I was a madman as that moped skidded down the wet San Diego roads. I leaned forward and put that beast in full throttle and punched the handlebars. “Come on! Faster!” The speedometer read thirty-five miles per hour. I had to catch her before the boat left.
Finally, I hurtled into Point Rios harbor, the place I’d left just the night before. I splashed through a puddle and rain soaked my jeans and flannel shirt.
I had to get to Coco.
I slotted the moped next to a handicapped spot and hurried to the dock. The window for the Catalina boat service stood open, and an old man wiped down the counter.
I skidded to a stop, my Vans squishing with rainwater. “When’s the boat leave for Catalina?”
He scratched his head. “You mean the morning boat?”
“Yeah. Can I still get a ticket?” My head swiveled around frantically for signs of Coco, but she was nowhere to be found.
“You could get a ticket, but it won’t do you no good seeing as the boat left twenty minutes ago.”
I slammed my fist down on the counter, and the man flinched. “God damn it!”
“Now slow down there, cowboy. Your temper ain’t gonna make that boat come back.”
“When’s the next boat?”
“Not till tomorrow morning. We only make one run a day this time of year.”
I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and punched in Goff’s number.
“Top o’ the morning. Ready to paddle out?” he said. “Or did you call because you miss my sparkling personality?”
My tone was sharp. “Goff! I need your Jet Ski. Where’re the keys?”
“Whoa there. What’s wrong?”
“It’s Coco. She’s gone. Goff, I messed up bad. I broke up with her and—”
“I been meaning to talk some sense into your head. That lady was the best thing ever showed up around your sorry ass. What’s going on?”
“She moved. She’s on her way to Catalina right now. I’m at the dock. The boat just left, and if I put the hammer down on the Jet Ski, I can catch her.”
Goff let out a hoot of laughter. “Damn, Dominick. You’re crazier than I thought. Hell yeah, you can take the Jet Ski. The keys are under the passenger seat of the boat.” When he stopped laughing, he said, “I only wish I was there to see her face.”
“Thanks, man. I gotta go.”
I broke into a sprint and dove into Goff’s boat. Sure enough, the keys were where he said. The morning was cold and wet, but I didn’t care that I only wore jeans and a flannel shirt. I hopped on the Jet Ski, and she thundered to life. I gave it full throttle and sped through the marina to the yells of early morning boaters telling me to, “Slow down!”
When I reached the open ocean, I hit it. Cold salt water sprayed all over my body and face. Where were they? I knew the route because we’d covered it the previous day but the boat must’ve gotten more of a head start than I thought. I punched it harder, leaning forward, my eyes searching the ocean for signs of boats in the early morning fog.
Finally, the boat appeared like an apparition out of the mist.
The bright blue inscription on the boat read: Jazzy Jim’s Catalina Ferry.
The vessel wasn’t large; it looked like it wouldn’t hold more than fifty passengers.
I circled rapidly on the Jet Ski, spume flying up madly around me.
When I passed the bow of the ferry, I glanced up and was surprised at how clearly I could see the captain’s face. Her eyebrows rose and her mouth fell open. She blared the horn. Her voice screamed over a loudspeaker. “Unauthorized craft dead ahead!” I hit it and circled again. The horn blasted in my ears. “Out of the way. Cease and desist!”
I ignored the warning and circled the boat. Finally the ferry came to a stop and swayed in the ocean. The captain yelled, “Hey, you on the Jet Ski! Are you insane?”
I pulled the Jet Ski up as close as possible and circled slowly. A few passengers stood on the deck, eying me with slack jaws. A young girl tugged on her mother’s coat and pointed. “Mommy, look!”
Where was Coco?
I circled again. My gaze traveled from the bottom to the top deck. A small crowd gathered at the railing.
And then I finally spotted her.
Chapter Fifty
Dominick
Coco stood on the top deck clutching Victor Jose, her long black hair whipping in the breeze.
“Coco!” I yelled louder. “Coco!” I idled the Jet Ski and cupped my hands around my mouth. “Coco!”
She must’ve finally noticed it was me. Her eyes grew wide. One hand flew to her mouth as she hugged Victor close. Her voice held a high pitch as it carried over the sea. “Dominick? Oh, my god. Dominick! What are you doing?”
I stood up on the Jet Ski and yelled as loud as I could. “I love you!” And then I cut the engine and dove headfirst into the sea.
Luckily, I had trained in the ocean all my life. My arms stroked harder than I’d ever had to stroke for even the biggest wave of my life. The water was icy cold, but I didn’t care. I swam like my life depended on it. I reached the emergency stairs and hauled myself up and onto the boat. I ran like a madman past old ladies, families with children and found the stairway that led to the top deck. I took the stairs two at a time.
I reached the top deck and there she was.
Coco, this crazy woman who had come into my life on a harebrained scheme and worked her way into my heart stood there gripping her wriggling pup.
When he saw me, Victor Jose came unglued with high-pitched yelps.
I raced up to them. Coco held Victor tightly, but his hind legs pushed against her chest and he hurled himself into my waiting arms. I caught him and laughed as he covered my face with wet puppy kisses. “I missed you too, little buddy.”
I threw my arm around Coco, and with Victor Jose pinned between us, I planted a big kiss on her luscious cherry lips. Her hands reached around to hold me close nearly crushing poor Victor. “Oh Dominick, I’ve missed you.” Her hands gripped my hair as she kissed me hard. Then she pulled away, and those alluring blue eyes gazed at me. “What are you doing here?”
I gave her a lopsided grin. “I couldn’t let the love of my life leave town without giving her a big wet kiss, could I?” I handed Victor to her and smoothed down her outfit. Sorry I got you wet baby.”
I lifted her chin to meet my gaze. I stared into those bewitching blue eyes that had captivated me the first time we met. My voice was soft. “I read your blog.” My eyes searched hers. “Why didn’t you tell me, minha flor?”
Her gaze fell to the floor. “I tried.” She smiled shakily and grasped my bicep. “You’re so strong and passionate about life. You always seem to bounce back from things that go wrong. All I did was hide and think I could beat the odds.”
The boat rocked, and I inhaled the salty ocean air mixed with Coco’s feminine scent. I couldn’t wait to make love to her again. “I would’ve understood.”
“Oh, baby I’m so sorry I lied to you.” Her warm, delicate hand stroked my cheek. “Do you know that I fell in love with you the moment I met you? I just didn’t know how to open up.”
Victor Jose licked my face as I leaned in and I delighted in his warm puppy enthusiasm. “Don’t you know how you made me feel every time we were together?” I smiled broadly. “You made this surfer feel like a king.” I chuckled. “And you even made my mother fall in love with you.”
“How is Cecelia?”
“Crazy as ever.” I gave her an impish grin. “She put me in time-out for breaking up with you.”
Coco placed her hand on the back of my head and gazed sensuously into my eyes. “Well, you know you should listen to your mother.”
“I should, shouldn’t I?”
“Yes.”
Coco was so exquisite, her skin glowing, her eyes dancing with love and passion. “Coco, I should’ve told you this a long time ago.” I took a deep breath and stared into her eyes. “I love you. Will you take me back?”
She cocked her head
sideways. “Why don’t you kiss me again and I’ll tell you.”
I glanced around at the small crowd that had formed. “What do you think folks? Should I kiss her again?”
“Yes!” yelled one.
“What are you waiting for?” said another.
“Take him back!” said a third.
I shrugged. “I reserve my very best kisses for the one and only love of my life.”
“Kiss her!” yelled an ancient woman wearing a disheveled raincoat. “If my old man was here, I’d never let the poor guy up for air again.”
The crowd burst into laughter.
Coco handed her pup over to the nearest person, threw her arms around me and we fell into a passionate kiss to the whoops and hollers of the many passengers who had gathered around.
Chapter Fifty-One
Dominick
“Okay everyone, hold hands,” I said.
My mother, Lola, Justice, Rhys, Alex, Coco and I sat around the reading table. My mom said, “Are you going to start the reading or what? Dinner’s ready soon.” She folded her arms. “I suppose you want it to burn.”
I placed a hand on my mother’s arm. “This is the last reading you get before you head home, let’s make it a good one.”
I closed my eyes and began my meditation. I picked up my cards and tapped the deck with my fist, so the negative energy fell out of the bottom. I shuffled the cards, cut the deck, took a deep breath and picked the first card. “Rhys. This one’s for you. It’s the Angel of fertility.” I scrunched up my face. “That’s weird. I’ve never seen a card that has the person’s name written on it. It says: Rhys and Alex will enter a prosperous venture. One that’s fertile and abundant.”
Lola punched my arm. “Dad. It does not say their names on that card.”
“I like the reading,” Alex said. He peeked over my shoulder. “And I see it really does have our names.”
I picked the next card. “Lola, this card is the Angel of good-looking boys and gnarly surfing. It says here that you and Justice will catch the best waves in the lineup next summer.” I winked at Justice. “It even says that Justice might surf Cortes Bank one of these days. If he’s nice to my daughter.”
My mother harrumphed her disapproval. “What does mine say?”
I turned over another card. “Your card, Mother, is the Angel of American kitchens. It says here that you will learn to prepare hot dogs, macaroni and cheese and how to properly order from a Burger King drive-through.”
Mom folded her arms tightly and leaned back in her chair. “I wouldn’t be caught dead at a fast food place. You Americans are going to die of clogged arteries.” She narrowed her eyes. “What’s going to become of you without my cooking?”
Lola hopped up and ran into the other room, returning with a small box. “Here it is, Daddy. Time for Coco’s reading.”
Coco sat next to me, and she had never looked more radiant. I remembered the first time we’d met when she sat in this exact spot with her designer clothing and expensive perfume. Now she wore a pair of worn jeans and a sexy tank top, simple makeup, her long luxurious black hair spilling over her shoulders and back. When she saw the box, her bottom lip quivered. “What’s this?”
I held her hand. “First, your reading.” I placed the deck in front of her. “Cut the deck meu amor.”
With trembling fingers she cut the deck and with sleight of hand, I removed the card I had been hiding up the sleeve of my flannel shirt. I gazed at it with wide eyes. “Oh! It’s the Wedding Card.” I read aloud: “Marriage is the union of two souls joined in love, mutual respect, and commitment. It signifies a desire to deepen love over time.” I set the card down. “It doesn’t really say that.”
I held her hand and gazed into her glittering blue eyes. My voice choked, and I gently cleared my throat. “Here’s what it really says: You crazy woman who came into my life with your loco friend and your wild schemes.” My breath quickened as I grasped her hand. Warmth flowed from her hand to mine, and I squeezed tight never wanting to let go. “You captured my heart. You fell in love with my daughter. You even made friends with my mother. And you make one heck of an anti-aging tonic.” I took a deep breath. “It says, Coco, will you marry me?”
Lola opened the box with a flourish. “Look! My dad got you a ring.” She removed the toy diamond ring from the box and handed it to me. I slipped it on Coco’s delicate finger.
One hand flew to Coco’s mouth as she admired the bauble. “Oh, Dominick! I love it.” She looked at Rhys. “I don’t know Rhys. You want to make a bet?” She winked. “That we’ll live happily ever after?”
Rhys picked up a card and placed it on his forehead, his face crinkling up in concentration. He inspected the card. “It says right here that you should say yes to Dominick.”
Coco threw her arms around me and right there in our humble living room with the ocean booming in the background, the angel painting watching over us, and my little family looking on, we kissed passionately.
Coco drew away and smiled that radiant smile I had fallen in love with. “I think between your angels and my anti-aging tonics, you and I will live a long happy life.” Her eyes filled with happy tears. “I would love to be your wife.” She jumped up and threw her arms in the air. Then she reached her hand out to me. “Dance with me, Dominick.” Her lithe body shimmied. “We’re getting married!” She gazed over her shoulder. “Crank up the music Lola.”
Lola hopped up, trotted to the stereo and hit the power button. The room filled with my favorite Brazilian music—an upbeat dance ditty about love, passion, and sex. Lola’s fists clenched and she squealed. “My favorite!”
Justice grabbed Lola’s arm. “Let’s dance.” The two of them broke into the Harlem Shake, Justice’s knees knocking and legs wiggling as he balanced on tiptoes.
Rhys and Alex boogied down with arms in the air, ass shaking gyrations.
I led while Coco followed my best gangster moves. “Come on baby. Lean with it! Rock with it!”
My mother sat at the reading table, arms crossed.
“Come on, Cecelia,” Rhys said. He reached his hand out. “Dance with me.”
Mom’s face broke into a wide grin. “Let’s see what you’ve got, Americano. Follow me, how do you say—white boy.” She bumped his hip hard and then Rhys broke into a sweat as he tried to keep up with my mother’s flawless samba.
I bent Coco into a dramatic dip, and we kissed as my family and friends cheered.
Lola bounced on her toes. “My dad’s marrying the prettiest, bestest, most fun lady in the whole wide world.”
As I stood up, Coco grasped tightly in my embrace, my gaze swept over that picture of paradise, the tube I’d nailed in Tahiti. Coco smelled like the ocean and perfume as we got down to the strains of hot Brazilian music.
I was in love.
I closed my eyes and smiled.
The rush of our love mixed with the feeling of endorphins from the largest wave I’d ever ridden.
I had surfed gorgeous waves in Bali, Hawaii, and Tahiti. But none of them compared to the thrill of loving Coco.
I couldn’t wait to start the rest of my life with her.
THE END
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Thank you so much for reading Sea of Seduction. I need to thank some of the folks who’ve made this book possible. Big thanks to all my early readers: Kerry Pedlow, Jennille Smith, Jamie Crumpton Julie Strauss, Rachel Goodman, Patty Jackson and Ellen Bard.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A deep bow to Grant “Twiggy” Baker, the world’s gnarliest athlete. He helped me with many of the research aspects of big wave surfing.
The Big Juice by John Long and Sam George is a riveting read for anyone interested in big wave surfing. Specifically, the following stories influenced Dominick’s tale.
Dislocated: Mavericks and Me by Taylor Paul inspired Dominick’s wipeouts.
The Eye of The Storm by Mike Parsons and Greg Long stimulated my account of Dominick’s epic journey to Cortes Bank.
Sea of Seduction: A Single Dad Sports Romance Page 25
