Page 142 of Falling Into Forever
How many times has this man said that to me? Hundreds? And how many times has he let me fall? Zero.
My entire body shakes, and I might be the world’s biggest jerk because everyone I love stands in waist-deep water in a circle around me while I scowl at them.
“This is a lot of pressure,” I mutter.
Every person moves back, making our weird circle twice as big.
“They’re here for you. They want you to know you’re not alone. Nothing will happen because we’re all here to keep you safe,” Dante says with a quick kiss to my lips.
“Why does everyone have to care so freaking much?” My sass is exponentially harsher when I’m scared, and right now, I’m terrified.
“Lie back,” he says again with a chuckle. When his hand lands in the middle of my back, I try. How the hell do you lie down in water?
One foot comes up with a toe pointed at the sky, and my arms splash wildly in the water. Well, isn’t that the most graceful thing you’ve ever seen? Embarrassment heats my cheeks.
“You’ve got this, Sassy!” Harrison yells from somewhere, and I flip him the bird.
“Try again,” Dante says in an even tone. “This time I’m going to help you.”
His hand inches higher on my back, then he leans down to put one under my knees, and suddenly I’m horizontal and staring at a cloudless sky.
Panic makes my arms flail, but Dante holds me steady. “You’re okay, Sayls. You’re doing great.”
My ears sink below the surface, and I fight to keep my face from sinking while Dante holds the rest of me suspended in the water.
“It’ll take a few minutes to get comfortable. Try to relax. You won’t go under while I’ve got you.”
“Yay, Sassy!” Poppy shouts, but it’s muted with my ears submerged. My hip rests against Dante’s chest and he slowly moves his hands up and down my back and legs, but I don’t go under.
After an eternity, my body succumbs to the weightlessness of the water, and a slow grin creeps onto my face without my permission.
How many times did I watch Shannon out here doing this? She loved to float. I don’t actually ever remember her swimming. But she would float until her sunscreen expired and she’d have to reapply.
Water laps at my toes, and I shiver when I float into a cold patch of water.
Look at me now, Shannon!
My lip trembles, and it’s not water lapping my face but tears rolling down my cheeks.
“I’m so proud of you Sayls. You’re doing it.” Dante’s words fling me back into the here and now. His hands are no longer on me. “Don’t panic. You’re doing fine. I’m right here. You’re not going under.”
“You promised not to let me go,” I scream.
“I promised not to let you gounder, and you’re not.”
Semantics. Freaking asshat.
I sit up to tell him so, and my body jackknifes when I suddenly sink. I don’t even fully get my head wet before Dante pulls me up again.
He holds me to his chest and spins me around in the water.
I’m still crying when I spot the ring of people around us wearing teary smiles like I saved a baby turtle or something.
But the more faces I see, the harder I cry. It wasn’t a baby turtle I saved. It was myself.
“I’m so proud of you. So incredibly proud. Do you want to try again?”
I can’t believe I’m saying yes, but I nod, and he beams his rays of sunshine at me. I scowl in return, for old times’ sake.
