Page 29 of Stone Deep
Bradley waved that off. “Don’t know exactly what that is, but I’m a skilled swimmer. I played a little water polo in high school. That was a few ten year reunions ago.” He patted his belly as if it was a set of rock hard abs. “But I’ve still got the moves underwater.” He winked at Britton. Bradley was definitely the winking type. “How about you, London? Maybe you want to go for a swim?”
A silent laugh shook Britton’s body. “Actually, it’s Britton,and no thank you. I never played water polo, and my swimming is best saved for the shallow end of a pool.”
Bradley made a big show of laughing at her comment as his wife shook her towel out and laid it just inches from us. Before she could sit on it, Bradley sat his big ass down. Rita scowled at him. He didn’t notice.
“What about you, Slade? Did you play any sports in high school?”
I shook my head. “Not really. Although we did come up with a pretty rockin’ version of desk hockey in detention hall.”
Bradley’s big laugh startled or possibly just annoyed some of the seagulls, and they took off toward the water. “Yep, did my share of detention. But it seems that a guy like you would have been one of those jocks. You know, the kind that all the cheerleaders followed around. Had a few groupies myself during my water polo days.”
“Nope, there weren’t any sports in high school for D students. Although, I had my share of cheerleaders.”
Another roaring laugh. He was annoying, but he wasn’t a bad guy. I liked someone who could laugh easily and that was definitely Bradley. Rita had stretched out the second towel. As she relaxed back, her husband hopped up. He made quite a show of taking off his sweat suit.
“Well, you landlubbers can just sit there and watch. I’m going in.”
“Take it easy out there,” I warned.
Rita propped up on her elbows and watched him wade into the water. “Thinks he’s still in high school,” she huffed. She had on giant, round sunglasses that hid most of herface. “So, are you two married or engaged? You’re such a cute couple.”
I shook my head.
“What the heck are you waiting for?” she asked suddenly stepping into her husband’s role of asking questions as if we’d all been buddies for years.
“Just waiting for the right time, I guess.”
Britton grinned at me. She seemed to be reading my thoughts. “I know you’re hungry, Slade, so why don’t we go hunt down that burger.”
“Oh, where are you going to eat?” Rita asked. “We were just talking about dinner before we walked down here.”
“We’re just going to see where the road takes us,” I said. “Nice talking to you, Rita.” I stood and lowered my hand for Britton. I popped her to her feet, and we were off, making a clean, quick getaway.
We were only halfway across the sand when a shriek broke the silence behind us. We turned around. Rita was standing on the sand looking decidedly distraught. Farther off, I heard Bradley yelling for help.
“Damn it, and my mouth was already watering for that burger.” We hurried back toward the shore. “I told the fool there was an undertow.”
We reached the waterline. Bradley’s head was bobbing up and down in the waves. It was obvious that he was worn out from struggling to swim back to shore, a feat that was much harder than it looked when the tide was working against you.
Rita was fanning her face and hopping up and down as if she was deciding whether to pee her pants or faint. “Helphim, please. He can’t get into shore.”
“Yeah, I see that.” I yanked off my shirt and handed it to Britton.
“Be careful.”
I leaned forward and kissed her. “Just so you know it, you are extremely cute when you’re worried.” I walked into the water. “Fuck, that’s cold.”
“Hang on, Brad,” Rita cried from the shore.
Britton walked over and put an arm around her. I headed in the direction of Bradley’s flailing arms and dove into the cresting waves. My head popped up, and I sucked in a sharp breath from the shock of the icy water. I was about fifteen feet from Bradley. From his expression of despair, it was obvious he was losing strength fast.
One good wave washed over his head, and he disappeared below the surface for a few seconds. Behind me, Rita screamed. Bradley popped back up and coughed up sea water. The undertow was drawing me out toward him fast, but I decided it was more the freezing temperature of the water than the relentless pull of the ocean that was sapping Bradley of his energy.
I reached him just as another wave slapped him down toward the bottom. I seized his arm as he tried desperately to grab for something. I pulled him up above the surface, and he sucked in another mouthful of water. In a panic, he struggled against me.
“Hey, stop, just fucking relax. I’ve got you.”
He was past the point of listening.
