow, deep breath.

“Count to ten with me,” he said. “Look at me.” He forced her gaze. “Count to ten.”

Slowly he started her off. She did as she was told. She closed her eyes and inhaled, then exhaled, until the pounding in her head began to subside.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she found Cody staring at her. They were close, only a few inches apart, and he was holding her hands.

She was still unsteady, though she was fairly certain her breathing had returned to normal.

“Feel better?”

He’d saved her again. On her own, she certainly would’ve died just now. Okay, maybe not actual death, but she could’ve at least passed out.

“I’m sorry,” she said, inching back. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” One glance at the water, and the oxygen disappeared again.