JULIE

“Holy crap!”

I limp on one foot as I pull off my sneakers and socks. I wade into the warm, salty water, swallow a deep breath, and dive into it.

“Hunter, I'm coming!” I yell as I push my arms and legs. Although I feel a tremendous rush of anxiety, I keep searching for a sign of him.

My words were punctuated with each force as the stubborn waves kept pushing me. “What...kind of an...idiot...wears blue...in the freaking ocean?!”

Going deeper again, I can see a glimpse of Hunter's body sinking lower, and he isn't moving. I hook my arms under his shoulders.

Thanks to the summers of my childhood spent swimming in creeks, I have the endurance to hold my breath for long periods.

The strain of dragging Hunter's body weighs on me, but I keep swimming up.

“Almost there,” I think.

The moment we hit the surface, I let out a desperate breath of air.

“Help!” I scream.

Several hands pull at us.

The moment we hit the shores, we are surrounded by construction workers.

I cry. “He's not breathing!”

While crawling tirelessly towards Hunter's body, I hooked my fingers together and began to pump on his chest. “Call nine-one-one. Wake up, Hunter. Come on!”

With every push, Hunter remains still. I even perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but it yields nothing.

Someone grips my shoulder, and I flinch. It's Sylvia.

“Stop,” she says gravely. “It's been five minutes.”

“No!” I yell at her. “He can't be gone.”

Sirens wail in the distance. But everyone remains silent.

Hunter remains still. I didn't even know him that well, and yet, I felt the weight of my heart shatter at the thought that someone had a brother, a son, and perhaps a boyfriend.

Suddenly, Hunter begins to cough out water profusely. I quickly move to his side.

“Oh my God!” I scream in his face.

Everyone around us let out big whoops of relief and applauded.

His eyes move around, searching his surroundings, then directly at me. My mouth trembles, and tears of joy fill my eyes.

Hunter smiles at me. “...Angel?”

Then he shuts his eyes again.

Hunter recovers, but by then, a person (instead of helping) had been recording me and the guys dragging Hunter out of the ocean and posts the video, which goes viral on TikTok.

Someone even dubbed me Amphitrite Angel due to my Greek heritage...mind you, I was half-Greek, by the way.

But the name catches on, even with local media.

“...Today, in the studio, we have a local city of Charlotte heroine, the Amphitrite Angel.” A popular news anchorwoman said to the cameras. She turns me while I have a forced smile planted on my face. “So, can you tell us exactly what pushed you to rescue a man three times your size despite knowing you would have possibly died with him?”

The smile grows bigger as I internally wince. I've never been on TV before, and it feels overwhelming. I pause, glancing at Hunter with the camera guys giving me two thumbs up.

I look at the woman. “Well, he was on the promotion panel; I couldn't risk a vital member dying that day.”

The anchorwoman chuckles.

Then I pause for a second; flashes of me signing that stupid consent form to donate my kidney flood my mind. “But seriously, I was scared. I've made some mistakes in the past that have backfired. But I didn't want my past to define my future; it's who I am, and I encourage everyone to do what's right...and join your local Red Cross.”

After the news, I approach Hunter, who beams at me.

“There she is, my Angel,” Hunter says.

I feel heat rising in my face. “Oh my God, stop.”

He wraps his arm around my shoulders. “Word of advice: don't be modest; milk this popularity before someone saves a dog in a tree or an old lady trapped in a burning building.” Hunter teases, but I don't laugh with him. “My stocks just went up by ten percent.”

I look at him in surprise. “Really, that's fantastic.”

“Yeah, and we're celebrating at work,” Hunter says as we climb into the back of his black SUV.

My fingers nervously tap on my thighs, sitting next to Hunter; his cologne is faint but enough to swarm my senses. I snuck a look at him, concentrating on his smartphone. I hate the way my heart flutters at the sight of him.

I just got divorced, for crying out loud.

How can I be attracted to another man after swearing off dating?

The moment we step out of the elevator and into my department, everyone screams.

“Surprise!”

My mouth drops open at the sight of the banner. Congratulations on your promo, Julie!!!

I begin to jump in place in excitement. “No way, I got it?!”

“That's right.” He nods, but I'm too dazed to respond as everyone swarms me, shaking my hands and hugging me happily.

I turn to Hunter afterwards in my new office, complete with a personalized mug and everything.

I couldn't help asking him. “Did I really get this promotion because of my design?”

Hunter blinks, glancing out the window and then back to me. “I told you before, Julie, that it was flawless.”

I nod appreciatively. He walked over to me, taking my hands.

“If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask.” He says sincerely.

“You don't owe me a thing, Mr. McKnight.”

“Of course I do.” He replies, narrowing his eyes. “Anyone who saves a life is automatically owed for life, and I deeply appreciate it.”

I stare at Hunter. Surprise couldn't describe how I feel at this moment. Tyler didn't even care if I survived, but Hunter...was sincere and kind.

No, I will not fall for you, Hunter. I see his green eyes lower down. Don't you dare—.

Then he angles his head and kisses me. Our fingers manage to wrap around each other.

The rest of the world fades away, and the only thing I can hear is my beating heart, feeling the taste of his mouth. It's as if all my sadness has washed away.

When we come apart, I freeze, searching for words to say, then I realize we're still holding hands. I jerk mine away, and he does the same.

“Um...” I say foolishly.

“Oh damn, I forgot you were married,” Hunter says.

“Actually, I'm divorced,” I reply, noting how his expression drops in relief.

“Call me Hunter.” He clears his throat. “As you were.”

Just like that, he hurries out of my office, leaving me behind.