His gentle tone poked at something vulnerable inside her. “I just hate that I still can’t swim. I always intended to tackle it once I was back in Toronto. But I always had a reason not to. And now I’m back here staring at this giant lake every day, and it’s like…”

“Suddenly being face-to-face with your failures in a way that means that you can no longer pretend they don’t exist?”

And…wow. “Exactly. I’ve been thinking hey, if I’m stuck in this town for a year, I might as well accomplish something.”

Something softened on his face, to match his gentled tone. “So how’s it going?”

Her first instinct was to lie, but again, her mouth did not get the memo. “Uh, not super well?”

“Well, how do you learn to swim without a teacher?”

“From a book called Learn to Swim in Five Easy Steps?”

He let his head fall back like he was appealing to the heavens for divine patience. In her defense, she did realize how dumb that sounded. “Look, I’m not stupid. I only ever come out to practice in calm weather. I’m just trying to work up to the point where I can pick up my feet and float.”

“All right. Come on.”

He was right. It was stupid to be alone in the lake when she didn’t know how to swim. She started walking, but he brushed past her. “Aren’t you going the wrong way?”

“Come out and float. I’ll hold you.” They had swapped positions. He was farther out in the water than she was, and he’d turned back to look at her. When she didn’t move, he said, “Come on. My outfit is already wet anyway.”

Her brain considered the offer.

Ways Eve Abbott Should Respond to a Drenched Sawyer Collins Offering to Hold Her in the Water While She Floats

1. No.

2. Hell no.

3. I would rather drown and have my body borne away by rabid mermaids who break my limbs on the rocks and set fire to my hair even though I’m not sure how that would work, but if anyone can light a fire in the water, it’s mermaids.

Her renegade mouth opened and said, “Okay.”

It should have been weird, but it wasn’t, mostly because he started talking right away, as he led them into deeper water.

“I never really got the chance to thank you for what you did for Clara. The school advice, but mostly taking care of her the night of the parade. I should have just told her to go home, but I get a little overprotective when it comes to her and my father.”