“Row!” Noah yelled.
They rounded the buoy in second place as Jake and Buster’s boat started falling apart. They’d lost the frosting and most of the sides, and were now standing as it slowly sank, saluting.
“Idiots.” Newman laughed. He laughed harder as Branna splashed her husband with her oar in passing.
They drew level with the Texans close to the finish, then it was just straight-out strength. The Texans won by a half a boat length. Newman closed his eyes and sucked in air.
“Texans rule the waves!” Tex crowed, and Newman let him. His muscles were screaming, lungs burning.
“That boat better change course, or it’s going to capsize theirs.”
Newman looked at Brad as he spoke, then out to the water where he was focusing. His heart literally stopped as he saw another boat heading toward Hope’s. It was bigger, and made of wood. They collided, then he watched Hope and Mikey fall into the water.
“No!” He dived back into the lake and started swimming. His arms had been aching seconds ago, but all he felt now was fear. He heard an engine and lifted his head, and found Cubby beside him in an inflatable. Scrambling on board, he looked for Hope, but saw no sign of her.
“She’ll be fine. Neither boat was traveling fast, Newman. Take a breath now.”
“I can’t see her, Cub.”
“She’ll be on the other side, Newman, you need to calm down.”
He tried, but panic clawed inside him. When the boat pulled up alongside the wreckage of Hope’s boat, he searched for her, and found her floating in the water with Mikey and one of the men from the wooden boat. Her eyes were closed.
“She hit her head on our boat as she fell, she’s unconscious!” the man yelled. “The life vest kept her above water!”
Newman didn’t speak, just jumped into the water and reached for her. He lifted her in his arms, and handed her to Cubby as he pulled alongside. He then threw Mikey in, and joined them. The man he left to make his own way back.
“She won’t open her eyes, Newman.” Mikey sounded scared. “She hit that boat hard.”
“You did great holding her, Mikey. Hope’s going to be just fine.”
He heard Cubby talk, but all Newman could do was look at Hope. She was so pale.
“Open your eyes now, Hope.”
“She wasn’t out long,” Mikey said.
“Open now, Hope!”
This time she did, slowly. Her eyelashes fluttered, and then she was looking up at him.
“S-sick.”
He turned her as she started throwing up, holding her head over the edge as she retched repeatedly. As they reached the bank, she was still going.
“I got her now.” Jake took her from Newman so he could jump out. He laid her on the ground, and he and Dr. McBride senior kneeled beside her. Newman moved to her feet and watched.
“Tell me your name.”
“Hope.”
“Full name,” Jake said, checking her pulse.
“Ah, Hope….” She frowned and then winced.
“All right, let’s leave that for now, and get you to the clinic.”
They brought a stretcher, and Newman carried one end with Jake at the other. Hope was transported in Cubby’s cruiser to the clinic. Once there, she was taken away from him by Annabelle, who had accompanied them, and Dr. McBride senior, to be checked out.
