If John seemed bothered at all, he did not let it show. Instead, upon catching his breath, and making sure she could actually, you know, swim -- (Hey, sometimes it was just a good thing to note. One second it's all fun and games, the next, you're saving drowning people!) -- he happily took a few moments to do a nice round of the backstroke.
But oh. Her time would come.
"Oh," he said sadly, giving pause in midstroke. "I forgot my duckie ring."