“I may have been seduced by their selection,” he said. “This was bigger than I thought it would be.”
Hilary laughed, a little disgusted by his chocolate-cotton candy choice. “I’d offer to help you eat it, but I’m not too sure about that combination.”
“What? There’s no other way to eat ice cream.”
“I’ll trust you on that.”
Hilary’s phone dinged. A text from Jorie.
Who’s the hottie next to the cone?
Hilary smiled and tucked the phone in her bag.
They sat at the stools for a while eating in silence until the woman who served them wiped down the counter for the fifth time even though Hilary and Dane were the only ones there. Hilary finally took the hint and suggested they leave.
Outside, clouds had moved in and the wind picked up. A chill crept onto shore too, making Hilary regret the light sweater she’d changed into after the field trip. The fabric was thin, the air seeping through it as she and Dane crossed the street. Ahead, a sign pointed to Gentry Pier.
They walked toward the gate by way of a community garden. A plaque on the gazebo showed it was dedicated to the town by the Broman County Art Guild members. Hilary stopped to admire the decorative pavers at their feet circling the structure. She’d had the foresight to tie her hair back, thinking about the knots she’d have to untangle in this wind if she hadn’t.
Dane opened the metal gate for her. The path ahead of them crossed a rocky causeway for thirty feet until it joined the wooden pier. It was a long, wide pier with sturdy pillars. Gulls perched on a few, watching her and Dane approach. Hilary noted some of the planks were recently replaced, the wood not yet colored with age. Others were weatherworn, small patches of green and orange lichen clinging to the boards.
They walked to the middle of the pier, breaking off bits of their cones to feed to the gulls. The birds swooped around their heads, some of them catching the morsels in midair. Hilary laughed when Dane gasped and ducked. One bird came perilously close to his head, but his reaction was over the top. Tears sprang to her eyes. She sought to steady herself by reaching for the nearest pillar, but she misjudged its proximity and almost toppled over.
Dane’s hand was on her arm in an instant.
“I gotcha,” he said. His other hand pressed against her back until she was steady on her feet. “Are you okay?”
For a few seconds, warmth infused her arm, then made its way up her shoulder and into her chest. That one-sided smile lighting his eyes in the predusk light was pure magic. Inwardly, she scolded herself. His hand on her arm shouldn’t cause such an overblown reaction. Her body was a traitor.
She forced herself to look away, still smiling. “Yes, thank you.”
“Did you think for a minute—”
He didn’t finish the question. One second his hand was on her arm and the next his foot kicked out from under him. His arms pinwheeled madly as he lost contact with the pier. He tumbled back first, arms flailing, with a splash that soaked the hem of her jeans. His eyes caught hers before he went under, huge with shock.
Hilary froze. With one sharp exhale, air was sucked from her lungs. Her body was brick, unable to move. She gasped, her chest compressing.
I can’t breathe.
She fell to her hands and knees, peering over the dock into the water that churned with ripples.
Where is he? Please.
“Someone help!” She could barely get the words out. No one could possibly hear her.
Frantically, she looked toward the parking lot. It was empty. Of course it was. She and Dane waited until dusk when no one was around. The fierce wind had chased everyone away from the lakefront.
All alone.
Waves licked the side of the dock. Gulls cried overhead.
I can’t do this. Not again.
The thought crashed through her mind, stilling her panic long enough that she slipped off her shoes and jumped into the frigid water before her brain caught up with the impulse.
Her head swelled with instant pain from the water. Hilary held her breath and dipped below the surface, hoping to catch sight of him.
Nothing.
