He pulled up a sail, his muscles straining under his red tank. “Nope,” he called over the wind. As he turned the boat with the tiller, the sails fluttered like gulls’ wings, and he adjusted them with one hand. He continued doing what seemed like three things at a time, handling the jobs with the ease and dexterity of a man who’d done it a thousand times.

Soon he turned the boat slightly into the wind and pulled the white sails tight. Kate dug in her satchel for sunglasses and joined Lucas where he steered the vessel. The deck felt unsteady under her feet, and she grappled for a hold.

“Having fun yet?” he asked. His eyes hid behind his own sunglasses, and she saw herself reflected in them.

“I had no idea there was so much involved in sailing.”

He smiled, clearly in his element. “It’s a blast. I sail a couple times a month at least. More, if I have time.”

“Who taught you?” Kate thought it’d take her years to learn everything he’d just done, but then she wasn’t a mechanical person. And she could tell already sailing wasn’t going to become her favorite pastime. Being at the mercy of the wind was unsettling. What happened when it changed directions? How did you go back where you came from if the wind was blowing the other way?

“Mom. Dad knows how, too, but Mom’s the expert. Want to take a stab at it?” He moved to the side, offering her steering privileges.

Her legs shook at the thought. “No, you go ahead.”

He shrugged. “Suit yourself. There’s soda in the cabin if you get thirsty. Otherwise, just relax and enjoy.”

Kate took the bench nearby and grabbed the railing. The hot sun beat down on her face, and she was glad she’d applied sunscreen before they left. Lucas hadn’t applied any and she wondered if he’d burn. His sandal-clad feet were braced a shoulder width apart, and his dark hair and T-shirt fluttered behind. He seemed unconcerned about the lack of sunscreen and life vest.

In the distance, other sailboats dotted the ocean. She looked down at the water rushing by and wondered how deep it was. Just then the boat tilted. She gasped and gripped the metal rail. A glance at Lucas hinted nothing was awry, but her nerves jangled just the same. What if they tipped over? The idea of floating in the middle of the ocean made her palms clammy. Maybe she’d feel better below deck, where she didn’t have to see the wide expanse of water.

She stood, steadying herself with whatever she could grab. “I think I’ll get a soda,” she said.

Lucas nodded, lost in apparent nirvana, oblivious to her discomfort.

“Okay, then.”