I’m not afraid. It’s just awkward, you know?”
“What’s awkward about it?”
“Is this really the time to discuss it? I mean, shouldn’t we concentrate on surviving?” I kicked my feet.
Just keep swimming .
Great. Now I was finding myself quoting Disney movies. I may have been previewing a few for my future godson or daughter.
But I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d said. Should it not be awkward? Was I missing something?
“Remember when we went paddle-boating that time at the park down the street from our apartment?” Riley asked.
“Of course, I remember that.” I smiled.
It was a good memory. We’d just started dating. I’d thought I had a career ahead of me in forensics. And the future seemed bright.
So much had changed since then.
“I would like to talk to you about everything that happened over the past nine months some time,” Riley said quietly.
“How about we sing ‘Yellow Submarine’ first?”
“What?”
I had no idea what I was talking about. Anything but what Riley wanted to chat about.
I shivered again. Shivered like I’d never shivered before. The reaction was so strong that my entire body shook uncontrollably. The water was just so cold that it zapped all my energy. My grip began slipping from the kayak, and I couldn’t pull myself back up.
I had to focus, take my mind off my discomfort.
“Those were good times. But it’s like they say . . .” My words began to fade as drowsiness overtook me.
“What do they say?” Riley asked.
What was I trying to say? I could hardly remember. “They say . . . all good things . . . must come to . . .”
“Gabby, are you okay?”
I couldn’t answer. I knew the stark reality I was facing.
Hypothermia was setting in.
CHAPTER 16
“Gabby , I need you to stay with me,” Riley said, a knot forming between his eyebrows.
“I’m numb. And cold. So cold.” I felt like I was swimming in ice water. In the Arctic. After eating a popsicle.
My mind wanted to go to a happy place. A beach. In the Caribbean. With no clouds or breeze. Just searing UV rays burning my skin.
“Hold on to the kayak.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me up higher, trying to get my upper extremities out of the water.
“It’s no use.” My words were a chattering mess. My body felt like it had taken on a mind of its own, and I had no control.
“Only a little bit farther. The Bible is full of stories that take place on or near the water. Think about Peter walking on water. If he did that through faith, then we can get to that island.”
“He lost faith and sank.”
“At least he stepped out. You’ve got this, Gabby.”
But did I have it? I wasn’t so sure.
That’s when my foot hit something.
A shark? No, not a shark. This was something solid. Big. Expansive.
Land.
We’d reached land!
“Riley . . . the water . . . I can touch bottom.”
We’d arrived just in time. The water was shallow for quite a ways until we reached the beach, but at least the end was in sight. I was already dreaming about a hot shower and coffee and . . . warmth. Just warmth. That was all I wanted.
Before I could say anything else, Riley swooped me into his arms. “I’ve got you from here, Gabby.”
“You . . . don’t . . . have to. I can . . . make it.” But my words didn’t sound believable, not even to my own ears.
“Let me help.”
His chest felt solid beneath me. But I didn’t have time to think about that, though. I had to concentrate on survival right now. My teeth chattered even more as the cold air hit my wet skin. My body trembled as it fought to get warm. Riley had to be cold. But he pushed through. He was my hero . . . again.
How many times had he saved my life now? I’d lost count.
“The kayak,” I managed to say as he slogged through the water. “We should keep it for . . . evidence. The police might want . . . to see it.”
“All I care about right now is getting you to safety. That trumps solving this
“What’s awkward about it?”
“Is this really the time to discuss it? I mean, shouldn’t we concentrate on surviving?” I kicked my feet.
Just keep swimming .
Great. Now I was finding myself quoting Disney movies. I may have been previewing a few for my future godson or daughter.
But I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d said. Should it not be awkward? Was I missing something?
“Remember when we went paddle-boating that time at the park down the street from our apartment?” Riley asked.
“Of course, I remember that.” I smiled.
It was a good memory. We’d just started dating. I’d thought I had a career ahead of me in forensics. And the future seemed bright.
So much had changed since then.
“I would like to talk to you about everything that happened over the past nine months some time,” Riley said quietly.
“How about we sing ‘Yellow Submarine’ first?”
“What?”
I had no idea what I was talking about. Anything but what Riley wanted to chat about.
I shivered again. Shivered like I’d never shivered before. The reaction was so strong that my entire body shook uncontrollably. The water was just so cold that it zapped all my energy. My grip began slipping from the kayak, and I couldn’t pull myself back up.
I had to focus, take my mind off my discomfort.
“Those were good times. But it’s like they say . . .” My words began to fade as drowsiness overtook me.
“What do they say?” Riley asked.
What was I trying to say? I could hardly remember. “They say . . . all good things . . . must come to . . .”
“Gabby, are you okay?”
I couldn’t answer. I knew the stark reality I was facing.
Hypothermia was setting in.
CHAPTER 16
“Gabby , I need you to stay with me,” Riley said, a knot forming between his eyebrows.
“I’m numb. And cold. So cold.” I felt like I was swimming in ice water. In the Arctic. After eating a popsicle.
My mind wanted to go to a happy place. A beach. In the Caribbean. With no clouds or breeze. Just searing UV rays burning my skin.
“Hold on to the kayak.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me up higher, trying to get my upper extremities out of the water.
“It’s no use.” My words were a chattering mess. My body felt like it had taken on a mind of its own, and I had no control.
“Only a little bit farther. The Bible is full of stories that take place on or near the water. Think about Peter walking on water. If he did that through faith, then we can get to that island.”
“He lost faith and sank.”
“At least he stepped out. You’ve got this, Gabby.”
But did I have it? I wasn’t so sure.
That’s when my foot hit something.
A shark? No, not a shark. This was something solid. Big. Expansive.
Land.
We’d reached land!
“Riley . . . the water . . . I can touch bottom.”
We’d arrived just in time. The water was shallow for quite a ways until we reached the beach, but at least the end was in sight. I was already dreaming about a hot shower and coffee and . . . warmth. Just warmth. That was all I wanted.
Before I could say anything else, Riley swooped me into his arms. “I’ve got you from here, Gabby.”
“You . . . don’t . . . have to. I can . . . make it.” But my words didn’t sound believable, not even to my own ears.
“Let me help.”
His chest felt solid beneath me. But I didn’t have time to think about that, though. I had to concentrate on survival right now. My teeth chattered even more as the cold air hit my wet skin. My body trembled as it fought to get warm. Riley had to be cold. But he pushed through. He was my hero . . . again.
How many times had he saved my life now? I’d lost count.
“The kayak,” I managed to say as he slogged through the water. “We should keep it for . . . evidence. The police might want . . . to see it.”
“All I care about right now is getting you to safety. That trumps solving this
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