Contents ( 66)
- Cover
- Books by Valerie Fraser Luesse
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Map of Florida
- one
- two
- three
- four
- five
- six
- seven
- eight
- nine
- ten
- eleven
- twelve
- thirteen
- fourteen
- fifteen
- sixteen
- seventeen
- eighteen
- nineteen
- twenty
- twenty-one
- twenty-two
- twenty-three
- twenty-four
- twenty-five
- twenty-six
- twenty-seven
- twenty-eight
- twenty-nine
- thirty
- thirty-one
- thirty-two
- thirty-three
- thirty-four
- thirty-five
- thirty-six
- thirty-seven
- thirty-eight
- thirty-nine
- forty
- forty-one
- forty-two
- forty-three
- forty-four
- forty-five
- forty-six
- forty-seven
- forty-eight
- forty-nine
- fifty
- fifty-one
- Epilogue
- Keep Reading for a Preview of Valerie Luesse’s Next Book!
- Prologue
- one
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Back Ads
- Back Cover
Just as they came out of a turn and onto the beach for the last lap, Peyton saw it—an abnormally large swell very near the shore. Finn had warned him about rogue waves, which could get as tall as a building out at sea. “Will, look out for that wave!”
“Ain’t got time to look at the ocean, Peyton—we’re in second!”
“It’s gonna hit the—” The number 10 car was just passing the swell as it began to crest. “Floor it, Will, floor it!” Peyton shouted.
“’At’s the spirit!” Will said. He cleared the car ahead of him and floored the accelerator, making it safely to the finish line back on A1A just as the wave broke against the shore and swamped all the cars behind them.
Will was so focused on the checkered flag and his first big win that he was completely unaware of what had just happened. Peyton bailed out of the car as soon as he could and ran toward the beach. All the cars behind them were stalled, with ocean water up to their engines. One Chevy had been pulled out by the tide, and Peyton watched as the driver climbed out of the window, then stood helplessly in the water as wave after wave hit his car and pulled it out to sea.
When none of the other drivers showed up to congratulate him, Will joined Peyton on the beach, staring in disbelief at what looked like a lake full of race cars. “What happened?” he said, rubbing his eyes as if that might clear the scene for him.
“They got hit by a wave,” Peyton said. “I saw it comin’. That’s what I was tellin’ you to look out for.”
Will frowned, and then a forlorn expression saddened his face. “You mean I didn’t really beat them other cars?”
Peyton laid his hand on Will’s shoulder. “You didn’t just beat the cars, Will, you beat the ocean.”
That brought a smile. “You’re a good man, Peyton. I sure wish you could ride with me every race.”
“I ’preciate that. And I thank you for takin’ me along. But I gotta get on down the road.”
“I hear ya. Well, I reckon I need to give you your take.” He handed Peyton a hundred dollars.
“Dang, Will, are you sure?”
“Fair’s fair. You earned every penny.”
“Thank you. Guess I better get goin’. You take care, now.”
“You too, Peyton. Keep it in the road.”
“I’ll try,” Peyton said with a smile. “You do the same.”
They shook hands before Peyton retrieved his bike and asked directions to the police station. He was feeling flush with cash but knew he had a long way to go, so he compromised—he’d have a nice supper at a fish house on the beach but see if he could spend the night in the city jail.
“Thank you, son—thank you so, so much for calling. I love you, sweetheart!” Kate hung up the phone in Aunt Gert’s living room and returned to the kitchen, where her aunt and Finn were shucking shrimp for supper. “He’s alright!” she told them as she began shredding a head of cabbage for slaw.