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As Eric bent over the swim platform at the boat’s stern to lift him, Shane gagged and began thrashing.
“Stop it, Shane,” Charlotte said. “We’re helping you.” She pushed, and Eric pulled, lifting Shane out of the water and onto the boat.
Charlotte clung to the life ring, exhausted.
In moments, Eric reached for her, and, relieved, she felt him pulling her upward and onto the boat. She lay there a moment, gasping for breath. Shane lay beside her, coughing up water.
She sat up and faced him. “Are you all right?”
Shane gazed at her with eyes that didn’t look quite right. She looked up at Eric.
“We need to get ashore,” said Eric. “I think he’s had a severe concussion. I don’t like what I’m seeing.”
They helped Shane onto a bench in the cockpit and wrapped a towel around him.
“Hey, buddy. What’s your name? Do you know where you are?” asked Eric, kneeling on the cockpit floor beside him, looking into his eyes.
Worried, Charlotte put an arm around Shane.
“I’m in a boat. A mermaid saved me.” He gazed at her in a daze. “It was you.”
“Who are you?” Charlotte asked, insisting on an answer. It scared her to see him like this.
“Shane Ensley,” he answered, lifting a hand to the large bump on the back of his head. “Ouch! Damn, that hurts.”
Eric held up three fingers. “Okay, how many fingers do you see?”
Shane blinked and studied Eric’s hand. “Three. One, two, three. I’m okay. Just bumped my head.”
Eric and Charlotte exchanged worried looks.
“Do you think it’s okay to continue, or should we try to make it to shore and get help?” Charlotte asked Eric.
“Let’s keep going, but I insist on having him checked at a hospital in St. Petersburg. Better to be safe than sorry.”
“I can hear you,” said Shane. “And I’m not going to any hospital.”
Eric put a hand on Shane’s shoulder. “We won’t worry about that now. Let’s get this boat moving again. It’s lucky a mermaid did save you, buddy. You were out of it for a few minutes.”
Shane looked at her. “You’re beautiful, you know.”
“He’s still out of it,” said Charlotte to Eric.
Eric looked from Shane to her and shrugged. “Maybe not.”
Shane held an ice pack to his head as Charlotte stood at the wheel, keeping an eye on him. Eric reefed the mainsail to keep it under better control and then hoisted the sails and brought the boat back onto a northerly course.
As they headed north, Charlotte called Austin to tell him about Shane’s accident and ask for his help in getting him to the hospital.
“I’ll drive the cove boat to pick you two up. I’ll bring one of the other men to take over for Shane and help Eric,” said Austin.
She clicked off the call and relayed the news to Eric.
Shane overheard her. “No. You guys are overreacting. I’m fine. I’m fine.”
“Relax. Austin’s already on his way,” said Charlotte. She’d never forget the few minutes Shane had seemed so lifeless. He said he was fine, but she still wanted to be sure he wouldn’t have any future problems.
A short while later, they saw a Boston Whaler headed their way, and soon Austin and Adam pulled up beside the sailboat.
