The words weren't so empty. They made sense, even if they didn't completely pertain to her, the did help a little. She took his hand, because it was offered, and she didn't want to slip into the lake while trying to stand up, which probably would have happened with the day she was having.
She wanted to call something out to him as he walked away, something that would have been a completely normal thing for her to say, but she didn't. What he didn't see as he left the dock, was that true 'Heather' smile creep into place. She truly counted herself lucky to have him as a friend.