“I’m sorry, I was being a dick. I just have a thing about smart, driven people devoting so much time and energy to making rich people richer. You’re a badass—think about what a force you’d be as a public defender or working for the ACLU.”
“And I justhave a thingabout lecturing people you barely know. Do you realize how naïve and shortsighted you sound? Sure, I could be a public defender with two hundred cases at once, rolling up in court without any time to review the evidence, let alone craft a strategic plan, and eat instant ramen for dinner every night just in case I can’t get my loans forgiven. Or I could work for a big firm, do tons of pro bono work, and make significant donations to causes I care about… which, for your information, includes the ACLU. Now sit down. We’re almost there.”
Zack did as he was told, looking slightly chastened. “How can you tell?” The fog had grown so dense, they couldn’t see more than a few yards ahead of them.
“I can feel the bottom when I paddle. The water’s getting shallow. We’ll probably hit ground in about—” The boat lurched to the side as a scraping sound filled the air. “Oh, shit.”
“What just happened?”
“We hit a rock. It’s not safe to paddle any closer. We’ll have to tow in.”
“Tow in? With what?”
In answer, Olivia unlaced her sneakers, loosened the rope attached to the side of the boat, and slid down into the water. It was only about waist-high at this point, but cold enough to make her grimace.
“Hold on,” Zack called. “This doesn’t seem safe. Can’t we just stay in the boat and call for help? If we’re this close to the shore, won’t someone hear us?”
Olivia took a few careful steps, tugging the boat behind her. “There are only a few houses on the island, and they’re all on the other side. No one will hear us.”
“No one can hear you scream,” Zack muttered. “Cool, cool.”
Olivia kept one arm stretched out in front of her, feeling for rocks, and managed to keep walking until the pebbly mud beneath her feet turned to damp sand. Up ahead, she could just see a narrow beach obscured by wisps of fog. They were almost there. Eager to get out of the water, she sped up, then yelped as a jolt of pain shot up through her foot.
“Are you okay?” Zack shouted. “What happened?”
“Nothing, I’m fine. I just stepped on something sharp.”
“Get back into the boat. I’ll tug us in.”
“I said I’mfine.” Olivia took another step forward and winced. She looked down to see blood swirling in the murky shallows. “Okay, maybe I’m not.”
Zack slid into the water and waded toward her. Then, without a word, he placed his hands on her waist and hoisted her onto the side of the boat. “Let’s take a look,” he said, splashing her injured foot to clear away the mud. “Oh boy…”
Olivia crossed her leg and placed her foot in her lap, smearing blood on her shorts. The cut wasn’t wide, but it looked weirdly deep, and the amount of blood pouring out made her head spin.
“Don’t worry,” Zack said. “You’re going to be fine. Is there a first aid kit?”
“In the cabinet under the bench.”
Zack pulled out the white metal box, fished around for antiseptic and bandages, then came to help Olivia hop onto one of the seats. “Keep your foot elevated up here,” he said, rapping on the side of the boat. “I’m just going to clean the cut and then we’ll get it wrapped up.”
“I can do it,” Olivia said wearily.
“I have a better angle. Just relax; it’s all under control.”
Olivia watched as Zack expertly disinfected the cut—holding her ankle gently but firmly as she involuntarily jerked away from the sting—then wrapped it in a water-resistant bandage. “Not your first rodeo, huh?”
“I spent many summers as a camp counselor. You become an expert very quickly. Kids are walking medical emergencies.” He snapped the kit closed and placed it on the seat next to her. “Do you want to rest here a bit and I can go to shore to find help?”
Olivia shook her head. “We can’t leave the boat here. There’s nothing to use as a mooring—it’ll drift away.”
“Okay, no prob.” He turned in the direction of the beach. “It’s not that far. I can carry you.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Are you doubting my strength?”
Olivia looked him up and down. She’d initially objected because it felt awkward and overly dramatic. But now that he’d mentioned it, yes, it seemed unlikely that a skinny guy about his height would be able to carry her easily. “The bandage is waterproof. I’ll be fine.”
