Heartstrings - Forbidden Hearts Series Prequel

19| Loaded Questions

"What do you mean we're stuck out here? We can't be stuck out here, Nathan! We're in the middle of the damn ocean!"

Okay...technically we were nowhere near the middle of the ocean, but now wasn't the time to correct a panicked Karma.

"It's going to be okay, Karma." I was hoping that would calm her down a little.

She tried and failed to turn around to yell at me some more. "We are not okay! It's not like we can swim back, Nathan. We wouldn't make it. Besides, we would get eaten if we tried it!"

"Karma, stop! You're going to tip us. You need to sit still."

She stopped moving and buried her face in her hands. For a second I thought she was...No. She couldn't be.

"Are you crying?"

"No," she mumbled into her hands.

Yes, she was. "Karma, look at me." Face still hidden, she shook her head. "Look at me or I'm going to get off this jet ski and swim to the front so I can see your face. And if I get eaten, it's going to be your fault."

Her head snapped in my direction and she glared at me as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. "Don't say that!"

I cupped her face with my hands, wiping the tears away with my thumbs. What was it about this girl that had my chest aching at the sight of her crying?

"Listen closely, Karma. We will be okay. The jet ski probably just sucked up some debris. It shouldn't be too hard to get it out. But first I want you to tell me why you're so rattled."

Given her state, I wasn't surprised when she didn't push my hands away. She just sniffled before explaining, "It's kind of a phobia."

That made me frown. "The water? But you go swimming in the ocean all the time."

"Not the ocean. It's more of a fear of being stranded out here. Like on a boat or something." More sniffles. "It's why I never minded when the jet ski plans got cancelled before."

"Why didn't you tell the girls that? They would have done something else."

She looked away shamefully. "Harper already paid for this. And I didn't want to seem like a chicken."

Well that made sense. Karma was a prideful person, but she was also very selfless. Even though she was scared, she didn't want to ruin Harper and Lanie's plans. Now one of her greatest fears was happening. I just needed to figure out how to get this damn thing started.

I took a deep breath before I looked her in the eye. "Do you trust me, Karma?"

"That's a loaded question, Nathan."

"About this. Do you trust me with this. Our situation."

"Yes."

I gave her a shop nod. "Good. I think I know how to fix it. My uncle had a jet ski and I watched him fix it when something similar happened." This part wasn't going to be easy for her to hear. "Listen carefully, Karma. First thing I need to do is rock the ski."

Her eyes widened. "What? No! You said it could tip if—"

"I know what I said. And it still can. But I have to shake it to try and get out whatever it could have sucked up. I'll be careful."

Even though she said she trusted me, I could tell she was terrified. "What if I fall off?"

"You won't. Besides you have your life jacket on. And if you did fall off, I can pull you up."