Dumb mistakes. Can I just get a do-over?

“I’m wondering if they brought you in to do damage control since that boy almost drowned.”

Cody faltered, clearly unaware of what Maggie was talking about.

Was it triggering to work around people who drowned or nearly drowned? Did it bring back all the unwanted memories she’d been working so hard to bury all these years?

If I could just get him to forgive me, maybe then I could move on.

Maggie was in the doorway again. “Kid’s name is Jackson Wirth. He’s seventeen or so.” She paused. “They didn’t tell you about this when you got here?”

“I’ve only been here two days,” he said. “They haven’t had a chance to tell me much of anything.”

Maggie straightened. “Were you even on duty when you found our girl out there in the water?”

Cody pressed his lips together. “No. The guys were showing me the rescue boat. We were doing an equipment test when someone called it in.”

“Someone spotted her out there?” Maggie asked.

“Someone spotted something,” he said. “They weren’t sure what it was.”

“It was me,” Louisa groaned miserably.

“Yeah, we got that.” Maggie sounded annoyed. “Good thing you saw her.”

“We almost didn’t,” he said. “We were just about to turn around when I—”

Louisa remembered her prayer. She needed a miracle. God had brought her Cody. Maggie was right—luck had nothing to do with it.

“When you what?” Ally asked.

“When we noticed something red in the water.”

“See, Lou?” Ally said. “It is a good thing you have red hair after all. Aren’t you glad you didn’t dye it?”

“Not my hair, Ally,” Louisa said dryly. “My paddleboard.”

“Oh.” She disappeared into the kitchen.

Maggie laughed. “An equipment test. Isn’t that just like Jesus?”

Cody’s eyes found Louisa’s, but she couldn’t hold his gaze. Suddenly the magnitude of what he’d done weighed heavily on her. I could’ve died. If he’d turned back one second earlier. If he’d given up on seeing anyone out there in the water. If he’d been less attentive or meticulous—she wouldn’t be alive today.

Her heart sank.

“Food’s ready,” Ally called.

“All right,” Maggie said. “Let’s eat at the table like civilized humans, shall we?” She got up and returned to the kitchen.

Cody stood. Louisa knew she should follow suit, but the heaviness of the realization had pinned her in place.

“You okay?” The concern in his voice unnerved her.

Quickly she shook the thick cloud away and forced a smile. “’Course.” She didn’t need anyone else fussing over her. Hadn’t she caused enough drama for one day? She’d sort through the mess of emotions later, when she was alone and there was nobody to bother.