Page 24 of The Making of Jonty Bloom
“We need to be checking for a boat in opposite directions.”
“’Kay.” Jonty stared at him. “You do realise that if I fall asleep…my head will land right in your lap?”
“You’re not going to fall asleep.”
“Spoilsport.”
The light was beginning to fade. Once it was dark, there’d be less chance of them being found. They were both heading toward hypothermia.
Jonty started to slump, then caught himself. “I’m tired. Want to try and get to shore or wait?”
“I’m thinking we have to do something.”
“I’d count not dying as doing something… Shit, can’t feel my toes or my fingers. Or other bits.”
“Why didn’t you wear boots?”
“I’d rather the news headline said…Jonty Bloom who looked cool until the end…rather than…Jonty Bloom who said he’d never be caught dead in rubber gloves and boots… was caught dead in both.”
Devan found himself smiling. Then he heard a different sound above the churning of the sea and a moment later registered it was an engine. He turned and saw a boat heading straight for them. “Lifeboat.”Thank God for that.He waved.
“Now I’m glad I didn’t wear the b-boots or gloves,” Jonty muttered. “Might be a hunk onboard to impress.”
Devan didn’t want to identify that surge of…whatever it was… that clawed at his chest. All he should be feeling was relief they were safe.Not frigging jealous.
When the boat pulled up alongside, Devan untethered Jonty from the board and pushed him into outstretched arms. Devan followed. He and Jonty huddled in the bottom of the boat while the surfboard was retrieved.
“Thank you.” Devan had never meant those words more.
“You both okay?” asked one of the guys. “Any injuries?”
“We’re just cold,” Devan said.
Emergency blankets were wrapped around them.
“What are your names?”
“I’m Devan. He’s Jonty.”
“My name’s Brian.”
“My kite and board are out here somewhere.”
“We saw them. We’ll go and pick them up now we have you safe. We don’t want anyone to think there’s another rider out here.”
Devan brushed wet hair from his eyes. While they’d been in danger, adrenaline had rushed in, now it flooded back out and exhaustion took over. “Thanks for finding us.”
He felt Jonty leaning into him, but the movement of the boat knocked him away. Devan thought about pulling him close again, but didn’t.
“What happened?” Brian asked.
“I was kiteboarding, got caught in a really powerful updraft and my lines tangled. I cut them, fell, and lost my board. I went after it, but didn’t realise I was swimming towards a rip. Jonty paddled over to warn me and the rip grabbed both of us.”
As he glanced at Jonty, Jonty’s eyes slid closed.
“Hey, wake up,” said Brian. “Talk to me. Tell me your name?”
“He told you,” Jonty said. “Sometimes calls me Sugar. Other times Little Shit.”
