Oh no!
She surfaced and found Finn happily paddling away from her. She focused on him and swam toward him, but he was faster. She kept going and somehow got close enough to grab his leash. She couldn’t feel the ground beneath her, so they were going to have to swim for the shore.
She was managing, even with Finn tugging on the leash as he tried to swim in the opposite direction.
“It’s okay, miss,” a deep voice called. “I got you.”
She looked up to see the lifeguard swimming toward her.
“Are you okay?” he asked as he reached them.
She nodded. “Just…trying…to keep the dog…from taking off,” she panted as she swam.
“Want me to hold him?” the lifeguard asked.
“No,” she said. “I’m good.”
“Okay.” But he swam next to her until they reached the beach and she and Finn could stand.
They walked out of the water, and she collapsed on the sand, Finn beside her, panting heavily.
“He’s a beautiful animal,” the lifeguard said. He couldn’t be more than twenty-five years old.
“Thanks. I’m dog sitting.”
“Well. That’s great. But you should know, this end of the beach is not pet friendly. You and…”
“Finn.”
“Finn need to head to the other end. That’s the dog park end. I won’t cite you this time, because he clearly dragged you into the water, but…”
Wait. Was she being yelled at by thischild?
She nodded, still catching her breath. Whatever.
“The current down here is dangerous for you and your dog.”
Now he was lecturing her? She’d finished the one hundred meter in a very fast time. Back in high school, but still.
Thoughts of high school brought memories of Roshan to the surface. Though her memories were not of Roshan in high school but of Roshan wrapping her ankle, getting her a snorkel board, laughing with her. Kissing her. She shook her head of the memories.
She nodded at the child lifeguard with the six-pack abs, and he left. She got up on one elbow and looked at Finn, lying next to her, panting, a huge smile on his face.
“I’m soaked through, buddy. Jean shorts, T-shirt, underwear. And I have sand all over me. Not to mention, I just got yelled at by a child.” Finn lifted his head and then rested it on her leg. She sighed and shook her head as she pet his head. “And of course, you are also soaking wet and covered in sand.” She wrinkled her nose. “And you smell like wet dog.”
He snuggled closer.
She stood. “Come on. Let’s get cleaned up.”
She took Finn back to the house and into the back yard. If she was right, there was a hose…yep. She started hosing down the dog first. Then she opened the back sliding door to find her father in the kitchen.
“Papa.”
He looked up from his phone and laughed. “You look like a drowned rat.”
“Close,” she said. “Can you hand me some soap and a sponge?”
It took him a few minutes to do so as he navigated around with his cane, but he managed it.
