PARKER WOKE WITH A HAIRY face hovering two feet above his.
“How you feeling, Rook?”
He opened his eyes just enough to spot Logan leaning over him, a huge grin splitting his face.
“I’m alive?” he rasped.
“Yep. So am I. Fun swim, huh? Good times had by all. Dawson says you wanted to go for at least one lap before the season ended, so I’m glad we could take care of that request for you. Can you sit up, Rook?”
Parker tried and found it easier than he’d expected. Dawson and Fredricks stood a few feet back from his bed. Abraham sat beside Parker’s bunk with a wad of thick white gauze wrapped around his head. The boat still rocked, but at a fraction of what it had done during the worst of the storm.
“Yeah, fun swim.” Parker’s lungs felt like they were on fire—memories of his childhood tide pool swim resurfacing—and breathing exacerbated the pain, but he was indeed alive.
Logan sat back in another chair inches from Parker’s bed. He pointed his finger at Parker and nodded as the tiniest hint of a smile played at the corners of his mouth. Logan didn’t speak. His eyes said more than enough—that he wouldn’t be alive if not for Parker, that he was grateful, and that whatever impenetrable steel wall had stood between them had been shattered.
“You’re okay, Abe?” Parker studied his friend.
Abraham nodded.
“How did we get back to the boat?”
Logan rested his arms on his lap, the big man’s eyes full of wonder. “Why did you do it, Rook? Risk yourself to save me?”
“I don’t know.” But he did know. There was never truly an option not to go. And in that moment he’d proven his worth. As he let the knowledge wash over him, peace flooded in.
Logan folded his arms. “Abraham always says there’s no greater deed than to lay down your life for a friend. So to lay down your life for an enemy, that is a truly astounding act.”
Parker stared into Logan’s eyes. As he did, he saw something deep in the man’s eyes that shocked him. Understanding. And dare he even think it? Friendship.
“You gonna tell me”—Logan cocked his head—“why you jumped in?”
“It wasn’t really about you. Something I had to do. For myself.”
Logan nodded. He couldn’t really know what Parker meant, but the look in the captain’s eyes said he did, and for a moment Parker believed it was true.
“Also . . .” Logan tapped his cheek, which was seriously bruised. “Nice shot.”
Parker grinned. “Thanks.”
“As soon as you feel up to it, join me out on deck. Share a cigar with the rest of us and a kick-butt bottle of scotch.”
Ten minutes later Parker did indeed join them, and Logan’s warmth intensified. Jokes and laughter and toasts filled the morning sky for more than two hours.
“A little bad news,” Logan said as the conversation finally lagged. He pointed at Parker and grinned. “Don’t think we’re going to be able to call you Rook any longer. Not after that stunt you pulled.”
Parker smiled. “I’ll learn to live without it.”
“Good man.” Logan stood and shuffled over to Parker. He motioned for Parker to stand, then slapped both hands on his shoulders and squeezed. “Anytime you want to come back, your spot is here.”
“I appreciate that.”
Logan nodded and strolled off. Dawson and Fredricks stood as well and both told Parker, “Well done,” before leaving him and Abraham alone on the deck.
Abe grinned at him, and when Dawson and Fredricks had pushed past the range of their voices, he said, “Almost impossible, winning Logan over to your side.”
Parker laughed and said, “My life is now complete.”
Abe threw his arm around Parker’s shoulders and shook him playfully. “What is true? What do you know now?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Who are you, Parker?”
He frowned. “I don’t know what you’re—”
“You’ve been given the gift of sight, I think.” Abe’s eyes grew intense. “I hope. Sight to see how strong you truly are. To see who you truly are. You’ve lived your entire life trying to live up to your dad’s expectations, but they weren’t your dad’s—they were yours. You’ve lived your entire life trying to prove to your dad you’re worth something. But you don’t need to. You never needed to. All you needed to do is see what has always been inside you. And now you have.”
Parker nodded as a surge of emotion circled his heart.
“When you heard that your mom needed help, you didn’t hesitate. You came. You offered your strength. My guess is that’s what you’ve done your whole life when people have needed help.”
Parker could only nod as the emotion threatened to spill onto his cheeks.
“And four hours ago you again didn’t hesitate to save a man who has treated you with disdain.”
“I did hesitate. I almost didn’t go. So close to not going.”
Abraham leaned back against the railing, closed his eyes, and tilted his head to the sky. “Once a man who owned a motorcycle shop had two sons. One day he goes to the oldest and says, ‘Hey, I need your help in the shop today. I want you to come by.’ The oldest son says, ‘No problem, I’ll be there.’ Then the man goes to his younger son and says the same thing. His second son says, ‘Sorry, Dad. Not going to happen.’
“After looking at his schedule, the oldest son decides he’s too busy and blows off his dad and doesn’t go into the shop. The younger son grabs a quick breakfast, and as he’s eating it he’s thinking about his dad. He ends up going to the shop and helping out.”
Abe opened his eyes, leaned close to Parker, and lowered his voice.
“Which of the sons did the will of his dad?”
With that, Abraham stood and strolled away, whistling a song that Parker knew he’d never heard yet sounded like one he’d known all his life. After Abe slid inside the wheelhouse, Parker turned and gazed out over the water lit up like diamonds by the sun.
His world had been altered forever. Altered was the wrong word. Transformed. Infused with a truth that had always been there, one he’d always wanted to believe. And now he did.