How to be a Mermaid (The Cotton Candy Quintet #1)(44)

“We lay on the beach for a long while after the hurricane passed us. Even though we couldn’t speak the same language, I could see the sadness in her eyes and I imagined myself in her place. Through her, I got glimpse of a great, underwater world that humans rarely ever see, one that was saddened by the overfishing that us humans were doing. I knew I wanted to help out in any way I could. So I did. She stayed with me to make sure I didn’t drown. I was going to make sure that I was going to help her. After the hurricane stopped, I woke up and she was gone.”

“That’s when you quit fishing and opened up Neptune’s World,” I prompted, remembering that the aquarium had opened in 1980.

He nodded. “It was hard at first, but I knew that I couldn’t knowingly continue the path I was on. I started the aquarium. Started rehabilitating sea creatures that needed help. And,” his cheeks colored, “I started the mermaid performances. As homage to her.”

“Did you ever try going back into the water for her?”

“Hell yes,” he said. “I was a lovesick fool calling out for my Juliet. Nearly drowned then too. She never came back for me. Eventually, I decided that not setting foot in the water was easier for me. Otherwise I felt too close to her and it was absolutely heartbreaking. I’d be tempted to try and drown myself again to get to her. Now…I have too much work to do on land to do that.”

His words struck a chord with me, about what he had to do on land versus going back to the sea. I was wringing my hands and I hadn’t even noticed. I placed them flat against my thighs to stop their fidgeting. It was a sad story, but Neptune’s continued commitment to taking care of the ocean life was a testament to how good of a guy he really was. The man before me was no longer a grumpy old man. It was a man who was forever paying tribute to his long lost love who had saved his life.

“You need to tell me everything you know about mermaids,” he said.

I did, not leaving a single detail out. I told him about my secret trek to check on Kai that first time, Finn surprising me, and me nearly falling to my death. Waking up underwater. Waking up back on land, and finding that I could swim better than ever. I showed him my gills. I told him that I went back to the sea to reverse it, not knowing that my heritage was from the sea. I told him about Finn and whatever was happening between us—he nodded at me sadly about that—and I told him about the impending war if Kai wasn’t returned to his parents.

“Yeah,” Neptune said, nodding in agreement, “I always had a fishy feeling about that poor dolphin calf. Michael Stevens and I never really did see eye-to-eye. I guess we can now see why.” He chuckled bitterly while shaking his head. “Bastard wanted you to rot in jail. You’re damn lucky. Damn lucky.”

I sighed. It sure didn’t feel that way.

“I’m sorry I made you and Christine and the others worry,” I said.

He shrugged it off. “When I saw you swim in that performance yesterday, I knew something was up. Christine was the most worried. You know how she is.”

I did, and I felt awful for putting her through all this.

“I knew you were hiding something. No one has ever swum like that before.” He gave me a sideways glance. “It sounds like you have a lot of decisions to make. What are you going to do now?”

I bit my lip. I knew, even if I didn’t like it.

***

Neptune parked by the beach and told me that he’d wait in the car. It was his presence that reassured me that I had to do the right thing and not get caught up in the moment.

I walked down to the beach, trying to figure out what the heck I was going to say. So many things, not enough time, and definitely the answer neither of us wanted to hear.

I shivered. Here goes nothing.

I dipped a bare foot into the sea. I could feel the tingling in my legs, but I forced the feeling of the scales to subside. I didn’t want to go full mermaid. Not yet. It was hard not to let it take over and jump into the sea.

I waded in up to my waist. By the time I was up to my belly button, my legs were itching from the need to turn into mermaid fins. I found that if I concentrated really hard, I wouldn’t transform.

I bent forward, pressed my face to water, and said to the murky depths, “Finn, I’m here.”

I straightened myself up and waited, knowing that I wouldn’t have to for very long. Finn would be here any minute.

All at once, something caught my legs, and I crashed into the water, dragging me out to sea. Before I could protest and shriek, something covered my mouth, giving me a playful, passionate kiss.

Finn.

Despite the fact that I was fighting it the entire time, I ended up closing my eyes and getting lost in the feel of his lips against mine.

When our lips finally parted, I was breathless, even with my gills. He, however, was grinning sheepishly at me as he pressed his forehead to mine.

“You did it!” he exclaimed. “You saved Kai! You saved us all.”

I smiled. “He’s okay?”

“Yes, he’s with Levi and Nadia now.”

“Good, I’m glad.”

Finn grabbed my hand, pulling me back out to the sea. “Come on,” he said, grinning triumphantly at me. “You need to transform and come back to Thalassa. My father wants to see you. And Kai’s parents. You’re a hero, Tara.” His expression turned passionate. “You’re my hero.”