Page 64 of Always My Love

She fought the current to get on her hands and knees as she gulped air into her sore lungs. Coughing, she panicked as she looked around.

Both dogs were gone. The man was gone.

Had it been Fred? She couldn’t tell. His voice sounded… deeper than she remembered.

Pulling herself out of the water took all of her strength. It wasn’t until she was lying in the dry sand that her body started to shiver uncontrollably, and she thought to call for help.

She looked around. She knew she’d had her cell phone in her hands when she’d been hit. Double checking, she confirmed it wasn’t in her pockets and glanced around the now dark beach.

How long had she been out? How long had she been in the water? Too long. Her body screamed that it was too cold.

She saw a dark blob racing towards her and relaxed when both dogs appeared by her side.

She half crawled with them across the beach and was about to just head back to Nick’s place to call for help when she heard her cell phone several yards across the beach. It’s screen lighting up was like a beacon in the night.

She fell several times racing towards the spot. Her head was swimming, and she was so cold she could feel her entire body shutting down. Finally, she made it to the phone and with shaky fingers, swiped the screen to answer Nick’s third call.

“Harper?” Nick said before she could say anything into the phone.

“Help,” she managed to whisper just before blacking out.