Pushing the hair all the way back from her face, he gasped when he recognized Owen’s sister Katie, whom he’d met the night before.

“Katie! Jesus! Say something. Are you all right?”

She coughed and gagged and dry-heaved. Then she began to sob uncontrollably.

Christ, what the hell should he do?

“Katie, it’s Shane, Laura’s brother. Can you speak?”

She kept her eyes closed but wrapped her arm around her breasts. “Lost my top.”

“You almost lost your life! What were you doing so far out?”

“Riptide,” she said, panting softly as tears continued to flow down her cheeks. “Thought I was going to die.”

“So did I for a minute there.”

“I’m sorry. Panicked.”

“It’s okay,” he said, patting her shoulder awkwardly. “We’re both okay.”

“Thanks to you.”

“I’m glad I heard you.” Thinking of Owen losing his sister on a day that was supposed to be filled with happiness made Shane doubly grateful to have been in the right place at the right time. “Do you think you can walk?”

“I don’t know. I’m shaking like a leaf, and I’m half-naked.”

“Let me find my shirt. I’ll be right back.”

They’d landed quite a distance from where he’d started out, so he jogged down the beach on legs that trembled from the effort it had taken to swim to shore. He scooped up his shirt and towel and went back to where he’d left Katie.

“Here,” he said. “Put this on.”

She sat up and awkwardly worked her way into his T-shirt, which was huge on her. “You got quite an eyeful, huh?”

“I was far more worried about whether you were breathing than I was with ogling you.”

She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Do you need a hand up?”

Shaking her head, she began to cry again.

Even though neither of them had the time, he sat next to her on the sand. As her shoulders heaved with sobs, he had no idea what to do. Thinking about Owen and what a great friend he’d been over the last year had Shane putting his arm around Owen’s sister and offering whatever comfort he could.

“You’re all right, Katie. Everything’s all right.”

“I almost killed us both—on the day your sister is marrying my brother,” she said as sobs hiccupped through her.

“Since that would’ve thoroughly ruined their day, let’s just be glad it didn’t happen.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said between sobs. “I panicked. I was so scared. I’ve been swimming at this beach all my life and never had that happen.”

“No need to be sorry. All that matters is that we’re both safe. But we’re going to have bigger problems if we don’t get back to the hotel and get ready for the wedding.”

“Oh God! What time is it?”