Page 65 of One Night Years Ago

Natalie stifled a laugh. Trust Rob to come up with a weird fishing analogy. She tied the life preserver and the rope in a sailor’s knot. Just because she didn’t like boats didn’t mean she hadn’t paid attention in class. Nobody in Sharp’s Cove left school without being able to tie at least eight different kinds of knots. She tugged, testing it, and tied the other end of the rope to the railing, leaving as much rope free as possible.

It will have to do.

Natalie straightened to her full height.

“Let me, boss. You keep the wheel steady, just like that, and I’ll throw it.”

Natalie nodded, grateful. She took her position at the wheel. Even though she was ready for it, the way the sea immediately tried to wrench control from her was something that had to be experienced to be believed.

The water splashed her mercilessly, almost blinding her. It was colder than she’d expected. She thought of Emma, who’d been submerged in it. She shook the water from her eyes and saw Rob getting ready to toss the rope. His powerful shoulders flexed, and she was suddenly thankful for all the evenings he’d taken off early to hit the gym. The rope left his hands. She silently willed it to get to Hunter and Emma, but it hit the ocean with a disappointing thump.

“I missed.”

She clenched her teeth as she fought the wheel. Less than a minute, and already her arms were throbbing. “It was close. Try again.” It seemed like forever to her but was probably less than a minute by the time he was ready to throw again. This time she didn’t even see the throw. It was all she could do to keep the boat perpendicular to the waves.

“Yes!” Rob shouted. “Hunter caught it!”

Natalie sneaked a quick look at the cave, illuminated by the bright yellow search light. Hunter was on his feet, stretching to his full six-foot-three height. His left arm still hung strangely, as if there was something wrong with his shoulder, but his face was expressionless as he stood there with the ring in his hand.

Natalie felt the wheel shift. Even with her full body strength already behind it, she wasn’t strong enough to hold it steady.

“Rob, I can’t keep it steady!” she shouted.

Rob ran towards her and placed his hand around hers. Water dripped from his dark bangs down his cheeks. “Okay, little lady, it’s okay. I’ve got you.”

“You’d better be talking to the boat,” Natalie threatened.

“Believe me, boss, I’m talking to the boat. She’s the one who needs calming down. Now, how do you plan on bringing those two here?”

“They’re just going to have to jump into the water.”

Natalie slid her way back to the railing, banging herself on the elbow but hardly realizing. Her attention was on Hunter and Emma, who seemed to be having their own intense discussion, judging by Emma’s expression.

“Jump!” Natalie shouted as loud as she could, hoping to be heard over the roaring wind. “Jump and we’ll pull you towards us!”

Emma didn’t just shake her head, she shook her entire body.

“They have to jump now, Natalie!” Rob shouted through clenched teeth.

“Emma, Hunter, jump now!” Natalie shouted, not bothering to disguise her panic anymore. She saw Emma shout something at Hunter. For a moment, she worried the discussion between them would go on.

Then Hunter shrugged and in one smooth motion pushed the ring down over Emma’s head and hooked his arm over the outside. Before Emma could even make a noise, Hunter lifted her with his right arm and leaped, taking them both over the edge.

“They’re in the water, Rob!”

Natalie watched Hunter and Emma sink beneath a wave, then come up again. Emma sputtered, panicked, her body trapped inside the device, and Hunter hung on with his right arm and kicked with all his strength towards the boat.

Natalie started pulling. The rope burned her palms but she ignored the pain, pulling hand over hand with all her might. For a long time it seemed to Natalie that they weren’t moving any closer, then suddenly they were there, right beside the boat.

At that exact moment a wave caught their boat, lifting it interminably. Natalie grabbed on to the railing, waiting for the fall and the inevitable butterflies in her stomach.

“Keep her steady as you can now, Rob, they’re almost at the stern.”

“Sure thing, boss. Tell them to hurry, though!”

Natalie could make out the expressions on Emma and Hunter’s face. Emma’s face was pinched with fear. Hunter’s expression was icy, his square jaw clenched tight. Hunter propelled Emma forward until they were right by the boat. He released his hold on the life preserver. With his right arm he lifted Emma’s body onto the transom ladder.

Emma tried to climb, but the result was an uncoordinated shuffle. Natalie realized Emma was too cold to get herself up the ladder. She reached over and grabbed Emma’s shoulder, pulling with all her strength. Her abraded palms and arm muscles complained, but she didn’t stop pulling until Emma’s weight shifted and the sodden woman fell, trembling, onto the deck beside her.