There seemed to be no other recourse at that moment.
Chloe followed him.
Because she didn’t know who they could trust.
And she was both an excellent diver and swimmer...
It was still one hell of a distance. She hit the water like an arrow, plunging down and down and down...
She broke her pattern and with a tremendous kick, propelled herself to the surface. She could see the rescue efforts, but a few of those took time. Two men from the ship were in the water, desperately seeking their man overboard.
Life preservers floated all around them.
But people were still looking desperately for the man who’d fallen.
She heard someone shouting to Wes, at first condemning him for having followed and then asking him if he saw the man anywhere.
Wes answered with the direction he was taking.
He saw that Chloe had followed him and arched a brow.
She shook her head. She couldn’t see the man anywhere.
Wes seemed to have been surprised at first, but it didn’t take him long to realize they were in it together. He pointed, indicating that he was continuing his route.
She nodded, moving out, tasting the salt in the water, grateful that the sea was relatively calm that day, that the sun was providing light...
She saw him.
The man who had pitched over. He was wearing khaki pants and a short-sleeved tailored shirt.
His hair was iron gray, even in the water.
He was about ten feet down, just floating... not moving. He might already be...
Dead.
And, oh, God! No. It couldn’t be, but it was...
She kicked hard and swam fast, finally reaching him, kicking with all her might again to bring them both to the surface.
When she got there, Wes swam up, reaching out.
“I’ve got him,” she said.
“Yeah, but college lifeguard here, the water is starting to get a little choppy and I know the hold to get him back. Oh, God, is he breathing?”
“Barely!” Chloe ascertained.
Wes slipped his arm around the man in a way that allowed his head to remain clear of the water, his body trailing along as Wes used his free hand and arm and feet to move.
And he could move.
Someone tossed out a life preserver, but Wes didn’t need it. One of the lifeboats had reached them and two young men on the ship’s crew helped get him into the boat. Wes caught the hull and hiked himself in while Chloe managed to get on a little more awkwardly.
By the time she did, Wes was giving the man CPR.
Thankfully, it seemed, he really had been a lifeguard and knew the necessary techniques.
