Page 64 of Not-So-Perfect Princess
Jules inhaled sharply, but held the course.
“Has the boat righted itself?” Phillipe, who was nearest to her, asked.
“No,” Mike said.
The answer sent a chill down Jules’s spine.
“Man overboard,” a voice called over the radio.
“Trimming up for beam reaching,” she said without a moment of hesitation.
Alejandro jumped off the deck and grabbed the radio. “La Rueca is responding.”
The energy level tripled. A sailor was in the water. A life was at stake. The race no longer mattered. Every able-bodied vessel was required to offer assistance.
He looked at Jules. Confidence and affection shone in his eyes. “You can do this.”
She nodded once.
As she turned the boat from the starboard side, the mainsail and jib trimmers went to work. No one wanted to waste any time, but they had to be careful. They didn’t want to broach as well.
“Get a fix on the person in the water,” she ordered Phillipe. With the race on hold, he needed another job. Jules needed to make sure she didn’t run the sailor over.
“I’ve got the beacon,” Alejandro said, moving toward the stern.
She knew he was clipped in, but she bit her lip, worried about his safety out there. And the other boat. They’d been fighting the waves all day. If he went overboard…
Don’t think. Just steer.
“I see him,” Mike yelled.
Jules heard the collective sigh of relief, but the sailor wasn’t safe yet.
Alejandro threw the overboard buoy toward the sailor in the water. The buoy was state of the art with a lighted pole, life ring, flotation jacket and location beacon.
“Sailor has the beacon,” Phillipe said. “You’ve sailed past him on the aft side.”
“Coming about,” she ordered. “Trim up.”
Jules gave the second order even though it wasn’t necessary. They knew what to do. She sailed over the waves. Tacking back, she guided the boat toward the buoy.
Alejandro stood on the bow, clipped into the jackline. Sam was nearby, too. They looked out at the water. Alejandro was too far away for her to hear him so he directed her with hand signals.
She slowed down, luffing leeward of the sailor in the water. The wind against the loose sails sounded like thunder. The crew shouted. The noise level kept rising. She must be getting closer.
Jules focused, pushing the boat to its limits to reach the sailor as quickly as possible.
A helicopter flew overhead.
Mike used a recovery hook to grab the buoy’s line, pulling the buoy and the person toward them. Cody grabbed the buoy pole and dragged it back toward the stern.
“The other boat’s righted,” he said.
Thank goodness, but she couldn’t celebrate yet. She kept the sails luffing so the boat wouldn’t drift into the person bobbing in the water. Mike and Phillipe hauled the man onboard. His face was pale, but he looked relieved to be aboard. Water poured from his foul weather gear.
“We’ve got your sailor,” Alejandro radioed. “But due to the weather conditions an exchange isn’t possible.”
“We’re dropping out to recover,” the voice replied.
Bummer, Jules thought. But two other boats were still racing. Her questioning gaze sought Alejandro’s. He smiled at her, sending her heart into a pirouette.
“We’ll keep going,” he said over the radio.
“Thanks and good luck,” the voice replied. “Tell your newest crew member to enjoy the ride.”
“Will do,” Alejandro said. “The extra weight will come in handy with these waves.”
The guy on the radio laughed.
“Time to finish the race,” Alejandro announced to the crew.
Everyone took his position with a cheer.
“We can win this.” The confidence in Alejandro’s voice kept her focused. “J.V.”
“Coming about,” she said.
It was as if the rescue had never happened. If not for their extra passenger it might have all been a dream.
But as they sailed toward the finish line, Jules knew it was real. Like Alejandro’s kisses.
The bow crossed the finish line.
The crew cheered. Jules laughed.
They’d won.
Won!
La Rueca would be in the finals tomorrow.
Excitement rocketed through her. She stared at Alejandro. A grin lit up his face. So handsome. So dear to her heart.
