Read Online Sail by James Patterson, Howard Roughan - Free Book Online
Authors: James Patterson, Howard Roughan
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yes to being our captain. If it’s not Carrie jumping ship again, I’m afraid it might be him.
It’s enough to make me reach for the satellite phone. The thing is, I told Peter I wouldn’t call him during the first two weeks. Don’t ask me why I said it, I just did. I guess I wanted to look strong, show him I wouldn’t come crying at the first sign of trouble. Of course, that’s all I’ve wanted to do these past six days. I’m running out of willpower. I’ve never been a wuss, but I’m getting close now.
Six days is practically two weeks, right? Plus I really miss Peter.
I close the door to my cabin and dial our home number. It’s about nine o’clock at night and he should be there. But he isn’t. After five rings the answering machine picks up. At least I get to hear his voice on the tape—briefly.
I dial his office next, thinking he’s working late. He must be extremely busy with his big trial about to start, and Peter is maniacal about preparation. I’ve never seen anyone who hates to lose so much. That’s why he works a lot of late nights.
Bummer—there’s no answer at his office either. Where is Peter? Out to dinner?
Finally I try his cell phone. It’s the fail-safe. The thing is practically glued to his ear when he’s out and about. Sometimes he answers before it even rings on my end.
Not this time, though.
I listen to one ring and then another . . .
Where are you, honey? I really need to talk to you. I really need your support.
Chapter 27
IN THE THREE-PLUS MONTHS since Peter had begun his affair with Bailey Todd, not once had she asked him about his marriage, and until the sailing trip she hadn’t even mentioned Katherine. In fact, the only time his being married had ever come up was that very first night they met on the NYU School of Law campus. That’s when Peter told her flat out, “You know I’m married, right?”
“Yes, the ring on your left ring finger sort of gives it away,” answered Bailey. “Of course, what your wife doesn’t know won’t hurt her, will it?” she added, with a carefree laugh reserved for the young.
It wasn’t so much the words themselves as how she said them. He knew right then and there that he was smitten.
It was her confidence that got him, the way that she was able to will the situation to her advantage. Unabashed. Unashamed. It happened to remind Peter of someone very near and dear to his heart: himself.
So that’s why now, as the two of them lay in her bed after some spectacular, sweaty, someone-ought-to-pull-a-muscle-type sex, he was all the more surprised by the question Bailey asked him out of the blue.
“Would you ever leave your wife for me? Just . . . theoretically, of course.”
Peter was speechless, no small feat for a defense attorney of his caliber. As he scrambled in his brain for a response, though, Bailey let him off the hook.
“It’s okay, you can plead the Fifth, Peter,” she said. “I know she’s worth, like, a gazillion and a half dollars. Your silence is answer enough. Also, it’s not a problem for me.”
Yeah, right, Bailey.
Peter wondered—worried, actually— whether maybe the affair had already “jumped the shark.”
Bailey was too young and too beautiful; she had her whole amazing life ahead of her. It was a good bet she wouldn’t waste any more time with him if the relationship had nowhere to go.
But there it was again: that confidence of hers, a rare thing of beauty—from where he was lying, anyway.
She rolled onto her side and gave Peter a playful jab to the ribs. “Then again,” she said, “if I really tried, something tells me I could probably change your mind. Theoretically.”
Peter grabbed her and pulled her naked body close, nibbling on a breast. “You might be right,” he said. “You just might be right.”
He was about to kiss her when his cell phone rang on the nightstand. It could’ve been anyone calling, and yet Peter immediately knew otherwise. He just had a hunch.
So did
It’s enough to make me reach for the satellite phone. The thing is, I told Peter I wouldn’t call him during the first two weeks. Don’t ask me why I said it, I just did. I guess I wanted to look strong, show him I wouldn’t come crying at the first sign of trouble. Of course, that’s all I’ve wanted to do these past six days. I’m running out of willpower. I’ve never been a wuss, but I’m getting close now.
Six days is practically two weeks, right? Plus I really miss Peter.
I close the door to my cabin and dial our home number. It’s about nine o’clock at night and he should be there. But he isn’t. After five rings the answering machine picks up. At least I get to hear his voice on the tape—briefly.
I dial his office next, thinking he’s working late. He must be extremely busy with his big trial about to start, and Peter is maniacal about preparation. I’ve never seen anyone who hates to lose so much. That’s why he works a lot of late nights.
Bummer—there’s no answer at his office either. Where is Peter? Out to dinner?
Finally I try his cell phone. It’s the fail-safe. The thing is practically glued to his ear when he’s out and about. Sometimes he answers before it even rings on my end.
Not this time, though.
I listen to one ring and then another . . .
Where are you, honey? I really need to talk to you. I really need your support.
Chapter 27
IN THE THREE-PLUS MONTHS since Peter had begun his affair with Bailey Todd, not once had she asked him about his marriage, and until the sailing trip she hadn’t even mentioned Katherine. In fact, the only time his being married had ever come up was that very first night they met on the NYU School of Law campus. That’s when Peter told her flat out, “You know I’m married, right?”
“Yes, the ring on your left ring finger sort of gives it away,” answered Bailey. “Of course, what your wife doesn’t know won’t hurt her, will it?” she added, with a carefree laugh reserved for the young.
It wasn’t so much the words themselves as how she said them. He knew right then and there that he was smitten.
It was her confidence that got him, the way that she was able to will the situation to her advantage. Unabashed. Unashamed. It happened to remind Peter of someone very near and dear to his heart: himself.
So that’s why now, as the two of them lay in her bed after some spectacular, sweaty, someone-ought-to-pull-a-muscle-type sex, he was all the more surprised by the question Bailey asked him out of the blue.
“Would you ever leave your wife for me? Just . . . theoretically, of course.”
Peter was speechless, no small feat for a defense attorney of his caliber. As he scrambled in his brain for a response, though, Bailey let him off the hook.
“It’s okay, you can plead the Fifth, Peter,” she said. “I know she’s worth, like, a gazillion and a half dollars. Your silence is answer enough. Also, it’s not a problem for me.”
Yeah, right, Bailey.
Peter wondered—worried, actually— whether maybe the affair had already “jumped the shark.”
Bailey was too young and too beautiful; she had her whole amazing life ahead of her. It was a good bet she wouldn’t waste any more time with him if the relationship had nowhere to go.
But there it was again: that confidence of hers, a rare thing of beauty—from where he was lying, anyway.
She rolled onto her side and gave Peter a playful jab to the ribs. “Then again,” she said, “if I really tried, something tells me I could probably change your mind. Theoretically.”
Peter grabbed her and pulled her naked body close, nibbling on a breast. “You might be right,” he said. “You just might be right.”
He was about to kiss her when his cell phone rang on the nightstand. It could’ve been anyone calling, and yet Peter immediately knew otherwise. He just had a hunch.
So did
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