Chapter 3

“What’s that mean?” the coach snapped. “Ever time yourself?”

Rory held up his wrist to show off his new watch. “That’s what I wanted to do today. I—”

“How long’s it take you to do one lap?” the coach asked.

“From one end to the other?” Rory asked.

The coach shook his head. “One end to the other and back.”

There was a large clock on the wall above the lifeguard station. A few times Rory had tried to time himself using it, but he didn’t think that was very accurate, which was why he wanted the watch. The coach saw him glance at the clock, though, so Rory couldn’t back down now. “If I jump in when the little hand’s on the twelve,” Rory said, “it’s on the two when I climb back out.”

“The second hand?” the coach asked, squinting at him. “Ten seconds?”

From the pool, the swimmer laughed. “That’s damn good time.”

The coach gave a grudging grunt. “He’ll probably grow out of it.”

“He might not,” the swimmer shot back. “I didn’t. You like to swim, kid?”